Slik DST-3 Video Tripod £99

F

Framerate

Well-known member
Just a heads up that a seller on ebay) has got the Slik DST-3 for £99
It's supposed to have a retail price of over £400 - it was last up at £150, I made an offer and got one for £110 - and now they're down to £99.



It's a fluid head model (seems smooth to me, but I'm no expert) with a large adjustable QR plate - obviously not the best video tripod in the world, but probably a lot better than the ones you usually pick up for £100.


Comes with bag & free delivery, and is ideal for the GH1/2, G2, etc.


It was featured on those 'beach shots' of the supposed GH2 - in its 'Daiwa' guise, but apart from the name on the leg foam, it's identical. So...if it's good enough for GH2 tester's...

I wouldn't like to have paid the full retail for one
emoticon-wink.gif
- but at this price they're a bit of a snip.



The seller is 'aroundthecamera' (aka Aspen's of Hereford) 100% feedback, and very reputable.


Absolutely no connection, apart from being a previous customer.



If you search, put in 'DST3' (they forgot the hyphen in the listing title)
 
Psynoma said:
Picked mine up for 120 and very pleased with it. Bargain.
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Yes, they're OK, aren't they? I thought I had a bargain at £110 - now they're even cheaper ;)

Do you think they really *did* have a list price of over £400? - it's an OK tripod, but I'd be feeling distinctly unhappy if I'd paid that sort of list price.

If they *were* over four hundred quid, and are now selling for less than 25% of that price, what does it mean? - an early portent of an economic storm that is going to sweep away silly prices for 'so-so' products (think Panasonic lenses!) and put things on sale for their true value - which is whatever people can actually afford to pay?

I look at the little plastic 14-140 that came with my GH1, and am forced to ask, 'is that lens *really* worth an average price of £600 - £700?

That's almost 3 high-spec Samsung washing maschines (available at B&Q), or two branded /lced large screen TV's.

imo, the lens is most certainly *not* worth £700! - it will be interesting to see what happens to these pseudo-aspirational prices when the economy collapses.
 
Indeed, they are having a right giraffe for £400. £100 for a true fluid head isn't too shabby though.
 
I am pretty new to videography and have no experience of suing a true fluid head.
I wonder how much better is the DST-3 compared with the Velbon DV-7000 or the Slik 504QF. Price are pretty much the same.
 
ouchthecouch said:
I wonder how much better is the DST-3 compared with the Velbon DV-7000 or the Slik 504QF.
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Anyone heard of the Weifeng 717? Don't know about that DST-3, but the DV-7000 is not the best i've seen and heard of. About DV-7000.
Bought recently a Weifeng 717 and i can tell you it worth the price, some people says it's the chinese knockoff to bogen. Review of the Weifeng 717 by user Haslu on hv20.com.
Hope it can help you guys!
 
ouchthecouch said:
I am pretty new to videography and have no experience of suing a true fluid head.
I wonder how much better is the DST-3 compared with the Velbon DV-7000 or the Slik 504QF. Price are pretty much the same.
Click to expand...



This is my first fluid head tripod - so I have nothing to judge it against. However, it's smooth and responds to a gentle touch. The fiction (both axis) is adjustable (to some degree)

As for build, I owned a Velbon Sherpa - and I wouldn't say that this is built any better, but I always thought the Velbon was pretty well made. It's very easy to level using the bottom cup & spirit level, and it's reasonably light to carry.

It's certainly no 'Pro' tripod, but it seems decent enough. My one issue was the supposed recommended retail price of over £400 (£430, iirc) I'm no expert - but I think I'd be expecting a lot more for my money at that sort of price. It is on sale around the £230 mark in some on-line stores, however.

At £100, it seems fine too me. It carries my GH1, 14-140, mic, Tascam recorder, and a video light when necessary and it all seems solid enough - a good amateur tripod, would probably be the best description.
 
drapeama said:
Anyone heard of the Weifeng 717? Don't know about that DST-3, but the DV-7000 is not the best i've seen and heard of. About DV-7000.
Bought recently a Weifeng 717 and i can tell you it worth the price, some people says it's the chinese knockoff to bogen. Review of the Weifeng 717 by user Haslu on hv20.com.
Hope it can help you guys!
Click to expand...


Having seen your vid, I'd say that the Weifeng is probably better - the legs certainly look less prone to flex.

Problem in the UK is that buying from China attracts a whole raft of taxes & charges. The duty free limit is only £18 - although a lot of stuff costing more than that does get through unscathed.


With the tripod, however, things might be different - you don't say how much it cost, but if we assume $200? That's about £127 - at which point they probably would add on customs duties, VAT, and carrier surcharges. The thing could end up costing the best part of £200.

Having said that, I someone thought they could get one through duty free, then I'd say that the Weifeng is probably the way to go.
 
Framerate said:
- you don't say how much it cost, but if we assume $200? That's about £127 - at which point they probably would add on customs duties, VAT, and carrier surcharges. The thing could end up costing the best part of £200.
Click to expand...
Paid mine around 200$CND. You can check here, recommended seller from china. There's also amazon.com seller DMKFoto, but it was ~20$ expensive as far as i remmember, recommended too (bought the universal floor spreader from this seller)
 
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