To provide a more professional look to any video or images that I capture with my new Kodak Zi8 I thought it best to invest in a decent tripod. Even though the Zi8 has EIS (Electronic Image Stabilisation) it still is no match for a properly rigged camera placement on a tripod. While wanting a professional setup I was only prepared to pay what I considered an affordable amount – tripods can cost thousands of pounds and while they may bring added bang for buck at that price point, fundamentally something at £50 does the same thing. With that in mind a trip to my local camera specialist lead to the purchase of the Hama 61 tripod.

The Hama 61 folds to just 60cm while at full extension it stands 153cm tall – this provides a compact solution for carrying and transport while offering a good fixed height for recording while set up. The frame is sturdy and solid and the feet are designed to grip and adjust to the ground they are placed on via a self leveling process. Placement is aided by two built in spirit levels, allowing for precision recording and the legs have quick release mechanisms for quick setup and packing up. The camera/camcorder plate has a quick release mechanism for attachment purposes and the screw mechanism has a nice drop down screw to make things quick and easy.

The center column has a three way tilt/pan/flip head that works a treat allowing for professional pans and overall excellent movement – some of the cheaper priced tripods suffer from a jerky mechanism but the Hama is smooth with optional tightening mechanisms to control speed of movement. The carry case is a nice addition and has a full length should strap which makes carrying effortless and the unit itself has an integrated handle. Weighing in at just 1.2kg the unit never feels heavy while providing a solid dependable frame.

The Hama 61 will provide me with an excellent tool to develop professional movies with, videos produced with my Zi8 now have an extra level of polish. The Hama 61 retails for £30 but has features and a build quality of tripods at double that price and more. If you’re looking for a quality tripod solution at an affordable price look no further.

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