It's the tripod everybody has wanted since the day it was announced – and it's just received a massive discount in the Black Friday camera deals.
The Peak Design Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod has been slashed by $178, its lowest price ever! The super-compact, lightweight design is like no other tripod I've ever seen before, which is just one of the reasons it earned the top spot in our best travel tripods buying guide.
It's hard to get that excited over tripods, but when Peak Design first released its travel tripod I was very impressed. It might have taken four years to design, but the end result is truly a work of genius. With three flattened legs rather than the standard round ones you find on most tripods for photography, it packs down much smaller than any other travel tripod and can extend to a maximum height of 60 inches.
It might not be the tallest travel tripod ever but its compact ball head, quick-release legs and versatile leg configuration (enabling you to shoot really close to the ground) certainly make up for it. The carbon fiber version is considerably more expensive than the aluminum version and only 300g lighter, but if you're regularly taking it on long hikes or trips abroad those 300g can make a difference.
It's designed to be used with mirrorless cameras or DSLRs up to 9kg, but it also comes with an adapter so that you can use your camera phone with it. It's as strong and sturdy as any standard tripod I've ever used and, despite its compact pack-down size, doesn't feel flimsy like some travel tripods.
If you regularly shoot on loose dirt, sand, ice or gravel you can buy the Peak Design Spiked Feet separately, which will give your tripod added stability and prevent it moving on these surfaces. You can also buy a Table-top Kit that enables you to remove four sections and attach alternative rubber feet, which cut down on the weight by around 40%.
Peak Design doesn't usually offer such big discounts, so you should take advantage of the 30% off for Black Friday while you still can. If you can't quite stretch to the carbon fiber, the aluminium version has also been discounted from AU$589.95 to $501.46 at Peak Design – but on this occasion, we reckon splashing out the extra $150 for the carbon fibre version is totally worth it.