| Brand: | SunPak | ||
| Average Rating |
|
Extending to over 60, Sunpak’s 8001UT is able to support equipment weighing as much as 6 lbs. 9 oz. The 8001UT offers a rock-solid 25mm leg diameter, and provides all the features found on the Sunpak 6601UT, while weighing only a mere 10 oz. more. more info
{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }
Good quality tripod, but leveling feature is difficult to use
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
This would be a great tripod for a digital camera where you simply mount the camera to shoot pictures and are not concerned about being perfectly level. It is not very good for mounting items like laser levels where you have to be perfectly level before you use it. The swivel feature is jerky, and when you try to turn it around 360 degrees it keeps jerking and the extremely sensitive bubble level keeps getting out of level. I haven’t managed to get the tripod going out of level for the past hour even when I am standing on perfectly level ground, let alone on uneven soil. I finally used it for my digital camera instead and it works great for that purpose. I guess that is what it is meant for anyway – so as long as you aren’t relying on the leveling feature, everything else works fine.
Best Tripod I’ve Owned So Far
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I’ll start by saying that I’ve burned through seven other tripods. Cheap plastic parts and bolts that would strip while holding my bulky equipment have become the bane of my existence.
Recently, I purchased a new Canon and had little left in the budget for a high-end tripod. Fortunately, the Sunpak has been a tank since I took it out of the box. The pod is lightweight and easy to carry, but very sturdy and quick to set up. The mounting plates (yes, two plates) packaged along with the tripod fit all of my gear and easy to use.
I’d highly recommend this to anyone looking for a great tripod in a salary-man’s price range.
Excellent value for the price.
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I Paid $35 for it. It firmly supports my Digital Rebel, Sigma 70-300mm APO, and 28-70mm F/2.8 EX. It is a bit heavier and sturdier than Sunpak 5800D ($30).
I wish the tripod could have a handle and come with a carrying case/pouch.
THE HIGHEST-QUALITY TRIPOD I FOUND AT A LOW PRICE
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I’m happy with Sunpak products in general, and this tripod is no exception. It appears to be suprisingly sturdy and durable for the price. It also has features that I would normally expect to find only on much more expensive tripods, including two quick-release camera mounting plates with integral bubble levels, a bubble level for the tripod itself, and retractable spiked feet which are very useful on any terrain on which a tripod lacking this feature might slip. It has a smooth cranked elevator lift and the usual pan and tilt functions and can be used with either a video camera or a still camera or both. I bought a ripstop nylon Sunpak carrying bag for it from another company through Amazon.com. Taller tripods can be obtained but I didn’t feel that I needed one. I checked 299 tripods on Amazon.com before selecting this one and I feel that I made a good choice.
Good solid product.
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I got this for my Pentax DSLR and it works good for it. Sturdy and light weight.
Good Tripod, Does What It’s Supposed To
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
The tripod seems sturdy and has all the standard functions of a tripod. It’s light enough to carry around and take with you on photo shoots, though probably not light enough for a backpacking trip. It’s about a foot and half long when it’s fully collapsed.
Tripod for new camera
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is the nicest tripod I’ve seen. It is fully adjustable in more ways than you can imagine, plus it has two bubble holders, one for horizontal and one for vertical, so you can square it up on any type surface. We intend to really put this tripod to use in taking lots of pictures out of doors of coastal birds, wildlife, etc.
We’re thrilled with it!
Sunpak 8001 UT does the trick
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is a wonderful tripod. It is light, it has legs that easily, quickly and securely extend and retract (can’t say the same for my old Bogen which I had wrestling matches with), it’s got a level (not so for my Bogen), and comes with an extra plate. The plate, too, is easy to seat and remove. This is a light and stable tripod that’s perfect for backpacking. I am very pleased with the quality of construction and finish. In short, this is worth every penny of the very reasonable price you pay for it.
Adequate, not great even for a cheap tripod
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
The elevation control (the tilting controlled by the large twist handle, not the thing which raises or lowers the center column) is a little shaky – when you tighten the control to lock elevation in place it will always be off from where you aimed.
