Ravelli APGL4 Professional 70 Inch Pistol Grip Head Tripod – Review

Price | Specifications | Recommendation | Ratings

I have told you my experience with the ball head tripods in many of my other reviews. Ravelli apgl4 is also a ball head tripod but with a twist. It is a pistol grip ball head tripod. Now what is that you might ask me ?  Pistol grip is a kind of mechanism attached with the ball heads in some tripods to give you easy and quick adjustment capability. Unlike regular ball heads you don’t have to loose up and tighten screws to adjust the position. All you need to do is press the lever, something similar to those real badass guns to make all the movements and release when done. That is all the science behind this tripod. So what about the quality and utility ?

I have never seen such sturdy stuff in such a price bracket before. There is another variant of this kind of tripod similarly priced in the market from Amazonbasics. Both the Ravelli and Amazonbasics are almost identical. It’s just upto you to pick one. I got the opportunity to have my hands on both and I vote for Amazonbasics as it offers 1-year of warranty. Though both of them look like made in the same factory as brand name is the only visible difference between them.

Also before you read further let me remind you that this tripod is little bit on the heavier side, so if you are looking for something portable read no further and check out my other reviews in the accessories section.

Price –

Price of Ravelli APGL4 Professional 70 Inch Tripod is $90 Approx  Get Latest Price!

Buy New : (From $90)
Buy Used / Refurbished : (From $40)

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Specifications –

Head :

The Ravelli APGL4 has a professional grade Pistol Grip Ball Head. It being a photo tripod, video acts like panning and tilting are not available by default. The head is very sturdy and dependable in my opinion. Bubble level is there to assist you but works only for horizontal orientation.

Mounting is served with a quick release plate. Unlike most other tripods in the market these days, I personally found that the mounting plate is a bit over-sized but that’s not bad either. If you are using a big professional camera or a consumer camera with a battery grip attached, you will appreciate the size and build of the head and the quick release plate.

Maximum Height :

70″ inches or 1778mm. In any condition this is more than enough. I am over 6 feet and i find the maximum height of this tripod as completely satisfying.

Minimum Height :

32.75″ inches or 831mm.  Now this is bad. 32″ is a bit too much unless you wish to keep this tripod in your studio/home only. I am not at all impressed here.

Minimum height to shoot :

Minimum height with the reverse mounted center column for Ravelli APGL4 Tripod is 0″ inches. I was able to get this tripod almost to ground level both with feet spread or centre column reversed. This is good considering it gives great flexibility to shoot macro. I believe this is one feature that is always good to have.

Maximum Load Capacity :

Rated capacity is 16 lbs or 7.2 kg. Nothing to worry here. I can assure it’s much more than you will ever need.

Weight of the Tripod itself :

8 lbs or 3.6 kg. As i already told you portability is not something this tripod can brag about and this is the second reason why.

Camera mount screw size :

1/4″ . The universal quarter inch screw is available for mounting cameras or any other gear with the regular 1/4″ screw threads.

Material :

Construction of this tripod is really really impressive. Practically everything is aluminium except the lock knobs. Quick release plate has a nice rubbery coat applied on it’s surface to grip the camera better.

One issue i must bring your attention to is that many people have complained about the loose bolts and screws on this tripod when delivered. However the one I had my hand on was completely fine but I would advice you to reassure yourself with the help of some screwdriver and Allen wrench  before you mount your expensive gear on the ravelli apgl4.

Pixelarge recommendation –

If i was to summarize this review as pros and cons it would be

Pros: 

• Sturdy Build,
• Pistol Grip ball head that provides smooth, versatile and quick adjustments,
• Big and handy Quick Release Camera Plate,
• Rubber feet with metal spikes for better grip in snow and sand,
• Built in bubble level.
• Centre column and the legs can be inverted for low angle shots and
• Foam grips are there on two legs for added comfort.

The tripod comes with a carry bag which manages to serve the purpose.

Cons: 

• The portability issue. This tripod is big, bulky and heavy, so don’t even expect fitting it in your camera backpack or any small suitcase.
• Ravelli is definitely not the hiking companion but obviously it’s not designed to be either.

So would I recommend this tripod?

For Novices/ Beginners – The build quality is good enough to handle entry level to pro level gear and price is sweet. So yeah , go grab one. Amazonbasics is also there to consider as it is pretty much the same thing and a lot cheaper. Also i will encourage you to check out Ravelli APGL5 and Dolica 62-Inch Proline tripod (Lightweight and even cheaper alternatives).

For Enthusiasts – Why not spend your money on some new lenses or filters rather than overpriced tripods when stuff like Ravelli apgl4 and Amazonbasics can do the same job in less than half the price.

For Pros-  You might not be willing to put your trust in cheap tripod for your super expensive gear but trust me Ravelli and Amazonbasics are worth it. In any case for this price you can pretty much use them anywhere for anything in your studio. They are not bad for a light  stand either. Are they.?