If you had requested me a number of years in the past what I considered Neewer gear, my reply wouldn’t have been optimistic. However, just lately I’ve been testing their latest releases, and I’m impressed with what I discovered. Here’s what I found about their journey tripods.
What Is a Travel Tripod?
Many readers are new to pictures and don’t know something about what explicit product names imply, nor something in regards to the producers and would possibly surprise in regards to the Neewer Litetrip TP35. So, as I generally do, I’ll begin this text with a brief rationalization of each. If you’re a seasoned photographer and know every thing there may be to learn about this matter, then you’ll be able to skip over this and the next part.
Travel tripods are compact and light-weight. As their identify suggests, they’re designed for touring. There are not any strict design parameters that producers should adhere to, so what one describes as a journey tripod can imply something. Nevertheless, they’re often diminutive in comparison with different fashions.
Making tripods smaller and lighter may be achieved in 3 ways. One is to lose robustness and stability, and one other is to make use of high-tech, light-weight elements. The latter of these provides to the cost. The third method is to simplify the design by omitting options one would possibly discover on bigger tripods. Good journey tripods are a compromise of those components, and photographers must resolve what’s most vital for them.
What Is Neewer?
For the primary few years, underneath a special identify, Neewer was reselling new and refurbished name-brand cameras and different electronics primarily by means of eBay. Besides cameras, they bought gear similar to audio and DVD gamers, plus GPS items. They trademarked the Neewer model in 2011 so they may brand-mark photograph and video equipment that they bought in kits.
Over time, they started hiring engineers, designers, and software program builders, i.e., personnel they wanted to function as ODM as an alternative of OEM. They say they now give attention to producing know-how and innovation whereas concurrently making build high quality paramount. That change in high quality is noticeable and has made it a model worthy of consideration.
With their very own amenities, they’ve expanded their manufacturing and engineering departments a number of instances over. Their web site says they’ve a mission of manufacturing high-quality, skilled merchandise at entry-level costs. They are releasing new merchandise each few weeks, and this seems to be the case.
That’s excellent news for us photographers as competitors within the market helps to push the worth of what generally appears extortionately costly gear downwards. It will little doubt rattle the cages of different producers.
Neewer’s Latest Two Travel Tripods
Neewer despatched me two carbon fiber journey tripods to check. The first was the Litetrip 35 and the opposite was the TP62 Travel Tripod. I’ll evaluate that second one individually.
At the worth level of those tripods, as one would anticipate, their total high quality was good.
Both have been delivered in sturdy, padded woven-fabric carrying circumstances and got here with a spread of equipment. They every had Arca-style quick-release plates that, cleverly, matched the form and options of these offered by Peak Design, making them appropriate with that model’s tools, together with the Capture Clip.
With each tripods, the middle column may be shortened, and the legs are secured by levers. Both have two ¼” screw accent ports and hooks on the middle column to hold your digital camera bag and improve stability. However, that is the place the similarities finish.
A Close-Up Look on the Neewer Litetrip 35
The sleek-looking black carbon fiber legs of the Litetrip 35 have matte metallic darkish bronze options that match the alloy ball head. The 5-section legs transfer outwards by flattening on steel clips, and they are often adjusted past horizontal, which is beneficial on a rocky shoreline the place one would possibly relaxation one leg on high of a rock.
The leg sections are prolonged by releasing massive and strong plastic flip-lock clips which are straightforward to function even when sporting gloves and mittens. All the leg sections run easily and, when launched, will open underneath the pressure of gravity however with a bit resistance.
The bases of the legs have completely connected rubber ft.
If you solely wish to rotate the ball head, that is achieved by loosening a panoramic lock knob, and the ball head may be turned by 360 levels; there’s a calibrated ring marked with 5-degree graduations if you’d like precision. That turned evenly and easily with simply the correct amount of resistance.
The ball head strikes as easily as any I’ve tried, requiring simply sufficient pressure for a fair regular motion; no person needs floppy ball heads, do they? The head’s tilt locking knob is properly designed, as it may be repositioned after locking, so it doesn’t get in the best way.
