Pedco Digital UltraPod II

I'd searched Amazon & the internet for a small tripod that could safely & securely handle my medium sized dSLR. After checking tons of products I found Pedco Digital UltraPod II . This unit has nearly all the features I needed: lightweight, well designed and constructed, very sturdy, ball head mount & reasonably priced. It handles my Canon T3i w/ 70-300 lens nicely & very steadily. Macro shoting using shorter lenses can also be done, since the camera base mount allows about 71/2" to the bottom of the tripod feet. Additionally, the velcro strap enables the folded unit to be attached to any stable surface (pole, fence, chair, etc.) where the camera can be oriented to virtually any angle.The only add-ons I may require are a bubble level & my remote shutter release cable. This is truly a great small tripod for my purposes, at a very good price.

The only virtue of the UltraPod is its 4-ounce weight. The "ball head" is grossly under-designed for any camera larger than a P&S. The head does not swivel at its base, making it difficult to position the tightening knob where you want it to be. I was going to take it on a trip to Samoa, but I now think I will pack the 12-ounce weight of my Slik Mini-Pro III, and be happier for it.

This compact tripod is a must have for travel use with a point and shoot or a small IL camera.

Only found one use for it so far in 5 months; I attached it to a fake palm tree for a "selfie." Seems well made, but will take up big space in a camera bag. Worth it when ya need it, for sure.

Yes, the Pedco Digital UltraPod II is made from plastic, and yes, it might lack a few features but in my opinion it more than makes up for it by being lightweight, easy to pack and also by having the velcro strap which significantly enhances the usability of this product. It beats any of the cheaper mini tripods which never properly supported my heavier  Canon Powershot SX10IS 10MP Digital Camera with 20x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom . This tripod works beautifully and despite it being plastic, doesn't feel cheap at all but is quite sturdy.With the  Fotodiox Camera Hot Shoe Double Axis Bubble Level, for Nikon Canon Sony, Minolta, Pentax, Olympus Cameras  that fits in the camera's hot shoe, I can make sure everything is level even without having a built-in level on the tripod as is the case with many full-size tripods.This is a great versatile tripod for travel, no ifs and buts.

I bought this to travel to China with. I put it in a checked bag so can not say if it would pass the scanners and everything at the air port. I did go through scanners in China with no problems though. I used this on my full frame Nikon D800e camera with a heavy lens and it works great. I only used as a tri-pod and didn't test the Velcro strap on a fence or anything. It will never replace my home tri-pod but this fits well in my backpack and has almost no weight. It is made of plastic except the hinges and threaded parts but seems strong and stable.

Great little tripod. Looks like it might not be sturdy enough for a full SLR, but I've put one on, with a battery grip and a big 70-200mm lens and this thing just holds it steadily.Great for car rides, sits comfortable on the dash. The little velcro strap is very convenient and useful.Only con, the little rubber feet come off easily...so glue them on!

Both the original order and a replacement order were the black model of this item. The listing is not what is shipping.