K&F Tm2324 Tripod Review
K&F Concept recently contacted me and asked me if I’d like to test out one of their tripods - the TM2324 tripod. This was good timing for me as I found myself needing a compact, lightweight tripod that I could carry with me for work which required me to travel.
My go to tripod for the last few years has been one 3-way tilt Manfrotto tripod and pan head which is quite substantial in weight but it feels rock solid. With all these plus points it does have its disadvantages - it doesn’t pack up very small making it difficult to transport. Also, while I’ve mentioned it’s heavy weight as an advantage as it makes sure to limit any vibration, the hefty weight is also a disadvantage as it makes it a nightmare to carry around on long journeys or even pack into luggage for flights.
My go to tripod for the last few years has been one 3-way tilt Manfrotto tripod and pan head which is quite substantial in weight but it feels rock solid. With all these plus points it does have its disadvantages - it doesn’t pack up very small making it difficult to transport. Also, while I’ve mentioned it’s heavy weight as an advantage as it makes sure to limit any vibration, the hefty weight is also a disadvantage as it makes it a nightmare to carry around on long journeys or even pack into luggage for flights.
Enough about the Manfrotto, let’s talk about the K&F Concept tripod. Straight out of the box I could see that this tripod would give me a nice compact option for travelling. It’s lightweight (weighing just 1.13KG), folds down pretty small (46.5cm) and even comes with its own carry case (which my Manfrotto does not). This tripod comes with a ball-head - a different system to manoeuvre the camera than what I’m used to. It took me a while to get used to this and I think that I still prefer the 3-way system of my Manfrotto. I guess I could always look at replacing the ball-head with a 3-way system on this tripod for future use.
TM2324 tripod's ball head
TM2324 tripod's ball head
Build quality of the K&F Concept tripod is what I would describe as decent but not ground-breaking but at this price point you're not going to get carbon fibre or other high quality materials instead you get a magnesium aluminium alloy frame and plastics. Fully extended a camera can be mounted at 156cm which isn't the loftiest of heights but I guess a tripod marketed as being compact isn't going be among the tallest on the market. Having said that, 156cm will probably be tall enough for most situations. The centre column of the tripod can be reverse mounted for macro photography. Similar to all tripods I've ever used, the K&F Concept tripod comes with a quick release plate system where a plate is mounted to the bottom of your camera, this plate has a corresponding part on the tripod which securely attaches the camera to the tripod. The tripod takes a maximum 10kg load which is heavier than most camera body and lens combos.
During my testing I liked how small and lightweight the tripod is for carrying around. I have to carry a lot of gear with me to shoots so lightening the load a little is always good in my book. Having said that due to the lightweight I wouldn't say that this tripod would hold up well in windy outdoor conditions when shooting landscape photography. For my main uses it performs well and the carry case is a very handy addition. For the price it's certainly a decent option for a photographer that travels a lot.
