There was very little to complain about, especially for the dollars. I think travel tripods have improved a lot over the past decade or so. The original Peak Design Travel Tripod is a big reason for that. They set a new standard. There are times when a full sized tripod makes more sense, but for most people a smaller design like the Neewer LT-39 will handle everything they need.
Here are some of the features that make this tripod worth considering:
- Carbon Fibre Legs
- 5 Sections
- Lever locks
- 2x mount points for 1/4" attachments
- Included ball-head is removable
- Ball-head does 360° rotation in portrait
- Included short column and Phone Holder
- Reversible columns to mount underneath
- Max height is 158cm and min height is 49cm
- Weighs 1.22kg (2.7lbs) and can load 10kg
US$290 was the listing price at the time of this review, which is not super cheap but also not super expensive. Everything costs more these days, but importantly there are other options on the market in this price range. I bought an Ulanzi Zero Y Travel Tripod a few years ago, which also copied a lot of design elements from the Peak Design model, and it costs around $290 at the moment as well. It's not as stable as the Neewer or Peak Design, and shares a flaw in the integrated ball-head that prevents 360° rotation when tilted portrait.
A more compelling alternative travel tripod would be the Leofoto LY-254C. It's a more conventional design all round, but shares the carbon-fibre technology. The legs are round instead of geometric, with twist locks instead of levers. For slightly more money this tripod comes with a really good ball-head that I have used on other tripods and under Arctic conditions.
Where these smaller travel tripods tend to fall short is stability under difficult conditions, such as windy weather or shooting from a bridge that vibrates. I like a chunky setup when possible. For just walking around town, a spare set of legs in the studio or something easy to pack when heading overseas, these smaller units are still very practical.
The Neewer LT-39 offers good value. It's a lot cheaper than the Peak Design and while the build quality is not at the same level it's still very good. It gets two thumbs up from me.
– Ewen
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