The Vanguard VEO CP-65 Clamp and Accessory Kit offers a multitude of configurations for professional photographers and mobile photography hobbyists. The accessories are easy to assemble, and everything can be secured very well.
+ Advantages
Easy to use
Excellent build quality
Safe to use
Lightweight
Widely compatible
- Disadvantages
Remember that loosening the center nut causes the entire system to collapse, so be sure to hold your camera/phone/gear when you do so (or remove your device and replace it once you've made adjustments to the setup).
The kit includes three of Vanguard's best-selling accessories for mobile photography, so instead of buying them separately, you can now purchase a versatile kit that includes a clamp, a support arm, and a smartphone mount in one very cost-effective package.
The VEO CP-65 kit brings together the VEO CP-65 clamp, the VEO TSA DLX L tripod support arm and the VEO SPH smartphone holder. We are going to take a look at each of the products separately and then at the end assess their usefulness as a kit.
VEO CP-65 Clamp
The VEO CP-65 Clamp, when used with a support arm, can attach to your camera, smartphone, or accessory such as a light to a tripod leg or almost any surface. For example, you can attach the clamp to the edge of a table for close-ups or to the leg of your tripod when you want to use an action camera or smartphone alongside your main camera.
Main features:
- Can be attached to almost any object up to 65mm in diameter
- Molded rubber inner grip for maximum hold, even on smooth surfaces
- Three threaded holes (two 1/4" and one 3/8") available for attaching tripod support arms
- Weighs 0.35 lbs. with a maximum load capacity of 5.5 lbs.
VEO TSA DLX L
The VEO TSA DLX L tripod support arm is the intermediary you need to fix the VEO CP-65 clamp to your camera/smartphone/accessory. It is made of aluminum and is controlled via a simple lock button and two ball joints found at each end of the arm that allow you to position the arm.
Main features:
- Folds down to 6.6" and extends to 11.4"
- Weighs 0.6 lbs. with a maximum load capacity of 6.6 lbs.
- Serrated steel elbow joint for a solid grip
- Ball joints at both ends for maximum flexibility
VEO SPH Smartphone Holder
The final piece of the kit is the VEO SPH Smartphone Holder, which attaches to a support arm and can be used in landscape or portrait orientation. It is also rotatable to work on uneven terrain. To add more accessories, there's a cold shot mount on top, and since the holder is adjustable in width up to 3.54", it can also be used to hold other accessories or a power bank instead of a smartphone.
Main features:
- Fits any smartphone (or power bank) up to 3.5" wide
- Head rotates 360° for landscape, portrait or level shots on uneven terrain, and swivels +/- 40°
- Cold shoe mount on top
- 1/4" and 3/8" threads on the base so you can attach directly to any monopod or tripod (or mount additional support arms)
- Arca-compatible base can be attached directly to suitable tripod heads or independently
- weighs 0.4 lbs.
Handling and performance of the Vanguard VEO CP-65 Accessory Kit
To test the VEO CP-65 Accessory Kit, we'll take the Vanguard VEO 3+ 263CPS tripod out into the garden and attach the VEO CP-65 clamp, which easily adjusts as that the clamp can be adjusted to fit an object up to 65mm in diameter, also making it ideal for tabletop photography. The width of the caliper is adjusted by a coarse screw that allows for a good grip to ensure that the caliper is tight. Inside, the clamp's adjustable rubber feet ensure a good grip and prevent damage to any surface to which it is attached.
When it comes to attaching the support arms, there are 3 threaded holes (two 1/4-inch and one 3/8-inch) so you have multiple options and it can take the weight a bit of equipment. The caliper is made from solid CNC-machined aluminum and offers a reassuringly solid feel. You can tell that it is well made by touch. It certainly won't break easily, and when using it on the VEO 3+ 263CPS tripod, we didn't have any problems with it slipping and it was very easy to fix in place.
Attached to the VEO CP-65 clamp is the VEO TSA DLX L, which is also made from aluminum and is incredibly well-crafted. We love the chunky single lock knob that makes it easy to get a good grip to adjust the angle of the arm. This knob also loosens the ball joints at each end of the arm so you can adjust the position of the arm and/or the angle of the camera. It's important to remember that this can happen, as on one occasion, we didn't have a good grip on our arm when adjusting the angle and our camera panned down a bit faster than we would have liked. To avoid this, just make sure you're holding the arm, or better yet, make sure you're happy with the setup before adding the kit.
Although the same locking mechanism loosens the ball joints, they don't move on their own when loosened, you have to physically move them, which is reassuring. They also have a fair amount of resistance when you adjust their position, again giving reassurance that your kit is secure. When not in use, the arm folds down, and the choice of 1/4-inch and 1/8-inch means the tripod support arm can be attached directly to the clamp at one end and then a camera, light or the microphone on the other, giving it multiple purposes.
At the end of the support arm of the VEO TSA DLX L is the VEO SPH smartphone holder. The smartphone holder folds for easy portability and easily configures to securely hold your smartphone. A screw opens/closes the clamp section of the mount to give more/less space to the smartphone (depending on its size) and each end has rubber feet that fold out for a more secure hold.
A ball joint allows you to rotate the mount 360 degrees so you can capture both landscapes and portraits, and when working on uneven terrain, you'll be able to level your shot more easily. It also rotates =/- 40 degrees. We have to say that the VEO SPH mobile holder is one of the best smartphone holders we have used in terms of functionality, and it is also very well made; it feels solid in the hand and robust. Of course, be careful where you attach the support to your smartphone, since you do not want it to press any buttons or controls. If this means the smartphone has to stick out more towards one end, it won't matter, because even though it will be unbalanced, the mount will have a really good grip on the device so it doesn't fall off.
The smartphone base mount is Arca-compatible, so it can be used on any suitable ball head, and the threads allow it to be attached directly to any tripod. If you want to add even more accessories, there's a cold mount shoe on top.
Overall, the Vanguard VEO CP-65 Accessory Kit offers photographers a more cost-effective way to access more creative photo montages with a variety of kits. It's incredibly well made, feels built to last, and really easy to set up/use.
Value for money
The Vanguard VEO CP-65 accessory kit is priced at $189.99, which, when compared to similar accessories available, is a very reasonable price (even more so when you take into account the quality of the construction and the materials used). In addition, it is much cheaper to buy the kit than all the items separately. There are other clamps, support arms, and smartphone mounts available on Amazon for a wide range of prices, but we can't guarantee quality, as we haven't taken a look at any that are available. You can also buy a smaller VEO CP-46 kit with a 46mm diameter clamp and a shorter tripod support arm.
Vanguard CP-65 VEO Accessory Kit Verdict
Vanguard's VEO CP-65 Accessory Kit provides photographers and smartphone users with all the accessories they need to create a versatile and highly useful setup. Whether it's multi-mounting on a tripod where you need an extra camera, microphone or other accessory, or when you want to capture images with a smartphone on a tripod, the Vanguard VEO CP-65 accessory kit gives you all the tools you need.
Overall, the Vanguard VEO CP-65 Kit offers a diverse and useful collection of accessories that are compatible with a wide range of photography kits and offer a multitude of shooting configurations.
Pros:
Easy to use
Excellent build quality
Safe to use
Lightweight
Wide compatibility
Cons:
Remember that loosening the center wing nut causes the entire system to collapse, so be sure to hold your camera/phone/gadget when doing so (or removing your device and put it back once you have made adjustments to the settings).