Photography News Issue 62

Photography News | Issue 62 | photographynews.co.uk

First tests

Vanguard Alta Pro2+ 263CGHT Kit £399.99

Specs

The ideal tripod has to be stable in a variety of conditions, not so heavy that it’s left at home, versatile in terms of height options and sport a versatile head that handles well and allows quick adjustments. The Vanguard Alta Pro 2+ 263CGHT kit is an outfit that comfortably fulfils those key criteria. The kit comprises the Alta Pro 2+ 263CT legs and sitting atop is the Alta GH-300T pistol grip ballhead. So, let’s start with the legs. The three-section legs are carbon-fibre with fast-to-use twist-grips that lock firmly into place with one-quarter turn of the rubber grips that feature a raised rib to help purchase. Legs can be angled out and locked in three positions – 40°, 60° and 80° – other than the default 20°, and the settings are clearly marked. Pull-down angle locks at the top of each leg are fast to use and usable with gloves. At the end of each leg is a non-slip rubber foot, and if you want to switch them for spikes that option is available too, at extra cost. The Alta Pro 2+ 263CT’s twist lock legs are very positive in use and the legs lock firmly in position without the need for too much effort. Maximum height extension is decent. I’m 5ft 9in and to get the camera eyepiece to my head height I found I needed just three or four inches of centre column extension.

Price £399.99

In the box Carrying case Legmaterial Carbon-fibre Load capacity 6kg Folded length 70cm Leg sections Three Leg angles Four Max height (centre column down) 141.7cm Max height (centre column extended) 173cm Multi-angle central column Yes Minimumheight 23cm Bubble level Yes Weight 2.44kg Head Alta GH-300T Quick shoe QS-605 VS Contact vanguardworld.co.uk

The centre column is no ordinary centre column; it’s a MACC, a multi-angle centre column. Up to its maximum extension, the centre behaves just like any centre column. But if you take it to its limit, push a button at its base and it can be pulled free of the tripod shoulder and used as a lateral arm. The arm can then be locked in any angle – there are degree markings to help. The MACC also rotates and can be locked within the tripod shoulder so the alignment of the lateral arm is easily adjusted. The arm itself can also be locked at any point along its length so you can have the camera close to the tripod’s axis or further away if you prefer – just watch for over-balancing. Using the MACC makes shooting flat lays easy and if your subject is in an awkward position (fungi on a tree trunk, for example), the MACC makes dealing with such situations easy. Obviously one thing to be aware of is overbalancing the whole ensemble or compromising stability, so watch for that during set-up. The MACC is one worthwhile innovation, and another is the GH-300T pistol grip. This accepts Arca Swiss plates and lets you quickly fine-tune camera orientation easily and rapidly. For upright shooting the ballhead only rotates to the left while the grip itself can be independently

Top Getting a stable shooting platform even at challenging camera positions is easy. Above left The GH-300T head is very versatile and locks securely in a wide variety of positions. Above right Non-slip rubber feet and quick action twist grips promote good handling.

adjusted to various angles for handling convenience. The grip also incorporates a shutter release and accepts 2.5mm mini-jack remote release cables so you don’t even have to touch the camera to take shots. Canon minijack and Nikon 10- pin leads are supplied in the kit. The pistol grip works well and has enough tension to deal with a weighty camera/lens combination positioned for angled shooting. The ballhead is locked in position using the thumb lever and ball tension is adjusted with the lever on top of the grip. I tried a range of kit on the tripod head, including a Fujifilm X-T2 with a 50-140mm f/2.8 and a Nikon D850 with a 70-200mm f/2.8, using an Arca-Swiss plate on the lens’s tripod

The Vanguard Alta Pro 2+ 263CGHT is a competent tripod that delivers a fine performance in respect of stability and versatility. Set-up and take-down are quick too so you are less likely to miss that great light. The GH-300T head is also capable and combines well with the legs. If you already own a set of legs you like, the head is well worth considering if you want to speed up overall handling. Pros Good stability, versatile centre column/lateral arm, pistol grip head, good twist grips Cons Legs flex when fully extended If I have a small moan it’s that the fully extended legs flex if you grip the tripod’s shoulder and give it a twist, but that shouldn’t affect performance. With three bubble levels, two on the head and one on the tripod shoulder, a rotating camera platform with 72 clicks for panorama shooting, rubber handgrip on two of the legs and a carrying case, this is a fully featured tripod outfit. WC Verdict collar in each case. Such pairings I thought would test the usability of the pistol grip and the stability of the MACC when used laterally. I was impressed with the pistol grip that allows quick adjustments and holds the camera firmly when locked rigidly in place. The ball action has a smooth action, too.

Images The MACC (multi-angle centre column) can be locked at various angles.