Vinten VB-AP2M Vision Blue System with Mid Level Spreader
The Vinten VB-AP2M Vision Blue System with Mid Level Spreader is designed to provide the experienced camera operator with professional support to match the extremely high performance of today's lightweight camcorders and DSLRs equipped for video. It includes a Vision Blue Head, Two-stage Aluminum Pozi-Loc Tripod, and a Soft Case.
The Vinten Vision Blue Pan and Tilt Head incorporates adjustable continuously variable counterbalance, LF drag assemblies for pan and tilt motions, and an adjustable camera mounting plate with 1/4" screw and pin. Easy to access placement of pan and tilt brakes, drag controls, and counterbalance enables you to easily adjust camera settings.
Illuminated level bubble allows for head adjustment in locations with low lighting levels, and can provide 15 second illumination by pressing the push button. The Vinten Perfect Balance technology enables load balance between 4.6-11 lb (2.1-5 kg) with a low center of gravity of around 2.2” (55 mm), and allows the Vision Blue Pan and Tilt Head to balance the smaller lightweight cameras.
Equipped with the Vinten lubricated friction (LF) technology, it provides smooth movement of the camera. In addition, the pan and tilt brakes are located on the left side of the Vision Blue Pan and Tilt Head, and enable each axis on the head to be locked at any selected position. The camera can be mounted on the head with the help of a side plate attached to the camera, and then loaded from the back of the platform and fixed securely with a side plate clamp.
The Two-Stage Pozi-Loc Tripod (3819-3) made of aluminum is light at 7 lb (3.2 kg) and features a maximum load capacity of 55 lb (25 kg). Pozi-Loc leg clamps offer easy setup and the height of the tripod is adjustable from 16.4” (41.6 cm) to 61.5” (156.2 cm).
Designed for 75mm ball base range of Vinten heads, the Mid-Level Spreader (V4032-0001) is a lightweight (1.05 lb / 0.48 kg) component offering stability to tripods. With individually extendable arms and 3 lock knobs, the spreader offers flexibility in spreader radius, and for setting up the VB-AP2M Camera Support System on uneven grounds. In addition, a 2-position central selector can be used to determine overall footprint of your tripod.
The Rounded Soft Case (3358-3) compatible with the Vision 3, 6, 8, and 11 with two-stage Pozi-Loc tripod protects the equipment during travel, and allows you to carry them safely.
Vision Blue Head
- Easy to access placement of pan and tilt brakes, drag controls, and counterbalance enables you to easily adjust camera settings
- Illuminated level bubble allows for head adjustment in locations with low lighting levels, and provides 15 second illumination to the level bubble by pressing the pushbutton
- Perfect Balance technology enables load balance between 4.6-11 lb (2.1-5 kg) with a low center of gravity of around 2.2" (55 mm), and allows the head to balance the smaller lightweight cameras
- Vinten lubricated friction (LF) technology provides smooth movement of the camera
- Pan and tilt brakes are located on the left side of the head, and enable each axis on the head to be locked at any selected position
- Can be mounted on the head with the help of a side plate attached to the camera, and then loaded from the back of the platform and fixed securely with a side plate clamp
- Features pan bar mounting points located at the rear of the head on either side of the camera mounting platform
Two-Stage Aluminum Pozi-Loc Tripod (3819-3)
- Incorporates an aluminum construction
- Lightweight - 7 lb (3.2 kg)
- Comes with Pozi-Loc leg clamps offering easy setup
- Tripod height adjustable from 16.4-61.5" (41.6 -156.2 cm)
- Handles maximum load of 55 lb (25 kg)
Lightweight Mid-Level Spreader (V4032-0001)
- Designed for 75mm ball base range of Vinten
- Lightweight at 1.05 lb ( 0.48 kg)
- Individually extendable arms and 3 lock knobs offer flexibility in spreader radius, and for setting up the VB-AP2F Camera Support System on uneven grounds
- Enables individual telescopic adjustment of each leg and provides a wide range of stable footprints
- 2-position central selector can be used to determine overall footprint of your tripod
Rounded Soft Case (3358-3)
- Compatible with the Vision 3, 6, 8 & 11 with two-stage Pozi-Loc tripod
- Protects the equipment during travel and allows you to carry them safely
| Vision Blue Head | |
|---|---|
| Load Capacity | 4.6 to 11.0 lb (2.1 to 5.0 kg) @ approx. 55 mm CofG |
| Tilt Range | ±90º |
| Ball Base | 75 mm |
| Pan Bar | Single fixed length |
| Camera Fixing | Standard Vision AS two-way sliding plate with one 1/4" camera screw and pin |
| Levelling Bubble | Illuminated high contrast blue LED |
| Drag Control | Calibrated infinitely adjustable LF drag system |
| Counterbalance | Infinitely adjustable perfect balance |
| Color | Black |
| Height | 4.8" (121.9 mm) |
| Length | 5.1" (129.5 mm) |
| Weight | 5.3 lb (2.4 kg) inc. pan bar, camera plate and bowl clamp |
| Two-Stage Aluminum Pozi-Loc Tripod (3819-3) | |
|---|---|
| Height Range | 16.4 to 61.5" (41.6 to 156.2 cm) |
| Weight | 7 lb (3.2 kg) |
| Maximum Load | 55 lb (25 kg) |
| Rounded Soft Case (3358-3) | |
|---|---|
| Compatibility | Vision 3, 6, 8 & 11 with two-stage Pozi-Loc tripod |
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
by PowerReviews(based on 9 reviews)
Ratings Distribution
86%
of respondents would recommend this to a friend.
