Experience with Slik 700dx?

I know everyone and their brother seems to swear by Bogen 3021 tripods, but does anyone out there have any experience using a Slik 700 DX? It's less expensive than the 3021 with a 3047 combination, but, more importantly there are no Bogen retailers in the area for me to check out their tripods. Slik seems to be in every store. Any comments?

Yeah, Slik is everywhere. Because their tripods are cheaper and produce higher profit to the store owner than

Bogen's, who wouldn't want to sell them.

Hi Mike,

 

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I had a similar problem. At least I got to see the 3021 legs and the 3030 and 3047 heads, but my final set-up decision was made by feedback from the photo.net and and internet research (Bogen & Manfrotto pages).

 

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Compared with Bogen the low end (because they were so cheap) Slik's (I don't recall a #) in my local store, the Bogen was a clear winner.....

 

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See my Bogen thread here on the equipment page for more details and may be helpful insights.

I do not have experience with slik 700DX but would like to share my

bad experience with tripods. In my country, India, availability is

big problem. I started using a Taiwan made JAUNT tripod. This was a

solid looking Al tubed one with Plastic joints. Saddled with my FM2 &

80-200 f2.8 the head used to shake even if you breath lightly. The

reasons that I could find out was that the Plastic hinges are flexing

and the rubber foot supplied was very soft. I then decided to change

to a better tripod and in the mean time came across an advertisment

of SLIK 900DX and asked a friend of mine to get it for me. He has

nothing to do with photography let alone tripods. The black beauty

was a big let down, it is as shaky as that of my Jaunt. After all

these bad experience and going through the threads on photonet I

decided to go in for a Gitzo or Bogen. I found an used GITZO INTER

PRO STUDEX in mint condition. It cost me slightly more than that I

had spent on my earlier tripods. The experience was different, it is

very stable and assuring even with my 300 f2.8. IMHO please try out

the tripod mounting your gear on it before buying. Check out its

stability, ease of seting up and do not bother about brands alone. I

still belive that a decent tripod could be made at a resonable price

by most of the manufacturers. So if you can, please do look out for

them. If I have to buy without trying out I would stick to a known

model from one of the brands even though they cost more.

The 700DX is Slik's answer to the Bogen 3021. If there are no Bogen dealers in your area, The U212 is probably the biggest tripod they will carry in the Slik line. It (the U212) is a long way from being a match to the 3021. As for the 700DX, if they do carry it, make sure all of the joints are metal. As someone below points out plastic will become flimsy, even if it feels good at first. Also make sure the head is attached with a standard 3/8 inch bolt so it can be changed if you decide to.

 

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As for the price, the B&H sourcebook lists the 700DX at $174.95. The 3021 is $95.95 + $59.95 for the 3047 head = $155.90, or for black 3221 $108.90 + $59.95 = $168.85, so either is less expensive. Did you see a price for the 300DX instead? It is the Slik equivalent to the Bogen 3001, and is a little cheaper than the 3001 + 3047.

 

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Since I have never seen any of the high end Sliks I can only recommend the Bogen 3221, which most people seem to agree is the best VALUE of any tripod made. Read Bob's review in the Nature Photography section of photo.net.

Since I don't have any experience with Slik 700DX, I can't comment on that one. However, I do own Bogen

3221W for about a year; and I can recommend it, without hesitation, to anybody who can afford it. Unless you

put a really heavy stuff (600mm f/4 or 500mm f/4 etc.) on it, the tripod should handle the load with ease. Also,

the black-finish, spiked feet, and foam padding on the legs are well worth paying the extra for. I think Bogen

3221(W) is the best value you can possibly find anywhere. If you want lighter or steadier tripod and willing to

spend several hundred dollars, you can consider Gitzo tripods (especially, carbon fiber ones are nicer), too. It all

depends on how much money you are willing to spend, though.

