K&F TM2324 Lightweight Travel Tripod
K&F TM2324 Lightweight Travel Tripod review. This article is the first in my series of kit reviews and is focused on this fabulous K&F tripod.
Before I launch into this, I would like to point out that is not a paid review. I do have an affiliate link to the company, but they are not direct advertisers, and this review is completely independent based upon my use of their products over a number of years.
As I stated in my disclaimer I have been using K&F products for some years now. Personally I think that they are the perfect blend of quality and affordability and I don’t know about you but I cannot justify spending hundreds of pounds on a tripod, or any other photography accessories for that matter.
This particular tripod is currently on sale at the K&F website for £62.99
I have tried several tripods, all of which work perfectly fine, but none are exactly what I was looking for until I took a chance on the K&F. Why was it a gamble? I’m sure if you ask most photographers K&F isn’t one of the first names to trip off their tongue if you ask them to name tripod makes.
However, in my opinion, compared to a lot of tripods out there, the K&F Concept Lightweight Travel tripod is very reasonably priced for the build quality and pure ‘bang for your buck’.
Right from the start the tripod felt sturdy and had a decent amount of heft to it. The joints were metal with a solid ratchet mechanism, which automatically release when folding the legs inwards if the tripod needs adjustment or to pack away.
The ball head certainly felt fit for purpose. The legs were nice and chunky and featured twist grip leg releases rings. Everything was textured and of a size that didn’t get lost in my big hands. It also featured a simple hook on a spring, to which I could hang my bag for added stability.
K&F TM2324 Lightweight Travel Tripod
- Magnesium aluminum alloy tube, 180 ° foldable, suit for outdoor travel photography.
- Center column inversion, suit for macro photography and special needs.
- 360° panoramic rotation ball head to expand camera activity range when shooting.
- Net weight 1.35kg only, super lightweight.
- Automatic rebound hook to improve tripod stability.
Overall for the price, £62.99 I think it represented great value for money, especially compared to other comparable tripods.
Depending upon the type of camera bag you use it is very easy to carry around. I normally slide one of the legs through a loop and let the weight keep it in place.
The leg ratchet mechanism is metal and once again feels nice and solid. Simply depressing the leg release lever allows you to alter the angle of each leg independently. Folding them down is even easier as the ratchet lets the fixing plate pass without intervention from you.
The leg extension is dealt with by three grip levers. The beauty of these is that you can release and reconnect them very quickly to alter the leg length. I have even used it successfully in rivers – and yes it was as uncomfortable as it looks!
The legs use a lever type switch which is much better than the old thumbscrew type and it makes extending and lowering the legs a much faster operation. One of the legs also has foam on it which is a big help in cold weather. The centre column has a circular ring which you loosen and tighten to hold it in place. The centre column also has a rebound hook on it from which you can hang a bag or something heavy for extra stability.
K&F Concept 2354 Tripod Review – Ball Head
As with the tripod the ball head is very sturdy. The locking function on the main ball head is very good. The only problem I found was when I tried to hang my 7d mkii together with a long telephoto. The weight was too much for it too handle but to be honest I wouldn’t normally use a ball head for that weight of kit, I would use a gimbal head instead, and that totally solves the problem.
The ball head is very versatile. It has a very good vertical range of movement and a slot allow for the camera to be positioned so that you can take portrait style images.
The plate which screws into the bottom of the camera or lens has rubberised pads which help minimise vibration.
Overall the ball head is very capable. It’s not going to give you the kind of friction less maneuvering of something like a high-end Gitzo, but it works perfectly fine considering you aren’t paying anywhere near Gitzo prices!
In addition it has a degree counter for panning, and makes taking 360° panoramic shoots, way easier, keeping the camera on the same plane as you rotate through the scene, although, I don’t really need that feature with my style of photography.
Low Angle & Macro Photography
Like a lot of other tripods, the centre arm is capable of inverting for low angle shooting. This gives me the ability to photograph very close to the ground.
Usability
I’ve used this tripod with a couple of different cameras. I use it predominantly with my heavy kit, a 7D mkii DSLR together with my 100-400mm mkii lens, on top of Beike gimbal head.
The camera and lens combination is far heavier than the tripod, so I tend to have the legs firmly anchored, with a weight on the centre spring. I’ve used it in a variety of field situations many times and I really cannot fault this tripod.
Another thing about a heavier tripods is that you’re less likely to want to want to hump them through the countryside for any kind of distance. I have happily trudged to the top of Snowden with this baby on my back without any issues at all. This is a perfect size for me and what I use it for.
I hope you enjoyed reading this article. Please leave me any comments below.
Roger
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