3 Legged Thing Punks Billy Tripod Review

Features
Handling
Performance
Verdict
Specification

The 3 Legged Thing Punks Billy tripod is a fully carbon fibre system that's for everyday use. It's the lightest tripod in 3LT's current lineup and has a built-in monopod to boot. Here, we'll take a look at how it performs.
 

3 Legged Thing Billy Tripod Features

3 Legged Thing are keen to point out that this isn't just an ordinary tripod and that it has several special features that other tripods lack. These include a full height detachable monopod to which you can attach the ball head, a minimum working height of 10cm and a patented tri-mount plate enabling you to attach accessories and letting Billy fold up even when the centre column is detached.

The Billy is British designed and engineered and weighs only 1.38kg with a whopping 18kg max load. This is a seriously strong tripod. It's supplied with an AirHed NEO, a ball head that also has the ability to pan. There is a spirit level on the end of the bubble grip knob that releases the camera plate as well as both horizontal and vertical ones on the side of the plate. 

The neck height of the tripod is adjustable with a large bubble grip for ease of use. The neck can also be removed to attach to the monopod leg and turned upside down to allow for lower shooting angles. There is another spirit level where the tripod legs meet the body. The legs have 4 sections and the Billy has a maximum height with the central column fully extended of 1.645m. 3 leg angles are available, of 23, 55 and 80 degrees.

The feet supplied are rubber 'Bootz' but these can be unscrewed and replaced with spikes or other metal feet depending on the terrain.

Billy is supplied with 'Toolz' - this is basically a multi-tool that clips onto the tripod and allows you to easily adjust the tightness of the leg attachments and securely screw the base plate into the camera. It also has a bottle opener. The tool could also be used to attaching weight to the bottom of the tripod for extra stability.  

Key Features

• 18 kg load capacity
• Full height monopod detachment
• 1.38kg weight
• Carbon fibre build
• Bubble grips for easy, comfortable adjusting of legs and column
• Folds down to just 46cm
• AirHed NEO Ball head included
• Minimum working height of 10cm

3 Legged Thing Billy Tripod Handling & Performance

The bubble grips on the Billy are really ergonomically designed and really grippy, making it a breeze to adjust height and shooting angles. The legs are quite stiff to alter however this isn't necessarily a bad thing as it allows precision when placing. 

One thing that did concern us slightly was the camera attachment plate. When this is loosened to be taken out, it simply slides straight out, which is fine when there's no kit loaded. If there was a camera on top though, and the plate was loosened, unless the ball head was at a perfectly flat angle the camera and plate would slide straight out and onto the ground. Other release plates are available, purchased separately, that feature security screws. 3LT make it clear in the tripod manual that the release plate not having security screws is a deliberate feature enabling the plate to be used with the Peak Design capture plate, a device which you can clip your camera into on the go to keep your hands free.

The tripod feels really robustly built and has a funky style that will appeal to a wide audience. It also folds down to just 46cm which is really good for a tripod of its size. 

The fact that Billy transforms into a monopod is great and means you won't have to purchase a separate monopod. It's clever how the central column attaches to the leg and becomes the head of the monopod, complete with the full head that was mounted on the tripod - this sometimes doesn't happen.

A minimum working height of 10cm will make the tripod appeal to those that like to take macro and close-up photos, thanks to the ability to reverse the centre column. We also loved the maximum weight capacity - a whopping 18kg, allowing you to fit even the heaviest of DSLRs and a relatively long lens with ease. 

Value For Money

The 3 Legged Thing Billy tripod is available for £250 from the 3 Legged Thing website.

A similar tripod in terms of specs is the Benro Travel Angel, which is available for £324. It's more expensive however and isn't able to carry as much weight as the Billy. It's also not as tall.

To see more tripods you should consider, check out our Best Tripods article.

3 Legged Thing Billy Tripod Verdict

The 3 Legged Thing Billy tripod is a trendy, well built and versatile option that should make a fantastic choice for anyone looking to partake in a variety of photography genres. It's not the lightest tripod available, so some may find it a bit too heavy for longer treks but as an all-around tripod, it performs exceptionally well. 

It's priced really well for the amount of features that you get, and it is a really well-made tripod. The fact that there are different feet that you can interchange, the ability to turn the tripod into a monopod with the fully functional head and the amount of optional accessories available from 3 Legged Thing make the Billy tripod a very appealing buy. 

The 3 Legged Thing Billy is a versatile tripod that's trendy and has a massive max capacity of 18kg.

3 Legged Thing Billy Specifications

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