PEAK DESIGN vs HEIPI - Which Travel Tripod is the Best?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ก.ค. 2024
- How does the HEIPI Travel Tripod Compare to the Peak Design Travel Tripod? In this video we go through both tripods from top to bottom and share our findings. See which Travel Tripod Wins!
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Timestamps:
00:00 Peak Design vs Heipi Travel Tripod Comparison
00:43 Weight
01:06 Packed Length
01:32 Maximum Weight Capacity
01:49 Deployability of Leg Sections
02:35 Ball Head
05:56 360 Degree Rotation
06:32 Center Column Stability
07:00 Camera Mounting Plate
07:28 Center Column Versatility
09:03 Hex Tools
10:06 Minimum Height
12:12 Cell Phone Adapter
13:19 Bag or Sandbag Hook
14:31 1/4-20 Accessory Threaded Holes
15:33 Ease of Use
16:17 Carrying Case
16:37 Spiked Feet
17:09 Price Comparison
18:09 Conclusion and Winner
Maximum Height: PEAK 60", HEIPI 59".
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The Slanted Lens is a photography and video TH-cam channel where we feature photography and lighting tutorials, camera reviews, photo and video related product reviews and industry business tips. Our founder, Jay P. Morgan, has been working as a Commercial Photographer and Film Director/DP in the Los Angeles area for more than 30 years developing an impressive list of clients from Paramount to McDonald's. Jay P.'s experience with elaborate set design and extensive lighting are key to the success of his illustrative work. Jay P has also taught college level photography and video courses for many years. He is happy to share his knowledge with you. Join us by subscribing and asking questions that we are happy to answer!
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Peak design comes with a lifetime warranty. One of the latches (the one that needs to be removed to make it single section travel tripod) failed on me and they sent me entire leg with detailed instruction for installation . Kudos to Peak.
Also, it was not shown in video, peak design can go lower with all leg sections removed, keeping the top one and center column removed.
Good to know. Thanks for sharing!
Lifetime warranty for the Peak is VERY important, not sure why it was not mentioned here.
You don't have to take the legs apart to get low with the PD tripod. You can just flip the center column over and hang the camera between the legs and get it pretty much right on the ground.
It's always a pleasure to connect with your channel... good info!
great review and comparison! The reason I feel it is Peak is more expensive is that they came out with such a nice compact design first and could price it high. But, now they have to consider that other companies are in the mix and should adjust accordingly to compete....
That is something they will have to consider!
ULANZI …..half the price just as good It’s interesting that I’m seeing a lot of features on these tripods but at the end of the day the tripod needs to do one thing and that’s keep the camera still when you take a photo. Some of the features that I’m starting to see on tripods is pretty cool I got admit but the majority of the work we gonna do is set the tripod up and get the shot and keep moving. Probably why I went for the Ulanzi because it’s a little bit simpler and it’s operation and it was half the price of the peak design and it’s been fantastic
It's been a while since I last seen a video of yours and i really miss watching your channel
thank you for dedication to your amazing work
Welcome back! Glad you found us again. Appreciate your support! Hope to see you subscribe!
I appreciate reviews like this immensely, it seemed like you went to great effort to remain fair and without bias. I was seconds from purchasing the peak design tripod but after your comparison video, I value many things the Heipi offers like the ability to pan while staying level and the second tripod for when I have two bodies on a trip etc. I am purchasing the heipi simply because of this video!
Can't wait to get ours. Let us know how you like it!
What do you think?
Thx for this comparison! It was enlightening, informative, and educational to say the least. I've been wanting to buy a PEAK DESIGN for a few years now but found it much too expensive. Now that I've seen this great review, I'm not waiting another day!
I'm ordering a HEIPI carbon fiber Tripod today! It's better made, has so many more options, and will fit inside my backpacks and into my budget for Christmas.
Thx again JP
Glad it helped you make your decision. Can't wait to hear how you like it!
i have a peak design carbon tripod and still love it.
maybe the points that are great about the PD is the reparability and the great lifetime warranty. But i don’t know how it is on Heipi.
There is also a conversion kit for the travel tripod from peak design to make it lighter, but it’s not a huge point i think
i love the compacity of the PD and how compact it is in its pouch. (because i hate to bring my tripod)
The tripod in it’s pouche feel like as if i didn’t bring one. It fits perfectly on the side of my backpack
But i must say that price/quality seems very good for Heipi…
I would have had difficuties to choose between both of them… but as i already bought one, i’m happy to stay with Peak Design
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experience!
I just got the Heipi.And just wow. What an amazing little tripod. It feels premium without the bulk and weight than most tripods. Its versatility makes traveling so convenient. If you’re on the fence, just pull the trigger you will not regret it.
Great to hear. We love ours. We got the updated version that has several new improved features.
Really useful. Just got my Heipi. I could not afford to get the PD one and the Heipi is more than 90% of what PD provides and there is that mini Tripid. I love it. So compact. Wow. The stability when yo raise it as a centre column is amazing. I usually keep the centre column down because it ads instability but not on the Heipi. Very happy. Thanks for the video.
Great to hear you are happy. We love it as well!
Glad I saw this review. A Very fair and comprehensive review. Thanks
Glad you found it helpful. Good luck with your decision!
Thank you for your candid review of these tripods. I think you were more than fair on your review.
Great to hear. Thank you for your honest feedback!
Thanks for this, need a new compact one and you made the desicion easy
Great to hear! Good luck with your purchase!
I got the PD carbon because it fit in the smallest space in my Kayaks, packrafts and packs. It has served me well but I have to admit that Heipi looks better and it's the first tripod to come along that has me thinking about switching. Thanks
We just got our final finished tripod and we are loving it.
The 3 pillar column and secondary tripod feature makes it a PD killer for sure. Plus the panning head for panoramics.
