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Optex 3D Pistol Grip Tripod (with Monopod) - Dick Smith $49.50

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Optex 3D Pistol Grip Tripod (with Monopod) - Dick Smith $49.50
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Gecko on 09/05/2012 - 23:07 dicksmith.com.au (2860 clicks)

Hey everyone, I just picked one up today before posting to make sure it was decent quality.

They go for $129 at Harvey Norman and usually go for $99 at online stores.

I've taken a few shots with it tonight and would highly recommend it to anyone needing a tripod, it's up to 3kg so good for a DSLR and a very large telescopic lens (what I'm using it for). The tripod itself is very stable, even fully extended, and you can tell it's well made. The 3D pistol grip head is brilliant too, better than the other tripods I've used with the individual adjusting components - this one you just grab hold, aim at target and let go of the trigger.

It's only available for Click + Collect, but all stores around me had it in stock, so you should be able to get hold of one fairly easily.

Electrical & Electronics Tripod

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    • voter1 on 09/05/2012 - 23:56
      +8

      brand snob? if your camera is only $300 why spend $100 on a tripod, this is good enough for beginners.

    • SomeGuyOnOzB on 09/05/2012 - 23:56
      +2

      Manfrotto MKC3 H01 Tripod Kit. Costs a bit more, but it's a good one.

      • SomeGuyOnOzB on 09/05/2012 - 23:58
        +1

        Reason I'd go for this is:
        - height
        - good construction
        - nice and stable when open, doesn't wobble

        I have more of an issue with the locking tube at the middle, that never seems to make the tripod too stable

        • Macgyver on 10/05/2012 - 00:04

          I think this is the same as my friends.
          Its a good tripod.

          I'm no photographer but it feels well made.

        • stonedewok on 10/05/2012 - 00:11

          lol damn, now i'm considering this one!
          same question as below…is it possible to separate the pistol grip head and use it with a small digicam / pocket video?

    • Gecko on 10/05/2012 - 00:05
      +1

      I did compare the one here with a Velbon in Harvey Norman that was $200 - I didn't notice much difference in the stability or quality of build differences, the Optex one here is very well made.

  • stonedewok on 09/05/2012 - 23:48

    thanks for the heads up Gecko…looks interesting.
    just wondering, is it possible to separate the pistol grip head from the rest of the monopod + tripod?

    I reckon that would come in handy for me..

    • voter1 on 09/05/2012 - 23:56

      I think it only comes with one head, and you move it to the included monopod.

      Im thinking the same thing, but I want to check it out in store before pulling the trigger.

    • Gecko on 10/05/2012 - 00:00
      +4

      Hey - yeah you can separate the pistol grip head from the rest. Got a photo of it, http://i.imgur.com/BRkRq.jpg

  • PLA74 on 10/05/2012 - 00:16

    Is the actual weight of the tripod heavy and it comes with a carry bag right?

    • Gecko on 10/05/2012 - 00:22

      It's not very heavy at all - I think just over 1kg. And yeah it comes with a carry bag.

      • PLA74 on 10/05/2012 - 00:26

        Ah ok, cool cheers Gecko!

      • pork chop on 10/05/2012 - 08:27

        Gecko, could you please tell me the length when folded (without the head)? I was looking at getting the Velbon ultrek 45DL (30cm when folded) but the price is a bit of a stretch.

        Also, is the grip-head quick-release type?

  • c64 on 10/05/2012 - 00:37

    is it possible to rotate camera to vertical portrait position on tripod?

    • Gecko on 10/05/2012 - 00:59

      Yes, there is a little 'slot' carved in the grip, you rotate the handle such that the pole goes through the little slot and you can then move it around.

  • Fat Horny Ghost on 10/05/2012 - 01:22

    This sounds like a great cheap tripod to use on the go but honestly if you're using a DSLR don't get this tripod because you're paying for what you get. I'd stick with Manfrotto or at least tripods that are $150+.

    THERE IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A GOOD TRIPOD AND CHEAP TRIPOD. I'm a professional photographer.

    • Gecko on 10/05/2012 - 03:11
      +1

      I went into Harvey Norman and compared it to some of the more expensive ones and preferred it over them, don't judge it before you have seen it :)

      • Pho King on 10/05/2012 - 10:25
        +1

        this seems like a great deal for enthusiasts/amateurs (value for money).

        pros would already have invested in a professional grade tripod.

        • slowmo on 10/05/2012 - 12:37
          +1

          thing is, tripods last you quite a long time, so it's more of a better investment to get a better tripod instead of 'starting off' with an el cheapo one.

          especially if you do plenty of nightshots, you will not regret buying a better tripod.

      • Fat Horny Ghost on 10/05/2012 - 13:45

        Usually with the cheaper ones you can notice the HUGE difference especially with long exposure shots that are 10+ seconds long. The slightest breeze can shake your camera. Unless you got sand bags holding your cheap tripod still, it won't be as clear and crisp.

    • Shirty Grizzly on 10/05/2012 - 09:18
      +6

      Do you appear on websites such as www.youarenotaphotographer.com?

