Ravelli AVT Professional 67-inch Video Camera Tripod with Fluid Drag Head

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.

[UPDATE]

More praise for CheetaMounts! I was able to return the original Head which I believed to be defective. I spoke with the service rep and he was very help and understanding. I RMA'd the Head and got the replacement very quickly... now for the important info:

The replacement head is much, much better at panning than the original. It is as smooth as the Pro model (AVTP) that I also own. However, the Tilt action did suffer from a "bump" almost right at the level position. But, I did work the head for about an hour to break it in and the "bump" seems to be gone or at least very minimal.

Both the AVTP (Pro) and the AVT models have very good fluid style Heads, especially for the price range. I will say though, that there seems to be a consistency issue with the Ravelli heads. I have 2 AVTP tripods plus this AVT model and they each require a different tension setting to get an approximate/same panning & tilt action. Not a problem, just not consistent.

Again, for the price you get a very, very good value. I would highly recommend either model to anyone looking for a bargin great bang for you buck!

[ORIGINAL Review]

First, major praise for CheetaMounts for their really, really fast delivery! WOW! I don't know how they do it, but they get their orders out fast!!!!

What's in the box:

* Tripod

* 2-way fluid head

* 2 handles/arms (to attach to the head)

* 2 base mounting plates (one already in the head and an extra one)

* 1 carrying bag

* 1 hex wrench

Fit & Finish:

* The Head: It is solid and very heavy, not what I expected at this price. The only plastic piece is the handle used to adjust the tension for the tilt. Looks like other "pro" heads and has the same features. The two included handles attach to the head and can be adjusted for proper angle.

* The legs (sticks): They are a mix of metal, aluminum, and plastic. The overall construction is metal & aluminum. The plastic pieces are used in the locking sections to secure the position of bolts in the flip-locks. (I'm a little concerned that with heavy use, these may not last... but with care, I'm sure I'll get a lot of mileage out of them.) The feet could have used a bit more design improvement, but they do provide basic function rubber or spiked, just spin the foot assembly to expose the spike. There is no locking nut so if you pickup and move the tripod there's a chance a foot will spin out of position, thus requiring a re-leveling. (I solved this loose-spinning problem w/ some generous amounts of plumbers tape to give the threads some bite to allow the foot assembly to stay in place.) Speaking of leveling, there's one circle-bubble level at the base of the head.

Form & Function:

Once all pieces are assembled and the legs are locked off, the stance of the tripod is very solid. (I only have a Canon HF-S100 w/ all the accessories, so I can't say if it can support heavier rigs...) The tension of the pan and tilt is very stiff. On mine, the tilt is very smooth through the whole range. It is consistent and I'm very pleased with its capabilities.

[UPDATE: I've since recieved a replacement from CheetaMounts for the AVT Head. After a short "break-in" period on the new head to try to get rid of a "bump" that is evident right at the level position, I'm now able to pull very smooth pan action and almost the same level of smoothness in the tilt as the Pro version (AVTP). I'm not sure why the heads are different between the 2 models they look the same other than handles & the bubble level, but I suspect the internal mechanism must be different some how. The problems I describe below for the pan action of the AVT head are no longer present with the replacement.]

The pan, however, is not as consistent. There are times when I get very smooth starts, stops, & continuous pans. Then there are other times when it feels like a bargain head. I've tried all the adjustments without much success. If your constantly moving the head, like following a sport from the sideline, it works great. However, the moment you stop the head and try to start again, your taking a gamble whether or not you hit a "sticky" point. This is probably fixable, but I haven't it figured out yet...

Summary:

For all the features you get, you can't beat the price. If you are looking for a bargain on pro features and you can live with what you're getting, then this is the tripod for you. I like mine, I added the Ravelli tripod dolly as well. The combination is great and makes the tripod even more sturdy yet portable. I can live with the panning issues especially for the price. It's a good buy for amateurs!

Buy Ravelli AVT Professional 67-inch Video Camera Tripod with Fluid Drag Head Now

Not a bad tripod by any means, but, not the greatest, either. Works good for my needs. Had to make some adjustments after receiving ithad to grease up the pan and tilt more, as well as ever so slightly loosening the main screw in the bottom of the head to make the pan more smooth (it was grinding on the center column and had "bumps while panning). The tilt, while tight (usually always tight, even when loosened all the way), is smooth, but it's not smooth to start.

It's a good tripod if you're looking to start with something. Just wish the pan and tilt had more resistance and was more fluid. Carrying case isn't too bad, but will definitely get beaten and zipper will probably zip right off if you're not careful. Buy with confidence, friends, and take care of your equipment!

Read Best Reviews of Ravelli AVT Professional 67-inch Video Camera Tripod with Fluid Drag Head Here

Ravelli AVT Professional 67" Video Camera Tripod with Fluid Drag Head

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00139XOCI/ref=cm_cr_rev_prod_title

I bought this based on the first dozen or so reviews as well as the last picture in the zoom view (Which shows a video cam on a tripod with leg supports). Reviewers were talking about the geared center post and the pic showed center post to leg supports. The tripod I received had neither a geared center post or supports. The box it came in had pics of both the geared post as well as the supports. Even the included docs discussed the geared center post.

Looking back at all the pics, the first ones show exactly the tripod I received. However, as I base my purchases off reviews and rarely look at the pix as most are so crappy, I made a mistake. Also, the company called me after I emailed them and they said that the tripods being shipped now were different than when they first posted and they even told me that I could not have had the box I did even though I sent them pix of it with the tripod. In essence, instead of taking a few minutes to notify customers of this they just dumped it out the door and let the reviews stand on an older product. As most people use Amazon because of the reviews, I feel this was a misrepresentation of product and so I'm returning it never to buy anything from these guys again. Customer service for CheetaMounts was rude and very difficult to understand. On the other side, Amazon was wonderful as is usually the case!

On a different note about poor quality, the release plate catch had a bent spring so you couldn't remove the release plate without first removing the top of the mount. Also, springs on the tab for the release plate lock were bent as well. There was a very noticable grab on the panning that could only be gotten rid of by totally backing off the panning pressure screw which then made the usefulness of a fluid head nil. As most of the good reviews are a year or 2 old they've probably established a good rep and so decided to cut costs by cutting quality.

Update! This is from CheetaMounts in reference to the email I sent them earlier:

We are sorry for the inconvenience. We did try calling you at xxx-xxx-xxxx and left a voice mail. This tripod no longer comes with the geared column as well as the column brace. This new designed allows for easy adjustment . The 3 Channel Quick Release Locking Leg Sections allows you to open the tripod legs to a wider position for lower shots and makes it more stable. We are working on getting the pictures on the box changed.

So!! The tripod did come with a geared column and leg support and the pics on the box were of these items even though they told me on the phone that I couldn't have a box like that. Will never purchase anything from them again!

GM

Want Ravelli AVT Professional 67-inch Video Camera Tripod with Fluid Drag Head Discount?

For the money, I know of no better panning head tripod. The head alone is worth more than the price of the tripod and the inclusion of a second mounting plate and a bubble level sweeten the deal. There's one thing you should know about to make this tripod work properly. There are three set screws in the circular plate at the top of the column that attaches the tripod legs to the panning head. After attaching the head to the tripod, tighten these screws with the included Allen wrench so the head doesn't loosen and fall off when you pan horizontally. If you don't tighten these screws, you may think the tripod's defective when it's really not.

The tripod came double boxed and shipping was very quick. Cheetah Mounts provided me with prompt, personal service and they answer their phones. They're a pleasure to do business with.

Save 56% Off