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Who says high-capacity support gear needs to look rough and rugged? This tripod from Falcam offers outstanding payload and stability in a sleek and smooth design.
Landscape photography is probably the genre that has the widest range of requirements for tripods. Landscape photographers, especially those who travel long distances carrying their gear, need a good balance between a lightweight tripod that’s easy to bring around and a heavy-duty tripod that can withstand the elements. We also need tripods that can go high in case the shot calls for it but, at the same time, one that can go very low for dynamic foreground compositions. The beefed-up version of Falcam’s reputable TreeRoot tripod aims to give exactly that.
The Falcam TreeRoot QuickLock Pro Tripod
The Falcam TreeRoot QuickLock Pro tripod is a 4-section carbon fiber tripod with relatively longer leg sections that give it a taller maximum height. The largest section of each leg is as thick as 30mm, which contributes to the tripod’s impressive weight capacity. When fully folded, the tripod is 20.4 inches (51.9 cm) without the head. When fully extended, it reaches a height of 60 inches (152.5 cm), which is taller than most travel tripods with a center column extended. When the legs are set to the widest spread, the tripod can go as low as just 6.7 inches (17 cm) from the ground to the base of the central joint. The actual height to the camera would depend on the ball head being used, which is 6.5 inches with the optional Falcam x Marsace XB-2R ballhead.
At the very tip of each leg is a removable rubber foot that reveals a built-in metal spike for more demanding terrain. On each of the leg sections are heavy-duty rubber-coated twist locks that have been specifically designed to release with a certain force threshold after just a 1/3 turn of the lock. This makes sure that the legs don’t accidentally release from an unintentional nudge but also provides a quick way to unlock and extend the tripod with minimal effort. On the proximal ends of each of the legs are release buttons for each of the legs’ angles for low-angle shots and adapting to uneven ground.
On the corners of each of these joints is a pair of standard accessory ports compatible with 1/4-inch screw threads and Falcam’s F22 plate embedded for quick mounting and release of their own range of friction arms and tools. These ports can be used to mount additional cameras or accessories such as extended batteries or monitors to the setup without having to use other stands.
At the very top is a 3/8-inch screw for mounting any standard tripod head. The TreeRoot QuickLock Pro is available as legs only or with a bundled Falcam Marsace XB-2R ball head.
The Falcam x Marsace XB-2R Head
This ballhead is a collaboration design from Falcam and another tripod brand called Marsace, which integrated their QuickLock design for probably the fastest mounting of Arca-Swiss mounting plates on any tripod. This 6.5 x 5-inch tall ball head has a payload of 5 kilograms and weighs 454 grams on its own. This doesn’t really maximize the tripod’s extreme capacity of 50 kilograms; however, realistically, not many photographers would require gear that goes beyond 5 kilograms anyway.
At the bottom of the head is a small pan knob that allows for 360-degree panning motion. It’s accompanied by the large main knob that unlocks the ball joint altogether. This main knob is encased in hard, durable rubber with possible attachment points on the side.
Above the ball joint is another small knob that offers a secondary panning axis right on the quick-release platform, which rotates regardless of the level of the legs and the head. On the perpendicular side to it is a lever that controls the QuickLock mechanism. This lever requires a single pull backward and triggers the platform to release the camera mounting plate. The platform features a unique mechanism fit for Falcam’s F38 plates as well as most other Arca-Swiss format mounting plates. Mounting the camera requires first aligning one side of the plate to the empty side of the platform, then pressing down the opposite side to trigger the button that engages the lock. This allows for mounting the camera with one swift motion with one hand.
Application and User Experience
Any kind of photographer would appreciate the tactile difference of the Falcam TreeRoot tripod line, including this largest option, the TreeRoot QuickLock Pro. The legs are shaped like flattened tubes so that they form a near-perfect cylinder when the three legs come together. The locks on the distal end of the legs were made with twist locks instead of clip locks, supposedly because they have more uniform tension around the legs, but they also rid the form of the tripod of any sharp edges. The leg sections were precisely made to be smooth enough to slide down on their own once the sections are unlocked, which spares the user from having to pull down the leg sections individually.
Any landscape photographer would prefer to bring a smaller tripod, but one who wants to be ready for anything would bring precisely what this tripod has to offer. It provides unquestionable durability and stability, as well as versatility with camera height. To add to the experience, the quick-lock feature of the head gives a nice touch of ease and efficiency.
Aside from landscape photography, this tripod is technically a great match for anything that requires a large tripod with a significant payload. With an appropriate head, this tripod can do well in wildlife photography and even video. Because of the height it offers, it can be a great option for shooting cityscapes and architecture as well as shooting long time-lapse sequences.
While this form of the TreeRoot Quick Lock Pro is already reliable and capable, it would perhaps be a complete package if it had a modular center column much like what the smaller version has. That way, it can reach even higher and be more adaptive to what the shot entails.
What I Liked
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Heavy-duty and durable tripod
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Versatile height and angles
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Smooth build and great tactile experience
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Multiple accessory mounting options
What Can Be Improved
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Removable modular center column
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Improved locking action on the main knob