    • gmail92 on 10/05/2012 - 12:49
      +3

      we arent all professional photographers fyi .

  • rattle on 10/05/2012 - 03:01
    +1

    These are an excellent tripod for the price. Even when they were around $99.00 in store.
    I have 2 of them and I've never had a problem with either.
    Any of the photos in this link that needed a tripod, were taken using one of these…
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/51334687@N06/

    At this price, I'm going to go in and get another to keep in the boot of the car permanently.

    • Gecko on 10/05/2012 - 03:10

      I was considering going back in and grabbing another one from our local DSE, I was so impressed by it when I took a few shots with it - the trigger grip is pretty amazing too, it's great how it locks in really well when you release the trigger.

  • pork chop on 10/05/2012 - 08:13

    Thanks Op. I've been looking for a cheapie and this one will do.

  • superklue on 10/05/2012 - 09:17

    Can anyone please comment on the size of the tripod at its smallest? I'm backpacking across the States and don't want a giant tripod poking out of my bag :)

    • Chongy288 on 10/05/2012 - 09:35

      I found a gorilla pod some what handy when travelling, but do get the real one and not the knock off. sorry not being a brand snob but the cheap ones are just a risk to your camera's safety.

      • ferguscan on 10/05/2012 - 13:59

        My Gorilla knock-off is sturdy as hell. The real one has grippier feet though. That's the only difference I can perceive.

  • xboxslam on 10/05/2012 - 09:33

    I have one of these on a Canon 60D with 18-135mm, and its very stable. The head is the most easiest to move around considering you just press the lever, instead of rotating knobs as on other tripods (sometimes 3 knobs).

  • Livert on 10/05/2012 - 09:40

    Thanks. About time I replaced my $20 el-cheapo.

  • EggMan28 on 10/05/2012 - 09:54

    Thanks for sharing. Just ordered too.

    • Dave1 on 10/05/2012 - 10:37

      how did you order? did you pick up from the store?

  • Dave1 on 10/05/2012 - 10:09

    its out of stock at most stores,

  • SJVG on 10/05/2012 - 10:50

    Thanks op, got the last one from a store this morning.

    Funny thing was, the guy said the $49.50 price ended yesterday, and from today onwards it's meant to be ~$65. Initially he said he couldn't give it to me for 49.50 as it was below cost but after showing him the website which still said 49.50 he honoured it. He was pretty friendly about it all anyway.

    People might want to get in soon in case the website updates to a higher price.

    • Livert on 10/05/2012 - 11:04

      Yeah. Dude wanted to charge me $69 for it. Still available at Helensvale or Robina QLD if anyone's interested.

      • SJVG on 10/05/2012 - 11:29

        Yeah he might've said $69 to me as well. Probably safest to click and collect as that way it's probably locked into the system. The closest DSE to me only had low stock though which is why I just walked in.

      • unyilusro on 10/05/2012 - 22:30

        same here at DSE wollongong NSW, it also still available, I got one,
        i know nothing about photography, but I feel this tripod is good…

    • metalhead on 10/05/2012 - 11:30

      Yeah, similiar experience here.

      Went into the North Lakes, QLD store this morning.
      For those interested, they had one left after I purchased mine.

      I had a look at it, felt pretty solid. So I asked the guy to hold onto it while I had a browse.
      When I went to pay for it 5 mins later, another person who served me said that it is $65 something and that the $49 deal had expired. I was like WTF.
      I showed her the website etc on the phone, she was a bit reluctant, saying that it was under their cost price etc. She even asked me if I could do a "click & collect", while I was mucking around trying to do that on the phone etc, she eventually decided to change the price to $49.50 for me.
      So yea, not the best overall experience, but pretty happy with the end result.
      As for the tripod, it is very good build quality. Used it to take a few quick shots on a Sony Nex-5, it aint no heavy DSLR but I wouldnt think this will have any issues holding up a DSLR with a pretty standard lens kit.

      Thank you OP for posting the deal.

  • Schpeltor on 10/05/2012 - 11:03

    Out of Stock in all shops around me. Saves me spending another $49.50 from ozbargain :P

  • Foma2 on 10/05/2012 - 11:10

    I have a manfrotto. Got it from this deal http://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/60796.
    It is very good.
    But I need a monopod and something more handier for video shooting.
    So I just bought this one.
    Looks reasonably steady and well built considering the price.

  • camel_racer on 10/05/2012 - 11:40

    Looks like its all sold out

  • georgedn on 10/05/2012 - 11:44
    +1

    out of stock almost everywhere in sydney, but there was stock in Carnes Hill, which is woop-woop for me and ordinarily way too far to go, but luckily im going on a daytrip to bowral this mother's day!

  • jm1981 on 10/05/2012 - 13:18

    Manage to get one from Windsor store. Thanks!

  • KillerSatay on 10/05/2012 - 13:19

    Out of stock in Sydney. But Georges Camera store in Syd just price matched at $49.99. They had them on display for $100 marked down from $189, but dropped to $49.99 no problem at all. And that was after telling them that the Dick Smith they were matching was out of stock. Tripod is not for professionals, but for a casual snapper appears good value. The detachable monopod is a good feature. Happy to pay the $50

  • bt123123 on 10/05/2012 - 13:22

    VIC mornington has some in store

  • unifex on 10/05/2012 - 14:46

    I find that the cheap trigger tripods are generally not worth the money even for amateurs because they become wonky quite quickly.

