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Ravelli AVT Video Camera Tripod with Fluid Drag Head
- Compact And Light Yet Still Supports Cameras Up To 16LBS
- Geared Center Elevator With Hand Crank
- 3 Channel Quick Release Locking Leg Sections
- New Horizontal Quick Release Latches. (allowing you to release all leg locks at once)
- Padded Foam Grips On Two Of The Three Legs To Safely Grab And Move Your Tripod
Product Description
The Ravelli AVT is constructed of pressure treated aluminum and is unrivalled in
stability. This geared tripod incorporates a unique center brace strut system, reliable
quick-action leg locks, non-rollback center column, and rubberized feet with retractable metal spikes.
The Ravelli AVT is a high performance fluid drag video head that provides continuous drag control and operates on both pan and tilt axis with independent pan and tilt locks. The Ravelli AVT tripod head features finely machined parts for greater positioning with smooth, definite action. An easy to use fluid head comprised of titanium-line components for up to medium format and utilizes full two-way action allowing you to isolate the plane of… More >>
Ryan n.
November 18th, 2009 at 2:02 am
I got this tripod because i had a cheap 20 dollar one before that constantly broke, i debated saving up for a fm18 head and legs, but then i found this. In my media arts class we have a fm18 head and a manfrotto 501, if i was blind folded i would not be able to pick out the difference between this and them except for the manfrottos single handle.
I’m a skateboard filmer, so portablity is a must, at least until i can drive (im 14), the bag it comes with is great, i throw it on my backpacks skatestraps with my non filming board over it and it works great. This head is the smoothest i have even used for the price, other plastic pan heads with legs that cost 50 more than this preform worse. My only pet peeve is the pan adjustments, you cant have them too tight or you run into bumps when panning, but thats it.
Rating: 5 / 5
John D. Lee 2
November 18th, 2009 at 2:35 am
Works great for smooth pans and verticals. Easy to carry with included case and shoulder straps. Solid construction despite light weight. Too bad it’s made in Commie China. Good bargain at half price.
Rating: 5 / 5
B. Sanders
November 18th, 2009 at 5:07 am
This is a professional-quality tripod that far exceeded my expectations. I was ready to spend up to $300 on a viscuous-damped semi-pro quality video tripod. The Ravelli AVT cost a small fraction of that amount, and has every feature on my wish list.
The Ravelli AVT’s materials, machining and finish are high quality. The ergonomics are excellent. *Everything* on this tripod is adjustable! The handy carrying case (with shoulder strap) and *extra quick release plate* were unexpected bonuses.
A few details: The legs do have turf spikes and nice large rubber feet. The geared height adjuster works smoothly; but it needs to be manually locked or it will back off. Not too surprising. The tripod I received was labeled “ASSIA”, not “Ravelli. ” That’s fine – I assumed it was made in Asia, not Italy. Just take a look at the price.
But you want to know: “How’s the fluid damping? Can I pan smoothly?” Yes; but with a slight caveat.
I agree with others that the Ravelli AVT’s tilt damping is smoother than the pan damping. Here’s why: The AVT’s legs are fairly lightweight, and twist slightly under the load applied by the viscuous damper as you pan the camera left and right. This can be alleviated somewhat – at the expense of some damping – by backing off the pan damper adjuster a bit. There is a sweet spot, and it’s pretty good. I also tried holding onto one of the legs with one hand, and doing the pan with the other. It worked nicely – silky-smooth pans every time, even in telephoto. I can live with this, no problem.
The solution to the twisting problem is simple: Get heavier tripod legs. There is a Ravelli model with stiffer legs. It probably has the same video head. If you do a lot of panning at extreme telephoto range, buy the heavier Ravelli model. If you want a (relatively) light, totable, highly portable tripod with a pro-quality oil-damped head, lots of adjustability and an unbeatable price, get the Ravelli AVT. You won’t find a better deal. I’ve looked.
At this price, it deserves a 5-star rating all around. There are better tripods out there. Some of them cost 30 times what this one does.
Rating: 5 / 5
BILLUKE
November 18th, 2009 at 6:58 am
I like some other people was a little hesitent about buying this for the fact that it is so cheap. However,I am totally impressed with this tripod. Yeah,it might not compare to a $400. 00 tripod,but it’s a quater of the price. The construction is pretty solid and the tilt/pan are very smooth. As far as holding weight,I have a SONY HVR-HD-1000u that weighs around 12 lbs with all accesories and the AVT holds it easily. Bottom line is if your on a budget this tripod will do the trick.
Rating: 5 / 5
A. thomas
November 18th, 2009 at 7:47 am
Needed a tripod for our school. Used mostly for video. Not real heavy use but around 1-2 hours per week so we wanted something substantial. But some of the professional video tripods are soo expensive. Anyway we opted for the Ravelli AVT at a price under $100. Very happy with what we got. We use three or four different cameras and the heaviest is maybe 10lbs. The legs on this tripod hold the 10lbs with no problem and I would say could hold a lot more. The head pans nice and smooth and the extra long handles give you adequate leverage to make small movements. Despite the price, this is not a light flimsy tripod. I can easily see this lasting us for several years. Nice bag too. When we bought this, Ravelli was also selling a “Professional” version, but to be honest I think this is all the tripod we needed.
Rating: 5 / 5