Sirui T-025X Test Results

The Sirui T-025X is one of the lightest and most compact travel tripods available.  The whole thing folds up to less than a foot in length, including a ball head and weighs less than two pounds.  This is better than most tabletop tripods.  As expected though, the stiffness and damping characteristics suffer.  This is a tripod where good technique and favorable conditions will be necessary to avoid inducing any vibrations.

NameSirui T-025X
ClassTravel
Stiffness About Vertical Axis140 +/- 2 Nm/rad
Damping About Vertical Axis0.094 +/- 0.009 Js/rad
Stiffness About Radial Axis385 +/- 3 Nm/rad
Damping About Radial Axis0.257 +/- 0.026 Js/rad
Retail Price$200
Weight1.49 lbs (0.674 kgs)
Manufacturer weight rating13.2 lbs
Maximum Height37.2 in (94.5 cm)
Minimum Height4.0 in (10.2 cm)
Max Height with Center Column50.9 in (129.3 cm)
Center ColumnYes
Base Diameter1.4 in (3.6 cm)
Folded Length11.9 in (30.2 cm)
Folded Circumference9.9 in (25.1 cm)
Folded Volume93.0 cu. in. (1.5 liters)
Leg MaterialCarbon Fiber
Leg Sections5
Primary Leg Angle26.0 deg
Leg LocksTwist
Top Tube Diameter22.0 mm
Second Tube Diameter19.0 mm
Third Tube Diameter16.0 mm
Fourth Tube Diameter13.0 mm
Fifth Tube Diameter10.0 mm
Exchangeable FeetNo
Foot TypeRubber
Bottom HookYes

The stiffness and damping data are the averages of 10 trials for each measurement.  The reported error is the standard error, except in the case of the damping data.  I have set the error in the damping at 10% as the standard error metric does not appropriately capture the error in fitting to the data.  All of the reported specifications are measured, with the exception of the weight rating.  The tripod is measured at full height, with the center column down.

Special note for this tripod:  The center column is removable and weighs 69 grams.  The stiffness measurement was made without the center column attached, but the reported weight includes the center column.  The tripod also comes with a small ballhead.  These data are measured without the ballhead to provide a more direct comparison with other tripod legs.

 

Example data for oscillations about the vertical axis of the tripod:

Data doesn’t get much nicer than that.  We are very clearly getting a clean resonance.  But both the stiffness and damping are poor.

 

Example data for oscillations about the radial axis of the tripod:

This is more of a mess. The frequency fit is initally good, but then clearly not so much as the oscillations die down.  This is a clear example of some non-linear behavior in the system.  It appears as we are underestimating the damping some as well at the larger oscillations.

Also a mess. But it appears we are getting the right line right around 9.6 Hz.