2026-04-03 The Optex DigiPro Table Top Tripod

I bought this Optex DigiPro tripod for two reasons. One is, at $1, it is too good a bargain to pass up. The second reason is it had a Pentax Binocular Mount attached to it’s head. I will go into the Pentax part in a separate blog because nothing about binoculars is completely related to our Society’s purpose (but somedays I sneak slightly off topics in).

This cute little tabletop tripod can be erected like this. I admit it seems pretty quirky, but it is very stable set up like this.

There is a label that says, “NOTE Loosen leg locking collar prior to extending the leg sections.” There is a long standing (Oh the tripod puns are never ending!) design of light tripods that have many sections that pull out with each section getting smaller in diameter. They lock in extended positions when small conical pins pop into holes. Usually you just pull them out, adjust height by collapsing as many small sections as you need to get the height you want and then push them all back together to store them. You can press the pins back down a bit with finger pressure to aid in the collapse.
But not this tripod. At least if you are following the instructions on the note. On this tripod you loosen the black band before you start to extend the section. I’m not exactly sure what that does for you other than the first and strongest section has no pop out pin lock arrangement. Instead you extend and lock in place the first section with the black band, just like the leg locks on larger tripods. I wouldn’t get all bent out of shape on this point. Just know the first and by far the stiffest pull-out chrome tube (all the tubes have a guide channel so the pins always find their holes) can be locked anywhere along its length by the black locking band.

This tripod has a lot of sections in that one leg. Nine pull-out sections in all. Here the tripod is leaning against a standard door—see where the door knob is?—The two small legs hold the tripod far enough away from the door you could still get your head near a viewfinder. The tripod’s long leg is pretty stiff as long as it is fairly straight up and down. The two small legs are quite stiff.

If you are completely intent on getting as high as you can, you can rest the short legs on the top of the door and just use the extendable section as a brace at any length you choose. You could also use the DigiPro as a chest pod. Or hang it over a car window and adjust the extending leg down to the car’s floorboards. Oh the fun you could have…

I found the two smaller legs lock together in a clever way. The pin slips into a socket as one ridge on each leg clasp each other. Pressed together the small legs tuck next to the long leg’s largest tube making a fine handle for your camera.

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