This was a really good comparison, I own a Peak Design Tripod which I am going to sell because It is not sturdy enough in the field for me when you extend the last set of legs (too flimsy), also the ball head design is great in some respects but if you need to pan your shots or plan on stitching pictures together for a giant landscape you need a more conventional ball head that you can pan with, the peak just doesn't compare. The weight difference is insignificant and the diameter is going to be slightly larger on the HEIPI due to the larger leg size but the difference is not by much. The minimum height advantage with the Peak design is simply due to the Ball head design, I'm OK with a few inches higher to have a real ball head and if it really is going to mess up your packing of the item, remove the head, also having a tripod within a tripod is really cool, just buy an extra head. The included spiked feet is also a bonus with the HEIPI the only real negative is the hook for adding weight to the tripod. I have a HEIPI on order now and for the money it's a no brainer in my opinion. Please however share the Warranty info for the HEIPI. - Jeff
The Heipi Travel Tripod has a two year warranty.
For panning on the Peak Design tripod, you can get a panoramic panning base and attach it to the Peak Design ballhead. Canadian Amazon has it around CAD$30.
@@marcoc2706 Can you provide the link? It's a good idea if it doesn't add too much to the folded height. Yes, you can remove it, but that's just another thing to deal with in the field.
I just got yesterday Vanguard VEO 3t+ carbon travel tripod.... its outstanding! they really thought about everything with it. Perfect on my backpack and mountain bike trekking the UK
Good to hear. Enjoy your purchase!
Vertical Shooting with the PD Travel Tripod sadly is very frustrating without a L-bracket - thats why i backed the HEIPI .... i love how PD introduced this new form factor and other companies adapt it
Very true. Thanks for your comment!
Thank you! What about max height ? I am pretty tall and a short tripod is a nonstarter.
I own the peak design, and it is an American company led by a likeable team, but for the price difference, It’s a lot to swallow. I absolutely love the Peak Design and that it packs so small because I travel and hike with it all the time. I also like that once fully extended you can push the legs together into a mono pod which is great for sports. The 20 pound carrying capacity is more than 2X any camera and lens combo Id ever use.
Great question. The Peak goes up to 60" and the Heipi is 59" max height.
Exceptional review!
Well done.
I would love the Heipi, but I want to use the PD quick release plate, as I use them to hook my camera up on my backbag. Also my L-plate has a PD plate. I assume the PD plate does not mount on the Heipi Tripod, does it?
Please let me know if u have an update on this
A great and IMHO fair review.
I consider the HEIPI to be the Peak Design Travel Tripod version 2. They took a great design and improved several things... head, feet and possibly better lower leg sections (may make it more stable). I was a backer of the PD and have used it for 3 years now. While I love it for its size and ability to pack, it is not the most stable, as expected for the leg size (especially the last sections). If the HEIPI delivers and meet *my* expectations, I will probably sell off my PD. The mini "sub" tripod that is the center column is a bit gimmicky and not super important to me, but I need to test it out before I pass final judgement on its usefulness. I very rarely need or use a center column (my full size Gitzo CF does not even have one). I'd prefer some type of leveling base option.
The biggest thing that bugs me about the PD is the hex tool... I've never used and will never use the phone mount, so I wish you could store the hex tool in the phone mount's location as an option. The tool holder on the leg is notorious for not holding the tool firmly and people loose it all the time. I rigged mine to stay put. I'd leave the phone mount in the nice packing case the tripod came in at home if I could store the tool in its place. LOL
We have heard that from a few people, that the tool gets lost easily.
Thanks for this comparison review. PD CF has been a great tripod for me due to its compact & lightweight design that I have been taking it out more often than any other tripods I have owned. It is not able pan horizontally after it has been leveled and keeping the level when I want to do a bit of video panning otherwise, I would not be interested in the HEIPI unit. Though I bought the optional spikes, I have never bothered to use it as it's too complicated to do on the spot and same goes with the optional shorter center column. I did buy the PD CF on a Kick Starter and after seeing the price of the HEIPI I have ordered one on the Kick Starter as well and most likely selling the PD CF after receiving it. I enjoy the review and find that one comparison may not have been descripted fully correctly which was the maximum weight load. I believe the maximum weight load is not determined by how strong the legs are even though the HEIPI unit seems to be stronger when fully extended, I believe the maximum weight load on the tripods are determent by the diameter of the ball on the ball head itself as the larger diameter would be able to hold onto the equipment at different angel better vs the smaller ball diameter on the PD. Thank you again for making this video and I look forward to enjoying the HEIPI unit in the new year when they start shipping it. Only thing I wish that HEIPI would do on the Kick Starter is including a video head option with the similar locking mechanism as the regular ball head with telescope handle. That would been perfect for me.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. The video head option is a great idea!
One thing that I haven’t seem mentioned is how well it handles very cold weather, water or sand. If yiu are doing a shoot along the coast with salt water and sand how easy would it be to clean the locking mechanism? I need this answered qiuckly as I have less then 9 hours to decide.
Great question. We did not go to the beach to test it so we can't say how easily it will clean up.
Mega-awesome review JP and now that I'm pondering a backpacking tripod, my huge Gitzo is out of the running and I was considering the PD until I learned about the many HEIPI features in your shootout. While I was hoping to find a stable ultra-lightweight tripod under my 3 pound Manfrotto carbon fiber, I can see it's a fool's errand getting one with stability for time lapse with longer lens. Yet no doubt, the HEIPI triple-column vertical really kicks ass beating anything else when the wind is blowing (something you may want to test in the future with a 200mm lens with a 1 second shutter getting blown by your leaf blower). Which gets me to the second test consideration - stability when getting bumped, etc. No one likes being out on an important shoot and having your expensive camera and glass getting thrashed when falling over on the concrete. And with the HEIPI supporting twice the weight, it seems a no brainer it's a clear winner. So while the eternal quest continues, IMO is a great tripod with an awesome design, for my use-case HEIPI is a worthy addition to my backpack.
