Fotopro X Go Max Carbon Fiber Tripod Reviews
The Fotopro Ten-Go Max is a carbon travel tripod with an nearly suspiciously depression sticker toll of around $269 including a ball head. Can you actually go a quality carbon tripod at that cost? This is a question I was keen to reply, particularly in low-cal of my review of the Fotopro Eagle tripod that I conducted just before putting my hands on the X-Go Max. While the Fotopro Hawkeye is a much more than expensive tripod, targeted at a different audition, I did find it to offer excellent value for money and remarkable-for-its-size stability.
For those unfamiliar, Fotopro is a Chinese tripod manufacturer. Although one of the lesser-known tripod brands in N America, they have been making tripods for close to 20 years and have an extensive range of both heads and tripod legs. Unusual amongst most brands in the photo manufacture is the fact that Fotopro caters to both ends of the pricing spectrum. Amongst the products in their catalogue, you will find everything from the low-budget carbon travel tripods such as the Fotopro X-Become Max at $269, correct through to the previously mentioned Eagle Series tripods that cost up to $1400. Though this is unusual, it might not be a bad thing for the manufacturer of a upkeep-friendly tripod to know full well how to make an splendid professional person-grade tripod, too.
With this in mind, I was excited to become out in the field with the X-Become Max and put it to the test alongside a few other travel tripods that I have effectually the part. In this review, nosotros will take a detailed expect at all the features of the tripod, and and then I'll share my thoughts on how stable information technology is, along with conclusions on quality and value proffer. This one should be interesting!
Table of Contents
- Fotopro Ten-Go Serial
- Fotopro X-Go Max Details
- Leg Locks
- Monopod Usage
- Centre Column
- Foot Spikes
- Weight Hook
- Tripod Bag
- Strength and Stability
- FPH-62Q Ball Head Details
- Screw-lock Arca-Swiss Clamp
- Arca-Swiss Plate
- Panning and Brawl Lock Control
- Strength and Stability
- Conclusion
- Where to Buy
The Fotopro X-Go Serial
The Ten-Go series consists of several unlike tripods in both carbon and aluminum configurations. Each tripod has a different maximum height, and includes i of 3 different ball heads depending on the tripod size. In this review I'yard taking a look at the Fotopro Ten-Go Max. Although this is the largest of the X-Become tripods, it'southward actually not an overly tall tripod by Western standards. Some of Fotopro's tripods have very brusk maximum heights and are presumably better suited to an Eastern market place. I would say that most people reading this review should be looking at the X-Go Max, which I'thou pb to believe is a best seller for them.
Note that in the table of tripod specifications beneath, the maximum height measurement is achieved with the centre column fully extended. With the cavalcade in the extended position, the stability of any travel tripod is significantly lessened. A center cavalcade should be used only when there is piffling to no wind, or when you are using a shutter speed that is fast enough to counteract the added instability. For this reason, I always strongly recommend that people purchase travel tripods by because the height of the tripod when the cavalcade is complanate to the minimum height. You should never buy a travel tripod to utilize the heart column extended to its maximum every time you get it out of the bag. With this in mind, it makes it even more likely that the largest X-Become Max model will likely be the best option for most people, fifty-fifty if you are non that tall.