Also, I wouldn’t count on the levels for any serious work/projects. I’ve used this tripod for panoramas, but in order to get usable level shots I need to eyeball the center column and pan head for square a couple dozen times, adjust the legs accordingly.
That’s perfectly reasonable for a cheap (under $30) tripod.
What’s not reasonable is that after a dozen or so uses one of the leg latches broke and now I can’t extend the middle section of the tripod. I expect better than that even for a toy tripod like this one.
Not good for video
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
This tripod is great if you want to take still photos. It’s light but sturdy and fairly easy to set up. But if you want to take videos where you are following some action (nature, sports, etc.) I would not recommend it. It is impossible to get smooth movements of the camera, especially panning. The movements are very jerky. If you try to pan, it will resist moving until you push hard enough, then it will suddenly jerk, often further than you wanted to move. But for still photography it’s a very good tripod for the price.
Worth it
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
While this tripod is certainly very good for the money you pay, and very light weight, there are a couple finer points that make me wish I’d paid a bit more.
When you flip it out to a right sideways angle, it doesn’t go all the way to 90 degrees; it’s more like 88 degrees, which isn’t a huge deal, and you can compensate in other ways, but I’d sure prefer the ability to flip to MORE than 90 degrees at will than the restriction below it. Cranking the top part of the stand up and down works well, but the twist/screw-lock doesn’t completely lock the top part in place; if you pull it as tight as you can, it’ll still go down if you lean on it a bit.
As I said, definitely a good buy if this is what you can spend, but there are some annoyances.
Great Tripod. Great Price.
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
The Sunpak 8001UT Tripod is a great product. The quality you receive for the price is excellent! I have been using this as my main tripod for my Rebel XT with several different lens (35mm f/2,70-200mm f/4L), It is able to function just fine using even the heavier 70-200mm. The quick release mount works as one would hope, Quick, Safe and they even give you an extra plate for other cameras or to let a friend use while out shooting. The tripod is very light weight yet sturdy and durable even when fully extended.
During the last 8 months I put this tripod through intense use. Climbing mountains, Hiking in all sorts of weather conditions, Dropping it off ledges, Using it as a walking stick, In water, In Sand and in snow. It has stayed strong during all of this. But just last week I was simply walking with it in my hand and one of the legs broke. It seems the plastic piece that connects he hinge to the leg snapped off. Unfortunately I am unable to fix it.
With that said, This tripod is quite a good deal for its price. I believe you get much more than you pay for and then some. I have recommended this tripod to my friends I shoot with and they are also very happy with it. I will be buying another one of these real soon!
pros:
-light
-great price
-durable
-feels safe with your expensive camera on it
-Can stick it in a regular backpack
-Extra quick release plate
-bubble levels
-small spikes on bottom of legs
cons:
-does not come with free money
-does not dispense beer
-does not clean house
A great product!
Great first tripod
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Light-weight and easy to use. Def not something a true professional should use as a ball head is the only way to go, but i’ve had little problems w/ the 20D and 70-200 2.8 Just expect slower, adjustments. Good for price and what it should be used for. Extra quick release a bonus.
For the price, excellent
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
It holds up the camera, quick release works well, the metal doesn’t feel like it’s about to break. Overall, for the price, you can’t do better.
Re: Sunpak 8001 tripod
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I found this tripod to be just what I needed. Lightweight, but strong. The extra mounting plate allowed me to ready my dvd camcorder and switch as needed. Very much worth the money.
Every photographer who does not have a tripod, should buy this
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
The 8001UT is the best basic tripod I have found. I have been using this for a few years – first with my film SLR and now with my digital Nikon D3000 SLR.
It is lightweight, stable and the quick release head is its best feature. The quick release head lets you VERY easily take the camera from your hand to the tripod, without having to deal with the screw attachment. There is a small plate that just stays on the bottom of the camera.
The quick release legs always work great and have held up well under heavy use.
Sure, the tilt and pan will not work very well for video because it is not the smoothest mechanism in the world, but for a basic tripod, it works great.
