The Slik Pro 700DX is a solid aluminum tripod at an affordable price. At under $100, you might not expect a whole lot of professional feel from a tripod; however, Slik has managed to put together a top notch tripod for those of us on a budget.
Slik Pro 700DX Key Specs
- 70.1″ Max Height
- 26.2″ Folded Length
- 3 Leg Sections
- Flip Lock Levers
- 15 lbs Load Capacity
- 7 lbs 13 oz Weight
- Included Carry Bag
Given the affordable price, something else has got to give, right? I’ll not save any punches for later and just come out and tell you that the Pro 700DX is a little bigger and heavier than the carbon fiber competition. This is not a tripod to carry along on your day hike.
That said, I don’t really have anymore bad things to say about it. I’ll also note that the instructions included with the 700DX also reference a pan/tilt head, which is a common kit item for this tripod. As a result, it appears the specs on the 700DX are skewed a bit, and it’s closer to 6 lbs in weight and has a higher load capacity (B&H references a 22 lbs max load capacity). Moving along now.
The Slik Pro 700DX, as noted above, has three leg sections that are secured by large flip lock levers, as opposed to twist-lock handles (like the Manfrotto 190XDB) or rings (like the Gitzo Traveler 6x). I tend to prefer the flip levers over the rings for the sake of speed – it’s just one movement and you’re done. And I certainly like the flip levers more than the twist-lock handles, which are much slower than the twist rings.
The first big difference that I notice between the Slik Pro 700DX and other tripods in the general price range of it, was that it is much bigger. The tubing is larger, and even the flip levers are larger. It’s just a big, durable tripod.
Because of the size and weight, the Pro 700DX is an anchor when you get it set up. It has large, rubber feet that cover a lot of surface area and plant the tripod in the ground. If you suffer from flimsy-tripod syndrome, you will appreciate the beefiness of the Pro 700DX.
Another nice touch for the Pro 700DX is the inclusion of foam-padded sections on all three tripod legs, which provides grip when you are carrying it, keeps your hands from freezing from cold aluminum in the winter, and gives your shoulder a little break when you have it slung high for short treks.
There are two locking mechanisms for the center column to prevent unintended rotation. However, you can still move the center column quickly when needed.
The legs have three positions, which allow for standard height, low angle and uneven terrain work. At all three positions though, the legs are firmly locked in place. The lower portion of the center column can be removed, which allows you to take full advantage of the lowest leg position down to 10.8″. Additionally, the center column can be inverted for closeup work directly below the tripod.
When searching for an affordable, general-purpose tripod recently, I chose the Pro 700DX for the features and reasons referenced above. At under $100, you just can’t get close to this tripod. As an owner of this tripod, I can highly recommend it as long as you don’t mind the weight and size.
The Slik Pro 700DX is available in black and titanium finishes (I chose the black if you’re wondering). You can find the Slik Pro 700DX at B&H Photo (where I got mine) and Adorama via the following links:
Very similar if not identical to a Benro 500 tripod I just got. The Benro, adjusted fully has a height of approx. 6ft. For around a hundred as well. I’m in the Philippines and have not seen Slik tpods here. My guess, both brands are from the same factory floor. Will be testing it these 2 weeks on my vacation.
I got mine a few years ago. It’s very solid, and has all the features I could need for a long while. I’m very very happy with it.