I recently tested the K&F Concept BA225 Lightweight Tripod, a tripod that I have been looking forward to trying out for a while after coming across a friend with it last year. I thank K&F again for this collaboration. If you are interested in getting the product for yourself after reading this:
Click HERE to go to K&F Concept's Amazon page and get a 5% discount with promo code: ESTRIPODE05
Apply for an extended warranty for K&F Concept lens filters and tripods HERE
Who are K&F Concept?
K&F Concept, a brand founded in 2012, has been committed to designing, innovating, and manufacturing photography accessories. In the pursuit of product excellence, K&F Concept has obtained more than 150 patents and various international product awards. K&F Concept has been a popular buy in 56 countries and regions and is involved in different markets in the Americas, Europe, and Asia.
Check them out at https://www.kfconcept.com or on their official amazon page at HERE
Packaging
The only bits of plastic within the packaging were the plastic bag around the tripod and a sandwich bag with the allen/hex key and manual. I was impressed as this was an improvement on previous packaging of other tripods I have reviewed in the past. The tripod comes in a sleek yellow box which is different from what I have received in the past. As always, the tripod comes with a stylish, light and useful carrying bag.
What's in the box?
In the box you will find a smart, compact and well built carrying bag which will protect your tripod well and is convenient, lightweight and comfortable to carry on short hikes. This bag is slightly smaller than the previous tripods I reviewed which a bonus as I knew it wouldn't be a bother for transportation.
If you prefer to carry the tripod in its carry bag, it has a comfortable shoulder strap within the bag that is easily installed.
The Tripod
Upon opening the box, as always, I was immediately impressed with the build quality. The tripod is the lightest I have used when compared to other Kent & Faith tripods (2.2lbs/1kg) due to being built from a high quality carbon fibre. I find the carbon fibre tripods to be of better use when you are hiking as the tripod won't weigh you down.
At its' smallest working height, the tripod has a height of 18.11"/46cm and at its' tallest, the tripod is 60"/152cm. It may not be the tallest tripod but it does the job for most situations. The centre column can be inverted for reverse shots.
I took this tripod on a few hikes and I almost forgot that I had it attached to my bag as it was so light.
Monopod
One of the tripod's legs is detachable and can be used as a monopod if you so desire. I love this feature from the K&F Concept's tripod range. You are essentially getting two tripods for the price of one. The monopod can also be used as an alpenstock (hiking stick) for the long hikes. I might have to test that out on my next hike.
A monopod can be quite useful for getting a steady shot when you are on the go and don't have the time to set up a tripod. Monopod's are a great option for sports photographers as well. For me this feature is particularly useful for low light settings as my Canon 80D is quite heavy and hard to get sharp shots in low light.
As per usual found assembling the monopod back to a tripod very easy. This is really great as using a monopod in the past for me has been a frustrating experience as I spent more time trying to put the tripod back together than actually taking my photographs.
Thread Lock System
Each leg of the tripod comes fitted with a twist lock system which is great for locking in your desired height or angle quickly. For a quicker set up, you can open all three twist-locks at the same time to release all the levels of the legs. First impressions were that this system is secure but make sure you have each lock secured before attaching your camera so you don't have an accident that breaks your expensive gear.
Quick Plate Head and KF-28 Metal Ball Head
As with all K&F concept tripods, it comes with the standard quick plate head which I'm sure most photographers will have come across at some point. Getting it off and on your camera is a piece of cake, quick and screws up every time.
The ball head of the tripod is made of durable metal built to withstand whatever you need it to do. With 360 degrees of movement, the compositions are endless whether it be panoramas, horizontal or vertical shooting. I recommend keeping the allen key set that comes with the tripod in your camera bag or carrying bag as some of the screws around the ball head can become loose.
Loading Capacity
The ball head of this tripod has a loading capacity of 8kg which is less than their other tripods due to the lightweight carbon fibre but it's still more than enough in my opinion. I'm not sure who would be able to put that weight to the test (maybe a wildlife photographer with one of those rocket launcher size lens) but I have full confidence that the ball head can take whatever I throw at it. It screws up pretty well with no looseness.
Angle Adjustment Buckles
With the angle adjustment buckles, the tripod legs can be adjusted and locked to three different levels which helps with stabilisation on varying ground and inclines. I found the set up time pretty quick and balancing the tripod with the fluid head easy. As always with Kent & Faith tripods, the buckles felt really sturdy and I didn't feel it would break on me.
The other locking systems, the centre column lock that holds the main section of the tripod, the locking knob on the tripod head and the locking force for the ball head are also very solid.
Macro Shooting
With many of the other K&F Concept tripods, it can be inverted due to its' central axis to achieve low angle shooting and macro shooting. I find this feature is particularly useful for my product photography. Again, set up for this was easy if you have a flip screen on your camera as you need to set up your camera on the 1/4 head upside down if your lens doesn't have a mounting ring.
Without the flip screen, shooting in this manner may be difficult if your camera doesn't rotate its viewing screen internally.
Backpack Storage
Backpack storage was a breeze. Due to the small and lightweight size of the tripod, on my hike, I kind of forgot it was there. For my backpack, it's easier to carry the tripod without the carry bag as shown below. 10/10 for portability.
Conclusion
Overall, I'm really impressed with how solid the BA225 tripod is. Extremely sturdy and durable considering its weight, a tripod you know that will never let you down.
The only downsides for me is the lack of height of the tripod and maybe the lightweight nature of it wouldn't be great for photography in very windy situations.
The links again:
Click HERE to go to K&F Concept's Amazon page and get a 5% discount with promo code: ESTRIPODE05
Apply for an extended warranty for K&F Concept lens filters and tripods HERE
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