Leofoto Poseidon LP-324C 10 Layer Carbon Water - Professional Review
My name is Chris Slack, I’m an experienced professional photographer, based in the South Devon fishing port of Brixham.
I have my own gallery and have loved photography all my life. I have a reputation as an all-weather photographer, my camera equipment gets used hard, day or night and needs to be reliable and tough. I’ve been asked by South West Optics to review some of their photography equipment from Leofoto in real-life situations to see how it performs.
This is not a technical review, you can find all the details on the South West Optics website: swoptics.co.uk! This is a hands-on, does it work like they say it does, review!
I wasn’t too sure when they supplied me with a sand proof, waterproof, anti corrosion carbon fibre tripod called the Poseidon LP-324C. I’ve had a lot of tripods and none of them have done well on a sandy beach or in the sea, I was skeptical to say the least, it was time to find out, would it survive!
The first photoshoot was on the beach (of course) with no center column and legs that go horizontal with a quick tug on the release buttons. It was easy to get down low to the water, a couple of waves covered the legs, and they sank into the sand. Normally, at this point, I would be rescuing my tripod, but this time, I left it in position and got some very nice close foreground shots of the waves coming in. This tripod has titanium spikes and feet supplied as standard, no problem with corrosion there!
When I picked the tripod up there was wet sand on the legs, a recipe for disaster. I retracted the legs, the sand got pushed to the bottom and the gaskets on the twist locks held firm; there was no horrible crunching sound as has happened so many times before. Each leg has three sections, it’s quick and easy to extend them, very important when you’re in a hurry, like I normally am. The secret is that each twist lock has a tight-fitting gasket top and bottom, no water, sand or dust gets in and it does work.
I took it with me on a photoshoot to RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk.
In the early morning it was covered in frost, the spikes were jammed tight in the mud, it took everything I could throw at it. The aluminum twist locks have a nice rubber grip on them and work perfectly in the cold, the legs are thick and well made. I used it all day in freezing, wet conditions. It worked just as it should with my Z9 and big lens attached.
The next trip was to Fistral Beach, in Cornwall. I had it balanced on seaweed covered rocks, one leg in a rock pool, this time with its titanium/rubber feet fitted. It was then on to the gorgeous sandy beach, photographing big waves and surfers, where it got soaked again. I carried it around all day, it was a pleasure to have with me.
It was a treat not to have to worry about sand or water causing problems with the twist grips, and if I forgot to clean it when I got home, there were no signs of saltwater corrosion or damage to the titanium spikes and feet.
When I’m in a hurry, racing to get the perfect shot, I grab my gear including my tripod and I’m off, things often get rubbed on walls or sharp rocks, the Poseidon was tossed into the boot of the car, it didn’t show any signs of damage from the hard use I was putting it through. It was rock steady in every situation and really stands out from the crowd with its deep blue colour.
Overall, I was very impressed and am happy to recommend it as able to withstand professional use. It comes with a very smart carry bag and some tools, which I didn’t use.
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