There Are Pandas, and Then There Are Pandas.
And this isn't either of them! The Pandas we're talking about here, are watches, not bears. And what got me thinking about them (again) was a link posted this morning by @cm.rook who pointed a few of us to the very attractive (and not terribly priced) Yema "Rallygraph" Panda which, in it's most traditional arrangement, looks like the one on the left, but can also be had in the version on the right: The model on the left is a true Panda, while the model on the right is called a reverse Panda. The reason for that distinction is clear--Panda bears, only come in the first arrangement. Now at this point, everyone should be thinking about the most well-know Panda, The Rolex Panda, which is actually a Daytona, and among Rolex Daytonas, the most famous of which is the Paul Newman Daytona, which was famous first, because it was Paul's, and second because it sold at auction for $17.8 million (US Dollars). The story of that auction is well-known so I'll only...
Nov 8, 2019
I also use a couple of their aluminium/ technopolymer tripods; some of the most stable 'pods on the market, as their leg tubes are super, the releases for extension and collapse are really sturdy and don't go all loose and unreliable over time. I have one that is like, 12 years old or something and it still beats around in the field just fine, no collapse of the legs in strong wind and the adjustability is very flexible, meeting any field conditions I subjected it to. They have a great head system, lots of interchangeability on many of their models. The pan-tilt of the head on mine is still tight and very stable, no undesirable wobble.
You might want to go with the following model; MKCOMPACTADV-BK Compact Advanced Tripod with 3-Way Head 89 USD on the Amazon just now. These have come down in price a BUNCH since I was first shopping them.
I was able to find a used Gitzo GT-1550T carbon tripod at the same price as a new travel tripod of lesser quality and heavier weight. It is lightweight, compact and strong. You do need to put a weight on it (little nylon bags that you can put a rock into) to be really stable in wind but it is small enough to strap to my Peak Design Everyday Sling 10L and all my backpacks or can go inside carry-on or roll-aboard luggage. The con is that it does not have a QR plate. Tips - beware some of the carbon tripods weight more than a good aluminum one. I found that size was an important aspect because it just got to cumbersome to try to travel with a tripod any larger than the Gitzo (folds up to 14"). If you don't need to extend long or on uneven surfaces, the Joby GorillaPods are better than no tripod at all; you just need to buy the right size for your particular camera with lens. The GorillaPods as you have probably seen on YT are great as video rigs too. It is worth making an investment in a really good travel tripod that will last a lifetime and is small enough so you don't just end up leaving it at home. Happy (photo) shooting!
Did a 1 hr timelapse of the blood moon over the South China Sea, strapping my bag off the center column hook to stabilize it. Very happy with it.