| Model | Material | # of Sections | Min Tiptop | Max Height | Collapsed Length | Weight | Max Load | Ball Head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| X-Go | Carbon | five | 350mm | 13.8″ | 1440mm | 56.vii″ | 330mm | xiii″ | 0.98kg | 2.1 lbs | 8kg | 17.6 lbs | FPH-42Q |
| X-Go Plus | Carbon | four | 432mm | 17″ | 1575mm | 62″ | 430mm | 16.nine″ | 1.51kg | 3.3 lbs | 8kg | 17.6 lbs | FPH-52Q |
| X-Become Max | Carbon | four | 467mm | 18.38″ | 1718mm | 67.63″ | 475mm | 18.7″ | ane.82kg | iv lbs | 12kg | 26.v lbs | FPH-62Q |
| X-Become Gecko | Aluminium | iv | 340mm | 13.iv″ | 1443mm | 56.eight″ | 325mm | 12.8″ | 0.98kg | two.i lbs | 5.44kg | 12lbs | FPH-42Q |
| X-Go Chameleon | Aluminium | iv | 432mm | 17.01″ | 1575mm | 62.01″ | 430mm | 16.93″ | i.605kg | 3.54 lbs | 8kg | 17.6 lbs | FPH-52Q |
| 10-Go Predator | Aluminium | 4 | 467mm | 18.39″ | 1718mm | 67.64″ | 475mm | xviii.7″ | 1.96kg | four.32 lbs | 12kg | 26.5 lbs | FPH-62Q |
Fotopro 10-Go Max Details
Leg Locks
The threads on the X-Get Max leg locks are metallic, which is a groovy affair to see on a tripod at this cost signal. Metal threads are less susceptible to article of clothing from particulates that go stuck in the thread after using the tripod in muddy or sandy environments. Although a affair of personal taste, I as well love the expect of the orangish anodizing on these parts of the tripod.
The rubber grips on the X-Go Max legs locks are soft and grippy. They even maintain plenty softness in extremely cold temperatures, and in fact, I far prefer to them to the rubber shrouding on the leg locks of their far more expensive Eagle serial tripod. In my Hawkeye Series review, the hard and annoying leg locks were almost the only thing I didn't like virtually those tripods, so information technology was a surprise to me that they feel and so much better on their budget tripod.
Eye Cavalcade
The Fotopro X-Go Max centre cavalcade is carbon, and very stable due to Fotopro's first-class carbon tube manufacturing skills. While not immediately obvious, you tin unscrew the tripod's top platform. Doing so will reveal that the stud can be reversed to evidence either a iii/viii″ 16 or a ane/4″ 20 thread. Once removed, yous can also pull the eye column from the tripod to flip it around for underslung low-level shooting. What yous cannot do, is install the top platform without the centre cavalcade and leave information technology at home to save some weight, such as you can with some slightly more expensive travel tripods like the 3-Legged Affair Bucky that was recently reviewed.
I thing that is important to note, is that you must tighten the cavalcade locking neckband very tightly to prevent the column twisting when you are panning the photographic camera. Unlike some travel tripods, the centre column does not feature an anti-twist groove in information technology to preclude this rotation. The panning base of operations resistance is also very high on the included ball head (more on that later), so this combines to create a dash that does accept a little getting used to. An anti-twist groove in the centre column would exist an improvement to this tripod.
As I have mentioned many times before on this site, a center column, when extended, will subtract the stability of your tripod. Particularly in high winds. Yous should only extend the column in favourable conditions, and should therefore consider the dimensions of the tripod with the eye column lowered, as this will probably be how you will mostly utilise it. At least if you are going to bother following my advice.
Monopod Usage
The Ten-Go Max has i big play tricks up its sleeve: A built-in monopod. One leg can be unscrewed from the tripod, giving you a iv-section monopod with a maximum summit of 52.75″ (1340mm). In order to utilize this as a monopod, you likewise need to remove the summit plate from the tripod centre column and spiral it onto the monopod leg. The threaded stud is reversible, assuasive you to have either an exposed 1/4″ 20 or a 3/eight″ sixteen stud. With that, you tin choose to either screw the monopod right into the base of your photographic camera, or add together a nice monopod head to it.
The monopod is great and delivers enough value that I think information technology should admittedly be factored into the purchasing determination. The rubber grip on the monopod is made from the aforementioned rubber material as the leg locks and it feels great. Truly, it feels nicer to agree than monopods that cost a couple of hundred dollars on their own.
Related Reading: 4 Times When a Monopod Is Perfect for Wild animals Photography
Many travel tripods take this subconscious feature, but often it feels like an afterthought and somehow manages to experience like you are using a single tripod leg instead of a monopod. Not so with the X-Go Max. With this tripod, you could hand the leg/monopod to someone and but tell them information technology was a high-quality monopod. They would have admittedly no idea that information technology is a leg that has been removed from a tripod. It is solid, stable, and a fantastic solution when you want to acquit ultralight camera back up.
