Vanguard Alta Pro 3VL 303AV 18 Tripod Review

Thanks to their compact size and portability, travel tripods have been all of the rage for quite some time now but for occasions where you need a support that offers maximum stability, you need a tripod that has some oomph behind it and the Vanguard Alta Pro 3VL 303CV 18 fits the bill perfectly.

We’ve been putting the Vanguard Alta Pro 3VL 303CV 18 to the test, paired with the VEO PV-18 video head (see our other review for our thoughts on this), to find out if delivers the stability videographers and long lens fans need. 

Vanguard Alta Pro 3VL 303AV 18 Features

In the words of Vanguard, the Alta Pro 3VL 303CV 18 is ‘unapologetically tall’ standing at 1.8m without a centre column. Instead of a centre column, you get a fixed levelling base (65mm) and a spirit bubble incorporated into the tripod canopy which also features a 3/8″ thread hole with a 1/4″ adaptor that is designed to fit any magic arm. The fixed levelling base can rotate 360° or moved +/-15° vertically.

3-Section 30cm diameter legs extend easily and can be set at three angles. They also feature easy-clean twist-lock legs and retractable rubber or spiked feet. 

The Alta Pro 3VL 303CV 18 is constructed from carbon fibre, weighs 2.92 kg and has a payload of 15 kg. 

Key Features

• 1.8m tall
• Levelling 1/2 bowl canopy to level and position the camera with ease
• Arca-compatible video head
• 15kg load capacity
• 3-section 30mm diameter legs
• Easy clean twist lock leg adjustments
• Three easy-set leg angles (23°, 50° and 80°)
• Two 3/8” threads with 1/4″ adaptors and bayonet fittings for attaching magic arms
• Retractable rubber or spiked feet
• Padded tripod bag

Vanguard Alta Pro 3VL 303AV 18 Handling & Performance

The Vanguard Alta Pro 3VL 303CV 18 is a full-sized tripod and it’s certainly not hiding that fact with its strong presence and incredible build quality. 

It’s technically a video tripod but those who have long, heavy lenses for stills photography will find it just as useful. If you regularly use spotting scopes, this might be a useful tripod for you, too. Those looking for a tripod to connect their mirrorless camera or DSLR to directly should look at one of Vanguard’s more compact tripods instead and you’ll find plenty of those in our review section. 

As soon as you take the tripod out of its packaging you immediately realise how tall the tripod really is. Even folded it’s not a small unit but the term ‘ultra-tall’ should give this away when looking at its specs over on the Vanguard website. When folded, it measures 85.5cm so isn’t something you can pop in a bag for cabin luggage but it’s not designed to be. You do, however, get a really made tripod bag to carry the Alta Pro 3VL 303CV 18 in that’s sturdy, strong and features two types of carry handles as well as a large zip that makes the opening plenty big enough to remove the tripod easily. 

Another nice touch is that the legs are fastened together with a velcro tie which makes the tripod even easier to pack/unpack. 

The Alta Pro 3VL 303CV 18 is an ultra-tall CNC machined carbon fibre tripod that looks really smart, modern and incredibly well made. You only have to look at it to think ‘quality’ and that’s before you’ve picked it up and felt how strong it is – you’ll definitely get a good amount of use out of the tripod that’s for sure. 

It’s not the lightest of tripods so you won’t want to carry it around for too long but the weight is also reassuring and offers guaranteed stability even when you use the maximum load capacity of 15 kg. 

The 3-section, 30mm diameter legs feature twist leg locks and are easy to adjust and you can get a good grip on the rubber coverings that show you which way to turn the locks. As with all Vanguard tripods, the legs are also designed to be easy to clean and you have the option of using stainless steel spiked feet instead of rubber ones but unlike other tripods, you don’t have to remove the rubber feet as they are retractable. Simply turn the rubber feet until the spikes appear and off you go to more difficult terrain. For times you want to capture macro shots, you can easily adjust the legs to three angles (23,50 and 80 degrees) so the tripod can be used to just 29cm and the operation of this is fluid and smooth. 

The Alta Pro 3VL 303CV 18 can extend to 1.8m in height and that’s with the ommitence of a centre column which we’re actually fans of as this increases stability. Instead of a centre column, you get a fixed levelling base that’s well-milled and feels solid. This can be rotated 360 degrees and moved 15 degrees vertically (up/down) giving you plenty of freedom in movement and it’s easy to adjust. A spirit level is built into the tripod canopy, too. On the side of the tripod canopy is a a 3/8″ thread hole with a 1/4″ adaptor so you can attach accessories via a magic arm. 

Adjustment knobs are well-made, fit fingers perfectly and are smooth in operation. They secure well, too, so you won’t get any movement when filming. 

Overall, If you’re a videographer, someone who uses really long and heavy lenses, or takes spotting scopes out with you quite a bit, then have a look at the Alta Pro 3VL 303CV as it’ll certainly stand its ground on a variety of terrain. It also looks great and is incredibly well-made, solid and strong. 

In the photos, you will see the Alta Pro 3VL 303CV 18 is paired with the VEO PV-18 Arca compatible video head which has plenty of features to discuss, including two really useful handles, but we’ll be doing this in more detail in a separate review. 

Value For Money

The Vanguard Alta Pro 3VL 303AV 18 is priced at £449.99 which some might consider a big investment but you do get the  VEO PV-18 Arca compatible video head with this. When you look at what’s available from other tripod manufacturers, the Vanguard Alta Pro 3VL 303AV 18 is actually really good value for money with the Manfrotto 504X pro-level video tripod has an RRP of £1188.95 but it’s more around the £800 currently. From 3 Legged Thing, you have the Mike Tripod and Airhead Cine Arca Swiss combo with an RRP of £749.99. Benro has the Tortoise listed with an RRP of £365-£385 but it doesn’t extend as far and has a slightly less payload.

Vanguard Alta Pro 3VL 303AV 18 Verdict

The Vanguard Alta Pro 3VL 303AV 18 is a powerful tripod that can handle anything you throw at it. With its impressive size and strength, it provides incredible stability and is built to withstand even the toughest terrains. It’s an excellent tool for videographers and photographers who use longer lenses or spotting scopes. However, it’s not very compact and has some weight behind it, so it might not be the best choice for long walks but it does come with a well-built and strong case that makes transportation easier.

An easy ‘Editor’s Choice’ award – a cracking job, Vanguard. 

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