Keep 'em coming JP - always love your videos, membership offerings, etc. Michael
PS
BTW, 10 years ago at Halloween my pro videographer group had fun telling scary field stories. Michael Rand topped us all, out on a two camera shoot at the Alameda airport shooting a jet moving around the tarmac. You can imagine how he and his wife Jen felt when the pilot throttled up for camera effect that immediately blew over and broke both of his pro-sumer video cameras. Needless to say, no one could top that story - one I'll never forget when out on a shoot. I wonder how many of us have similar stories losing a camera and/or $3K+ lens...
Yep, had some strong winds blow over my Canon C200. Crazy enough it still survived!
Aha, so that's the reason the professional C200 line costs so much - all the extra solder spent to ensure the components don't shake, rattle and roll !😎
18:43 well I am not sure that being able to hold added weight = stability, just strength. A triangle is a triangle…..🤷🏽♂️
Is the quick release plate compatible with PD or Ulanzi F38 quick release systems? Thank you
It should work with the Peak Design plate. We haven't tried the Ulanzi.
Hi Jay, I have a quick question, are the leg latches made of aluminium or plastic? I seem to get varying answers on this, most reviewers who have been sent the prototype said they're metal, but I've seen some people from kickstarter report they're made of plastic. Did Heipi cheapen out on the end consumer product? I was interested in buying one because of how well built it is reported to be, but if they changed anything in the build quality for the end product...I have my doubts! Hope you can help me get some clarity on this.
We have the prototype and the final production model and they both have metal leg latches.
Thanks for this helpful video. Can the Sony 100-400 mm lens be mounted on the HEIPI tripod without having to puchase a Swiss arca plate?
The only way it will work is you have to move the two pins on the Heipi tripod and then there is no safety for your lens.
@@TheSlantedLens Thanks for the heads-up.
Based on your review of the Heipi, I joined the pledge. I do own the PD referenced in this video. I would agree with everything you've stated but there is one aspect I found to be a hidden gem of the PD, and that is its ability to recover to a stable platform. That is if you bump the tripod. it recovers quickly. What I initially thought of as a flimsy (especially with the last and smallest extension) tripod turned out to be very stable. Great video. I look forward to the Heipi.
Great to hear. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Reasonably objective IMHO, Jay P. You pointed out enough advantages to make me happy I signed up for the Heipi, for sure.
The answer to your question on how Peak Design can charge that much is their reputation for quality and Peak customers are accustomed to paying for it. An unanswered question is durability but that takes years to judge and many test cases. I think 55-lb rated capacity vs 20-lb rated capacity describes the durability but a Peak-person might argue it comes down to the weakest screw. 🤣
Great points. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Having them side by side. The Heipi legs are definitely more sturdy!
I just ordered a Heipi last night after watching another person review it. The big difference though is that they were giving reasons why they started using it over their RRS TC34L. I currently use a RRS TC24L. GREAT tripod. I absolutely love it. Sturdiest tripod i have ever had. I was using a series 3 Enduro CF before this one. The top legs on my RRS 24L are actually bigger than the to; legs on my series 3 Enduro. I sold the Enduro 5 years ago after I bought the RRS. Now, I am looking for a lighter tripod to take on much longer walks. I have hiked up to 3 miles with my RRS and it got a little heavy. After a long time of searching and looking, I finally ran across the Heipi. I had seen the ads for the Peak Design, but it never really did impress me. It also didn’t offer one key thing that I have to have and will not compromise on, STURDINESS. I go to places that are often breezy, so sturdiness is a must. My Heipi ships the beginning of May and I can’t wait to get it.
That is awesome. Thanks for sharing your tripod journey. Let us know how you like it!
Can you use a camera with the Peak Design clip base on the Heipi ballhead? I use the clip for my backpacks - and wouldn't want to swap that out
The Peak Design plate will work on any Arca-swiss compatible head.
Are you meaning the camera plate? The Heipi Plate and the Peak Plate are the same size. We have not tested the Heipi Plate with the Peak Capture Clip so we can't say for sure. Both plates are compatible with Arca-Swiss.
Could i use a L bracket with the Heipi tripod? My L bracket is about 1-2mm wider than the peak design plate. Looks like there is zero adjustment with the Heipi's plate retention system.
I don't think you can use the L-bracket with it.
I own and use the PD for my portrait business and love many of the features. One significant drawback is that when I flip to portrait mode the design. with with the three extrusions on the head does not allow the camera to rotate upwards if I want to shoot higher than directly horizontal. That issue has me ordering a Heipi.
That sounds like a really good reason to make the switch!
Comparison with the the PD tripod is all well and a good, but I'm really waiting to see an independent comparison with the Ulanzi & Coman tripod, which is apparently better and much cheaper than the PD. I'm particularly interested to know if the Heipi offers better stability than the U&C in practice. Design wise, the Heipi ball head size and three-pronged centre column looks impressive.
We will have to check out the Ulanzi. Several people have asked about it.
I second that motion.
Also, can you also compare like the legs and the center column diameters? That'll help me determine for sure. (I opt for sturdier tripod between the two)
I've used Peak Design products since the original Kickstarter campaign for the first Messenger Bag, which I still use. But $645 for a travel tripod? A nonstarter from the get-go. I've backed Heipi, after your original review.
Thanks Robert! Appreciate your support!
Solid and unbiased review, but when deciding on something as personal as a tripod not all features carry the same weight. Just looking at the final score one would think HEIPI a much better tripod, but it really depends on what is important to you as the user. If I were to decide based on this review I would stop and analyze each of the comparison points and see how it relates to the kind of shooting I do and make my decision based on those categories.
In my opinion, the only areas where the PD wins is weight, length, and warranty. All the advantages relating to the shooting experience (more stable, faster to use, more options) belong to the Heipi.
