Here is my E-Image EI 7010a Review. A budget fluid head tripod which sports some interesting features for the price. If you read this websit...
Here is my E-Image EI 7010a Review. A budget fluid head tripod which sports some interesting features for the price.
If you read this website's name, you will get a
idea that it deals with computers and stuff. So why am I reviewing a video camera tripod today?
The answer is, to let you know about this good quality product. That I believe, will be of interest to some of my readers.
Here is the deal. I was thinking of doing some short videos and photos for the site as well as to complement my newfound hobby of photography. I knew from the start that I would need a good quality tripod.
There were two options, of either going for a ball-head tripod or a fluid head. A ball head will only be suitable for still shots but a fluid head tripod will be good for both the tasks. So my search began.
I looked at many options- OEMs, rebrands, higher end models. But with my modest budget, I decided upon the E-Image EI 7010a fluid head tripod. And I think I made the right choice.
You may have never heard of E-Image. But they make some seriously high-end stuff for video production houses. Check out their website- Eimagevideo Many Indian tripod brands just rebadge the Chinese stuff. But E-Image is an OEM. So quality we can expect good quality products.
Enough of chit-chat. Let's get down to business.
Check Current Price on Amazon
The legs
As you can see from the title, the EI-7010a is a fluid head tripod. It is specifically designed for small camcorders and video DSLRs/mirrorless. The main materials are aluminum and plastic. Except for the legs, center column and the quick release plate, the other parts are made of good quality plastic.
The aluminum legs are more than 30mm thick at their thickest point and 25mm at their thinnest. Two of the legs are also covered with foam grip. The legs use latch style locks. There are two latches, so in total it is a 2 section design. There is a mid-level spreader that is not removable and is made of plastic. See the hook with blue strings? Will get to that in a minute.
READ This TOO Cooler Master CM 590 III Budget Gaming Case ReviewPowered by Inline Related Posts
At the bottom, there are rubber feet which really sticks to the surface. They are great for hard surfaces but for softer surfaces like soft mud or mushy soil, this is not enough.
One thing that didn't like is the geared center column. You are required to rotate a handle to raise it. This takes away the ability to take some creative shots (think of Dmitry from Hardware Canucks).
Here are some photos showing all the sections open and the center column raised. At the highest setting, it is taller than me and I am 5'11".
The biggest complaint with the leg design is the lack of a hook. Having a hook allows you to hang some weight to the center which makes the whole arrangement stable and resistant to sudden movement. As this does not come with a hook, I made my own "jugaad".
Fluid Head
This is the best part of the tripod. And one of the major points for me to consider this one over the other options.
The head is a fluid head, and as you can guess it uses a fluid inside the head to dampen the jerks and locks that you usually get from ball head and pan head tripods.
The head size is pretty large for this budget. At least bigger than most other "Fluid head" tripods in this price bracket. This extra volume allows the use of a longer, quick release plate which can be used for forwarding and backward adjustments. You can move the came back and forth to get the perfect tilt angle or controlling the center of gravity.
Quick Release Mechanism
The QR plate is made of aluminum and you can also fit in a 3/8″ nut to install sliders or another tripod head. The quick release mechanism is great and you can move the whole assembly back and forth with just a twist of a knob.
READ This TOO Zotac GTX 1050 Ti Review - Mini Card, Max PerformancePowered by Inline Related Posts
And god forbid if you ever forget to tighten the knob, you will still be safe. The head features a safe release system. See the red button on the side? It catches the plate and the other knob adjusts the tension.
There is a large metal handle with adjustable positions. The grip is good too. There are two bubble levels, one for the head and the other for the legs. They are not illuminated but you can't get everything, right?
On the left side are the main controls for pan and tilt. The drag is not adjustable but this feature is only available in professional tripods. On the same side, there is a 1/4″ hole for using it for mounting accessories like small ball heads, mics, video monitors etc. I don't remember seeing any tripod in this price range with this option.
Performance
Well, having all the features in the world does not make a product the best. It will have to perform to the standards. So instead of writing some words, here is a video of the E-Image EI 7010a in action. I have covered the pans, tilts, free motion and the counterbalance.
The pans are smooth and you can even pan with a finger if the temperature is right (non-pro heads usually do not perform at their best in colder temperatures). The tilt is slightly stiffer than the pans but mainly due to the counterbalance kicking in.
The camera was extremely stable with all the legs spread out. And if you add some extra weight at the center then the stability doubles.
Overall, if this is your first fluid head tripod, then you would be more than happy with it. It will work great with lighter camera rigs.
Conclusion
If you are in the market for a good quality tripod that you need for doing basic video and photo work, then the E-Image EI 7010a is a worthy option to consider.
READ This TOO Corsair 100R Review - Silence at a BudgetPowered by Inline Related Posts
Of course, with all kinds of products, higher price does get you better quality gear, tripods included. But for most of us, a budget option with all the necessary features are enough. And the E-Image EI 7010a fits that bill perfectly.
Its main pros include the stable and solid construction, feature packed head, safe-lock quick release system, the additional 1/4″ hole, the counterbalance system and the extremely smooth pans.
There are not many cons but for me, the major problem was the lack of a hook and the geared column.
All in all, a tripod worthy of your consideration.
