Sirui W-2204 Carbon Fibre Waterproof Tripod Review (2020 UPDATED)
Tripods as with cameras hate two things, saltwater & sand.
I shoot a lot of seascapes and my existing tripod (a Manfrotto MT190XPRO4) although an awesome purchase at first just wasn’t helping me. Even though it was made out of aluminium, the bolts weren’t and they rusted big time.
Also, sand would constantly get inside the legs and the weight (2.1kg) was a pain when trying to stick under the Australian 7kg carry-on limit.
After a ton of research, I decided to get the Sirui W-2204 carbon fibre waterproof tripod.
Specifications:
- Weight: 1.7kg
- Max. load: 18kg
- Tripod height: 15.5 – 180cm
- Monopod height: 48 – 177cm
- Closed size: 52cm
- Tube diameter: 18.6 – 29.4mm
Cost: $549 AUD ($380 USD)
Out of the box
Overview:
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The legs use twist locks which are easy to use & are dust/waterproof, however, they are NOT sand proof. Sand will get in and do damage if it gets inside the legs when closing.
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You can reverse the legs for travel saving a few centimetres in length and the column can be fully removed so you can attach the head between the tripod legs if needed.
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The rubber feet can be changed for steel spikes(Note: I’ve found even after tightening both can come loose so check often)
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You can shorten the centre column & flip it to get the camera very low
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One of the legs can be taken off and used as a monopod (extends to 177cm)
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The tripod extends (with the centre column up also) to a max height of 180cm (I’m 178cm)
Other things
- There’s a stabilisation hook in the centre column for weighing the tripod down during time-lapses or times when you need the tripod not to move (it’s pretty solid without)
- There’s cold weather grips on two of the three legs
Thoughts
It’s one hell of an all round tripod.
It feels solid but only weighs 1.7kg. Despite being lightweight, it didn’t budge when I tried testing it in the wind. This is a noticeable improvement from my last tripod which was 2.1kg.
The twist locks take a little bit of getting used to & you’ve got to make sure they’re tight otherwise you’ll get some slipping.
Having the ability to flip the centre column is awesome & I can now get down lower then I ever have before.
The main reason why I got this tripod is that it’s waterproof – it really is & performed so well when submerged (just makes sure you extend the legs before getting it in the water). It’s waterproof up to the monopod twist lock.
The only issue I’ve had so far is with the rubber leg screws & steel spikes coming loose which is a pretty small thing if you just check occasionally
Note: If you’re after something similar but slightly lighter check out the Sirui W-1204
2020 UPDATE
I’ve had the tripod for over a year at this point. It’s been pretty solid & I haven’t had any problems. The only two things I’m having an issue with is the centre column not twisting off after some exposure to saltwater & a few times when I didn’t twist the tripod legs tight enough and the tripod started slipping after weight was applied (camera).
Hey! I’m Dale – a landscape photographer from the Central Coast of Australia.
I write about all things photography.
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