Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsI'm returning it — but for another of Vanguard's tripods
Reviewed in the United States on November 15, 2021
Vanguard tripods aren't available locally that I know of. So I decided to do a "shoot-out" by purchasing two of them on Amazon and figuring out which one is better for my needs. I'll use "CT" for the carbon-fiber model—Alta Pro 2+ 263CT. I'll use "AB" to refer to the aluminum model—Alta Pro 263 AB. This is a comparison between the two models as much as a review of the CT.
The Alta Pro line is an older design than the Pro 2 and 2+, but it still has a lot going for it.
At first glance
Both units appear solidly made, but I get an overall impression of greater solidity with the AB. Especially when they're extended to their full heights—both 53", per the spec sheets—the AB feels more stable to me. (The max. leg diameters appear to be the same.)
Weight
Both tripods are pretty lightweight and probably both would be good for travel (b.t.w. you can reduce the overall length slightly by reversing their center columns). The CT is likely better for travel, being a bit lighter. That aside, I barely notice the weight difference.
Leg angle controls
The CT has four possible leg angles. The AB has three.
Leg angle lock/unlock
Both models' leg angle unlock mechanisms are flush with the surface, making them unlikely to catch on anything—good design there, Vanguard. I find the AB model's legs a bit easier to work with due to slightly lesser stiffness (at least, out of the box). With the AB, you press a button inward for unlocking; with the CT, you press the entire mechanism downward slightly. I find the AB's pushbutton a bit easier to work with. But it's a very minor difference.
The trade-off for the lesser stiffness is that you can't conveniently pick up the AB by just one leg—the thing swings open. (I use a velcro strap to hold its legs in place when I'm carrying it.) The CT can be picked up by one leg and nothing moves.
Foam grips on legs
Both tripods have foam grips—the CT on two legs, the AB on all legs. Kudos to Vanguard for this.
Leg extension locks—clamp vs. twist
The CT has two "short-throw" twist locks per leg (the AB has clamp locks). I'd never used the short-throw twist locks before and didn't think I'd like them. But no, they're great—it requires little effort to lock and unlock them. The twist locks are fast and easy to use. Good design there.
Rubber feet
The CT is supplied with angled rubber feet. It can be outfitted with metal spikes, available separately. The AB has round rubber feet, which can be screwed all the way inward to reveal spikes—convenient, but sometimes the rubber feet can loosen up and gradually rotate on their own, revealing the spikes when you don't want them exposed. Anyway, +1 for the design of the CT's angled feet.
Tightening knobs
The CT's knobs appear to be at least partly metal and feel heavier-duty, with knurled rubberized surfaces. They're definitely an improvement over the AB's all-plastic knobs, which aren't rubberized. The CT's are easier to work with and feel more solid.
Pan control
If you go by the specs on Vanguard's web site, you might think that neither AB nor CT has a separate pan control. But both models do have pan locks, enabling you to rotate the entire center column easily. This is useful for fine adjustments when you're tilting the center column.
Raising and lowering the center column
IMO the AB wins in this respect. The column slides more easily and feels more solid. Not that the CT's column is flimsy. It just doesn't feel as solid to me.
Both models have thick rubber gaskets on the underside of the tripod head mounting plate. Purpose: to dampen shock if the center column falls unexpectedly. That's a nice touch.
Center column hook
The end of the AB's center column has a hook to which you can attach a weight. This is handy if the column is extended way out. The CT does not have a hook in that location. Instead, it has a pushbutton release so that the center column can be drawn upward to use the column tilt mechanism or to remove the center column entirely if you want to reverse it. If you want to reverse the AB's center column, you have to press a small button (under spring tension) on the side of the column. Either way it's a trade-off of one convenience for another.
Center column tilting
This is a great feature of several Vanguard tripods: enabling the column to tilt at various angles or be positioned parallel to the ground.
The CT (Alta Pro 2+ line) and AB (Alta Pro line) have very different tilt-lock designs. As one of Vanguard's promotional videos points out, with the newer Pro 2+ design you're less likely to pull the center column all the way out by accident. The CT's clamping mechanism (for tilt angle) requires only a single very beefy knob, while the AB's has a two-part lever-plus-clamp system that is not as easy to use, at least at first glance.
BUT—the CT's locking mechanism contains some kind of "teeth" on the inside, limiting you to specific angles. To be sure there are plenty of possible angles. The AB mechanism seems to allow any angle I want to use (within its overall limits). To me, the AB mechanism feels more solid and turns out to be easier to use. Getting the CT column at just the right angle is more "fiddly" in my experience. So despite the AB's mechanism seeming less convenient at first, I prefer it for a greater feeling of solidity and lesser "fiddly-ness."
Accessory attachments
The CT has a 3/8"-threaded accessory socket (with "captured" rubber plug). The AB has no socket in that location—it has a hook for suspending a weight.
Bubble levels
Both models have bubble levels.
Conclusion
These are both great tripods, both worth 5 stars, and I can recommend both. The CT has a lot going for it, including lesser weight and better control knob design. But I think the AB is the one I'll keep, primarily due to the greater feeling of solidity and the design of the column tilt lock.
