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I've started doing lots of longer walks around home hunting down wildflowers, today for example was 8.5km with a fair bit of up and down.  I have my camera gear in a beltpack system (Think Tank) and I've been carrying the tripod over my shoulder.  It's an old Gitzo 1325 which does the job fine, but I'm keen to get something significantly smaller and lighter. 

I had a bit of a look and the RRS TFC-14 seems to have the features I want but it's out of stock along with a lot of RRS gear.  I'd be prpared to wait for one, but I thought I'd check on other options and recommendations.  There's lots of cheaper ones listed but reviews seem to indicate they are not as rigid. 

Features I need are no centre column, short folded length (18"or less) and go completely flat, light weight.  I don't need a lot of height.

Also any thoughts on carrying it on the think tank belt system??

This tripod is highly rated:

Peak Design

Moment

Amazon

DCW review

It is available in CF and aluminum. Some people don’t like the head, but there is an adapter available to attach the head of your choice. Price on tripod seems to be the same everywhere.

Joe

Thanks Joe, still has a centre column though and it's not clear how low it will go - I need it to sit totally flat.

ChrisRoss wrote:Thanks Joe, still has a centre column though and it's not clear how low it will go - I need it to sit totally flat.

Look at the images on Amazon to see how low it goes(5 1/2”). The tripod head adapter can also be used without the center column. Using these replacement feet for the lower four sections also make it lighter and, certainly, shorter.

https://www.peakdesign.com/products/ultralight-conversion-kit

https://www.peakdesign.com/products/universal-head-adapter

Joe

SantaFeJoe wrote:

ChrisRoss wrote:Thanks Joe, still has a centre column though and it's not clear how low it will go - I need it to sit totally flat.

Look at the images on Amazon to see how low it goes(5 1/2”). The tripod head adapter can also be used without the center column. Using these replacement feet for the lower four sections also make it lighter and, certainly, shorter.

https://www.peakdesign.com/products/ultralight-conversion-kit

https://www.peakdesign.com/products/universal-head-adapter

Joe

Very impressed with the design and versatility of the tripod. 

Neat.  I'm going to look into this compact tripod as an easy carry-around.  I will read reviews first.  On the Canadian site, the carbon fiber models doesn't seem to be available.  I see it is not available on the USA site either.  Maybe it's a future model or out of stock.  Carbon fiber is what I will go for, so will wait a bit.

OntPhoto wrote:Neat.  I'm going to look into this compact tripod as an easy carry-around.  I will read reviews first.  On the Canadian site, the carbon fiber models doesn't seem to be available.  I see it is not available on the USA site either.  Maybe it's a future model or out of stock.  Carbon fiber is what I will go for, so will wait a bit.

Amazon shows it as in stock:

https://www.amazon.com/Peak-Design-Travel-Tripod-Section/dp/B085BQTQMN

Adorama also:

https://www.adorama.com/pdttcf1.html?origterm=peak+design+carbon+fiber+tripod&searchredirect=true

And B and H, too:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=Peak%20design%20carbon%20fiber%20tripod&N=0&InitialSearch=yes&sts=ma

And BestBuy:

BestBuy

There are a lot of reviews on those sites as well as online.

Joe

The USA site shows it in stock in the carbon fiber version :

https://www.peakdesign.com/products/tra ... 0897402924

The manual is available online and apparently the center column is removable. This is something I am going to seriously consider for hikes this fall.

SantaFeJoe wrote:

OntPhoto wrote:Neat.  I'm going to look into this compact tripod as an easy carry-around.  I will read reviews first.  On the Canadian site, the carbon fiber models doesn't seem to be available.  I see it is not available on the USA site either.  Maybe it's a future model or out of stock.  Carbon fiber is what I will go for, so will wait a bit.

Amazon shows it as in stock:

https://www.amazon.com/Peak-Design-Travel-Tripod-Section/dp/B085BQTQMN

Adorama also:

https://www.adorama.com/pdttcf1.html?origterm=peak+design+carbon+fiber+tripod&searchredirect=true

And B and H, too:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=Peak%20design%20carbon%20fiber%20tripod&N=0&InitialSearch=yes&sts=ma

And BestBuy:

BestBuy

There are a lot of reviews on those sites as well as online.