  • chinaman on 10/05/2012 - 18:51

    picked one up too!
    great value especially with monopod! I like it!

  • ohisee on 10/05/2012 - 22:14

    Came to DSE at Eastgarden NSW at 5.00pm today. There was one left but the website said out of stock, but the price was 69.50. I called to DSE service to ask a help. Finally got it with 49.50. That was the last one. My friend came to the store in Randwick, the suburb near by, and took the last one in there. I think you should call to stores for checking it, dont rely on the website. Good luck

  • lomie on 11/05/2012 - 10:24

    Can someone tell me about the monopod? Is it twist lock for the leg extensions?

    • netsurfer on 11/05/2012 - 11:29

      Yes, it is twist lock for leg extensions.

      • lomie on 11/05/2012 - 11:46

        Thank you. Bought one, mainly for the monopod feature and the tripod for taking on walks. I have a Manfrotto 055XPROB but I won't try and compare this one to the Manfrotto.

        The leg sections on the Optex do get quite thin on the bottom one. I had a similar tripod before and a small kink on that 3rd section makes it hard for the legs to retract.

        I do like the monopod locking feature in that you hang onto the rubber tip and twist that to lock and unlock in one action. And you can vary the length of the monopod by just twisting the same rubber tip. So there is no individual section locks to worry about. The tube sections do get quite small in diameter though but this tripod/monopod will only get used lightly.

        The Manfrotto will be for heavy duty work.

  • Sydster on 11/05/2012 - 10:24

    I got one of them when OW had it on sale for $49, in my view absolute value for money!
    Very stirdy, far better than alot of brand name tripod you can buy for double or triple the price.
    The ball grip is very strong I have had my DSLR with battery grip + 50-135 (f2.8) lens + flash attached holding it in a 45 degree angle with no probs. My other brand name tripods which I bought of ebay for $100 and $150 failed to hold this bundle at 45degree. New starters to some one pro's I'll highly recommend this tripod. It even has a detachable monopod..

  • frank_wang282 on 11/05/2012 - 12:07

    Just grabbed one yesterday at Browns Plains store, QLD. Even though it's 10km away from my home it is absolutely worth of money! It's really sturdy and has a light weight. very easy to carry. The pistol is great. At this price I would not expect fancy design or quality details but as a green hand in photography I am pretty happy with it and hope it can help me improve photography skills. Cons: the monopod seems useless and not reliable when extended to its max length. But maybe because I haven't got used to it yet. Overall the tripod is great!

    P.S. my camera is Pentax K-5 18-55 Kit

  • [Deactivated] on 11/05/2012 - 16:00

    just got the last one at point cook store but no carry bag or user manual in the package just tripod. not too sure it's returned one. can someone confirm that the carry bag and user manual are included in the package or not? thanks in advance.

    • netsurfer on 11/05/2012 - 16:53

      Carry bag - yes. User manual - can't remember (maybe not).

      • Trance N Dance on 11/05/2012 - 18:37

        No user manual in my box… but it sure is damn easy to use.

    • frank_wang282 on 12/05/2012 - 21:12

      There was no manual for my case too. But there should be a carry bag. Ask your local DSE if you can't find one.

  • Trance N Dance on 11/05/2012 - 19:56

    This thing is definitely worth it at $50 and if you really need a tripod it might just be justified at $100.

    The old saying you pay for what you get stands true yet again.
    This thing isn't as sturdy as I thought it would be… The legs are very thin, especially the lowest third. It's quite flimsy, there's a lot of give on the legs when it's completely opened and locked. I'm not quite sure if adding a sandbag/weight would give it more stability or bend the legs…
    The pistol grip is quite firm and so far from what I can tell it works well, but the firmness of the leaver is a bit too firm and takes some effort to move (so could be a little hard to position the camera exactly where you want it without using two hands).
    For what I've paid for it, it's wonderful and definitely will be using it indoors and outside on not so windy days. Been using it with my D7000 with a 18-105mm attached and it's doing fine so far, but definitely wouldn't let it out of my reach outdoors…
    Would work as a great flash stand I suppose?

    Just whacked on my battery grip, SB-700 and 18-200mm (cheap Sigma one so it's not that heavy, only a tad bit heavier than the Nikon 18-105mm). It manages to hold it but I'm not sure for how long… didn't feel that secure especially with the lens at 200mm.

  • damnscenekids on 12/05/2012 - 04:12

    Got mine from DSE Townsville Domain, they had a few left. Sturdy tripod, happy with my purchase :) didn't have a problem with the $49.50 like other people are saying here, just walked in, paid and left.

  • justfrog on 12/05/2012 - 10:26

    There is one left in Narellan, anyone want me to bring it near Ryde?

  • doze on 15/05/2012 - 07:29

    Pulled the trigger last night and picking up today… Glad I did. Finished today.

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