- New SBH-100DQ ball head with quick release system
- Folds down to less than 14 inches for easy travelng
- SLIK Speed-Release leg locks for quick set up.
- Padded leg wraps
Sprint Mini II Tripod with Ball Head
Product Description
The SPRINT MINI II is designed for the traveler in need of camera support larger than a table-top tripod, but smaller than a full sized. The SPRINT MINI II GM is a very compact tripod with 4 legs sections to collapse down to less than 14 inches and weighs just 1.75 lbs. An updated version of one of the popular SLIK SPRINT series, the SPRINT MINI II GM (gun metal finish) has padded leg wraps for more comfortable carrying. The tripod also has a SLIK SBH-100DQ all-metal compact ball head with quick release system for faster, easier mounting of a camera. The SPRINT MINI II GM is small when fully collapsed, but a maximum height of 43.3 in. The adjustable leg angles can be used to splay the legs out and lower the tripod. When used with the built-in short center column, (the included center column unscrews into two pieces) the camera is just 6.4 inches off the ground for extremely low angle or macro photography out in the field. Another way to get the camera low is to reverse the center column that can be used for macro photography as well.
When folded up, this little 1.7-pound tripod measures only 13.8″. By unscrewing a section of the center column, you can have this tripod sit just 5.9″ off the ground. Its maximum height of 42.9″ is a bit on the short side, however. But most of the time, I do not find this to be a big hindrance.
I would actually give this tripod 4.5 stars instead of the full 5 stars because I am not a big fan of the SBH-100DQ ball head that it comes with. I do not think that the tiny lightweight quick-release plate holds my Canon 7D as sturdily as I would like it to with my larger telephoto zoom lenses, especially when shooting vertically. This will not be an issue if you have a smaller/lighter camera. The little plastic quick release lock lever that secures the quick release plate (and camera) to the ball head platform uses a spring-loaded action, and it does not give me a total feeling of confidence when I push the lock lever in to hold the camera onto the ball head. And I wonder how durable both the plastic lock lever and spring release mechanism will be over a long time of repeated use. Also, getting consistent accurate panning is a bit unwieldy. I ended up switching out this ball head for the Vanguard SBH-30 Lightweight Magnesium Alloy Ball Head instead. The combination of the Slik Mini II and the Vanguard SBH-30 ball head is a perfect match! The SBH-30 ball head weighs a little more and is slightly bulkier, but its bigger quick-release plate is rock solid holding my Canon 7D and 70-200mm telephoto zoom lens, I can pan smoothly and accurately now, and the SBH-30 supports 11 pounds compared with the 4.5 pounds on the Slik ball head.
Rating: 5 / 5
this is a wonderful tripod for the money. good quality and great price. it is a little shorter than i wanted so i purchased a larger model also. this one is great because of its size you can through it inside your backpack and your off. larger tripods are more difficult to lug around due to there size and weight. this tripod is great for its stability and looks. love it
Rating: 5 / 5
I would agree with most of what McGraw said in his review. I bought this product to use primarily as a lightweight tripod which could be easily carried into alpine backcountry, and I have been very pleased with it. It has the capability to practically put your camera on the ground – sometimes essential for short wildflowers (the legs can extend straight out). I’ve shot several hundred images with it so far, and I’ve found it to be quite sturdy. I use it with a Canon Rebel XTi + Sigma 17-70mm macro lens (also Tamron 90mm macro). The ball head could be a tad heftier and I suspect that larger camera/lens combos may have some problems. All in all, I LOVE this tripod for what I use it for: wildflower shots and some scenic shots. It’s lightweight, packs easily while hiking, is flexible enough to extend and adjust legs for camera positioning in various awkward, hillside, in-the-creekbed locations. The quick-release means you can easily and repeatedly get the camera on and off the tripod to move to other locations while hiking. For about $75, you can’t go wrong with this one!