Have you tried using the PD plate with HEIPI? I use PD Capture all the time, so compatibility with their plates is a must for me. On Kickstarter HEIPI says its compatible with "most arca-swiss plates" so I just want to be sure PD plate is one of them. Thanks!
The two plates are the same size and are both Arca-Swiss compatible. We did not test the capture piece that you attach to your strap.
I believe on the production unit the plate will have holes for the quick link and the mount is going to be compatible to even L-brackets, amount few other improvements listed on HEIPI's website and TH-cam videos.
While intriguing I never considered the PD Tripod due to price (even with the lifetime warranty, one could buy 2 other brand ones for the same price) - now I would be curious to see a comparison between the HEIPI and Ulanzi tripod. They are much closer matched in price and features.
Agreed. The Ulanzi & Coman tripod is apparently the latest and greatest compact travel tripod. We really need to see an independent comparison between it and the Heipi.
Several people have mentioned that. We will have to check it out!
I have been using the Peak Design tripod for 2+ years. IMO, its biggest weakness is the ball head. I just can't get it to lock to a precise position. Every time I fully locked the ball head, the lens would "sink" a bit to a slightly lower position, which affect the photo composition I have planed for. I guess it is due to the rather small diameter of the ball, so it can't be locked precisely. I wonder what is your personal experience with the Heipi tripod ball head? Can you firmly lock its ball head to a precise position without any further movement (sink)?
Yes, the Heipi locks in place and is super quick and easy to use. If I had the Peak tripod I would purchase there piece that allows you to put another ball head on the tripod.
Do not trust the tool holder on the Peak. My tool was gone within the first hour of use. Could be anywhere in Arches. Take it off the holder and put it in your pocket or build it a leash.
Great advise. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Same story. We lost our tools during first use. After reorder from peak design for 19.95$ we keeping now tools in the backpack
I lost it too!!!! But found it the next day. I tied the string that came with the peak design tripod when it was new to the tool. So it doesn't get lost.
Came here to say exactly this. I lost it, replaced it, lost it again. I’ve just lived without it since then.
Is the HEIPI Travel Tripod on Amazon? I am not seeing where it is cheaper? Is there a 3rd option that is cheaper? I am ok with a heavier tripod. I need something about the same size, can handle up to 4 or 5 pounds, but is sturdy like a rock when extended to 5 feet and can handle some extreme outdoor use. great videos
I don't believe it is available on Amazon. That is a good wishlist for a tripod and worth spending some money on to make it last!
could u please compare with the RRS Ascend-14 compact?
That would be a great comparison. Thanks for the idea!
Curious: how much weight did you put on the HEIPI tripod? A pro body with a super telephoto lens, plus a sandbag?
We did not do the weight tests for these tripods. Although we did hang our backpack on the hook as well as the camera and lens on the tripod.
@@TheSlantedLens Thanks - just a guess, how much are the backpack and the camera +.body weigh?
Awesome & Thanks :)
Our pleasure! Thanks for watching!
Im backer of Heipi after watching your first review ... with this your 2nd review is more convincing me that I made worth decision
Great to hear. Can't wait to hear how you like the tripod!
Great comparison 🎉
Thank you, glad you enjoyed it!
@The Slanted Lens,
Good objective review!
Interesting comments as I’ve owned PD carbon tripod for awhile now but I also backed the Heipi just because I like tech and innovation.
I find it interesting that people get brand struck or loyal which is good for the company or brand but I tend to be loyal to my use cases and my budget instead.
Although I agree lifetime warranty is nice to have as it means the quality design was the intent but we will never know as it doesn’t have enough years for empirical data. I tend to see this as over engineering which impacts the high price demand and in reality, new tech like Heipi will come out and make it incrementally better for less cost so not sure anyone would keep a tripod or anything for a lifetime. I would say build it for 3-5yrs as by that time, the tech would have advanced.
It’s like the iPhone 1 was a disruptive design from Apple but after 13-14yrs, if you gave it to me for free, I wouldn’t want it. Maybe as a museum art or for auctioning or definitely not for a daily driver.
More practical question would be, is it easy to clean the Heipi and if it would rust as I take lots of shots on beach and not sure how the Heipi would stand against salt water.
Lots of great things to think about. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
What's the cellphone accessory at 14:55? Please share details
It is a cellphone holder that comes out of the middle of the tripod, under the plate.
Is the mount plate of the 'PEAK' product fastened to the 'HEIPI' product? Because my camera is equipped with a plate of 'PEAK' product. It must be secured to the backpack shoulder strap.
Not sure what you are talking about strapping to the backpack shoulder strap.
@@TheSlantedLens I think he's talking about using it with a PD Capture clip attached to his backpack shoulder strap
@@TheSlantedLens I am using the 'capture V3 camera clip KIT' product of 'Peak Design'. I am using the plate of this product. So I wonder if it's compatible with the 'HEIPI' tripod. Because the plate on my camera is quite thin.
I have PEAK DESIGN Travel Tripod Alu. The phone adapter did not last long, after few uses the plastic Arca Swiss part failed at the pivot, so my phone fell out, caught it before it fell to the ground, but I got a case and screen protector on so can handle major abuse anyway. Plastic was a bad choice, otherwise great build quality.
Thanks for sharing your experience!
Two huge issues I have discovered with the Heipi:
1. NEVER USE THE HEIPI BALLHEAD WITH THE SAFETY SCREWS REMOVED -- YOU ARE IN DANGER OF DROPPING YOUR CAMERA!!!! I discovered the lack of effective locking by accident, after testing my camera with a 100-400 mounted by its Kirk lens plate to the Heipi. Just a bit of a push from my hand revealed the plate was ready to slide straight off with very little resistance, after I had locked it as well as I could using the Heipi lock wheel. I tried locking it more firmly and no avail -- I could not move the locking ring any further. The Heipi has a fixed jaw with a small moving tab that is "locked" by a short-throw locking wheel with very little leverage, meaning that you cannot effectively lock plates in -- they are prone to sliding out unless you leave the safety screws in, but the safety screws are not compatible with long plates. After this scare, I tried the same scenario with the Peak Design and had no issue at all -- it held the same camera and lens very securely without the safety screws when I made my nomal quick turn of the locking wheel, which has a much better mechanical advantage design that allows more locking pressure to be very easily applied and locks in the moving jaw to hold the plate very securely.
