The Slik PRO CF-834 is a studio/heavy-duty tripod designed to hold large DSLR cameras and long lenses. It's a carbon fiber build and comprises of 4 leg sections and a centre column with two sections. The legs feature A.R.S (Anti-Rotational System) which means that all 3 leg locks can be twisted at the same time for quick setup. It's available for £299 without a head.

For this review, we also have the SGH-300 compact gimbal head which is designed to give smooth pan and tilt when following moving objects. It can hold up to 3kg and Slik say it's perfect for using with full-frame mirrorless and DSLR systems fitted with a super-telephoto zoom lens. It's available for £199. 

One image can change us.

A picture, a moment can change the way we feel. Change how we see ourselves. Change our understanding and change the rules. Provoke and change history.

MPB puts photo and video kit into more hands, more sustainably. Every month, visual storytellers sell more than 20,000 cameras and lenses to MPB. Choose used and get affordable access to kit that doesn’t cost the earth. Sell the kit you’re not using to MPB. Trade in for the kit you need to create. Buy used, spend less and get more. Buy. Sell. Trade. Create.

Slik PRO CF-834 Tripod & SGH-300 Compact Gimbal Head Features

The Slik Pro CF-834 tripod is quite a hefty model, compacting down to 48cm in length. It comes with a carry case featuring a shoulder strap with padded grip and a robust carry handle. It's constructed from 8-layer inter-woven carbon fibre and weighs 1.56kg. 

There are 4 leg sections, and the tripod has a maximum height of 165cm and a minimum operating height of 19cm. It's supplied with smooth rubber feet, but spiked metal ones can be brought separately and fitted if needed. 

The legs feature twist locks with A.R.S, meaning that the legs are non-rotating. This means when setting it up, you can open all the leg locks on one leg at the same time to make things quicker. The grips are robust and tyre-like, making them easy to operate even with gloves.

To adjust the angle of the legs, you need to pull out the stopper and then push it back in when the leg is at the correct angle. There are 3 angles available. There's a knob at the top of the central column which allows you to rotate it when it's loosened. Underneath there's a large twisting grip, which when unlocked allows you to adjust the height. The centre column unscrews in the middle, so you can shorten the length of it for low-level work. 

The Slik PRO CF-834 tripod is designed for use with professional full-frame mirrorless and DSLR setups, and can be used with superzoom (150-600mm) lens models.

Key Features

• 8-layer carbon fibre build
• 4 leg sections
• 2-section central column
• 165cm max-height
• 19cm minimum shooting height
• Rubber feet (metal spikes available separately)
• ARS (Anti Rotational System) twist locks
• Buy now on Amazon UK, Amazon USA

Slik SGH-300 Gimbal Head 

The SGH-300 is a compact gimbal head designed to allow smooth tracking of moving objects such as wildlife or motorsport. The cradle design features a balancing adjustment, allowing you to compensate for a heavy lens when using it. It comes in a padded, zipped carry case.

There's a numbered grid next to the quick shoe allowing you to calculate the difference in weight between the camera and the lens, and adjust accordingly. There's a large knob at the top which adjusts the friction level needed to move the cradle, and a smaller knob at the bottom for the panning angle, turn them tight and the gimbal is locked into position. Both are marked in degrees so that you can see what angle you're shooting at. 

There's a blue knob that loosens the quick shoe and enables you to slide it backwards or forwards for the weight compensation feature. There's another knob to adjust the height of the camera platform, allowing you to align the optical axis of the lens to the tilting axis of the gimbal head. This feature is useful for landscapes and panoramas. 

Key Features

• Cradle design
• Camera/lens balancing adjustment
• Camera platform height adjustment
• Arca-swiss quick release plate
• Padded, zipped carry case
• Buy now on Amazon UK, Amazon USA

Slik PRO CF-834 Tripod & SGH-300 Compact Gimbal Head Performance

The tripod feels quite heavy and robust and feels well-made. For a professional, premium carbon tripod it's quite versatile, but it does lack a detachable monopod leg which a lot of competitor brands offer. 

The grips on the legs are good and chunky, making it easy to adjust them even when wearing gloves. At full height, the tripod feels sturdy. Leg joints are stiff to adjust, making it good for securing in the desired position. The leg angle locks are a little basic - there's no spring mechanism so you just have to pull it out, adjust the leg to the desired angle and push it back in. This makes it tricky to operate using only one hand. 

The chunky twist grip to loosen the central column is easy to operate and the two-part design means it's easy to remove and alter the height of the column if necessary. 

The kit is fairly weighty with the SGH-300 tripod head-mounted. Together they weigh almost 2.5kg, and when combined with the weight of your camera and lens this could prove fairly hefty. 

The gimbal head is robustly built, with well-gripped knobs - the largest of which is used to alter the vertical angle of the camera in the cradle. Movements are all silky smooth - making it easy to steadily track objects moving on both axes. Slik has been making tripods for 60 years - and that experience really shows in the engineering of this gimbal head. 

The SGH-300 is a precision-engineered gimbal head that enables smooth tracking of a range of photography subjects.

Value For Money

The Slik PRO CF-834 is available for £299 without a head, and the SGH-300 gimbal head retails for £199. Slik also manufactures a range of ball heads, 3-way tilt and piston grip heads compatible with the tripod. 

The Slik lacks a couple of features that would make it a more enticing purchase for the price - such as a removable monopod leg, grip and spirit levels. All in all, though, it's made from quality materials and is a sturdy pro tripod which can be used for a range of activities as long as you're ok with the weight and the compacted size - which isn't as small as some. You do get a decent carry case for both the tripod and head, which should make them easier to transport.  

Other tripods of a similar price and spec include the Cullmann Carvao 825MC, which is available for £250 and gives you the monopod leg as well as spiked feet and a larger max load. 

The gimbal head is very well made and will make a great addition to your kit if you shoot a lot of wildlife or transport images which require a precision setup. 

Not the right tripod for you? Find more options in our 'Best Tripods' roundup.  

Slik PRO CF-834 Tripod & SGH-300 Compact Gimbal Head Verdict

The Slik PRO CF-834 proves to be a sturdy base even when using a DSLR camera with a long lens. When combined with the SGH-300 gimbal head, it makes a great kit for those that will be shooting in one place for a while and tracking subjects. If you do a lot of moving around then you may well find it a little heavy - it falls into the remit of use for studio photography as well as outdoor pursuits. 

It's a good option for all-round use with occasional travel and is fast to set up and pack down. When combined with the Gimbal head you'll have yourself a high quality and well-damped setup which can be precisely positioned with ease.

The Slik PRO CF-834, when coupled with the SGH-300 gimbal head, provides a sturdy base for a variety of shooting applications, but especially for smoothly tracking moving objects. The tripod lacks a couple of premium features provided by others, but still provides a solid base.

Own this product? Let us know what you think of it in the EQDB. 

Slik PRO CF-834 + SGH-300 Gimbal head Specifications

View Full Product Details

Spotted a mistake? Let us know in the EQDB.