Setting up a typical tripod usually means tightening each of the leg sections individually – and travel tripods with a higher number of leg sections are among the worst offenders. But one tripod maker is bringing its one-touch leg deploy system into a tripod that fits in a carry-on suitcase and weighs just 3.5 lbs / 1.6 kg.
The Coman T1 Mini is a travel tripod built with quick-deploy legs, a rapid quick-release plate, and modular capabilities with extension ports, a MagSafe phone mount, and an extension to allow the tripod to double as a light stand.
Each of the Coman T1 Mini’s legs has a lever that deploys all four leg sections – the company says it only takes about three seconds to deploy all the legs and get the tripod to full height.
The T1 Mini isn’t the first tripod to use legs that deploy with one lever rather than individual locks on each leg section. Coman also has the full-size T1 S snap-open tripod and last year announced a similar monopod.
But Coman says the T1 Mini is the world’s lightest one-click tripod, bringing the quick-deploy technology to a lighter, smaller tripod. The Mini uses smaller 26mm leg tubes and packs down small enough to fit inside a 20-inch carry-on suitcase with the center column removed.
The smaller size comes with a lower weight limit. The Mini supports up to 13.23 lbs / 6 kg of gear, while the larger T1 S supports 44.1 lbs / 20 kg. But the Mini is two pounds / 829 g lighter and has a maximum working height of 62.8 inches / 1.595m, just two inches / 50mm shorter than Coman’s T1 S.
Built from carbon fiber and aerospace-grade aluminum, the Mini folds down to about 21 inches / 533mm. The tripod can also be used with an optional short center tripod for more portability and to shoot as low as 6.97 inches / 177mm off the ground. Alternately, the center column can also be inverted for low-angle shots. The leg angles and length can also be adjusted independently for uneven terrain.
The Mini also uses a new Arca-Swiss-compatible quick-mount system that the company says mounts the camera in one click. The compact tripod head supports 360-degree panoramic rotation and also switches between horizontal and vertical shooting.
Three 1/4-inch ARRI ports are built in for adding accessory arms. An optional magnetic quick release plate allows creators to mount both a camera and a smartphone at the same time, while an add-on extension allows the tripod to double as a taller light stand by swapping out the center column for an extendable one.
The tripod will be available in black, silver or army green.
The Coman T1 Mini is launching on Kickstarter, where the campaign has already exceeded its original goal. Pledges that include the tripod start at about $280 / £210 / AU$396 / CA$391 – about a 30 percent discount from the expected retail price. The shorter center column, MagSafe attachment, and light stand extension are optional add-ons sold separately.
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