In my humble opinion, buy this or spend ten or twenty times more for a very high end tripod. Anything in the middle is a waste of money and you will not find anything near this quality for less money.
If you are not a professional photographer, this is the tripod for you. It is the right choice for 98% of people looking to buy a tripod.
Unconditional recommendation to everyone but a professional (or anyone taking very very long night exposures).
A big tripod for those small camcorders, but sturdy and reliable
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought this tripod because my other tripod was very unsteady and the legs kept collapsing. Sunpak 8001UT is more than steady, it is solid. In fact, it is more heavy duty than I need for my tiny camcorders and cameras. And it’s lots bigger than my other tripod. I can’t just put it in my purse or backpack. I have to lug it around. Still, when I need a tripod, this one is the reliable one.
The quick-release mounting plate means I can pick up my camcorder quickly when needed. There’s a second mounting plate included, so I can quickly mount a second unit. Very easy to use.
The bubble levels are useful for getting the camcorder or cameras straight. Nice to have something like that included.
There are an infinite number of adjustments I can make to get my camera just so, from the height of the legs to the tilt and swivel of the camera. The center column will also extend to give a very nice height. I’m 5’5″ and I don’t need to bend over when the tripod is extended.
This is a terrific tripod. For its size, it is lightweight. I guess it really isn’t that big for a professional photographer. For a person who owns tiny camcorders and cameras who just wants something steady and reliable, I wish it were smaller; but then it may not work so beautifully.
fine for photo, not for video
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
This is a fine tripod for stationary photo work – good price, sturdy enough, nice level, attachment is good, quick release works well. However the pan and tilt are just not smooth enough for video.
Great for the modest price!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
It is not a professional grade tripod, but an excellent one for general use. It is well made and a very light weight for easy transport. The leg adjustment is simple and very easy. The end of the legs have a choice of either a steel point or a rubber damping endpin. Also, the quick release feature is very well designed. This is an excellent choice and the low price is astounding!
Light and quality build.
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Usually when something is so light you would think it’s cheaply built. Not this. Very good product and smooth as silk. Everything overall is awesome.
Good Value
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I’ve been using this tripod for more than six months. It has not been through any harsh conditions but I have taken it on a couple of hiking trips, including one trip to half dome. No hassle carrying and it and fit easily into the backpack. This tripod is a lot sturdier compared with other similarly priced products. The one thing I don’t understand is the positioning of the bubble level on the quick release; it becomes useless as soon as the camera is attached.
Great value for the price.
Fantastic for the money
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I am not a professional photographer, but for my amateur uses, this is an excellent tripod considering its cost compared to some other brand names.
It is extremely lightweight, completely intuitive, and has great features like built in levels and a geared telescoping center stand that makes it easier to lock.
If you are juggling a few things at the same time, you can still do a lot of adjustment on the tripod with just a single hand – I love it.
All of my use for it so far has been indoors, on level ground, and I am using it for macro shots into a lightbox with a digital camera. For this environment, it is perfect for me.
I can’t speak for uses outside of that since I haven’t tried it elsewhere yet.
GREAT LITTLE TRIPOD
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I HAD A TRIPOD, BUT I NEDDED SOMETHING SMALL TO TAKE WITH ME ON TRIPS WHEN I TRAVELED BY TRAIN OR PLANE. THIS WAS THE ONE!! IT FITS INSIDE OF MY SUITCASE WITH NO PROBLEM. GREAT LITTLE TRIPOD!!
Great Tripod
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I use it for a DVD recorder and a camera. It is a nice solidly made tripod. It is simple to use and stores away nicely. I would purchase it again.
Disappointing Birthday Gift
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
I ordered this tripod as a gift for my son. It arrived promptly and seemed to be in good shape so I did not remove it from its original container. When my adult son opened the package he observed that the crank handle seemed fragile and its mounting appeared cracked. By later in the day it had fallen off! I was very embarassed, as I thought I had purchased a quality gift. I was wrong. My son was polite and said it would work OK, but I’m looking for another product to replace the cheap poor quality gift that I provided him. Maybe I should shop elsewhere!