Vanguard Equipment

[willis]

I didn't find anything specific topic for Vanguard gear so though make one for you opinion about it.
So basic things first, I'm going to order a small package from Vanguard which holds in it:
 - UP-Rise 45 bp, Alta Pro 263AT and SBH-100 ballhead.

Vanguard has nice list of TIPA prizes on different products and some of them have got it twice so I would think it's pretty well and truly trusty but I would really love to hear your opinion about it.

[OldSalt]

I own an ABH-340L ellipical ball head rated at 88lbs, and find it very well made and easy to use.  The fact that their products carry a lifetime warranty speaks to the quality and confidance they have in their products and I would not hesitate to purchase additional items from them should the need arise.

[picturesbyme]

They have good reviews on BH and Adorama too so I'm sure you'll be happy just make sure the head can hold enough lbs in case you'll upgrade to a heavier setup...

Have a 264AT leg (pretty much the same as the 263, just 4sect. and folds shorter) and a SV BH2 head (inexpensive but good, holds 18lb). Not a Gitzo or RRS but does the job just fine. Used them on the beach in strong wind, on hiking and of course indoors and in the last couple of years I had zero probs. with them.
The pivoting center column is awesome for macros.
 

[keithfullermusic]

I have a vanguard tripod and ball head, and I love them.  Amazing quality.

[RC]

Normally I would not have considered Vanguard but I ran into a very nice display of Vanguard products in a NC shop and I was very impressed with the quality and features.  After further research I purchased the following:

Alta Pro 264A w/ SBH-100 Ball Head - this is my main support.  I chose this due to the multi angle center column for macro work and the 25 - 80 degree leg adjustment.  The SBH-100 head is rock solid and extremely smooth making it easy for precise adjustments, max head load is 22 lbs. 
 
Alta+ 235AP w/PH-32 pan head - I purchased this for travel and backpacking.  Although not as sturdy as my Alta Pro, it supports my heaviest gear times about 2.  It attaches to my 2 backpacks and fits into a small travel bag.
 
Mono-pod Tracker AP-284 w/SBH-30 ball head - Haven't used this as much as I though I would.  The SBH-30 head has a max load of 11 lbs and is perfect for a mono-pod.  It is much smaller than my SBH-100 head but is as smooth and sturdy. 

Both of my tripods came with cases, all 3 came with wrenches.  All my heads came with 2 quick release plates each, wrenches and accommodates both 1/4 and 3/8 threads.
 
The only negative I have found is the plates are not Arca Swiss compatible.  At the time I was not even aware of that standard. 

So if you are looking for a lower cost yet high quality support, I don't think you could can go wrong with Vanguard. 

[AdamJ]

Vanguard has nice list of TIPA prizes on different products and some of them have got it twice so I would think it's pretty well and truly trusty but I would really love to hear your opinion about it.

I wouldn't read anything into the TIPA awards. TIPA awards have to be applied for by the manufacturer, and the awards often go to products that haven't been released yet and/or evidently haven't been seen or tested by TIPA, so they're meaningless really.

[dr croubie]

I've got the Alta Pro 283CT, and 7 months on I still love it.
Just a smidge more expensive than the manfrotto 055cxpro3, but the multi-tilting column is the best (the manfrotto only does straight up, down, or 90).
Solid, light enough to hike, great for weird situations (I used it once with one leg fully extended on the ground, the other two legs at shortest-length resting on a sea-wall, and the column pointing fully out to extend over the sea-wall, to get a full panorama of a harbour without the sea-wall in the foreground, wish i'd had another camera to take a photo of that setup as I was doing it).
Having a full-length of 180cm or so really makes it better for eye-level photography, you can always lower a tall tripod (this can go right to the ground with the tilting column), but you can't get higher on a short tripod. I've used it up the back at concerts with the mammoth Zeiss Sonnar 180mm f/2.8, pointing over everyone's heads with the centre column down (which you want for 2-3kg of lens+camera)

But for a ballhead I went for the Arca-Swiss Monoball P0 (it's upside-down, great for panoramae), and a 2" kirk/rrs A-S clamp (can't remember which, actually).

[willis]

Well I kinda got into panoramic so SBH-100 got that panoramic lock which helps a lot and seems to be really steady tripod as well + you get that stone bag with Alta Pro 263AT which makes it even steadier those are few reasons why I went for Vanguard on that part.
And with that backpack it's kinda like Lowepro's BPs with same features but bit cheaper so why not get that one and seems to be good quality as well.

[preppyak]

I have the SBH-300 and the thing is built like a tank. I probably could have gone with the SBH-100 and been fine, but, I got it like new from Amazon Warehouse for the same price, and it'll be nice for video work.

I've been looking at the 263AT's for when I upgrade my tripod legs. The lifetime warranty is a nice perk