Sturdy, Relaible, Cost

Comes only with a 3/8 attachement screw.
No carring case
The 3 way pan head is bulky and hard to mount.
The 3 position leg angels are a little tricky.

I purchased this tripod about a year ago. Altough so far it has been a sturdy reliable tripod, there are some thing that came up with use that I did not appreciate very much. First of all this Tripod did not come with a traveling case, but I think you can purchase on as an accessorie. Another thing was the 3/8 attachement screw that are part of all Slik tripods. Since all the Ball-heads I purchased used a 1/4 attachement screw I was unable to use them with this Tripod. I quickly had to go and purchase a Slik Ball-head for this tripod, which was another $150. Another thing I noticed was that although this tripod is light, it does not compare to Tripods made by other manufacturers. The 3 way Pan-Head is very bulky and hard to detach so I would recomend practicing on how to attach and detach a camera to the center column , before going out on a cold windy day. The manual does not tell you how to do this, but after a couple of hours of practice you will find out that the 'Slick" logo should be pointing towards your subject and that the plate for the quick release should be in a strict horizontal position, otherwise you will run into problems. Also the 3 position legs can snap-out anytime unless the 3 position locks are fully engaged. Other than that, it's a very sturdy and very reliable tripod. Perfect for a student or beginner.

Similar Products Used:

Manfrotto 3410
Manfrotto 3011BN
Fan Lier(ebay special, great tripod for the price)

Very Sturdy, uses flip locks instead of the slow to setup twist collars. Lightest non-carbon fibre tripod in the same class

None.

This tripod is light and sturdy. I don't know if the Gitzos would be sturdier but I just hate to use tripod with twist collars. ALL Gitzos have twist collars so may be I would never buy a Gitzo in my life. I thought about the Bogen/Manfrotto carbon fibre tripod but only to find out the higher price CF tripod is only about 150-200 grams lighter than the Slik 500 (the actual weight of the 500DX without head is about 1750-1800 gram.) So going with the Slik is the obvious choice. I also believe the leg would not be cracked easily like those CF tripods.

The comparable priced Bogen/Manfrotto alloy tripods are heavier and don't come with heads. The head comes with the 500DX is very good for a Tilt head but I prefer ball head so I replaced it with a Gitzo 1276M.

The tripod is less popular than the Slik 300DX but I think it is a better buy because it is about 200 grams lighter, has better leg locks and costs only $30 more.

Customer Service

The importer here in Hong Kong is a bit slow to get parts. I ordered a short centre column and have waited 2 months.

Similar Products Used:

Slik Sport 888

The Pro 500 DX is constructed from Slik Super Alloy A.M.T. providing a strength-to-weight ratio more than 40% greater then similar tripods yet remains inexpensive ($120USD, $189CDN new). It is light weight, weighing only 2.45kg yet can adjust between heights of less then 47 cm (18.5") to a maximum of 162.5 cm (70")It is ideal for medium format cameras but I enjoy using it for my slr and zoom lenses which it easily handles. It uses lever locks which are quick and easy to adjust, has grooved tubular legs, rubber leg tips, uses a gearless centre column, has a three position leg angle adjustment and as well comes with a 3 way panhead for quick camera angle adjusting.

Depending on your purposes and your height, the height may be limiting. The maximum height also taken from extending the centre column which in harsh windy conditions may result in slightly blurred images. The tripod comes with an acceptable head, however, I'm not too sure how easy it would be to switch to a ball head. I haven't looked too closely yet.

On a limited budget and where weight is an issue, I don't believe the Slik 500 DX can be beat. It is the perfect starter tripod for sure and will give you many years of service. I've had mine for a while and am very happy with it. I had been considering the 700 DX and the Manfrotto 3021 models but in the end because of the comfort of the smaller unit I went with the 500 DX. It's light weight, yet sturdy, and has done well for me. I had also looked at some tripods with the "screw-tight" leg adjustments but "in the field" they are too time consuming. The leg locks on this unit allow you to set up in less then 20 seconds which can help you get those "still" wildlife shots. I'm 6'1" and find the height perfect, given light winds. Overall, the tripod works great, looks sharp, and is inexpensive. It would be great as your first tripod.

Customer Service

None needed so far.

Similar Products Used:

Optex, Manfrotto 3021, Velbon. Some were too "light & weak". The Manfrotto 3021 was very nice, just a little too heavy for long hikes.