Calumet 7100 Tripod Kit with 3-Way Head, Quick-Release Plate

I love mine. The only reason I gave 4 stars was a little piece broke off the bottom leg shortly after I got it. I think it was just a manufacturing fluke. Other than that I LOVED this tripod. Got it for my photography class and it has went everywhere with me from hiking to downtown. It's great. I contacted the seller I bought it from and they were very quick in giving me a refund for the product as it was a manufacturing fluke that happened. I would however, recommend as it is a very well built inexpensive tripod.

For the money this is an excellent buy, however there are a couple of issues that I have. The first issue is that it is advertised as coming with a 3-way Head, Quick-release Plate and Built-in Spirit Level. It did not arrive with that Tripod head. It was a 3-way head, but it did not have a spirit level. The images in the photos show the tripod with the head without the level, but there is a close-up of the 3-way tripod head with the Spirit Level that is unattached to any tripod implying that it is the head that comes with it. My other issue is with the build quality. I used to have a Manfrotto 055XPROB. The tripod had a built in level. The tripod head had levels for vertical and horizontal. It was sturdy and well built. in the three years that I had it there were never any scratches. Unfortunately, it was stolen and I have not had the $300 to replace it. Using the Manfrotto as a reference, this Calumet tripod is not built quite as well. In a couple of days of use the black has scratched. The metal isn't quite as sturdy or solid, BUT it is a quarter of the price of the 055XPROB that I had. The Calumet is also lighter and the build quality is far better than cheaper tripods. It holds my Nikon 300 with a battery pack and a 70-300mm zoom lens well. So far I have not experienced any slip on the vertical and horizontal, however, the panning doesn't always lock and there can be a slight bit of a slip. I can live with that, though. I like the flexibility of the positions of the legs in that I can go from having my camera at my eye level (I am 6 ft. tall) to where the front of my lens is about a foot from the ground. The padding on all three legs is handy. On the Manfrotto the padding was only on two legs. That is a plus for the Calumet. While the Manfrotto is a great tripod, I no longer miss it now that I have the Calumet. All in all I would strongly recommend the Calumet as an excellent tripod for the money. It does what it is supposed to - keeps the camera steady.

Buyer beware. Although this item is described as having a spirit level, that is *not* the case. It's a decent tripod, but if you're looking for that feature, look elsewhere.

Bait and switch. Although the tripod will do what I need, the seller Calumet, shows a more expensive tripod and ships you a less expensive product. The tripod head is clearly different than both the written description and the photo. You can however buy the tripod head they show you right here for $49 if you want to upgrade to what they sold you.

Good, relatively light weight tripod for the money. Sturdy for light wind conditions. I have several tripods from Calumet that are used by students. They have stood up to many years of use!

The other reviews are correct. The tripod head is not the one that's pictured. With that being said, the head that does come with it functions well and is compact. I like the way it works and the price is great! I think this is still a great value for a product that functions well.

It's a "bait 'n' switch ". What's advertised on line (and the box) isn't what you get.

I picked this up for my 5 foot, 1 inch niece, and I have to say it was just perfect for her. The weight and stability were a good match, as well as the price

Great product for price!