Review: Induro AKB2 Tripod

Posted on June 14, 2011 | 3 comments

I have never owned a ball head tripod and was a bit reluctant to move to one for some reason but after hearing how versatile they could be I knew I had to get one when the time came for a new tripod. A few weeks ago, my old pan head tripod gave up the ghost and I was forced to start the search for a replacement. I posed the question to all of my Twitter friends and received a several suggestions but in the end decided to go with the Induro AKB2 Tripod.

I’ve put together a short video review of the Induro. It’s both the first video I’ve shot with the 60D and my first video review…I have a lot to learn about video!

I hope that you find it helpful!

The first thing you’ll notice is that this tripod is very light but don’t let that fool you it is extremely solid.

The legs are grooved on each side which adds stability when they are fully extended. It has angled rubber feet with grips on the bottom. There are no spikes on the feet so its perfect for indoor use as well as outdoor. The legs are in 3 sections and can be adjusted using flip locks that seem to be very solid. They are plastic though and will break if pushed too far but that would not be very easy to do. There is also a closed cell foam grip on one leg for easy and comfortable carrying.

With the legs extended the total height is 57″ with the center column retracted and 66″ fully extended. You can adjust the angle of each leg independently by using the snap locks around the spider. Each leg can be set to one of 3 angles to let you get into some crazy positions.

The spider is made of magnesium alloy so its very tough and light. It has a large turn lock for adjusting the center column. The bubble level is much more accurate than most and there is a handy loop for attaching a strap.

The head is very smooth and uses a single thumb screw to lock it into position. The head is rated for 18.5 lbs so you can mount some pretty substantial gear with no worries. The mount uses a quick release plate with a really nice locking mechanism. It features a double trigger design that keeps you from accidentally catching the trigger with something and trashing your gear. Once opened it stays unlocked until you replace the camera which you can do with one hand. There is enough clearance around the head that I can maneuver my Canon cameras to portrait position on either side with no interference from the head or base.

The last feature I’ll touch on is the center column. Like the legs, it is also grooved for added stability. It has a spring loaded counterweight hook on the bottom for adding extra weight. If you unscrew the hook, you can completely remove the column and reinsert it from underneath. This can give you access to some amazingly low angles and perspectives greatly increasing the use you can get from this tripod.

Included with the tripod is a very nice padded canvas carry bag with an inside pocket to hold the included hardware.

I opted for the less expensive aluminum model which cost just under $200. It is also available in carbon fiber under $400.

I’m extremely pleased with this tripod and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for something in the sub-$500 range.