Buy Now with Free Shipping
I hope you liked my E-Image EI 7010a review. If yes, then please share it with your friends and if no, then please let me know why. Thanks.
If you read this website's name, you will get a
vague
idea that it deals with computers and stuff. So why am I reviewing a video camera tripod today?
The answer is, to let you know about this good quality product. That I believe, will be of interest to some of my readers.
Here is the deal. I was thinking of doing some short videos and photos for the site as well as to complement my newfound hobby of photography. I knew from the start that I would need a good quality tripod.
There were two options, of either going for a ball-head tripod or a fluid head. A ball head will only be suitable for still shots but a fluid head tripod will be good for both the tasks. So my search began.
I looked at many options- OEMs, rebrands, higher end models. But with my modest budget, I decided upon the E-Image EI 7010a fluid head tripod. And I think I made the right choice.
You may have never heard of E-Image. But they make some seriously high-end stuff for video production houses. Check out their website- Eimagevideo Many Indian tripod brands just rebadge the Chinese stuff. But E-Image is an OEM. So quality we can expect good quality products.
Enough of chit-chat. Let's get down to business.
Check Current Price on Amazon
The legs
As you can see from the title, the EI-7010a is a fluid head tripod. It is specifically designed for small camcorders and video DSLRs/mirrorless. The main materials are aluminum and plastic. Except for the legs, center column and the quick release plate, the other parts are made of good quality plastic.
The aluminum legs are more than 30mm thick at their thickest point and 25mm at their thinnest. Two of the legs are also covered with foam grip. The legs use latch style locks. There are two latches, so in total it is a 2 section design. There is a mid-level spreader that is not removable and is made of plastic. See the hook with blue strings? Will get to that in a minute.
READ This TOO Cooler Master CM 590 III Budget Gaming Case ReviewPowered by Inline Related Posts
At the bottom, there are rubber feet which really sticks to the surface. They are great for hard surfaces but for softer surfaces like soft mud or mushy soil, this is not enough.
One thing that didn't like is the geared center column. You are required to rotate a handle to raise it. This takes away the ability to take some creative shots (think of Dmitry from Hardware Canucks).
Here are some photos showing all the sections open and the center column raised. At the highest setting, it is taller than me and I am 5'11".
The biggest complaint with the leg design is the lack of a hook. Having a hook allows you to hang some weight to the center which makes the whole arrangement stable and resistant to sudden movement. As this does not come with a hook, I made my own "jugaad".
Fluid Head
This is the best part of the tripod. And one of the major points for me to consider this one over the other options.
The head is a fluid head, and as you can guess it uses a fluid inside the head to dampen the jerks and locks that you usually get from ball head and pan head tripods.
The head size is pretty large for this budget. At least bigger than most other "Fluid head" tripods in this price bracket. This extra volume allows the use of a longer, quick release plate which can be used for forwarding and backward adjustments. You can move the came back and forth to get the perfect tilt angle or controlling the center of gravity.
Quick Release Mechanism
The QR plate is made of aluminum and you can also fit in a 3/8″ nut to install sliders or another tripod head. The quick release mechanism is great and you can move the whole assembly back and forth with just a twist of a knob.
READ This TOO Zotac GTX 1050 Ti Review - Mini Card, Max PerformancePowered by Inline Related Posts
And god forbid if you ever forget to tighten the knob, you will still be safe. The head features a safe release system. See the red button on the side? It catches the plate and the other knob adjusts the tension.
There is a large metal handle with adjustable positions. The grip is good too. There are two bubble levels, one for the head and the other for the legs. They are not illuminated but you can't get everything, right?
On the left side are the main controls for pan and tilt. The drag is not adjustable but this feature is only available in professional tripods. On the same side, there is a 1/4″ hole for using it for mounting accessories like small ball heads, mics, video monitors etc. I don't remember seeing any tripod in this price range with this option.
Performance
Well, having all the features in the world does not make a product the best. It will have to perform to the standards. So instead of writing some words, here is a video of the E-Image EI 7010a in action. I have covered the pans, tilts, free motion and the counterbalance.
The pans are smooth and you can even pan with a finger if the temperature is right (non-pro heads usually do not perform at their best in colder temperatures). The tilt is slightly stiffer than the pans but mainly due to the counterbalance kicking in.
The camera was extremely stable with all the legs spread out. And if you add some extra weight at the center then the stability doubles.
Overall, if this is your first fluid head tripod, then you would be more than happy with it. It will work great with lighter camera rigs.
Conclusion
If you are in the market for a good quality tripod that you need for doing basic video and photo work, then the E-Image EI 7010a is a worthy option to consider.
READ This TOO Corsair 100R Review - Silence at a BudgetPowered by Inline Related Posts
Of course, with all kinds of products, higher price does get you better quality gear, tripods included. But for most of us, a budget option with all the necessary features are enough. And the E-Image EI 7010a fits that bill perfectly.
Its main pros include the stable and solid construction, feature packed head, safe-lock quick release system, the additional 1/4″ hole, the counterbalance system and the extremely smooth pans.
There are not many cons but for me, the major problem was the lack of a hook and the geared column.
All in all, a tripod worthy of your consideration.
Buy Now with Free Shipping
I hope you liked my E-Image EI 7010a review. If yes, then please share it with your friends and if no, then please let me know why. Thanks.