Rollei Compact Traveler Mini M1 (former M5 Mini) - Compact Table Top Tripod - Max. Load 8 kg - incl. Ball Head and Quick Release Plate Black

I visited HIdes De Calera in the Toledo region of Spain during January 2024 to photograph the Iberian Lynx and Spanish Imperial Eagle.This is hire based photography and if you’ve ever done this you’ll be aware that it can be a bit of a lottery whether a hide has quality shelves and 3/8” screw attachments for gimbals.Hides De Calera provide these mini tripods for use in their hides instead of using the 3/8 screw fixings. Their logic is sound. Their hides are not crammed, and the mini tripod gives far greater ability to move your camera/lens to take advantage of angles you wouldn’t be able to achieve if your gimbal was attached firmly to the shelf. It also minimises noise disturbance - something which is crucial when setting up to photograph the lynx in particular.These tripods are amazing. They are strong, robust, light weight and can be laid completely flat.Although they come with a ball head attachment, the centre column can easily be removed allowing a gimbal to be screwed straight on.They will easily cope with a SLR and 600mm F4 prime lens. They are way more sturdy than the product spec stipulates. Actually think they are selling themselves short.I was so impressed with these that I ordered one as soon as I returned home. I am off to Hides De Calera again in November and this will be going in my hand luggage (another advantage of a compact mini tripod!)Fantastic value for money and couldn’t be any easier to set up and/or use.This could easily be used in place of a ground pod, or seated within a large frisbee or frying pan (handle removed) as a ground pod.Highly recommended

Really nice quality, well engineered, fits inside a backpack, and the legs extend long enough and wide enough to solidly support a DSLR and heavy lens. Perfect for travel.

Extremely well made, versatile and highly functional mini tripod - as one would expect from a brand such as Rollei. Legs extend by twist/lock action to a height of about 40 cm but will also crouch to virtually flat thanks to the flexible centre column arrangement. Supplied ball head is good and well weighted, but can be replaced, at a weight/size penalty, with a more versatile ball head if required. Pricey, but then quality usually comes at a premium.

I love this tripod, although it's a little heavy (non carbon fibre version). A great starter kit but be prepared for the ball head and camera to sag once you have framed your composition and tightened the screw. I advise using another head, but the tripod itself seems sturdy, pretty well made, compact and good value. I am hoping mine will outlast a Joby Gorillapod, which was the alternative option, as many reviews mention that the moving parts of the Joby pods soon wear out. I will update my review if I have any problems with build quality and longevity. I bought mine in the knowledge that the ball head wasn't as good as the tripod itself so I wasn't surprised when the reviews turned out to be accurate about this problem. Perhaps they should sell it without the head at a cheaper price or supply a head to match the German engineering of the tripod.

An expensive addition but certainly good for the traveller. Holds my Nikon D850 + 80-400mm lens stock still, even at full extension. Will be using it for macro work once the ground dries out a bit...

Very compact, well constructed and takes a sensible load.Does what it says it does.

Absolutely fantastic for the price. Perfect for suitcase / hand luggage. Holds my Nikon D750 and heaviest lenses with ease. The head is fine and the whole thing is as sturdy as one could want.

I bought this tripod as a spotting scope stand and it is perfect for its intended use. In use it enables a nice low position and the extendable legs give it superb stability. The pan and tilt head allows an infinite range of positions of the head.When fully extended, in an upright setup, it is perfect for low level photography.It folds down to a small package which fits nicely into the bag provided.I’ve been looking for such a a tripod for ages, but everything fell short in some way or another. This one ticks all the boxes.