Thus, long Arca Swiss style plates do not fit *safely* in the head as you have to remove the safety screws to accomodate them -- a real workflow killer for me that I just discovered (they shipped much later than the promised January timeframe for many [most?] Kickstarter supporters). All of my cameras and larger lenses are equipped with their own long RRS, Kirk, or Wimberley plates, making the Heipi very much unsuited for me.
2. The little lever on the Heipi ballhead that locks the ball is also used to adjust the tension range (when you are switching from a lighter to a heavier lens, etc). This is the another bad part of the design. For a tripod that makes claims a capacity of 50 pounds, I find that it has trouble adjusting well between a 3 pound camera/lens combo and an 8 pound camera lens combo. The Peak Design does this instantly with one turn of the large flat ballhead dial and is very natural once you get used to it. The Heipi is a total pain -- holding the camera and lens in place while fussing with the fussy little two-action pull/turn on the lever and retesting the tension again. It is clear that the Heipi ballhead was not really designed with a large range of camera weights in mind, and I find the 50 pound claim a bit ridiculous.
There is plenty not to like about the Peak Design (I've irritatingly lost two of the little wrench sets as they seem to jump out of the clip when I'm not looking), and the legs do seem flimsier than the Heipi, but it travels well, handles the heaviest camera/lens combo I would try to use it with it (about 9 pounds -- I would never try to put 20 lbs on it, nor on the Heipi for that matter), and has worked surprisingly well for even long exposure photography, even in windy beach settings.
I was really hoping to like the Heipi, but unfortunately it is not for me. The advantages listed in this video review are extremely compelling, but the disadvanteges I discovered are deal breakers for me. The Heipi is best suited to people who can use the short plate it comes with, leave the safety screws in place, and keep their camera/lens within the weight range that can nbe handled without the second-level of adustments needed by that little lever. If this describes you, and you want to buy a just-opened Heipi tripod that has never been outside for a good discount, hit me up. For now, the Peak Design will remain my travel/hiking workhorse.
Thanks for sharing your experience. And yes, those pins are there for safety.
i think it's time for peak design to come out with version 2 addressing some of the state factors in the video. worth it if they adjust their product.
That would be nice. Thanks for watching!
Do you know if I can I buy the HEIPI tripod in the UK please ?
Good question. You will have to get on the website to order it and see if it works to have it sent to the UK.
Excellent review. I thought it was fair and impartial.
Thank you for your comment and thanks for watching!
Great comparison. I have owned the carbon fiber PD tripod since its Kick starter campaign, At first I loved it for its compactness as a travel tripod. Just recently the cell phone adapter broke and it was replaced under the PD Lifetime Warranty with great customer service from the folks at PD. The fancy wrench that came loose from its clip on holder and was also lost. Admittedly this was my fault, yet PD replaced it at NO CHARGE. Nice going PD! I now have added painter's tape to better secure the PD wrench. Over the years of use of the PD carbon fiber tripods while traveling, I have loved its compactness. However, also over the more recent years, I've begun to find more and more of its weaknesses. These include stability & weight limitations, hence loosing some long exposure shots with a long lens and hanging a weights for supposed added stability. So recently, for travel, I have begun to have a love hate relationship with the PD carbon fiber tripod and started to travel with heavier tripods. Until now, I would have to say the PD tripod has fulfilled a unique niche as an excellent travel tripod at certainly a premium price. When I first saw the HEIPI come out on Kickstarter, I felt that this unit will give PD a run for its money! At first I said to myself why do I need another travel tripod (I already have 5-6 at last count for various applications) and was not going to pull the trigger on the the HEIPI on Kickstarter. A day later I thought about the weight capacity issue with the PD I've had and again jumped on to the Kickerstarter bandwagon for the HEIPI offering. I look forward to using the HEIPI tripod as my new travel tripod so I can again save space in my luggage for a travel tripod! I hope I will be rewarded with years of fulfillment with the HEIPI as my new travel HEPI tripod.
So nice to hear your story! Let us know how you like your new tripod!
Peak design is a ridiculous price in my opinion. Also the Heipi just seems better designed all round! Thanks for sharing this.👏😀👍
I totally agree! Thanks for your comment!
R&D in the US is expensive compared to R&D in China.
Love Peter and the team at PD and am happy to buy American. Wish they could mfr it in USA as well
@@steven871 if they did that, no one would buy it. American labor (fair and livable with full benefits) would make it to expensive
@@bublt4me the cost of capital for both companies is close to zero, thanks to kickstart, So it’s less expensive than you might think
I have long avoided using the center column of my tripods for the exact reason that it lessens stability. This three-legged "center column" is intriguing, and if effective enough, I can possibly replace my regular CF tripod with this one. I've ordered one, now the wait commences ..
We love ours. Let us know how you like it!
@@TheSlantedLens I was shocked, actually, at how stable the center column is. I could very likely replace my main tripod with this, but .. I won't. This one will be carried while on my motorcycle or out hiking, but I still prefer my Manfrotto 055 CF for heavy work. I found the Heipi to be high-quality for sure.
I hope the stability test could be more rigorous...like hitting the tripod with a weighted object then observe.
That would have been a good idea. Next time!
This highlights how nuch thought has gone into the Hepai The three legged centre column is genius Will be purchasing a Hepai
Good luck with your purchase! Let us know how you like it!
does the Heipi fit the peak capture clip? does anyone know?