Pros
- Easily adjusted (4)
- Good footing (4)
- Locks in tight (4)
- Smooth movement (4)
Cons
Best Uses
- Video (3)
- Was this a gift?:
- No (6)
REVIEWS
Reviewed by 9 customers
Sort by
Displaying reviews 1-9
Pros
- Compact
- Easily Adjusted
- Good Footing
- Lightweight
- Locks In Tight
- Smooth Movement
Cons
Best Uses
- Home
- Landscape/Scenery
- Outdoors
- Portraits
- Sports/Action
- Travel
- Video
- Weddings/Events
- Wildlife
Comments about Vinten VB-AP2M Camera Support System:
I work for a video production company that uses the heavier duty Vinten sticks and heads and this thing has all of the bells and whistles of the big guys in a smaller package. Well worth every penny and then some. Super great value and quality.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easily Adjusted
- Good Footing
- Locks In Tight
- Smooth Movement
Cons
- Heavy
Best Uses
- Video
Comments about Vinten VB-AP2M Camera Support System:
THis tripod is unbelievably smooth. No drag-back, no jerky starts, even at the highest drag setting. If you want smooth pans, to the point of not even being noticed, then this is for you. However lighter camcorders like my Canon XF100 are too light for the balance settings; hopefully this will be addressed by Vinten with a heavier mounting plate or something. Other than that, and being a tad heavy, this tripod is perfect.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easily Adjusted
- Good Footing
- Locks In Tight
- Smooth Movement
Cons
- Plate Screw Sticks
Best Uses
Comments about Vinten VB-AP2M Camera Support System:
I absolutely love this tripod head. Everything you love about the larger Vinten heads now designed for todays lighter cameras. The balance springs are still a bit too strong for a camera as light as a T2i or 60D with the plastic kit lens, but throw a nice heavy L-series or larger zoom lens on them and it works great even with such a small camera.
The only problem I've run into with the Vinten Blue is the tripod plate screw and pin. The screw is designed to only unscrew a certain distance out of the pin before it locks to prevent it from falling out of the tripod plate completely. This stops the user from unscrewing it all the way and possibly losing the screw and pin. It's a nice design feature, but I've learned the hard way that when attaching the tripod plate to certain cameras and accessories with a deeper than normal hole, the screw locks into the pin before it's come far enough out of the hole to remove the plate. Sometime it just sticks a bit and a little wiggling will get it loose. With the Zacuto Gorilla Baseplate it is particularly troublesome. I've had it become so stuck that it took over an hour and the work of three people pulling in different directions to get the plate off.
I spoke with a Vinten tech and he said they were aware of the issue but had no advice other than the 3 person solution. So, if you're buying this for your DSLR with Zacuto hardware, you might want to test it out yourself before committing to it.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easily Adjusted
- Good Footing
- Locks In Tight
- Smooth Movement
Cons
Best Uses
- Video
- Weddings/Events
Comments about Vinten VB-AP2M Camera Support System:
I am extremely happy with this tripod system. I recently upgraded from Bogen Manfrotto systems (501, 503, 516) heads. I did a lot of research online as to what tripod would be the best for a budget of $1,300 or less and selected the VInten Blue. I recently received it, tested it out, and used it to shoot a wedding last Saturday, and I must say that I am very impressed. Everything about the system is well thought out and professional. The legs lock and unlock with a distinct mechanism so that you can adjust them confidently and quickly, there is a built-in mechanism that is a clever way to secure the tripod when it is collapsed, the ball head is much easier to adjust than other tripods I have used, the perfect balance system is extremely nice (allows you to tilt the head forward or back, and when you release the head it stays at that angle perfectly), the pant and tilt drag can be dialed in and there are numbers for the drag so that it's repeatable, I like that you can illuminate the level bubble so that you can make sure the head is level in dark environments, the bag works well, and the #1 feature is that the head is extremely smooth. I was shooting video with a Canon EF 70-200mm lens at the 200mm end, and I could easily make very smooth adjustments that were extremely fluid. So much better than my previous experience with tripod heads. It's not cheap, but you get what you pay for, and this is a high quality system. I wish that the sticks could get the head up a little higher (more than 6 feet or so), but I could have always bought a different set of sticks for that :) Also, the mid-level spreader was a little tricky for me to figure out at first (because I hadn't used one before and because there are instructions for the legs and head that came with it, but not the mid-level spreader), but it's easy to connect and disconnect, and I figured it out soon enough. Great tripod system.
