Verdict: 4 stars The Ulanzi F38 is a decent little travel tripod. It feels well made, it folds down small and stands tall when you need it to. The inverted ball head is clever because it has a separate pan axis on top that you can level properly.
Reviews
Many of my reviews are published on Digital Camera World, but here are some more that might not make it on to the larger sites. I review cameras, lenses, camera bags, tripods and photo and video accessories of all kinds.
Joby Swing Complete Kit review
Verdict: 3.5 stars The Joby Swing is a clever little smartphone slider with very definite limitations. It brings smooth movie-style camera movements to your phone that can be controlled quickly and simply with a few taps on the app. But its tracking movement is modest and it has a pretty plasticky feel. The supplied Joby GorillaPod 3K tripod in the Complete Kit does not have the spread or the rigidity to handle the Swing at full extension. The Regular or Phone Mount kits are better buys.
Nya-Evo Fjord 60-C ECONYL backpack review
Verdict: 4.8 stars The Nya-Evo Fjord 60-C ECONYL is a big, robust and weatherproof backpack that’s extremely versatile and comfortable even with heavy loads. Its swappable RCI inserts make packing a breeze and it’s ideal for longer hikes and expeditions. It’s not cheap, but you get what you pay for.
Datacolor Spyder Checkr Photo review
Verdict: 4 stars The Spyder Checkr Photo is really only useful for Lightroom Classic, Adobe Camera Raw and Hasselblad Phocus software users, but it does provide useful and precise color corrections within those programs. It works outside of a regular color management workflow, but this helps make it easy to understand and use.
3 Legged Thing Vanz review
Verdict: 4.5 stars The 3 Legged Thing Vanz ‘footwear’ can be used on the maker’s Legends and Pro tripods to extend the legs and provide extra protection on poor surfaces or in place of legs to make a tabletop tripod! They might look like a novelty but are actually rather useful.
RØDE VideoMic Me-L review
Verdict: 4 stars The RØDE VideoMic Me-L is a brilliant little clip-on shotgun Mic for smartphones, but there are some niggles which are more to do with the design concept than the way it’s made. It works great, but be aware it might not always be convenient.
Manfrotto Pixi Evo review
Verdict: 3.5 stars The Manfrotto Pixi Evo is a larger than usual mini tripod with some interesting features, including two height settings, extendable legs and the capacity to cope with quite big cameras. But even though it works well, the build quality and finish seem pretty poor for the price. It does the job, but there’s not a lot of finesse.
Gitzo Center Ball Head Series 4 review
Verdict: 4 stars The Gitzo center Ball Head Series 4 (GH4383) is one serious ball head, with a massive 30kg payload and a base fatter than most tripod platforms. this three-knob design has a ball release lock, an adjustable friction knob and a fluild-damped pan axis – a nice touch. My sample has an Arca Swiss style plate with a locking lever (GH4383LR). It’s an impressive ball head, but unless you’re going to load up your tripod with a huge telephoto or a pro video rig, it’s overkill for most users.
Platypod Extreme review
Verdict 4.3 stars I can’t help giving the Platypod Extreme a great review because it does what it sets out to do brilliantly. You just have to decide if you want what the Platypod does. It’s an extremely stable support for the heaviest gear yet slim enough to dangle off your backpack. But it only makes sense if you want to shoot from really low angles, or if you can find a convenient surface to place it on.
Panasonic Lumix G 25mm f/1.7 Asph. review
Verdict: 4.5 stars The Panasonic Lumix G 25mm f/1.7 Asph. is cheap to buy so you may not be expecting very much, and the lightweight plastic feel doesn’t give a very good first impression. But the image quality is really very good indeed, the AF is fast, and this lens is so small and light you’ll hardly notice you’re carrying it. This lens is a real eye-opener!