Having only an old and kind of heavy tripod—but using lighter mirrorless cameras these days—I needed to find a lighter tripod. I checked out several brands. The Vanguard gets my vote.
>> Legs
Out of the box, they are neither too stiff nor too lose. They feel just right. In the event they need tightening, the company supplies a tool for that purpose.
When the tripod is set up and everything is tightened down, it feels super solid.
>> Ballhead
This looks like a high-quality item to me, but it uses a proprietary attachment system—it isn't Arca-Swiss-compatible. Newer Vanguard tripod/ballhead kits all seem to have Arca-Swiss-compatible heads. I don't want to discard my camera's great hand grip with its Arca-Swiss base plate. Fortunately I have a good replacement ballhead that I can use instead.
Too few manufacturers pay enough attention to the feel of their tightening knobs. The ones on the Vanguard ballhead are comfortable to hold and turn.
>> Proprietary ballhead attachment system
I might not be able to use it myself, but that aside it's clearly well made. The supplied camera plate has a sensible design for the attachment screw, so you aren't out of luck if you need to attach it but don't have a flat-head screwdriver or coin handy. The plate slides into place and locks there. Press a small button at the open end of the clamp to release it—the mounting plate slides right out. This seems like a very solid design, surely capable of holding a fairly heavy DSLR with the ballhead remaining locked down nice and tight.
>> Center column
The column is hexagonal, not round. It feels solid when it's tightened. It can't be turned within its housing, but when you have it upright, you can use the swivel adjustment elsewhere on the tripod.
>> Release levers for changing leg angles
I'm used to seeing levers that stick out at the tops of tripods' legs—you push them inward or pull them downward to change the legs' angles. Some have a pretty flimsy feel to them. The Vanguard tripod has wide push-levers instead, mounted flush to the sides of the legs rather than projecting out from them. This arrangement works very well, and there's no metal gizmo sticking out the sides of the tripod to snag on anything. Thumbs up for this feature. (If it matters: the legs move silently as you change angles—no loud CLICKs.)
>> Tilting center column design
Some reviews I've seen complain a bit about the steps needed to move the center column from vertical into tilt "mode". Judging by video reviews, Vanguard's later models seem easier to tilt.
But it isn't _that_ much more work. Set the column at the desired angle, then lock it by tightening a lever. With the lever down, the column locks securely and without any "slop". To unlock it, slide a small plastic slider a short distance. This frees the tightening lever, which you then lift to change the angle.
Moving the column from vertical to "tilt"—or removing it entirely when you want to reverse it—does not require removing the spring-mounted hook at the end of the column. Thanks for that, Vanguard.
When the column is in tilt "mode," you can swing it around until it's parallel to the vertical axis of the tripod. Then, adjust the distance from head to ground via a single tightening knob. Thus for reversing the column you don't have to pull it all the way out of its housing and then re-insert it upside down.
>> Flip-lock levers for extending the legs
I have one tripod with inexpensive-looking and -feeling levers, and they worry me. But the Vanguard's levers seem very well made. The tool supplied with the tripod enables you to tighten them if need be.
This model has only two flip-locks per leg to get to its rated maximum height. That's great.
>> Monopod capability
It's all the rage in recent tripod designs and it sure is handy. The Vanguard does not have such a feature. The legs can't be removed. But I knew that when I bought it. Nice to have, but not a deal-breaker.
>> Carrying it around
Vanguard doesn't make the tripod to be folded back onto itself after the fashion of Three Legged Thing tripods. But, you can shorten it a lot by moving the center column to tilt "mode", extending it all the way, turning it parallel to the legs, and locking the tilt angle. This shortens it quite a bit. (If you fold it up this way, you probably shouldn't pick it up by holding only the center column. Hold the legs instead.)
>> Nice touch
Good deal: All three legs have foam wraps.
>> Carrying bag? Nope.
Nice to have, but not a deal-breaker.
