Versatile, Reliable, and Affordable: We Review the iFootage Gazelle TA3B Travel Tripod

by Nicco Valenzuela April 3, 2024 0 Comments

If you carry your gear to photograph or film in a wide variety of locations, having a tripod that can adjust to your needs can make a lot of difference. This new tripod from iFootage offers combinations of features that fit just right for creators on the go.

For the past couple of decades, advancements in camera equipment and accessories have allowed imaging creatives, namely photographers and filmmakers, to reach farther distances and greater heights, both figuratively and literally. It has always been a unique ability of talented creatives to show the rest of the world all the things and places that were previously unseen and unheard of. In this pursuit, it is not just about having the right gear for the kind of shots you aim to take but at the same time bringing along the support gear that will enable you and at the same time be as non-intrusive to your journey as possible. This versatile tripod from iFootage might be worth checking out for you.

The iFootage Gazelle TA3B

The TA3B is the aluminum variant of iFootage’s Gazelle travel tripod, which weighs a little less than its carbon fiber counterpart, the TC3B. The Gazelle TA3B weighs 1.55 kg while the TC3B weighs 1.3 kg which may or may not seem like a lot depending on the collective weight of the gear you carry with you. The Gazelle tripod is a 4-section tripod that uses 3 red aluminum clip locks on each leg that puts a lot of accent on the black aluminum finish. When folded, it has a length of 55 cm (21.6 in) which is slightly longer than most travel tripods we've seen in the market but this makes up for the fact that it does not come with any extendable center column. The slight increase in length of each section makes up for the supposed added height that a center column would have offered.

With all sections retracted, the working standing height is around 52 cm (20.4 in) which can vary depending on which head options you choose. When fully extended, the maximum height is 150 cm (59 in) which is also relatively taller than most travel tripods with no center columns precisely due to the reason mentioned above.

On the central joint of the tripod are three red tabs that unlock the legs and allow them to be spread wider apart to be able to maximize the fact that there is no center column in the way which allows the tripod to be used in a significantly low angle with a minimum height of just 18 cm from the ground to the base of the camera. The central joint also comes with a leveling base/bowl that is controlled by the main knob of the tripod which allows the user to work on uneven ground (typical of outdoor scenarios) without having to go through the tedious process of leveling the tripod through the leg heights.

The Gazelle TA3B as a Video Tripod

This tripod is mainly offered in combination with a lightweight video fluid head, the K3 Komodo. With this combination it offers a portable video tripod that can be brought and used in on-the-go situations because of the tripod's leveling bowl that allows the user to easily achieve a leveled camera position which is a common challenge for pan and tilt video heads. It comes with a small knob that controls the 360 degree pan of the head that can best be controlled using the removable panning arm on the left side of the head, and a knob on the side of the fluid head that controls the forward and backward tilt of the camera.

Unlike most video fluid heads, the Komodo K3 makes use of an Arca-Swiss type quick release clamp and plate on the top platform of the camera. Considering that this head has a maximum payload of 3 kg which makes it safe to assume that it was meant for more portable and compact video equipment, it makes more sense for it to be using the smaller and more universal Arca-Swiss type mounting mechanism over other (larger) plate types that are typically for larger cameras as well. However, the rectangular base plate and the quick release clamp that it matches were oriented parallel to the pan arm and the tilt axis of the fluid head.

For anyone using this with the supplied plate straight to the camera or on top of another mounting accessory, it poses no problems because one can simply align the plate perpendicular to the lens. However, it seems that the orientation of the quick release clamp missed the point of it being Arca-Swiss compatible. It would have been great since most camera cages, L-brackets, or rotating camera mounts come with built-in Arca-Swiss plates and that would have meant easily mounting and switching without having to remove and install any mounting plates.

However, since the quick release clamp was oriented that way, and most cages, L-brackets, and rotating camera mounts have Arca-Swiss compatible ridges that are perpendicular to the lens, this would mean that if they were used with the K3 head, the camera would be facing towards the side of the tilt axis with the pan arm on the side of the camera, and the setup having no controlled or fluid forward/backward tilt movement. This would have been easily solved by either placing the quick release platform perpendicular to the tilt axis or to making it able to rotate like many other tripod heads are now able to do.

The Gazelle TA3B as a Photography Tripod

While the iFootage Gazelle TA3B and TC3B tripods are mostly being bundled with the K3 fluid head, the fact that the head can be removed and uses a standard screw makes it compatible with most tripod heads for both photo and video. An option from the same brand is the M30 ball head, which weighs 292 grams capable of carrying a 10 kg payload. This head has a small pan knob that allows 360 degree rotation, a larger ball release knob found in most ball heads, and the unique feature of this head is that the quick release clamp has two stages of ridges that make it compatible not just with Arca-Swiss type plates but also larger 501 format mounting plates. This quick release clamp is controlled by a lever instead of a knob for whatever reason but still works as intended.

The iFootage Gazelle TA3B adds to the growing list of options for support gear that are made for on-the-go photographers and videographers who specifically use more compact gear. Considering the stable build, the portability, the versatility, and the price of just $169, this is definitely worth considering for a tripod that you'd want to bring along anywhere.