Joe

They must have sold out on the Amazon site.  I am sticking to Canadian online stores for now.  The CAD to USD is getting better though. 

OntPhoto wrote:.....They must have sold out on the Amazon site.  I am sticking to Canadian online stores for now.  The CAD to USD is getting better though. 

Amazon Canada has it here:

https://www.amazon.ca/Peak-Design-Travel-Tripod-Carbon/dp/B085BQTQMN/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=Peak+Design+carbon+fiber+tripod&qid=1632017057&sr=8-5

$799 with free delivery by September 24.

Joe

SantaFeJoe wrote:

ChrisRoss wrote:Thanks Joe, still has a centre column though and it's not clear how low it will go - I need it to sit totally flat.

Look at the images on Amazon to see how low it goes(5 1/2”). The tripod head adapter can also be used without the center column. Using these replacement feet for the lower four sections also make it lighter and, certainly, shorter.

https://www.peakdesign.com/products/ultralight-conversion-kit

https://www.peakdesign.com/products/universal-head-adapter

Joe

Yes, I saw that 5 1/2" is not low enough for what I want it for, much of my shooting is ground level.  When you are shooting small orchids and the like 3" lower is a significant difference.

Chris I shoot the same type of terrestrial orchids as you do and I have found the SLR Gorilla Pod to be very useful and it is very lightweight to carry. It allows for a great deal of positioning and is flat on the ground when you need it. I would pick one up and give it a try while you wait for the tripods you want to come in stock. You may find it is all you need.

Regards Kim

ChrisRoss wrote:.........Yes, I saw that 5 1/2" is not low enough for what I want it for, much of my shooting is ground level.  When you are shooting small orchids and the like 3" lower is a significant difference.

Keep in mind that the RRS height is without a head. Peak Design has one built in, but to use it, it must be raised about an inch or so.
RRS also makes this mini beast that goes to 2.9" on the low end but does not go high at all:

https://havecamerawilltravel.com/photog ... round-pod/

Joe

If you are only concerned about ground level you might consider the Platypod:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?N ... yes&sts=ps 

Along with a good ball head it works well. 

Mark L wrote:If you are only concerned about ground level you might consider the Platypod:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?N ... yes&sts=ps 

Along with a good ball head it works well. 

Thanks Mark, it's ground level to about 1m high that gets the most use, so a conventional tripod that goes flat.

I was hoping to get experience of some of the many options I can see for example on the B&H website, from brands like leofoto, FLM, Sirui etc.  That look decent enough and the reviews are OK, but I did find a site that tests some of these and some of them don't seem to all that rigid.

I use a Gitzo mountaineer that gets pretty low to the ground if you remove the center column.  The height is then largely determined by the head you have on the tripod.  
Good luck...
For objective evaluation of tripod specifications you might want to check out The Center Column: https://thecentercolumn.com/author/dberryrieser/ 

A little longer than what you want but this has been my hiking tripod. FEISOL CT-3342 relatively light weight, no center post and gets camera up higher than most.

Hi,

I use a MeFOTO BackPacker https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/ ... d_kit.html

I've had it for several years and it works great. You can also unscrew one of the legs to use as a monopod or hiking stick.

The only problem is that it's parts come loose (screw on feet, head, etc.) so check to be sure everything is tight the day you want to use it.

Have Fun,
Jeff

Since Brexit, RRS have stopped shipping to the UK, even for stuff they have in stock. It seems to me that the move to Utah hasn't really worked for them in terms of business. I have therefore, somewhat reluctantly, started to buy what I need from Leophoto. They usually have a RRS equivalent, often with an extra something, and the manufacturing quality seems just as good. The price 'tho is much less.

Yes I've noticed a lot of RRS gear is out of stock. I ended up finding an Ex+ condition used RRS TFC-14 and bought that - it arrived a few days back now. I have a RRS BH-40 on it and it is an impressively solid little tripod and does just fine even with my Olympus 300mm f4 . Thanks all for the input.