>> Nit-pick: Documentation
The documentation is almost entirely pictorial and the diagrams are not the easiest to read. You do, so to speak, get the picture after a while, but the documentation could stand improving. (And hello, Vanguard: The PDF version of the documentation needs to be output again at higher resolution!)
>> Nit-pick: Set screws to hold the ballhead in place
While this is a good idea to keep the ballhead from becoming unscrewed accidentally, it's a bit of a pain to loosen and tighten those set-screws within the mounting plate. But ok—it isn't as difficult as landing a rover on Mars. You won't have to do it often. The "multi-tool" supplied with the tripod comes with an Allen key of the necessary size.
>> Overall impression <<
This reasonably priced tripod is well made and very solid. The tilting design is excellent. I expect that the product will last a long time.
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From the brand
Vanguard: What's Your Story?
Vanguard's customer-focused commitment has allowed us to design and produce feature-packed, premium tripods, bags, & sporting optics.
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Founded in 1986, Vanguard is a global company that designs and manufactures tripods, bags, sporting optics, and accessories. Every step from R&D to production is implemented in-house by our Vanguard-owned and operated robust global team.
Our drive to disrupt mediocrity and commitment to innovation has allowed us to create high-quality, innovative, and feature-packed products for photographers and outdoor enthusiasts all over the world.
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Made with the User in Mind
Every day, hundreds of thousands rely on Vanguard tripods, monopods, bags, binoculars, and accessories.
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From the manufacturer
ALTA PRO TRIPODS
Unmatched stability and flexibility, enabling more angle possibilities than ever before.
VANGUARD Alta Pro Tripods
About VANGUARD
Vanguard is a global company that designs and manufactures tripods, bags, sporting optics, and accessories. For over 30 years, our drive to disrupt mediocrity and commitment to innovation has allowed us to create the highest quality products for photographers and outdoor enthusiasts at an affordable price.
VANGUARD Alta Pro Tripods
Change Your Point-of-View
Quite possibly the most flexible tripod in the world Alta Pro is everything you need for out-of-this-world photography. Alta Pro tripods have unmatched versatility and stability, enabling more shooting angle than ever before.
- Hexagon-shaped central column moves from 0 to 180 degrees
- Premium magnesium die-cast canopy and anti-shock ring
- The legs have settings for 25°, 50°, and 80° with easy-release buttons for quick set-up.
- Outstanding stability and loading capacity
- Available in Carbon Fiber or Aluminum
- Carrying Case Included
The Multi-Angle Central Column
The Multi-Angle Central Column (MACC) system allows you to move the central column from zero to 180° angles in various vertical and horizontal positions, making macro-photography and special wide-angle shots a breeze.
3 Different Leg Angles
The aluminum alloy and carbon fiber legs have settings for 25°, 50°, and 80° with easy-release buttons for quick set-up. Flip and twist locks are available.
Premium Features
A magnesium die-cast canopy, quick-flip leg locks, non-slip, spiked rubber feet and a removable hook for hanging camera accessories make this tripod a great addition to your kit bag.
Swivel Stop-n-Lock System
The Instant Swivel Stop-n-Lock (ISSL) System securely repositions the central column in one simple movement, in just a few seconds, while maintaining the tripod’s stability.