Rating: 5 / 5
The Slik Sprint Mini II Tripod I received was made in Thailand and a “Most Excellent” product for the $78 price. In terms of value, engineering, selection of materials used, the quality of the individual parts, to the ease of operation I recommend this product as a MUST HAVE for any active photographer.
Yes, the Slik Mini II is small and compact but that is exactly what a person wants in a travel tripod. This unit is light and sets up very fast. The quick release tripod adapter is a nice new addition over the last model and the primary motivator for me to give this light weight yet fairly stiff tripod a chance with the rest of the gear.
The ball head for the value is smooth, locks into place firmly and holds a fully outfitted Pentax K20D with BG2 battery pack, 360 Flash and 18-50 f2.8 Sigma at full height with grace (no wind). Granted, a load of this nature is pushing the tripod’s design envelope but even then, the Slik Mini II took the load very well. Just make sure for optimum stability that you have a tripod leg extended in the same direction as the lens.
The foam padding on the legs are a nice touch and make the tripod look like a mini version of a Bogen 3021. The gun metal finish looks sharp and resonates of a grade above the casual photographer, and an item that those in the profession would not feel diminished in anyway while using this product. The plastic quick releases on the legs are sufficiently large enough that the releases feel secure when locked and not too large that they add unnecessary bulk to the legs and make packing the tripod more cumbersome. Although the leg releases are made of plastic, the grade of plastic used appears to be of high quality and does not plant a concern in my mind.
I like the discreet angle stops for the legs and the two piece center post. When fully collapsed and ball head tilted to the side, this tripod is about 13.5″ long and as compact as most any travel tripod I have seen. The Slik Mini II also feels stronger and stiffer than the other tripods in its class. This tripod also fits very nicely and sung in the external vertical side pocket of a SYNERGY Computer Backpack from Swiss Gear with just the ballhead portion of the tripod exposed. The compression style center post collar nut turns smoothly and a nice feature that adds extra stiffness to the tripod at full height.
As a minor operational limitation, the Slik Mini II tripod, can only pan safely when the center post is fully lowered. Also minor, adjusting the center post compression nut may be difficult to loosen and tighten with gloves on.
If I were to make some slight changes it would be to add a rotation or some sort of panning feature to the ball head. I frequently like to take images I can stitch together later to make a panorama, and it is nice when I can get consistent angular spacing between the images.
Second, I would add a leg angle setting that lied between the first and second angle stop. I’m guessing that the first two setting are at 30 and 60 degrees from the tripod center line. With the legs fully collapsed and set at 30 degrees, I feel safe leaving a small Canon Elf 790 on the tripod and walking away or turn my back for a moment, but not with the K20D. With the K20D, I feel it prudent to extend the legs, at the minimum, two additional segments for the sake of equipment safety.
With the tripod legs set to 60 degrees, the legs are more open than I would normal like because then, the tripod starts to take up a larger foot print than need be, limiting it’s over all versatility. An additional angle stop, somewhere around 45 degrees, would be very nice as it would increase tripod flexibility and compaired to the 30 degree stop provide an extra sense of equipment safety when mounted with a loaded DSLR.
Third, it would be nice if the tripod came with one more extension piece for the center post for those times I want to get a group photo and have the camera closer to chest height. It could be a sub diameter column piece that fits inside the current top post section and hence not increase the overall length of the tripod when collapse.
Last, I would increase the surface area of the camera tripod adapter plate on the order off 15-20%. The current size of the plate now is as small a plate as I would want attached to the bottom of a fully dressed DSLR.
In the past 7 years I have trashed 4 travel/compact tripods from a lesser Slik Compact XL (pan head camera plate insert fell out and got lost), a Giottos Mini (ripped out leg segment), a Sima (broke a leg hinge), to a Velbon (twist lock miss threaded from grit) and this Slik MINI II tripod looks to be the most promising candidate to date to last a few years or more.
Item was promptly shipped by Adorama Camera.
Rating: 5 / 5