Zomei Z818 Carbon Fiber Tripod Review: Lightweight, Portable and Value for Money

A tripod is one of the most important items in a cinematographer or photographer’s arsenal, and if you’re looking to add a tripod to your kit, you’ve probably already started to round out the ones you like. Some brands like Manfrotto top this list, but you really don’t need to spend a lot of money to get a great tripod. So, as you probably already know, we shoot a lot of video and we started with a Manfrotto tripod, but as the need for more tripods arose, we had the chance to review it from Zomei. Z818 Carbon Fiber tripod ($100.95) was to be our alternative tripod, but it has since become one of the most used in the office; And now, here is our Zomei Z818 tripod review.

Zomei Z818 Carbon Fiber Tripod Features:

The Zomei Z818 comes with some great features that make it a pretty versatile tripod to carry around.

• Weight approx. 2.1 kg
• Magnesium and Aluminum alloy tube
• 2-in-1 functionality to quickly convert to monopod
• Can go from 22 inches high to 65 inches high
• Twist locking mechanism that makes it easy to extend and retract the legs
• 1/4″ screw quick release plate that fits almost any DSLR
• Load support up to 16 kg
• Reversible center bar allows for macro photography

Design and Build

In terms of design and build, the Zomei Z818 carbon fiber tripod does not disappoint. one carbon fiber constructionwhich means it’s tough enough for every day use and light enough, you won’t have any problem carrying it. She also looks really cool with the black, striped legs we got.

this fittings and locks are made entirely of plastic, this is the case for most tripods, which is pretty decent quality too. In all of our Zomei tripod use, we never once thought that the tripod’s build would disappoint us. It’s a pretty well-built tripod that’s stylish and nice to look at at the same time. The Zomei website claims the tripod is good enough for harsh conditions, and while we don’t get the kind of winter Zomei shows on its website, the tripod is had no problem reinvigorating the extreme Delhi summerseven for outdoor shots, so I’m pretty happy with it.

Apart from that, the tripod has rubber feet that provide a stable grip. However, unlike the iFootage WildBull T5 tripod I reviewed earlier, the legs here are not that wide. So, while tripod offers adequate support for our shooting needs, definitely not as stable as iFootage tripod. However, this has never been an issue in all of our Zomei tripod use.

Setting Up and Using the Zomei Z818 Carbon Fiber Tripod

Really, the only reason this section is here is because I can only praise the extremely easy-to-use design of this tripod. I’ve used a bunch of tripods from brands like Manfrotto to the iFootage tripod I’ve already reviewed, some really cheap ones that are only suitable for very basic photography, but none of the tripods I’ve used are as easy to set up and use as this Zomei carbon fiber tripod.

Much of this ease of use comes down to the fact that it is extremely lightweight. Just under 2.1 kg, Lift this tripod very easily and place it wherever you want., this definitely makes it easy to take a shot. However, in addition to that, the tripod comes with twist locks for the extendable legs; I personally find this to be easier than snap locks I’ve used on other tripods I’ve had experience with. To be honest, twist locks take a little longer than regular snap locks on other tripods, but I personally find them. Easier use, if not Faster.

Also, if you take a look at the middle column of the tripod, there is a hook at the bottom you can use to suspend a weight — this gives you extra stability for the shots you need. We didn’t have to use it as we did random product shots for YouTube videos and our written reviews; however, as our video team told me, this is a pretty useful feature when for some reason the tripod might not be as stable as you’d like.

Head Compatibility

Zomei Z818 comes with an included ball head to mount your camera; this is something that most other tripods don’t have. The head is good enough and as Sharun once pointed out to me, it’s easier to balance it since it’s a ball head.

However, the tripod comes with a standard 1/4″ screw which means you can attach any standard tripod head here. We prefer to use a Manfrotto Fluid Head for our videos and it fits this tripod perfectly.

Basically, if you use a tripod head of your choice for your shots, you can screw it onto the Zomei Z818 carbon fiber and use it as usual.

portability

Portability is one of the strongest features of this tripod. Thanks to its carbon fiber construction and lightweight body, the tripod is highly portable. However, the tripod has a payload of around 16kg, which means it’s the perfect tripod for your needs if you’re only using a DSLR and something like the Lilliput Field Monitor (which I recently reviewed).

That said, the tripod on its own is pretty small – it folds down to just 22 inches in height and is pretty easy to stuff with your shooting gear, plus, at just 2.1kg, it’s just as light as I’ve already mentioned.

Overall, portability is not an issue with the Zomei Z818 tripod, and if your use case mostly involves carrying your equipment, this is a tripod you can easily carry around.

The pros and cons:

The Zomei Z818 carbon fiber tripod is a pretty solid tripod for portability, build, and general usability. However, there are pros and cons:

Pros:

• Portable
• built
• comes with a head
• Competitively priced

Cons:

• Weight capacity is slightly low at 16kg

Zomei Z818 Carbon Fiber Tripod: Lightweight, Pocket Easy Tripod

Overall, the Zomei Z818 carbon fiber tripod is a lightweight tripod that is easy on the eyes and comes at a pretty affordable price of around. $100. One of the only affordable tripods I can recommend. However, if you’re looking for other options from well-known brands and can go for just over $100, you can check out the Manfrotto Light Element Travel Tripod ($149.88) It comes with pretty much the same features as the one from Zomei.

Buy Zomei Carbon Fiber Tripod from Fasttech ($100.95)