Comments on: Sunpak 620080 8001UT Tripod with Extra QuickRelease Mounting

By: H. Kitchen

H. Kitchen — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 11:38:43 +0000

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!

By: M. Holden

M. Holden — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 02:34:25 +0000

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.

By: Richard J. Allen

Richard J. Allen — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 12:46:16 +0000

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!!

By: E. Smith

E. Smith — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 18:04:43 +0000

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.

By: Dandy

Dandy — Thu, 27 May 2010 16:10:25 +0000

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.

By: M. Lewicki

M. Lewicki — Fri, 21 May 2010 16:52:04 +0000

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.

By: David W. Anderson

David W. Anderson — Fri, 21 May 2010 11:37:36 +0000

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!

By: 9876

9876 — Mon, 17 May 2010 14:13:57 +0000

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.

By: Boo

Boo — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 08:25:26 +0000

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.

By: Just a guy

Just a guy — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 11:22:16 +0000

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).