Vanguard has aimed the Alta Pro 3VL at video users by incorporating a 1.8m working height with no center column extension and a levelling base to provide a flat platform for panning movements without long-winded leg adjustments.
The company says the Alta Pro 3VL Video Tripod is its tallest and most stable tripod yet. It uses 3-section legs with a 30mm diameter and replaces a conventional center column with a levelling base, a system preferred by videographers and filmmakers.
The lack of a center column means quicker setup and a more stable platform, essential for smooth camera movements. Even without a center column, though, the Alta Pro 3VL reaches a working height of 1.8m, which should put the camera at eye level for even the tallest users.
The levelling base offers 360° of horizontal movement in a panning action and a tilt adjustment of ±15° for quick and easy levelling on uneven ground or slopes. (You might think that your tripod head can be used to level the camera – so it can, but you need a level base to KEEP it level if you pan the camera.).
The 3-section twist-lock legs have retractable rubber or spiked feet, while at the top end the kit includes an Arca compatible VEO PV-18 Video Head. It’s machined to deliver a smooth movement with a maximum load capacity of up to 15kg. It comes with pan lock, tilt lock, tilt dampening and extra long telescopic handles. It’s not just ideal for video use, but for long, heavy telephoto lenses or spotting scopes too, so it’s ideal for wildlife fans.
The Alta Pro 3VL is a long way from a travel tripod but it does come with a padded tripod bag with handles and a shoulder strap to make it easier to carry around.
Vanguard tripods are typically very well engineered and designed for the money, and the 1.8m working height and levelling base of the Alta Pro 3VL are an additional draw.
The Vanguard Alta Pro 3VL costs around $399/£349 in aluminium or $499/£449 for the carbon fibre version. You can find out more at the Vanguard website.