I’ve been in the market for a new tripod for several years. I finally decided to get a travel sized one because having something with me all the time is better then not having it when I need one. After a lot of research, I decided to go with the Dolica TX570DS.
Why I choose the Dolica TX570DS
I was impressed with the reviews and specs of the tripod and going with a Dolica which has a good name behind it was a safe bet.
I also watched several YouTube reviews on the tripod compared to other models.
The reviews were very impressive (even though the reviews were not the best, for my needs it would be perfect).
I also loved the idea of having a mono-pod which was built into one of the legs.
How Strong is it?
When the tripod came in, I couldn’t open the box fast enough and it was setup in about 90 seconds.
My first impressions were it seemed very light weight which many people related to “cheaply built”.
In my view, that was expected (since it is a budget tripod and its greatest feature is its size and weight).
The tripod comes with a bag, head, tools, and some instructions (which I disregarded).
I started with expanding the legs and applying some weight to it. Its my goal to mount my laptop between the legs so I can use my camera tethered.
My laptop only weighs a few pounds and combined with the camera I will be about 1/2 the max load.
If needed, I can always put the laptop on the ground but I would prefer not to. To test it further, I pushed down on the tripod pretty hard.
There was some flex to the legs and the legs did collapse a bit but I was applying way more then the 15 pounds it was rated for so I was very happy with its strength.
I then removed one of the legs and converted it to a monopod and I was not impressed.
It didn’t have anything to do with the monopod, I just learned that I would have little need for it.
I tried taking a few long exposure pictures but I was not able to keep the camera steady enough to make it work right. This is something I will play with more to see if I can find a good use for a monopod.
Testing Details
The real reason for choosing this tripod was its portability. I started to play around with getting it to nicely pack in my existing camera bag.
I tried to connect it to the outside using the straps on my backpack. It did fit well but I was a little concerned about it falling off.
This is more a limitation of my camera bag since the straps were not long enough to wrap around the tripod.
I then connected it to one of my D-rings using the tripod bag and that worked really well.
It also fit inside my bag which I didn’t expect.
Of course, I can just carry the tripod using the included bag.
Having several options for packing the tripod is something I never had with my other ones given its size and weight.
The new travel version fit my gear perfectly and was the main reason for my decision for getting this particular model.
The last thing to check was mounting the camera and start taking pictures (really long exposure to test its stability).
I mounted my quick release plate and ran to get my camera.
I had it mounted with my 28-200 lens which I consider rather small and light compared to may other lens.
Issues
This is where i found its critical flaw. The head would not hold its position no matter how much I tighten the head.
I even replaced my 28-200 with a prime 35 and I still had an issue.
There are 2 possibilities for this happening. Either the head is defective or it’s a very poorly designed.
I contacted the company about the issue with the Dolica TX570DS and received a reply a few hours later.
They will replace the head under warranty at no cost to me.
They just need me to email my information, receipt, and a picture of the problem. There was no cost associated with shipping the bad head back to them. I will update the post once I receive the new head and let you know if its better.
I was determined not to let this defect affect my weekend plans of shooting some landscapes at a few local state parks. Since I couldn’t rely on the head holding its position, I will need to hold the camera into position for each shot and hope for the best.
Overall, I am very happy with my weekend trip for one main reason.
The portability of this tripod is fantastic.
I will need to reconfigure my bag because I would prefer to carry it inside my bad instead of the outside but in a pinch.
I think it can be easily be connected to one of my bad D-Rings.
Update
Dolica TX570DS has exceeded my expectations.
Dolica was good on their word and replaced the head free of charge. Their shipping was very quick and I have the new head in about a week.
The new head holds the camera very well and they even shipped me a free phone attachment I can attach to the tripod if I wanted to use my phone instead of my camera.
So far I have used it for a few months and very happy with the performance and weight of the tripod.
I can honestly say this tripod can be recommended to anyone looking for a lightweight travel tripod!