I am not positive but it is a square plate and it looks like it would be compatible.
I am not sure when Heipi made the change, but the ballast hook was replaced with a much longer cable loop, making it more easily accessible.
Yes, they made a few changes based on peoples feedback.
I want a comparison on how it is to put a big zoom lens on them and move around in the field .. can we put them on the shoulder with a shoulder bag and move around ??
Good questions. We have hauled the Heipi around and we were very happy with it. We have not hauled the Peak around.
@@TheSlantedLens very interesting ... With the triple prong system in Heipi, we ideally will not be able to put the tripod on the shoulder.
Where would be without JP Morgan !
Always Great Information and in Depth.
Thank you! I appreciate your support!
The peak design travel tripod has been on the market for around 3 years now and yes it has its flaws. But really, many of these other "complaints" about peak design didn't surface until HEIPI came around so I am not sure if these are really fair comparisons or genuine issues with the PD tripod. Peak Design is coming up with their v2 so it would be really interesting what they would come up with.
For me now, the longer collapsed length is very much of a deal breaker to switch to HEIPI. The extra length of the HEIPI would cause it to protrude and pose a hazard in a crowded city like Singapore. We tend to forget that a tripod is no good if we don't use it. So while the PD is inferior in many aspects to the HEIPI (and possibly other tripods like the manfrotto), its compact length makes me want to bring it out more often and that to me is the biggest win.
You realize the HEIPI is only 2.3" taller, I wouldn't think that should be a dealbreaker, it is actually smaller in diameter and only .19 Lbs. heavier than the peak design tripod. Plus you can also remove the head. To me the main advantage is the lifetime warranty vs. 2 yrs on the HEIPI but your paying for that as well.
@@selectiveimagery fr, I put the head in my bag and it's instantly a smaller footprint. Excited to take it out for a spin
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
I am curious where did you hear the news that "Peak Design is coming up with their v2 tripod"? Would you mind share the source?
There are advantages and disadvantages to each design. PD has a much better warranty but it is $250 more, so you're really paying for that warranty. I bought the Heipi through the Kickstarter and have had it for a couple months - it's been great so for. Zero complaints.
Great to hear. Thanks for sharing your experience!
I believe that HEIPI have done away with the bottom hook and now replaced it with a lanyard and they claim it is much easier to use that than the model you are comparing with.
Honestly, I thought it was a decent review… and made some valid points…. I suppose my biggest issue re: the sub tripod was that it feels gimmicky…. Also I’d be interested to see how it would work away from the main tripod, say if I was out for the day and wanted to take a mini tripod with me… because then it would make sense to be able to carry around detached… but a normal mini tripod like the manfroto pixie is more rugged and smaller…
However the point around mounting points is very valid.
@@raminolta that was part of my question as to whether it was gimicky or not was whether it was easy to carry separately…
You could carry it separately, sure. It doesn't give you height though, so a reason to consider carrying the whole tripod.
Peak Design ballhead doesn't have paning for panoramas. And the price is silly high compare to other fully functional tripods. Would with out any hesitation bought the Heipi one👍
Great to hear. Hope you can get one of the tripods!
Great review and extremely helpful. I have been using the PD carbon fiber tripod for over a year and a half and absolutely love it for everything. Yeah the price could have been perhaps a bit more competitive. One issue that bothers me with the PD is the sturdiness of it and it is something that you covered. I have experienced some camera shakes when taking ultra long exposure. At full length the PD feels a bit wobbly. One more point that I wanted to get you view on (wasn’t covered in this video) it’s the ability to invert the center column. Sometimes I feel it’s a better option than setting the tripod low especially if you use a remote shutter release. Looks like the Heipi’s center column is not invertible. Can you comment on that please. Once again thank you for such a thorough review.
Yes, the Heipi is totally invertible and it works really well!
A long-term durability test would be nice. Like 5 years, accelerated if possible.
That is an awesome idea. Thanks for watching!
You should add the ulanzi in this comparison.
That would be another good one to compare!
I bought the heipi. Pretty sleek. Solid quality except for the leg extension clamps feels a little clumsy. One think I’m really not happy is the ball head is not L Bracket compatible. It is a tucked in design, so no third party options that will keep the sleek design. Hopefully heipi will produce a mother ball head and give it at a discount for the kickstarter backers.
That would be really nice.
You can use it if you remove the two safely screws. As long as it is standard arca swiss. Was that not your experience?
@@TheSlantedLens thanks for the reply. I will remove the safety screws and try
Thanks for your review. I have a K&F and am looking for a second tripod but I think it will be the Peak Design, not the Heipi . That is , if I can find a proper carrying case for that tripod.
The Peak Design is smaller, simpler and faster whilst being a very effective tool. It's more of a travel tripod than the Heipi and that makes it the winner for me. "The height of sophistication is simplicity" as an American writer said.
I will keep the K&F because it goes to near 3 meters (10 feet) high and sometimes I will need that whilst shooting news with my iPhone. But the K&F has none of the innovative and so useful features I've seen on both Peak Design and Heipi.
I think the 14x7 win of the Heipi is questionable. This because the same value is attributed to all features regardless of their importance.
The size of the packed tripod, for example, is "super important" as you said yourself. It's certainly much more important than the quality of the phone adapter, for example. After all, who is really going to use a tripod to take photos with a phone? Video is a different matter. I have no use for a phone adapter on a tripod because I will use a cage on a tripod when shooting with an iPhone as I need a place for one shotgun microphone, one wireless mic receiver, one top light and sometimes an audio interface such as Beachtek.
Another example of disproportionate importance is the maximum weight capacity. Who is going to put more than 20 pounds (9 kilos) on a travel tripod for photographic cameras?