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| Alta Pro 263AT Tripod | Alta Pro 263AB Tripod with Ball Head | Alta Pro 263AP Tripod with Pan Head | Alta Pro 263AGH Tripod with Grip Head | Alta Pro 283CT Carbon Tripod | Alta Pro 284CB Carbon Tripod with Ball Head | |
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| Customer Reviews |
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| Price | — | $153.55 | $149.00 | $189.95 | — | — |
| Folded Height | 24.75 in | 28 1/8 in | 28.5 in | 28 5/8 in | 25.25 in | 25 in |
| Extended Height | 65 in | 69 1/8 in | 69 7/8 in | 69 1/8 in | 66 7/8 in | 67 1/8 in |
| Minimun Extended Height | 52.75 in | 56 1/8 in | 57 5/8 in | 56 1/8 in | 53.75 in | 58.50 in |
| Macro Height | 6.25 in | 10 3/8 in | 10 3/8 | 10 3/8 in | 6.5 in | 5.75 in |
| Leg Diameter | 26 mm | 26 mm | 26 mm | 26 mm | 28 mm | 28 mm |
| Leg Sections | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Leg Locks | Flip | Flip | Flip | Flip | Twist | Twist |
| Material | Aluminum | Aluminum | Aluminum | Aluminum | Carbon Fiber | Carbon Fiber |
| Max Load Capacity | 15.4 lbs | 15.4 lbs | 11.00 lbs | 13.2 lbs | 18 lbs | 18 lbs |
| Weight | 4.41 lbs | 5.38 lbs | 5.73 lbs | 5.84 lbs | 3.75 lbs | 4.81 lbs |
MIKE MOATS: Pro Macro Photographer
"As a macro photographer I need a tripod that has the ability to maneuver my camera into all kinds of angles, and also be able to get my camera right down on the ground if I need. The Vanguard Alta Pro is the perfect tripod for accomplishing this task."
Compare with similar items
This Item  Vanguard Alta Pro 263AB 100 Aluminum Tripod with SBH-100 Ball Head for Sony, Nikon, Canon DSLR Cameras, Black |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Price | -5% $153.55 Typical: $161.48 | $234.35 | $149.99 | $249.99 | $149.00 | $157.75 |
| Delivery | Get it as soon as Friday, May 3 | Get it as soon as Friday, May 3 | Get it May 6 - 7 | Get it as soon as Friday, May 3 | Get it as soon as Friday, May 3 | Get it as soon as Friday, May 3 |
| Customer Ratings | ||||||
| Stability | ||||||
| Light weight | ||||||
| Versatility | ||||||
| Durability | ||||||
| Sold By | CaMan | Amazon.com | Adorama | Amazon.com | CaMan | Amazon.com |
| compatible devices | Camera | Smartphone, Mirrorless and DSLR Cameras | Camera | Camera | Camera | Spotting Scope, Camera |
| tripod head type | Ball Heads | Ball Heads | Pan Heads | Ball Heads | Pan Heads | Pan Heads |
| material | Aluminum | Carbon Fiber | Aluminum | Aluminum | Aluminum | Aluminum |
| minimum height | 68 inches | 16 inches | 51.7 inches | 29 inches | 57 inches | — |
| maximum height | 68 inches | 61 inches | 161.8 centimeters | 68.2 inches | 69.9 inches | 63.8 inches |
| folded size | 28.1 | — | — | 29-Inch | 28.5 | 27.7 |
| weight | 2.44 kilograms | 3.5 pounds | 1950 grams | 5.3 pounds | 5.73 pounds | 5.1 pounds |
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Reviews with images
No such thing as a perfect product
This tripod has a lot of high end features for a mid range pricetag. For my labwork I really needed the versatility that this vertical arm provides that allows me to lock it down at all sorts of angles so I can place my camera over a bench and the Manfrotto's version only lets you go at 90 degrees or vertical.The legs and joints are well above average as far as rigidity and stiffness so it's a definite step up compared to the flimsy low cost tripods out there. Clearly these guys are giving you value for the extra money. When I angle the riser and place my camera on the end I can lock in in 10, 20, 40, 90 degree angles quite nicely. It's not rock solid and if I were outdoors a good wind might cause issues in that configuration. But it is living up to everything I hoped and I'm quite pleased.As for the head, I've always been a traditionalist pan/tilt head user, but I know a lot of people just rave about ball heads these days. I do appreciated ballheads pack up smaller. Looking at the quality of the SBH-100 ball head that I got with this tripod though I have to say that I'm only mildly impressed. It's heavy enough to support and yes, the single tension knob does allow you to adjust to provide enough friction to do a pseudo fluid motion action and then not move the head too badly when you crank it down. However, the thing that surprised me is the pan adjustment. There are a couple rough patches as I pan. Almost as if someone cranked the knob too tight and dug the threads into the smooth bearing surface. You can get rid of these rough patches by loosening up the small pan tensioning knob so it rotates freely, but then the