Can anyone tell me what parts are metal and what parts are plastic. My primary concerns are the leg locks and tripod head.
1163685
I just finished pecking around on one of mine and can't decide if anything is plastic. If so, then it is a high strength plastic. If you are concerned about the tripod holding weight, I have a 10 lb.+ camera on each of mine. One with a (estimated) 2 lb. Nikon 28-300 lens and another with o 10 lb. + camera body and an (estimated) 5 lb. Nikkor 50-300 old style zoom lens and rods to support it. Which reminds me... the handle that secures the head in place when you have the lens at an angle... that handle seems to be some sort of hard plastic. The beauty of the handle is that it has the ability to pull outward, much like a ratchet wrench, and change where the handle is in relation to the head. That is important if the handle hits the back part of the head apparatus because like a ratchet, you can move the head away from that obstruction and tighten still more. The tripod with the camera and heavy lens I spoke about... I was thinking the tripod would not hold that lengthy, heavy lens in place when tilting downward to shoot. Then I remembered the ratchet feature, and after tightening still more, the head was solid and held its load perfectly well. Hope this helps. Forgot to mention... the leg locks are solid and hold where you stop quite well. The tripod head is metal. In my opinion, this is a well designed, sturdy tripod for any camera in the range I just outlined above. I would be willing to add even more weight but would want it to be more centered over the sticks rather than as a longer, heavier lens. Not sure if you maintain stability if you get over-balanced to the front or back, on downward tilted shots.
1163686
Substandard construction, cheap plastic parts. would NOT buy anymore products of this brand.
1967897
Both screws on this mono-pod are plated steel. The main tubes look to be aluminum. It works very well with my movie and SLR with a long lenses. I am typically working from the bleachers and I use the mono-pod at reduced height. It really increases the stability. I recommend it.
206489
No, I believe the rubber tips are a separate item. The tripod legs have metal tips.
922808
Every major part of this tripod is made of plastic. I was looking for a 72-inch tripod that I could carry around to conventions and other remote events I shot that was lighter than the metal Manfoto tripods that I have. Given its low price, I was actually surprised at how well this one works. It is sturdy and I've been careful not to bang it around or work the crank too hard. Overall, you can't beat it for the cheap price.
2187827
The legs are made of metal, but where they lock together is plastic. It's very sturdy and well-made. My husband and I are not exactly skinny, and we have no concerns about its structural integrity.
1718568
Legs are metal with plastic coverings. Overall quality is excellent. Another point to note is that te size of center cabins is some what small. Xbox, cable boxes and smaller DVDs players fit, but if you are planning big AV boxes, it may not work.
1302480
Body is metal and the lens are plastic. They are so far working well after several months.
151570
Everything appears to be metal. I was cautious about plastic units breaking, which is why I went with this one. So far, it has held up really well, and is very sturdy (and heavy). I could probably use it as a weapon in a pinch. :)
539461
The best way to get such info is to consult the manufacturer's website. http://www.velbon.biz/ or use their contact form. http://www.velbon.biz/faq/form.html. It appears to be a Japanese company. The tripod I bought it for was an oldie. Checking first is indeed a good idea. (big grin) If you have a friend with a hobby machine shop, he can run you up one out of aluminum and glued on rubber strips in about half an hour. That way, you KNOW it fits yours.
1654576
I believe the head that connects to the camera is plastic. There are aluminum parts, but the main portion is good quality plastic. The remainer of the mechanism is plastic.
812180
It's metal. I've used it for one wedding season and have not experience any degradation of performance. Will continue to use it this season.... Don't actually use the lock that much, I "lock" it in unlocked state since I want to get my camera free just by grabbing it
2030139
Everything but the legs seems to be made of some sort of plastic. The tripod is quiet sturdy nonetheless.
183866
One of the legs is marked :SLIK U9000" in large red letters. That's the only number I can find on the tripod.
1538662
I believe is the mounting plate. The one I bought had a manfrotto compatible plate. The other is another type of Mount. It doesn't matter which one you get unless you have a tripod and want to make it compatible with your equipment. Fyi, When I bought it, it was 80$.
606524
The gray part on the opposite side of the position locks is plastic but it seems to be just there to hold the leg release button in place. The leg screw locks are metal as are all of the important load-bearing parts. The ball itself seems to be plastic, but that's kind of understandable given how these things work. The ball socket is metal, but I can't be certain about the ball safety lock; it's covered with rubber and I can't see what's under it. What I can tell you is that this tripod is very sturdy and well built. I've had a camera and lens with a combined weight of at least four pounds mounted on it and it locks down well and stays in place. The gray part on the opposite side of the position locks is plastic but it seems to be just there to hold the leg release button in place. The leg screw locks are metal as are all of the important load-bearing parts. The ball itself seems to be plastic, but that's kind of understandable given how these things work. The ball socket is metal, but I can't be certain about the ball safety lock; it's covered with rubber and I can't see what's under it. What I can tell you is that this tripod is very sturdy and well built. I've had a camera and lens with a combined weight of at least four pounds... » Read More The gray part on the opposite side of the position locks is plastic but it seems to be just there to hold the leg release button in place. The leg screw locks are metal as are all of the important load-bearing parts. The ball itself seems to be plastic, but that's kind of understandable given how these things work. The ball socket is metal, but I can't be certain about the ball safety lock; it's covered with rubber and I can't see what's under it. What I can tell you is that this tripod is very sturdy and well built. I've had a camera and lens with a combined weight of at least four pounds mounted on it and it locks down well and stays in place. « Show Less
763657
I can't find mine to take a quick look, must be stuffed in a bag with a tripod somewhere; but I'm almost certain it's metal. It's a good, quality build.
2246966
Quite a lot of plastic, but it's a damn good bike. If you have an aversion to plastic, look at the more expensive models. I believe they're more metallic.