If we are to talk about the importance of having a good tripod stand we probably would be able to write a few books on the topic. If you checked on Amazon you would very likely find such books already written. So it should come as no surprise when we take special care to review a product such as the Oben AC-1451 4-Section Aluminum Tripod with PD-117 Pan/Tilt Head. What sets this stand apart can be broken down into three sections.
The first and obvious attraction is its PD-117 Pan/Tilt Head. Anyone that has spent a good amount of time using a tripod stand knows that the ability to pan and tilt your shots opens up a world of new options for both still and motion images. While it might not be the very best in class it is a good point to start and will see you taking fantastic images you otherwise would be unable to.
Next is the stand itself. The aluminum body already gives you a light-weight yet durable frame to work with. Coupled with its 4-section adjustments makes this both compact and flexible with a maximum height adjustment of 68.3″. Load capacity is set at 13.2lb which will take most small to medium size cameras comfortably with their accompanying attachments.
The Oben AC-1451 has a height adjustment of up to 173.5cm, which means that for our taller friends out there, the days of hunching over just to take a good pic are long gone. Ok, that might be a “stretch” but you get the point. So regardless of your height, you should find this tripod comfortable to use.
Now for a bit of a downside to this setup. As mentioned earlier, the PD-117 Pan/Tilt Head isn’t the best in class and some users have had issues getting it to tilt smoothly. This can be a big concern when trying to take videos and can be a deal-breaker for others. But when it comes to still images there have been no complaints.
All in all, the Oben AC-1451 4-Section Aluminum Tripod with PD-117 Pan/Tilt Head might be a mouthful to say out loud but it is a tripod that is well worth its cost and does everything you would expect from an Oben product. You get a solid frame, with both a practical and flexible design with 360 degrees of freedom.
