Peak Design as a company has created many crowdfunded accessories targeted toward the photographers of the world, including camera gear like clips and micro plates as well as comfortable bags, shoulder straps and more. Now Peak Design has announced a new Kickstarter campaign for something altogether new - the Travel Tripod. The design for the new tripod started from the ground up and took more than four years before the company was ready to announce it to the world.
Peak Design makes a lot of camera gear, especially awesome bags. The tripod is a first, but it definitely looks like a winner.
$349 (aluminum) or $599 (carbon fiber)
Most tripods have two majorly inconvenient negatives for the photographer on the go: unnecessary bulk and spatial inefficiency. This new tripod when fully packed together is only 3.25 inches long because the legs and center column come together perfectly. When you deploy it, you'll be able to stretch up to 58.5 inches, which is nearly five feet. It's fast and intuitive, and that mostly comes from how it was engineered. The legs deploy using a system of locking cam levers, and it only takes a few motions of your hands to fully extend it.
The Travel Tripod ball head uses one simple adjustment ring for 360-degree adjustments. The quick-release plate technology developed by Peak Design works lightning fast, can accommodate a full frame DSLR, is compatible with Peak Design's other carrying equipment, and works with Arca Swiss. At just 3.25 inches in diameter, the ball head stays compact with the rest of the tripod so it's easy to carry.
Other features of the tripod include a universal phone mount, a bubble level, a hook for counterweights, and a soft carrying case. It will be available in both carbon fiber and aluminum. The carbon fiber version weighs only 2.81 pounds and will start at a price of $599. The aluminum version is 3.44 pounds and will retail for $349. You can purchase either one at a pre-sale discount through the Peak Design Kickstarter campaign starting May 21. That campaign will last through July 18, but soon after we expect you'll find the tripod available at major retailers.
