Tripods, without an iota of doubt, are a photographer’s best friends. Your most expensive super-duper high-end lens, used hand-held, cannot provide the biting sharpness that is possible using a good tripod.
Tripods also allow you to frame your subject better, frees you from the nagging worry of fuzzy pic-tures, and lets you concentrate on your shooting.
This First Look takes a look at the Slick Pro 500DX tripod. This 3-segmented tripod is constructed from Tri-Titanium (an alloy of aluminum, magnesium, and titanium). This is a strong material often used in the aerospace industry. As per the manufacturer, the Slick Pro 500DX has a strength-to-weight ratio 40-percent greater than comparable tripods in its class. The legs use flip levers to lock into position. The tripod includes a 3-way Pan-and-Tilt head with a quick release plate (which has a cork surface to prevent scratches to the camera base plate). The quick release plate is attached to the camera body and can then be easily and quickly attached/detached to/from the tripod. The ‘head’ includes a safety lever to prevent accidental release. A sliding center-column, made from the same material, adds additional height to the tripod. A center-column lock is available.
The ‘legs’ have rubberized tips to prevent the legs from slipping on smooth surfaces. At the same time, the rubberized tips prevent scratches on smooth surfaces. All three legs also have soft rubberized grips which add to the user’s comfort.
The Pro 500DX offers a maximum height (without using the center column) of 134.5cm (52.9 inches). With the full extension of the center column, the maximum height is 162.5cm (63.95 inches). The folded length is 69.5 cm (27.4 inches). The tripod weighs 2.45Kg (5.4 lbs).
The Slick Pro 500DX tripod is strong, neat, and definitely ‘sleek’. It can carry a load of 4.5Kg (10 lbs).It is available at an MRP of Rs.10,500 from Inter Foto India Pvt. Ltd.Contact person: Mr. Rishab GuptaE-mail: rishabh.gupta@interfotoindia.com
Rohinton Mehta