Pros
- Durable
- Easy To Use
Cons
Best Uses
- Documentaries
- HD Shooting
- Shooting Indoors
- Shooting Outdoors
- Travel
Comments about Vinten VB-AP2M Camera Support System:
I spent hours researching this and without a doubt, it's a clear value winner in the tripod category. You cannot buy a better video tripod on a dollar-by-dollar basis.
It's good enough for any professional shoot. But, the point of buying this is really to minimize your load - so it's obviously best to use it with smaller cameras.
Worth noting that the head is built to counterbalance more than to solidly lock off. If you're within the weight limit it's great. For example: it works beautifully a canon XF300. But you will be seriously uneasy using it with a standard broadcast camera, or (god forbid) a teleprompter.
One unexpected downside is the plates can be difficult to source and are expensive.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Good Stability
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Vinten VB-AP2M Camera Support System:
After four years of shooting oral history interviews using a still camera tripod, I graduated to shooting motion videos. I quickly learned that I needed a more capable set of sticks and head. Not one to rush into a purchase, I perused the web for products available and reviews by professionals. I finally settled on the Vinten Blue System based on price and performance. I cannot wait take begin shooting in the field with this new equipment. The testing I have done to date indicates that I will not be disappointed.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Good Stability
- Smooth pans tilts
Cons
Best Uses
- Commercial Production
- Video Production
Comments about Vinten VB-AP2M Camera Support System:
I run my own production company and was due for a tripod upgrade. After much research and debate I decided on the Vision Blue. [...] I've used it on a few shoots now and it works very well. The Perfect Balance setup is a time saver when trying to grab shots at a moments notice. Doing pans, tilts, moving shots or any combination while zooming in or out are effortless. The legs are easy to set up and sturdy, I just wish they were carbon fiber. Overall a good buy, it won't let you down.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Comments about Vinten VB-AP2M Camera Support System:
Once it is dialed in for your camera, it has a solid feel and smooth tilts and pans. I really like the quarter-turn click locks on the tripod legs. Excellent carry bag too.
Pros
- Case Included
- cheap
- Led Bubble
- Pretty light
- Well Made
Cons
- None so far
Best Uses
- DSLR
- Hvx hpx
- Super 8mm
Comments about Vinten VB-AP2M Camera Support System:
Fast & sturdy,fluid non stick movement all for a fairly cheap price...Save a few thousand dollars until you really need it.
Displaying reviews 1-9
What's in the Box
Why Shop at B&H
Make your online shopping trip personal with our online Live Chat representatives. You can easily reach an in-house expert while browsing our site for your shopping needs. We have the most highly-trained staff in the industry who are pros in their fields, and their professional expertise will help you get the most from your purchase.
Place your domestic order with us for shipment via any UPS, FedEx Economy, or FedEx Priority shipping methods by 4 PM ET Monday through Thursday or 11 AM ET Friday and your order will be shipped that day. Visit our Shipping Delivery Times page for further details. Delivery times are subject to payment verification.
We appreciate your purchase from us, and we understand that sometimes the products you buy don’t turn out to be the right choice for you. We guarantee your peace of mind with our 30-day return policy. With no standard restocking fee and few restrictions, you’ll enjoy a return process as easy as shopping with us. Please visit our Return Policy page for further details.
We’ve made iPhone and Android mobile apps available for your service and shopping convenience. Use filtered search to find and purchase almost any item we sell and ship worldwide. Download product manuals and guides for many popular items. See high-resolution product images in close-up detail. Manage wishlists and view order history. Visit our Mobile Apps page to download.
See sample Newsletter
Help
Company Information
B&H Resources