head is too loose and when you tighten it back down once you find yoru position your camera will very noticeably move. That's a FAIL! With just a 50mm lens as I loosen and tighten the pan I can tell my scene rotates counter-clockwise several degrees and it shifts very noticably away from where it started. But oh well, it's a ball head and you can't really get a precise tilt with a ball head anyway. I just don't like my camera to move as I lock down the position. The price with the ballhead was less than $7 more than just the tripod alone so it wasn't a waste of money. It's worth way more than $7!, but it would be embarrassed to be put side-by-side with an $80 ball head.My other nag is the quick release plate! See the images. I know that some tripod designers are stubbornly opposed to using the no-tools D-Ring screws. This is one of those examples where they apparently think people still walk around with a nickel in their pocket. I very strongly HATE these things because I never have a nickel in my pocket or an appropriately sized screwdriver so I always have to booger up the screw heads with the badly sized substitute that I eventually come up with. The plates (plural, they do provide a spare) are pot metal, not flimsy plastic, so I will say one good thing for them. I wish the engineer were standing in front of me because I would love to throw it at him/her because it's definitely heavy enough to leave a dent in his forehead. I HATE having to stop what I'm doing and go on a scavenger hunt because the engineer didn't want to give me a screw with folding wings or a D-Ring loop! ARGH! And to op it off, they even give you a little tool on a lanyard to assemble/adjust the ballhead, but do you think the back of the little spanner wrench blade is the diameter of the nickel so it can also be used to tighten that plate? Of course not!!! *sigh* Also, if you are going to use a ballhead, you need to adjust your camera fore and aft to get the center of balance over the head so that when you loosen and tilt/pan/roll the weight of the camera body+lens doesn't immediately droop. The way this plate and catch is designed your camera clicks into only one position, there is almost no room to slide the camera forward and retighten with the side thumbscrew. To balance your camera head correctly you need to use that coin screw in the 1 inch long slot. I know most photog's don't do it correctly, but the tripod should be designed to facilitate proper operation and adjustment.OK, rants off. The tripod is still very obviously a good step up in quality from the budget throw away models. The tripod overall feels a bit heavy, which I like and is a good thing to me. The joints are well above average as far as stiffness and the features, weight hook, adjustable angle center post. Also the bag that it comes with is surprisingly heavy material that feels like it should last more than a few years. It's sized to fit and the ballhead doesn't even have to be folded/flipped over, just drop it straight in the bag and sling it over your shoulder and you're off. And a bag is important because you don't want to have to pack tripod with it's dirty feet in with your camera gear, it should always be kept in a separate bag to keep the dirt, dust grit etc. away from the really expensive stuff.
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2021
Style: Alta Pro 263AB 100 tripod kitPattern Name: TripodVerified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2024
Style: Alta Pro 263AP tripod kitPattern Name: TripodVerified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2016
Style: Alta Pro 263AP tripod kitPattern Name: TripodVerified Purchase
Top reviews from other countries
Víctor Carro
Pesado, grande y muy estable
Reviewed in Mexico on May 18, 2022Style: Alta Pro 263AB 100 tripod kitPattern Name: TripodVerified Purchase
Víctor Carro
Reviewed in Mexico on May 18, 2022
Images in this review
Himansu Sekhar Satpathy
superb product. Amazed to see the design. Highly recommended by me.
Reviewed in India on December 28, 2023Style: Alta Pro 263AP tripod kitPattern Name: TripodVerified Purchase
f .deckker
Stable and so easy to use!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 11, 2023Style: Alta Pro 263AGH tripod kitPattern Name: TripodVerified Purchase
Dominic Leonard
Strong sturdy tripod
Reviewed in Germany on June 13, 2022Style: Alta Pro 263AB 100 tripod kitPattern Name: TripodVerified Purchase
Winston
Great tripod! it's not for the traveler or someone ...
Reviewed in Canada on April 27, 2018Style: Alta Pro 263AP tripod kitPattern Name: TripodVerified Purchase