Yes, I have a Slik 700DX and I am using it in combination with Minolta

alpha 807si (Japanese naming, same as Dynaxx 800) with 28-105/3.5-4.5,

APO 100-300/4.5-5.6 and Tamron 90/2.8 Macro 1:1.

 

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I got Slik 700DX rather than Manfrotto 55 (Bogen 3021), mostly because

of the sheer price difference (cheaper), with both the pod and head

put together. To make a long story short, overall, I am quite happy

with it.

 

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Several comments. First, some pluses.

 

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1. It is quite tall when I fully extend the legs, i.e. it comes to

1900 mm, for its weight (3.2 kg, including the head), without

resorting to pulling up the center pole. This means that most of the

time I don't have to fully extend the legs. It's sturdy, stable and

solid.

 

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2. You lock the length of the legs with snap-on levers. You can expand

and collaps the legs pretty fast as you get used to it.

 

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3. The three-way head comes with a round-shaped quick-release, which

is handy. The head has a pair built-in bubble inclinometers for

levelling.

 

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Some minuses.

 

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4. I preferred the legs be painted black but they are shiny silver-

colored.

 

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5. The center pole height is not controlled by an elevator gear. You

have to hand-slide it up and down, if you want to change that.

 

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6. The center pole that comes by default is long and it won't split

into two pieces. Thus the minimum pod height goes down only to 620 mm.

You have to get an optional replacement pole to get to 400 mm.

Actually you can invert the center pole so that the camera is

supported underneath the head. This configuration is Okay if the lens

is pointing straight downward (i.e.looking down vertically). However,

if you want to point the lens horizontally(-ish) in this case, I find

that this configuration is not too stable; I mean it feels kinda

flimsy a little bit.

 

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In conclusion, if you are into macro shooting and want to support the

camera in very low positions, I suggest you try out both Slik 700DX

and Bogen/Manfrotto and decide which one feels better with you. In

practical Macro shooting you'd have to control the camera height AND

angle at the same time, plus the Macro lens gets elongated pretty long

for increased maginifications; so by adjusting the opening angles and

lengths of the legs in non-uniform ways, I have been able to manage

most cases; but still sometimes I feel like having a smaller, sturdy

pods for shooting small, short flowers on the ground.

 

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For most other scnenic photos, portraits, etc I have no complaints

whatsoever. Slik says that 700DX is good for SLR cameras with lenses

up to 300mm zooms. Definitely OK with 80-200mm/F2.8-class lenses.

According to them, it starts being problematic with 300mm/F2.8.

I have owned two bogen 3221's (original version) and I currently own a slik 700dx. I have also owned a Gitzo G1227. The slik is the most table of these three and it is the tallest. You can buy one mail-order from B&H without head for $85, and that is the recommended wayto get it as the panhead that comes with the tripod should be replaced anyway. it will work well with a 3047, although the 3047 may be alot heavier than you want.

Update on 700DX from the post above of 1999.

 

The center column comes in 2 parts and you can unscrew it and the minimum height is approx 15.5".

 

I have not used either bogen or others, but I saw them in the local store. I think that Slik 700DX is very under rated. It is a monster and out performs all others. The head choice can be a personnel one, but I am satisfied with teh pan/tilt head that came with it.

 

Hope this helps

<p>- The Slik 700DX is selling for $100 now and the Bogen 3021/Manfrotto 055 for $167.<br>

- The Slik weighs a half pound more but is rated to carry 22 lbs versus 15lbs for the B/M<br>

- The Manfrotto seems to continue to be more popular than the Slik based on the number of reviews they get. <br>

- The 055PROB does have that horizontal center column ability, but I'll bet most people don't even use that, and I have to wonder if the ability to do that doesn't make the center column somewhat less sturdy in some way, even when not extended. </p>

<p>Slik - http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/557127-REG/Slik_615_317_700DX_Pro_Tripod_Legs.html#specifications</p>

<p>Manfrotto - http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/504845-REG/Manfrotto_055XPROB_055XPROB_Aluminum_Tripod_Legs.html#specifications</p>