KF Concept SA254T1 tripod

Aluminium tripod with ball head and transverse bar

A while ago, Keith reviewed the K&F TM2534T tripod, which offered a transverse bar mount at the top.

K&F have a new version that has longer leg sections which adds up to a considerably higher maximum height and extension.

More tripod details at the K&F website
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Tripod and side bar

The original 2534T has been a favourite with clients when used on our Product Photography training courses. The sidebar just lets you offset the camera from the tripod centre enough to make some shots a lot easier.

Stability issues mean that some form of weight attached to the hook at the bottom of the centre column should always be considered.

At full extension the basic tripod is a good height.

Note the complex looking head assembly. This includes the ball joint for the crossbeam.

There is a conventional (detachable) 1.1 inch ball head on the tripod.

The max loading is listed at 10kg (22 lbs.)

This takes the supplied arca style baseplate.

Other heights

Of course, you don’t have to extend all the leg sections,

The legs have wider settings that may be useful for stability.

Whilst I’d not recommend this next extended use outdoors on a windy day, it’s great for the odd look down shot for when I’m working in factories.

One leg unscrews to make a huge monopod if you need a pole to support your camera.

Working at the side

Whilst the sid bar extends a fair distance, take note of the marking on the bar if supporting something like a camera.

I was using the tripod for a few photos of the Canon PRO-300 printer I’ve been testing for a review.

Note how I’m using my phone as a remote for the camera.

This makes it much easier to set up shots. For the maximum height, it means I don’t need a stepladder, and even more importantly it eliminates vibration.

Reversing the tripod centre pole

The centre pole can be reversed for low angle shots.

At full extension like this a remote control is ideal since I noted that it could take a few seconds for the camera to steady.

Choosing a tripod

A carbon fibre tripod may save me a bit of weight, but one like this is great for my on-location commercial work. It’s not usually feasible to take a full studio stand, so a tripod like this helps.  In using the smaller TM2534T I’ve really appreciated the benefits over a simple up/down head.

Whatever you choose, think about the sorts of photography you’re doing. For low down close working I know my back appreciates being able to position the camera for flexibly.

I’ve looked at several different styles of tripod from K&F – all my articles are listed in the K&F category in the dropdown menu at the right

You can see their entire range on their website

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