Ulanzi Zero Y Tripod - Dealbreaker! Watch Before You Buy!

In this video, I cover off something I've discovered (with only 3 months usage of the Ulanzi Zero Y Tripod) which many would deem as a dealbreaker. Very disappointing given how good everything else is. I don't think I've received a 'defective' product either as there have been others which have expressed the same online.

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:15 Quick Review
00:43 Dealbreaker
01:46 Outro

[JoeHeisler]

I’ve had this issue as well even when I really tighten it down. Luckily the camera I dropped was relatively cheap and it didn’t fall too far. But yeah the mechanism has some play and I have noticed the exact same thing where switching the angle can sometimes make the plate just slip out. I am using the f38 version now which is much more secure but it’s also annoying since I can’t use it with my small rig base plate. I even got a replacement head from them and it does the exact same thing.

[KevinVirgil]

Good ball heads snug up when you tighten them and get snugger as you tighten more. The ball head on the ulanzi zero y goes from loose to tight very quickly and you can’t tighten it any further. Any slight loosening of the knob results in a loose fit. I constantly check the knob for tightness, something that I don’t need to do with a good ball head. Other than that, it is a good tripod if you want a small travel tripod, but be vigilant.

[DCPImages]

Thank you for the honest review Hentacular!

[Shawns_snapshots]

Thank you! I had similar issues with the “heipi” tripod that was also glowingly reviewed.

[MichaelRoninTV]

What you're saying is definitely true, I find my camera loose all the time on this tripod/head. Because of this, I tighten it as tight as it will go and it still comes loose over time. I think it's the spring tension in the jaw pushing back on the knob and making it literally unscrew itself on the thread. I'm not sure if it would help or make matters worse but I thought about putting a spring washer behind the knob but I don't think it comes off, not easily anyway.

[jwkm]

That's old tech and the solution is already available. Go with the Ulanzi Y-38 quick release carbon fiber travel tripod, instead. It locks in place for worry free operation.

[bencompson]

Agree with those wondering if you tightened it properly? This is not a quick attach system. You have to mount the camera and tighten the jaws against the plate. Even on my high end heads you still have to tighten it down firmly. Maybe the knob is too small to exert sufficient pressure to get it tight enough?

It also seems strange that you indicate that you mounted the camera and came back 10 minutes later and it was loose enough for the camera to fall off. I can't imaging any possible way for it to _become_ loose while simply sitting there. That seems very odd. It would have had to have been loose to begin with and that should be easy to feel.

A typical Arca Swiss mount will keep a camera in place in the long orientation of the parallel jaws even when quite loose. But it can _slide_ out of the jaws in the other orientation even if it is slightly loose. Many A-S plates and L-brackets have small stud screws that prevent a camera or lens sliding out in that direction. That would solve any issues regarding slight looseness.

I do not have this tripod but on the other A-S heads that I have you have to turn the tightening screw 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 turns for the plate to come out in the long axis. If this tightening screw on this tripod is backing out THAT much during normal use it would be a deal breaker indeed.

I'm still skeptical at this point. I'm probably going to get this tripod in a few weeks. I will report back if this is an issue.

[yhl]

Hey, a little stupid to do this but, is the ball head removable? To replace with a safer acra compatible mount

[timstools]

Lots of viewers will assume you just didn't do it up tight enough.

[AnankeAndria]

I've this tripod, so what are the symptoms of this issue? Don't want to learn it the hard way.

[dodielegaspi]

you can use an L bracket instead. which i have

[climbbike]

So if you don’t tighten it properly and shake the hell out of the camera for 10 minutes, it might come a little loose. {sigh}