The QR plate is launched utilizing a change that’s locked by a rotary locking ring.
There’s each an extended and a brief middle column. In regular use, I might all the time use the quick ones as I don’t ever lengthen these. However, in testing, I discovered the longer column to be sturdy.
At the underside of the middle column is a removable hook held in place by a 1/4” screw thread. The columns are reversible. To obtain that, you want to unscrew the hook for it to go by means of the highest of the tripod spider. That is an efficient factor because it stops the column and the connected digital camera from falling and hitting the bottom whenever you launch it.
Supplied with the tripod is a panoramic quick-release (QR) plate, so one can degree the digital camera head, after which rotate it above the ball.
There’s additionally a telephone clamp and two L-shaped hex keys.
In Use
I discovered the tripod was pleasingly straightforward to make use of. Being carbon fiber, it’s gentle sufficient, weighing simply 2.5 lb (1.13 kg), but it surely’s additionally very sturdy even when prolonged to its full peak. It can assist as much as 22 lb (almost 10 kg), which is heavier than any of my digital camera/lens combos. With the middle column, it extends to 165 cm, and 132 cm with out. With the ball head connected, it lowers the digital camera to only 19 cm and it folds away to 50 cm.
Its profile is small, making it straightforward to grip when carrying.
One barely odd design choice was to place a bubble degree underneath the QR plate. Saying that, I hardly ever use the bubble degree on any of my tripods.
It’s regular. I used it exterior in a powerful wind and it stayed put.
What I Liked and What Could be Improved With the Neewer Litetrip 35
What I Liked
- Well made
- Versatile
- Compact
- Lightweight
- Sturdy
- The middle column may be shortened to avoid wasting weight.
- Reversible middle column.
- Easy to make use of even when utilizing gloves.
- Failsafe QR plate locking mechanism.
- Swiss-Arca type QR launch plate.
- Peak Design Capture Clip appropriate.
- Good carrying case with a small inside pocket for equipment.
- Though not an affordable tripod, it’s extra inexpensive than others of comparable high quality.
- It appears smooth.
What Could Be Improved Next Time?
- The leg-release flip lock levers appear robust sufficient, however I ponder if they might have been higher in steel fairly than plastic, even when it added an oz. or two to the burden.
- The screw for the panoramic QR plate can be improved with a hex key socket.
- It can be good to see much less single-use plastic packaging.
Specifications
- Model: LT35
- Compatibility: Compatible with PD Arca
- Application: Photo/Video/Film
- Main Features: Dual Compatibility, Heavy Duty
- Mounting Point: 1/4″, 3/8″, Cold Shoe
- Material: Carbon Fiber
- Load Capacity: 22lb/10kg
- Dimensions: 6.4″- 61.4″/16.5-156cm
- Weight: 2.5lb/1.1kg
- Leg Angle Adjustment: 22°, 55°, 85°
- Folded Length: 19″/49cm
- Height Range: 18″-61″/46.5-156cm (lengthy middle column), 6.4″-52″/16.5-132cm (quick middle column)
Package Contents
- Tripod with Ball Head
- Phone Holder
- Short Center Column
- Panoramic Quick Release Plate
- 2x L Shaped Hex Key
- Carrying bag
In Conclusion
As I discussed at the beginning, a journey tripod inevitably makes compromises. I’ve different tripods which are even sturdier, however they’re larger and heavier. That does not imply the Litetrip 35 is in any method unsteady. Indeed, I used to be assured utilizing it at its full peak even with a stiff wind blowing. This Neewer tripod has succeeded in retaining stability whereas being well-featured, and in no way heavy.
The worth for the Neewer Litetrip TP35 is sweet too, in contrast with different producers’ equivalents. For these searching for a top quality journey tripod, it’s a superb choice. However, they need to additionally contemplate the Neewer TP62, which has barely completely different options. My evaluate of that may comply with very shortly. Keep an eye fixed open for it, as there are fascinating variations.