Foot Spikes
Small foot spikes are hidden beneath the rubber leg caps. I like this design a lot because it means you always take spikes with you. Whenever I have a tripod that has removable, optional spikes, they stop upward being the first thing that gets tossed from my pocketbook when I'm trying to shed some weight. Although these spikes are not long and therefore won't make a difference on sandy surfaces, they are useful in dirt on a windy day.
Weight Hook
Rotating the small metal collar in the bottom of the centre column volition cause a 3/8′ threaded stud to extend from it. To this you lot tin can adhere the included weight hook that can be found in the pocket of the tripod bag. I incertitude many people will bother to utilize it, but its there if you know yous will exist shooting in windy weather condition that might do good from some added weight.
Tripod Bag
The tripod is delivered in a cheap, thinly padded case that has a small internal pocket for accessories. While I don't see the bag standing up to a lot of abuse, it'southward overnice that it comes in something that tin be used to protect your shiny carbon from bumps and scratches when the tripod is packed into a larger example, or strapped to the side of your bag. Later on all, there are some $1000+ tripods that don't come with a case at all.
Overall Tripod Strength and Stability
The stability of the X-Get Max slightly exceeded my expectations that were based on its price indicate. This is an excellent support package that will stand most travel tripod seeking enthusiasts in practiced stead. I think a lot of the stability comes from Fotopro's excellent carbon tube manufacturing process. Merely equally they did with their pinnacle-of-the-line Eagle Series tripods, they take shown me that they tin make carbon legs that have fantastic forcefulness to weight ratios. While I don't know all the ins and out of the carbon tube layup process, I have tested enough tripods to know correct away when a company has created a sturdy fix of tubes. Fotopro really knows what they are doing in this surface area, and I think its the key to their seemingly on-the-rise popularity.
Of course, no travel tripod review would be complete without my usual caveat that applies to all travel tripods. If yous're going to buy a travel tripod, your principal goal must be to own a tripod that has a curt folded length and a light weight. Travel tripods ALL sacrifice some stability to reach these goals. The 10-Go Max is no different. You can spend the same money and become a more stable tripod, but it will be heavier and larger. Tripod choice is always about balancing your priorities to fit your shooting style. Many people choose travel tripods because having something small and calorie-free means that they take it with them more often. A light, slightly less stable tripod is withal better than the bigger, heavier one that you lot left at habitation.
Fotopro FPH-62Q Ball Head Details
Screw-lock Arca-Swiss Clamp
The brawl caput features an Arca-Swiss uniform quick release clamp with a screw-lock knob. The clamp is nicely machined and includes a pair of built-in chimera levels that actually utilize thick plenty oil in them to be useful when making slight adjustments. The screw-lock knob itself is nicely damped and provides an excellent corporeality of clamping strength. The clamp on this caput is probable the all-time part of the head.
Arca-Swiss Plate
This tripod does come with an Arca-Swiss quick release plate. A signal which i need to make specifically because a read one customer review on B&H Photo that stated it did not. It does, but when delivered, the plate is packed inside a subconscious pocket on the inside of the tripod case. I must admit that to begin with, I too idea it did not come up with a plate for several days until I discovered the pocket. Fotopro should change this delivery item and put the plate in the brawl head similar everyone else.
Panning and Ball Lock Control
The ball head has two controls: A banning base and a ball locking knob. The panning base of operations lock knob is fairly poor. At that place's not real elevate adjustment at all. Information technology'due south either on or off. Also, once you do unscrew it to release the panning motion, the knob wobbles around in a disconcerting, perchance-it-might-fall-off sort of way.
In one case the panning base is unlocked, you lot volition besides feel a more than-than-average amount of resistance to the panning movement which slows down fast adjustments. The resistance will as well crusade the ball caput to unscrew from the centre cavalcade unless you tightly tighten the grub screw on the underside of the centre cavalcade. This does make some people blench because you are relying on friction and screwing something into the base of your brand new ball head. Information technology volition get out a meaning mark! With this caput, though, it's a necessity. Partly considering of the loftier level of resistance in the panning base of operations, and partly because in that location is no rubber grip on the ball head plate at the top of the heart column.
