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Sirui SVM-145P: two-minute review
Monopods are useful camera supports in a range of situations, and many tripods come with a detachable leg that can be converted into a monopod, a system that works extremely well. With this in mind, you might wonder why you’d need to buy a dedicated monopod. In a nutshell, the answer is that monopods like the Sirui SVM-145P bring something much more versatile and robust to the table.
As the name suggests, this is a monopod with a maximum height of 145cm, or 57.1 inches, while the P signifies ‘pedal’. The pedal is used to quickly release the lock at the bottom of the monopod to allow for 20 degrees of tilt and 360 degrees of rotation, providing the movement you need when the three metal feet are being used for stability.
An interesting feature is that there’s a friction control, which allows you to control how loose or restricted these two movements are. This is useful when shooting video because it allows for smoother pans and tilts.
You can, of course, attach a fluid tripod head for video and use this for panning rather than the monopod itself. My only criticism of the friction control is that the dial at the top of the feet section is itself stiff to turn. Stiff is good to avoid movements caused by accidental knocks, but it’s arguably too stiff.
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You can, in fact, hold the toes folded up, by which configuration the SVM-145P performs like a typical monopod with a rubber foot on the backside that may also be rotated to disclose a spike. The toes may also be faraway from the monopod, which reduces dimension and weight whenever you require solely fundamental performance.
Moving on to the minimal peak of the SVM-145P, the minimal in monopod mode is 77cm / 30.3 inches, which isn’t significantly low. The SVM-145P, nonetheless, has one other trick up its sleeve: quick-release toes and the mounting plate the place a tripod head will be hooked up.
These can then be put collectively to create a desktop / mini tripod, which is roughly 20cm / 7.87 inches. The mounting plate additionally includes a 1/4-inch or 3/8-inch self-adaptive thread to permit tripod heads with both thread dimension to be hooked up.
The desktop tripod’s minimal peak isn’t listed within the specs, solely the minimal heights of the essential monopod and monopod-plus-feet configuration. Adding a tripod head to the toes with the bottom hooked up will inevitably improve the minimal peak, but it surely stays low to the bottom, or not too excessive when positioned on a desk or desk. There’s no denying that it’s a helpful and fascinating function for a monopod.
Operation of the SVM-145P is fast and simple, with a easy twist lock on the prime for extending and retracting the monopod. Plus, there’s the quick-release mounting plate for switching between monopod and desktop modes.
The goal of this design is velocity of operation, and it actually achieves this. The means to maneuver the SVM-145P rapidly and to simply set it up in seconds additionally makes it appropriate for fast-paced taking pictures conditions. It’s undoubtedly a lot faster to arrange than a tripod, for example.
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As far as monopods go, this one is fairly chunky, with the thickest tube having a 36mm / 1.42-inch diameter. The weight of the SVM-145P and not using a head is 1.49kg / 3.3lbs, so as soon as a head is hooked up, it’s going to weigh as a lot as many journey tripods.
When you take away the steel toes, the general weight is lowered by 720g / 1.6lbs. The most payload of the monopod is 10kg / 22lbs, which is able to embrace the tripod head for those who connect one, however leaves loads of room for a lot of digital camera and lens mixtures.
The SVM-145P doesn’t include a head included. This frees you to decide on your personal head, in addition to offering the power to make use of totally different heads relying on what and the way you’re taking pictures. This is customary on the earth of mid-to-higher-end tripods and monopods, however increasingly journey tripods include a ball head included, which does scale back general value.
My largest points with the SVM-145P are that it weighs as a lot as some journey tripods which have multi-functionality, together with monopod and desktop tripod modes, and the associated fee. The construct high quality and performance are unbelievable for a monopod, but it surely additionally prices the identical as many journey tripods, which additionally include a head included.
Sirui SVM-145P: key specs
|
Head |
Purchased individually |
|
Leg sections |
Three |
|
Height |
770mm – 1450mm / 30.3 inches – 57.1 inches |
|
Weight |
1.53kg / 3.4lbs |
|
Max Payload |
10kg / 22.04lbs |
|
Material |
Carbon fiber |
Sirui SVM-145P: Price and availability
The Sirui SVM-145P is accessible now and prices $274 / £239, which places it in the same value vary to many journey tripods, and the SVM-145P doesn’t even embrace a tripod head. You can use the monopod and not using a head, which is right when utilizing it to help bigger telephoto lenses, however for common photograph and video seize a tripod head does enhance dealing with and management.
With this in thoughts, the SVM-145P is sort of costly. On the opposite hand, it’s way more feature-packed than a fundamental monopod or one which’s only a transformed tripod leg. If you’re searching for a high-quality monopod and can get loads of use from it, this may very well be a unbelievable choice to think about. If, nonetheless, you solely want to make use of a monopod sometimes, you is perhaps higher off with a less expensive different.
There are additionally a number of different monopods obtainable within the SVM vary, with totally different heights, with and with out the foot pedal that lets you swap between a locked monopod and pan and tilt actions when the toes are in use. This means you may select the peak and performance that works greatest for you, however because the mannequin that loosely sits within the center, the SVM-145P is more likely to be one of many extra well-liked choices within the vary.
Sirui SVM-145P: Also take into account
Should I purchase the Sirui SVM-145P?
Buy it if…
Don’t purchase it if…
How I examined the Sirui SVM-145P
- I examined it in all configurations
- I used it with totally different digital camera and lens mixtures
- I examined it with and and not using a tripod head
I examined the Sirui SVM-145P for greater than per week in conditions when a monopod is probably the most applicable answer, utilizing it to seize each a spread of photographic topics and video. I additionally examined it alongside a journey tripod, in order that I might straight evaluate the professionals and cons of every system.
First reviewed October 2025