And then there is a very important comparison where both products deserve a minus 2, I would say: The carrying case. A soft carrying case doesn't keep a tripod safe. It might me water proof but it's not shock proof. It won't protect the tripod when in a train, plane or walking on a rocky terrain, for example.
And the Peak Design tripod doesn't even have a shoulder strap? I couldn't believe it so I double checked it. No, no shoulder strap. Just a handle. So it deserves a minus 5 then . How am I going to carry it? Sometimes I can just hold it by the handle but many times I will need to carry it on my shoulder.
Put it in the water bottle pocket is not an option as I do use the water bottle pocket for water bottle...
Lots of great things to consider. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
You all should look at the SmallRig 51" Travel Tripod AP-01
We will have to check it out. Thanks for sharing.
Just a thought: next time you should start leaving the PD with the "Ball Head" on the functioning position... Just a question of coherence 🤷🏻♂️ especially for those are not familiar with the PD gear 😉
That is a good point. Thanks for watching!
I bought a PD 'pod not long after it came out. It got stolen. Replaced it with another one. That one got lost on a trip. I feel that I'm cursed wrt PD 'pods. Maybe I'll have better luck with the Heipi, which I ordered. $300 is too good a deal to pass up for those legs.
Sorry to hear about your bad luck. Wishing you success with your new Heipi!
black friday 2023 here.. PD is $419 , I'm trying to lean Heipi, removing the ballhead makes it 'shorter' and just as tall at the PD. Don't always need to carry the center column, so that could be left home...now lighter than PD. Heipi 13% off Black Friday deal.. so around $350.. decisions decisions decisions..
That is a hard decision. Good luck with your purchase!
Heipi vs. Ulanzi - Coman next please.
We will see if we can work that out.
It seems good but Who made it? where is the company? Is it service available, like peak design and Manfrotto? what about the warranty? I didn't find any dedicated company or web page too. If the parts are not available, this is not so advantageous when it costs almost 800 dollars to deliver in here Nepal
They are located in Taiwan. Here is their official website: heipivision.com/
@@TheSlantedLens Taiwan to America than Nepal, it cost double for me
Both tripods have some interesting innovations, but honestly many of those features just look a little gimmicky to me. I don't want to mess around with twist ring locks and hex wrenches. Complexity often just obfuscates function and increases the number of potential points of failure. I've been looking at light travel tripods of late and I think I'd go with something like the Ulanzi-Coman unit over either of these two. I briefly owned a Peak Design Everyday Backpack and hated it so much I gave it away. Again, the issue for me was a complicated design that seems to be looking for a problem to solve.
We are still loving the Heipi!
@@TheSlantedLens Well, that is a good sign. Thanks for the video and this update on its performance over time. Much appreciated.
I have a be free with a fluid head and i though it was perfect for traveling but after watching the heipi it feels pretty much outdated ...
The Heipi ball head is very nice, smooth and easy to work with!
Amusing that a third-party tripod head has to be used first so that Heipi gets the point for the lowest working height. The (ongoing) price comparison, which compares the current PD price and the Kickstarter price of Heipi, also gets boring at some point. The PD was also cheaper at Kickstarter launch - not as cheap as the Heipi, but significantly cheaper then now. By the way: both are great tripods in my opinion and which one is better mainly depends on personal priorities and preferences.
Good points. After using the Peak and Heipi I really don't like the ball head on the Peak. And the Peak is not as sturdy among other things.
@@TheSlantedLens First of all, thank you for the review and of course you are free to decide so :-).
Personally, I love the PD ball head, knowing that it does not replace a full-fledged, very good tripod head.
Reason: the performance is enough for me in most cases and I have very compact transport dimensions without a separate tripod head taking away the space for a medium sized lens. For me, just this kind of retractability on the PD is a killer feature.
By the way, the weight of the ball head should be fairly added to the Heipi, then the weight difference to the PD is also clearer (3.62 to 2.81 lbs).
On stability: I'm not sure if the Heipi still has the advantage when a backpack is attached to both tripods, while the center column on the Heipi (unlike the PD) has to be fully extended;-).
Thanks again and a lot of great photo motives!
Michael
@@michaelb7978 IS that true about the claimed weight of 3lbs does NOT include the .62 lb ball head? So it 3.6lbs , not 3lb? if so, definitely a consideration = 20% heavier than claimed, and 25% heavier that PD.
BEWARE.
Most of us who paid for this tripod on Indiegogo have not received our tripods, which are now three months late. We were supposed to receive our tripods in March, but the shipping date has been pushed back two or three times. We were promised that we would receive our tripods in May. As of May 31, we have no tripod (at least those of in the US and Europe). HEIPI has stopped responding to requests for updated shipping information.
However, backers of HEIPI's Kickstarter campaign for this tripod have received their tripods as of early May. HEIPI is responding to backers on their Kickstarter campaign.
This is very disconcerting to say the least for those of us who are backers of the Indiegogo campaign.
We know of lots of people who have received their tripods. Sometimes it is supply chain issues when things are delayed. Hope you get your tripod soon!
It took a while, but I finally did get mine. It was worth the wait IMHO.
I think, the ulanzi zero y, crushes both of them, same price as the heipi, but smaller, lighter en everything included, no additional parts needed
We hope to do a comparison.
@@TheSlantedLens i hope so to, but pd vs zero y, is already 0 to 1
I’ve spent a year looking for a travel tripod and I was about to give in to PD but now I want the Heipi 😅 Only problem is they’re sold out😭 anyone want to sell me theirs? 😅
Alas! if only Heipi would ship. They are still not out their kickstarter campaign, let alone their indiegogo.
we don't know their quality yet either.
We have received two of them from Heipi and we have heard of others receiving theirs as well.
Perhaps is depends on when you ordered.
You can also invert the peak design column to get down to the floor…
Yes, and you can do the same with the Heipi.
The Heipi center column tripod is amazing, I could see putting it into mud or a stream without any worry that water is about to get into my tripod legs.
