Bushnell Advanced Tripod for Binoculars, Spotting Scopes, and Cameras - Durable Aluminum Construction with Adjustable Legs and Center Column for Stability,Black

The five star rating rating is based on the value of a tripod in this price range. Not as compared to other pricier professional tripods.I have a 14 year old Slik tripod that is nearly identical to this one in all aspects but one. So I suspect Slik makes this one too. That is why I bought it. My 14 year old Slik tripod is still going strong even though I have stored it outdoors in the bed of a truck for the past 6 years (gets cleaned and rebuilt every couple of years).This tripod is not for back packing of high country high activities that are only accessible on foot (unless you are in superior physical condition). I will take it on day hikes and truck trips. It does not compact very small and is not light weight. But that is what its intended purpose requires.It is very stable and solid. When using a Bushnell Elite 20 to 60 by 80 spotting scope, it is rock solid as long as you do not touch it, or only use it in a light breeze or calm conditions. If you touch it at 60 power there will be a wobble. The wobble is small and diminishes quickly when you stop touching it. That is actually very good for tripod of this weight and price range! Lower power settings are perfect. I have a $750 tripod that is more stable, but it doesn't go anywhere that I can't park a vehicle nearby because of its size and weight.The controls are smooth and stay locked where you put it. I haven't tried it for video panning. The legs are stiff when locked. It has the look and feel of quality.I can see why Bushnell put their name on this one. GOOD VALUE, VERY STABLE, NOT FOR BACK PACKING.

PROS1.) Super Sturdy and it can hold my skymaster binocular and my dslr camera with 55-300 lenseI have not checked with higher weight but it surely can hold almost all the normal usage devices2.) The material looks premium that includes legs, levers, pan head, swivels etc (I do not compare with a different league of carbon fibres and all)3.) It is one of the all purpose tripods which can be bought under 100 USD and you can use it for long life4.) I was able to mount my binocular on this without using a leg attachment5.) The legs places firmly on the groundCONS1.) Don't have a level indicator so you are unsure of leveling2.) The legs are not quick release (as mentioned on manual) which is unethical. They are standard wing type nuts so not good for anything except nature/landscapes and portraits.Though I have found out that there is a threshold where you can activate release and lock in 1-2 turn.3.)The issue which many PROs can agree is that, it has a single center column on the top of the tri-legs which defeats the purpose of tripod. The center column fully extended can get shaky.There are two nuts/screws on the column and I have not found out the purpose of both4.) There is no storage bag or case in the package; carrying/stowing it open is not good.5.) The manual is useless, it dont tell anything on the device. I dont have any idea of atleast one particular component in the assembly.Advice: Not best of the lot but you can get better mounts while stretching your budget little over 100.At this price it is on of the sturdy/strong ones may not be best on other parameters

I own two of these tripods. My first one turned up missing, which I purchased on Amazon in January of 2014. Without hesitation I bought a replacement, and later found the first one. Now that I have used this tripod for 3 1/3 years, I can say that for the money, it would be very difficult to find a more stable tripod for the money. Others have mentioned that quick release would be nice, especially for some applications. My previous tripod was a Manfrotto 4 section aluminum tripod that was substantially more expensive, but the quick release clamps broke in several places, so I was looking to avoid that. This tripod is listed as weighing 5.5lbs. To me it feels heavier, but I have not put mine on the scale. I can say for certain that for hiking, elk hunting, or other field applications where every ounce counts, I would purchase a lighter weight tripod. Having said that, to save 2-3 pounds and achieve similar or better stability, one would be looking at a Gitzo or other high end tripod that could end up costing nearly 10 times as much. I use this tripod for 35mm photography. I also mount an 85mm Meopta spotting scope with a rangefinder and camera simultaneously using a device called an RF Cam Cradle made by defensive edge. This setup altogether is quite heavy, but I've had no problems with head movement. Lastly, I have used this tripod with a HOG Saddle and an 18 lb rifle/scope combo successfully as well. My impression is that if you're in the market for a relatively affordable tripod and do not have extreme weight concerns, or the need for quickly deployable legs, that this is an excellent choice.

I bought the same tripod a year ago and now I bought one for a relative's birthday, his unit arrived with a broken handle at the threaded area. I am a toolmaker and my opinion is that the threaded area is of low-quality metal. This is quite a problem because if the handle breaks my expensive Scope might get damaged.

I use mainly on a terrace or other "platforms"; perfect for that use.

Bushnell tiene una calidad excepcional en muchos de sus productos. Tengo miras telescópicas de la serie Elite y este trípode no es la excepción

Great tripod, does what we need it to do, solid too!

Very sturdy, well made tripod that keeps my heavy spotting scope steady for a nice clear view. Very well made. Fast delivery.