Slik Mini Pro V Tripod Review

A couple of months ago, I bought a Slik Mini-Pro V Tripod. I was looking for something compact that could serve as a secondary tripod; originally, I had in mind to get just a cheap full-sized tripod. But then I saw this one, and I was intrigued...skeptical, but intrigued. It's so small that it fits into one of the slots of my Lowepro Stealth AW Reporter D200 Bag. 

Oxmoor Road Tunnel in Homewood

The Mini Pro V comes with a pan-tilt head, which is removable but does not have a quick-release plate; I didn't realize the head was interchangeable when I purchased the mini-pod, but was pleasantly surprised, since I have a Slik mini-ball head  (Slik SBH-100 Mini Ballhead), that fits this mount. My only negative note about the pan-tilt head is that it does not pivot from a horizontal-to-vertical orientation; in order to change the camera's orientation, you have to unscrew the base slightly and manually turn the camera 90 degrees. Personally, in a situation in which I expected to be going back-and-forth, I would just use the Slik ball head.

The legs of Mini Pro V extend a couple of inches, and lock in place by a tightening ring. The center column is also extendable for about three inches of additional height. And on the bottom of the column is a suction cup for those times when the pod is sitting atop a flat, suitable surface; that cup has quite a grip too.

This tripod's miniature stature lends it to non-traditional methods of operation. I have seen it used as a chest-pod of sorts for stabilization when using telephoto lenses. I used it against the wall of a tunnel (below) in order to get a 1/10s exposure with my Canon Rebel T2i and 20mm f/2.8 lens.

Canon EOS 3 with EF 20mm f/2.8 mounted on Slik Mini Pro V Tripod

 For my money, it was a great purchase. I can't wait to get it out at night for some long exposures; I have plans to use it this summer for some wide-angle Milky Way shots with some foreground. The Slik Mini Pro V has its limitations, but it's stable and adaptable enough for my purposes, when my main tripod is otherwise being used or I'm on a long trek and don't want haul the bigger tripod.

Canon Rebel T2i, EF 20mm f/2.8, 30s @ f/22, ISO 100

Magic City Marquee, Welcoming New Readership

I would like to take a moment to welcome a new sect of readership. This blog has been picked up by al.com, and you can find it here: Magic City Marquee. I chose that name because of the Birmingham-centric nature of this blog, through which I hope to bring to light the nuances and underappreciated aspects of this city. Additionally, I get out and explore Alabama as much as possible, sharing it here, and generally hoping to entertain as much through misadventure as with executing planned excursions.

So in an attempt to acclimatize any new readers as to what to expect here, I have linked some past blog posts as a sampling:

• Warded Off by Drunken Hillbillies :: Went camping on the banks of the Cahaba River near Centreville. It went badly.
• Oxmoor Road Tunnel in Homewood :: I think the title kind of tells you what to expect here.
• Bovine, Barn, and a Misplaced Van in Blount County :: A rural scene from Blount County.
• Huntsville Half Marathon :: In November, I ran the Huntsville Half Marathon with a friend, my second half.

I hope you will enjoy the offerings here and choose to make it a part of your regular perusal on the interwebs. Please feel free to leave comments and contact me with any questions.

Pecans :: Morris, Alabama

Oxmoor Road Tunnel in Homewood

I left the house a few minutes early this morning in order to photograph a structure that has been a long-awaited conquest. There are a number of reasons for my having waited so long to stop and photograph it, not the least of which is safety. The Oxmoor Road Tunnel in Homewood has sidewalks on either side, but no guard rail, and drivers apparently see no reason to decelerate as they enter this curving tunnel. Nevertheless, I prevailed in getting the photographs I wanted and walked away bodily intact.

Oxmoor Road Tunnel, Homewood, Alabama :: Canon Rebel T2i, EF 20mm f/2.8, 30s @ f/16, ISO 100

I wanted a long exposure, which required a low ISO (100), stopping down the aperture as much as possible in order to get the appropriate shutter speed, and using a Circular Polarizer in order to further decrease the amount of light reaching the filter. I used my favorite lens on this camera: Canon EF 20mm f/2.8. Also for the first time, I used my new Slik Mini Pro V mini-tripod, which I intend to write a review of after a few more uses, but it's looking positive so far.