That is another great point!
After watching this review I decided to go by the Ulanzi 😅
LOL. Let us know how you like your purchase!
Compare with Ulanzi & Coman F38
We will have to check into that. Thanks for the suggestion!
The Ulanzi + Coman Zero Y is better than both and now available at B&H for only $299.
We haven't tested those brands so we can't comment on that.
@@TheSlantedLens Sorry, there has been so much conversation about this tripod that I assumed you'd be aware of it. I'm referring to a particular cross-branded tripod that is almost an exact clone of the Peak Design tripod-but better in every way: lighter, taller, a tool that you don't lose, and a head that can be leveled w/o raising the center column and that has none of the obnoxious limitations that the PD head has when used at a 90º angle. The Zero-Y is no longer available at B&H but it is available directly from Ulanzi's website. It wouldn't surprise me if this is due to PD's lawyers working behind the scenes. There's literally no reason to buy the $649 PD original any longer.
I bought my peak design carbon fiber tripod second-hand for only $450 on ebay. Also the Heipi didn't exist when I bought it so I really can't complain. Peak design has everything I could ask for in a tripod, only small exception is a ballhead that pans. But also I can just screw on a better one if I wanted with the adaptor.
Great to hear. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Also the cellphone adaptor in the heipi compromises the strength of the tripod head with the pull up piece…
It doesn't compromise the strength of the ball head.
Which travel pod offfers the best least vibration and shake if you put a big lense on it .. if it can't take ie a Sigma 150-600 then the pods aren't worth jack .. can you prove which pods offers less shake vibration .. by shown the live screen of the camera
NAAAAAAAAAAH Didn't think so
Having worked with both we really felt like the Heipi was more stable!
Ulanzi says Hi 👋…the Ulanzi is way better than both and much more affordable
We will have to check it out.
How can one compare tripods without comparing their stability and resistance to vibrations?
When it comes to stability the Heipi is much more stable. And the 3 part center column stops vibrating much quicker.
Hepi is definitely the winner. It's much stabler which is very important.
Very true. That was our conclusion!
Peak Design is a great company with a strong sense of design, quality build, awesome usability, in almost all of their products. Their straps, cuffs, and grips are better than almost any other brands similar products. They are unique, innovative and their products work as described. Sounds like the perfect company and products, right? No. Because they always overcharge for their products. I own quite a few of them, but always feel like I've paid too much for them. Far too much as in double their equivalent worth sometimes. This tripod is just what the market needs. I might just go for it! Competition finally.
Great points. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
La taille maxi ?
Peak goes up to 60" and Heipi goes up to 59".
If Peak's didn't exist I'd buy the Heipi, but since there's a choice, it depends on your priorities (and budget). Just like a camera, the best tripod is the one you have with you - I can't count the number of times I left my tripod in my car because I didn't want to lug it around, until I bought Peak's carbon tripod. Its compactness allows it to strap onto the bottom of my sling camera bags, without sticking out on either end. If I had the Heipi, I'd ditch its heavy ball-head and get a low-profile leveling ball head (like Slik's), or a smaller, lighter ball head to keep that compact size and low weight. Remember, these are TRAVEL tripods! - compact is king here.
Yes, Peak's has a lower load capacity, but how much do modern camera's weigh? If you're not birding with a kilometer long lens, capacity is not an issue, though stability can be. It's not because of the single narrow center column of the Peak, but the 5th leg extension - it's better to extend the center column and not extend the 5th leg sections if it's windy, if you need the height. Still, 90% of my tripod shots are with all 5 extended and the center raised just slightly, and I shoot medium format film cameras (one with very heavy lenses) - it's not a problem if you use a remote, timer or cable-release, unless it's windy. If it is windy, hanging your camera bag from the center column will fix it. Unlike claimed in the video, hanging weight from the center column does NOT affect load capacity - the more weight, the more stability. Pro-tip: keep a bungee cord in your camera bag, just long enough so your bag can just reach the ground with the other end attached to the center column- it's way better than a suspended weight that can swing in the wind.
The detachable tabletop tripod on the Heipi is pure silliness, for the same reason I didn't buy the kit to make the peak tripod single section legs for the "ultralight configuration". Ridiculous. If you have the tripod with you, and need to mount it low on a table, just don't extend the legs! Duh. But the problem with the Heipi triple column is you can't get the main tripod lower than center triple column without removing it, so that's the only practical reason for turning it into a mini-tripod that can flatten. It is an interesting alternative solution to the narrow center column of Peak's, but as I mentioned, the center column is not the weak link in Peak's stability. To me, the built-in low profile ball-head of the Peak makes better use of that real estate.
Bottom line: if you only want one tripod for everything, the Heipi is probably the better choice (because it's more rigid). If your budget is a consideration, the Heipi is the better choice, and amazing for the price. If you want the best pure travel tripod for portability and flexibility at any cost, it's Peak. It's the only tripod I've ever had that is always with me when I need it, and the best tripod is the one you have with you.
Lot's of great points. I still would pick the Heipi after working with both of them.
@@TheSlantedLens I don't disagree... if I didn't already have the Peak, I'd buy the Heipe because of price and rigidity, and I already have an assortment of alternative heads I'd prefer over the stock head. I'd travel with the Slik leveling unit attached, and a small rotating ball head in my bag for portrait or pano, and I'd be very happy with it! This small change might erase any advantage Peak has (folded length and weight). With zero extra parts I can do everything but pano (which I already have the parts for) with Peak, so I'll stick with it, but wouldn't hesitate to recommend the Heipe.
Are you being paid to sponsor one of these brands/tripods?
We were paid by Heipi, yet we tried to be very fair and honest in out findings.
@@TheSlantedLens Yes the review was even handed and helpful for people deciding on a travel tripod. I decided to stick with a platypus based on your review of that product. LOL