The ball locking knob is better and does provide some elevate adjustment. Less of an on/off feeling. That said, I thought that the rotation of the locking knob was a trivial too much when moving from locked to fully unlocked. I actually don't need more than 45 degrees of rotation when going from ane end of the spectrum to the other. I besides prefer ball locking knobs that give you some feedback every bit to what the ball lock friction is. With this ball head, the ball locking knob has a constant tension on is as you move from locked to loose, and then you have to movement the ball around to figure out where yous are on the spectrum. The numbers on the locking knob practice not serve whatsoever apply. I observe it preferable to have a ball locking knob that too feels looser as you lot loosen the ball. With that kind of setup, information technology's far easier to instinctively know how loose the ball is when you are rotating the lock knob.
Force and Stability
Although i find the controls of the FPH-62Q to be adequately average, there is no doubting that the caput is strong and stable. Once the panning base of operations or ball head locking knobs are done up tightly at that place is no creep. I'thousand confident in maxim that the head will hold way more weight than you should ever consider putting on pinnacle of a travel tripod like the X-Go Max.
Overall, it's a no-frills kind of brawl head. Not uncommon in "kit tripods" where the head comes with the tripod as part of a package. It'due south going to go the job washed, simply it doesn't do it with much finesses. I can see people looking to upgrade the ball head, at least at some bespeak, after using the tripod for a while.
Determination
At the time of writing this review, this tripod has a v-star rating from customers on B&H Photo. This is unusual for what I would deem to be a product very firmly seated in the budget-friendly cost bracket. Normally, for products in this price subclass, you lot get a good number of people who look likewise much for their money and then end up leaving bad-to-mediocre reviews. Non so with the Fotopro X-Become Max, and after spending a few weeks with this tripod, I take to concord with the people who left these reviews. This is a remarkably practiced tripod.
Though the $269 price point doesn't make it the accented cheapest carbon travel tripod on the marketplace, it is a significantly sturdier and better-built selection than the ultra-cheap sub-$200 tripod from the likes of Benro. Spending that little actress money to get the 10-Go Max will get you something that should last longer, and will also support the weight of heavier camera setups. It as well gets you an fantabulous monopod, which was maybe the most surprising affair about this tripod.
For a product in this category, I honestly couldn't find a lot of negative points to mention near the tripod legs. It confidently ticks all the boxes and impressed me with its stability to weight ratio every time. While it would be an improvement to have a groove cut into the center column to stop it rotating, this is a relatively modest point that shouldn't sway a purchasing decision.
If in that location is 1 weakness in this package as a whole, though, it'due south the included FPH-62Q ball caput. While I would rate the tripod legs as excellent, I would only rate the ball head as average. Information technology gets the job done, and is easily capable of holding more weight than you lot would ever want to put on this tripod. However, Fotopro lists the head as having a value of $95 and there are smoother functioning heads on the market place at that price point.
To exist honest, this isn't a surprise to me. For some reason, ball heads that are included in packages with tripods oft fall brusque a picayune curt of the marker when compared to heads that can exist purchased on their own. I doubtable this is related to market pressure to offer carbon tripods at lower prices. Including a cheap-to-make ball head in the package tin keep the overall costs down, and marketing tends to focus on the legs and non the caput. Those that choose the X-Become Max volition have an excellent tripod to use for many years merely should keep in mind that they might desire to upgrade the ball head much sooner.
Overall, I'm impressed once again by the quality of Fotopro's carbon leg construction. Having had my easily on a couple of their tripods at present, I tin say that building extremely lightweight but stable carbon tubes is definitely their strength. With the X-Go Max, this is likewise enhanced by the excellent tactile feel of the condom leg locks and the monopod characteristic, to create a total package that outperforms its low-to-midrange price bespeak. A solid purchase.
Where to Buy
The Fotopro X-Go Max is available from:
- B&H Photograph
- Amazon
- Adorama
Source: https://shuttermuse.com/fotopro-x-go-max-travel-tripod-review/
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