Ulanzi, the brand responsible for many handy camera and photography accessories, has now also unveiled one very unique kind of camera tripod.
The company has proudly announced the introduction of its TT35 Hiking Stick Tripod, which offers exactly what its name suggests: a robust hiking pole, and a tripod all in one, especially handy for nature photography.
Ulanzi claims that the TT35 Hiking Stick Tripod is the first product of this kind on the market, and as far as I know, that’s perfectly true, since I’ve never seen anything like it before.
In any case, just as you might guess, the TT35 “seamlessly combines the practicality of a trekking pole with the functionality of a professional tripod” according to Ulanzi.
The new device delivers a sturdy result with both functions and is exceptionally versatile because of this in rugged outdoor photography environments.
The key features of this TT35 Hiking Stick Tripod are its three lightweight, toughly-built hiking poles. Each of these weighs in at just 284 grams or 10 ounces and compresses down to only 47cm or 18.5 inches of packing length.
Fully extended, however, the poles stretch out to 140cm or 4.59 feet and have three adjustable sections that can sustain a seriously heavy load of 30kg or 66 lbs.
The above of course makes them ideal for both holding up much of your upper body weight while using the TT35 as a hiking pole, and for attaching even a very hefty photo or video camera in the field.
As for the TT35 Hiking Stick Tripod’s functionality for different shooting scenarios, it works as follows:
You can take any one of its three poles and use it as a monopod that extends from 60 to 140cm (1.96 – 4.59 feet) and whose head can support up to 3kg as a hand-held camera support platform.
With that weight tolerance, any one of the poles is more than robust enough for handling pretty much any photo camera and a majority of portable video recorders.
Ulanzi does note though that for ideal stability, a maximum single-pole load should stay under 1kg or 2.2 lbs.
Each pole is also equipped with a quick-release ball head and can be easily used as a selfie stick too, since it’s compatible with both photography cameras and smartphones as well as action cameras.
On the other hand, if you need the sound stability of a full tripod during your fieldwork, the TT35’s three poles can rapidly be connected and extended to an impressively long extension pole that can stretch out to an impressive maximum length of 350cm or 11.4 feet.
This extreme max extension of the TT35 in its full tripod configuration makes it ideal for wide landscape shots and panoramas that are free of visual obstacles.
Furthermore, in its full tripod configuration, the TT36 only weighs a still-modest 852 grams or 1.87 lbs.
With all of the above, Ulanzi has created a unique stand-alone unit that can be taken on pretty much any field photo or video expedition for maximum shooting versatility.
However, the company has also included a further desktop tripod unit with the TT35. This additional unit can be paired with the TT35 through a quick-release mechanism.
The result is a further camera support device that weighs 1.16 kg or 2.46 lbs and can extend to 145cm or 4.75 feet.
The desktop tripod can hold up to 3 kg of camera equipment and can be adjusted to several angles including 20, 50 and 80 degree inclinations.
Ulanzi’s desktop tripod component to the TT35 is also fully functional as its own standalone unit separate from the hiking stick arrangement.
It can be used for low-angle photography at a minimal height of just 14.2cm and can sustain up to 5 kg or load, though Ulanzi recommends no more than 3 kg for ideal stability.
Ulanzi states that it has been working on the TT36 tripod for over three years and that during this time refined its new, unique device repeatedly for precisely refined performance.
According to the company’s founder and chief, “We’re committed to providing products that not only meet the needs of our community but also enhance their experiences by reducing the logistical challenges of outdoor photography.”
Ulanzi also adds that with the TT35 Hiking Stick Tripod, it wanted to create an outdoor camera support system that dramatically decreases the need for hauling multiple pieces of gear just to get different stable shooting angles.
The Ulanzi brand has now made the TT35 available for orders at the company’s website for a discounted early-bird price of $199.
