Velbon DV-7000 Video Tripod

This tripod is the only one I found that was remotely within my budget and also met my needs for a fluid head, suitable height, etc., hence the purchase.It is HEAVY - but a good carrying case makes carrying it quite easy even for this small, disabled, middle-aged woman!It's easy to set up and use once you have got the hang of all the different control knobs. Extending the legs is no problem - you just flip the securing flaps and pull or let the legs slide out downwards.It's also easy to raise the head to max height, which is above my head!The head does pan and tilt smoothly, but it has taken me some time to work out what to do with each knob. I could really have done with an instruction leaflet with diagrams. (You can find diagrams online at the Velbon website.) I think I've got it sussed now, but due to my earlier trial-and-error efforts I managed to lose the pan tension adjuster, which also secures the head to the tripod. Things were rather precarious until I obtained a replacement, for which it took some time to find a source (Intro2020), and then of course I found my original one in the garden!You need to mind your fingers when securing the camera to the head - the lever can give you a whack when it flicks out!Overall, I definitely recommend this product.

Awesome tripod for the money, if you want a pro tripod but can't afford one this is your man! I have chosen to keep the legs instead of buying Manfrotto, they are strong! and very functional, I love them. The head is very smooth and very usable although a bit plasticy and not pro standards but for the money, hey, it works! You may want to upgrade the head in the future as I am but the good thing is with this tripod you can!. Both head and legs are interchangeable with other pro parts due to a 1/4" thread on the legs and 3/8" thread in the head (it has a 1/4" to 3/8" adaptor inside). This is not a light weight tripod! personally for me that's a good thing, it's weighty and strong. the legs go mega wide which makes it almost impossible to knock over and good for low slider work.Conclusion:-if your looking for an entry level tripod you have hit jackpot with this little beast!if you are a pro looking for a cheep second tripod you have hit jackpot with this little beast!If you are looking for a pro tripod you may be happy with the legs but want to change the head.For the record I'm making lot's of cash on pro video shoots with this tripod. I'm using a 80cm Konova slider on the legs and it's very sturdy. Cheers

I needed to replace a carbon fibre tripod which broke in the area of the quick release plate - I'd had this for just under 2 years and used it with my second camera - a Canon camcorder. I was looking for something a bit sturdier to replace the carbon fibre tripod - but they were all too expensive. The Velbon Tripod is much heavier of course than the one it's replacing - but it solidly built and the pan and tilt action of the head surprisingly smooth and a great deal better than it was with the tripod that broke. What's missing though is a levelling bubble. Also the quick release plate and where it fits into are plastic and I'm not sure how long this mechanism will last. But that said it wasn't expensive and I'd say it's good value for money.

Very steady tripod, the only weakness would be the video head sold with the tripod (PH-368), the quick attach basement has too much plastic and when attached to the head, your camcorder may not be perfectly horizontal, which is a problem for video in city, if buildings are not vertical !I have upgraded my video head with a Manfrotto MVH 500 AH, and the problem of horizontality has been fixedMy rating for the tripod only would be 5

I have three minor problems with this tripod:1 - the head is a bit of a pain (I'm being a bit picky with this, to be honest) to get on and off the top of the legs to put it onto the alternate upside-down-y-mount thing (there's probably a technical term for this, I'm really not that bothered, you probably get what I mean).2 - The handle keeps coming loose! (This is probably just my fault, you can tighten it and mine just keeps coming loose... not really a big problem though, as I said, you can tighten it whenever).3 - It's heavy! Although I suppose that's a trade-off for being solidly built.So yeah, overall I'm just being a bit picky. It's an awesome tripod nevertheless. Would definitely recommend.

I bought this mainly for use with a spotter scope so wanted weight and rigidity rather than portability. It is too long when collapsed and too heavy for carrying in a rucksack so is more suited for domestic use. It has large-section, braced legs which open, close and clamp smoothly, and a single bubble helps in setting up. The centre column is wound up and down easily once the clamp is loosened, and the maximum height is adequate for scopes with angled eyepieces even if, like me, you are over 6 feet tall.The head has tension adjustments for pan and tilt and loosening the clamping screw avoids the usual problem of unscrewing the head while panning. The quick release platform is large which also helps with stability for heavier equipment. The head is smooth in operation with a single handle and it tilts enough for scanning the night sky. At £67 with delivery in three working days it is good value for money - a £200 Manfrotto would have a better damped head but you pays your money and takes your choice.

I looked at a number of different tripods before deciding on the DV-7000. I was looking for a multi-purpose tripod that I could use for my EOS 7D camera for both photography and video shoots. I needed something sturdy with a decent fluid head that was not too heavy to carry, as most of my shoots are outdoors, often far from the beaten track. Most other options I had looked at were either very expensive or very heavy (or just plain rubbish). The DV-7000 however more than fits the bill. It is very sturdy, light enough to transport very easily (esp with the Velbon 700 tripod case) and the fluid head, although basic, does the job very well.