Reviews |Vanguard VEO TSA DLX M Review

Vanguard VEO TSA DLX M Review

Item: Vanguard VEO TSA DLX M Review
Rating: 5
Author: Ali Jennings

A truly solid accessory arm that you can rely on

Review

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Saturday February 5, 2022

By Ali Jennings

Price when reviewed

£79

$89

Check current price

Our Verdict

Accessory arms are a great way to hold audio devices, field monitors or other accessories to your tripod, and for me, they’ve become essential. The issue is that while there’s a good selection of options out there, most opt for the simple clamp approach; while this works for lighter weight kits, it isn’t always ideal for larger and heavier equipment.

Vanguard has released the VEO TSA DLX M, a sleek and solid functioning accessory arm that instantly makes it one of the best professional choices out there.

The arm features a large locking knob that makes tightening easy, and once locked in place, it is locked solid. It’s also one of only a few accessories arms that feature accessory port stops, and the design makes it easy to swap between 1/4 and 3/8-inch threads to suit the support.

If you need an accessory arm, then the VEO TSA DLX is by far one of the best.

For

Extremely well made
Hold accessories solid
Plenty of flexibility

Against

Expensive

What is the VEO TSA DLX M?

The VEO TSA DLX is an accessory arm designed to screw into the side of a tripod or other compatible support so that you can attach accessories.

Accessory arms such as the VEO TSA DLX M are incredibly useful for mounting accessories that need to be positioned, such as field monitors; because the arm is fully articulated, you can move the accessory easily into the exact position you need. This means that with an ATOMOS Ninja V attached or Tascam DR40, you can easily manipulate the position to give a good view of the screen when monitoring visuals or audio levels.

The VEO TSA DLX M is a seemingly simple device, but it’s surprising how difficult it is to find a good one that offers so much flexibility over how it can be used.

Performance

As a camera, or in this case, tripod accessory goes, there isn’t a great deal to the VEO TSA DLX M. It’s an accessory arm with a free moving screw thread on each end and a large knob in the middle that releases the locking mechanism.

When unlocked, the two sections of the arm can be folded out, with the two contact ends fully articulated so that they can be positioned as needed. When the large knob in the centre is rotated, the entire system locks tight, and I mean tight.

The VEO TSA DLX M has far more going for it than many other accessory arms out there. Along with the arm, there are different options for the screw threads in the box. This means that you have the option to change the standard 1/4-inch threads to 3/8-inch as and when you need, dependent on the support.

I swapped between the Benro M3 and the Manfrotto 635, and swapping threads on the arm took a couple of minutes with an Allen key. Obviously, this isn’t something you do all the time, and you would usually stick with one thread for your set-up.

Another nice feature is that if you’re using a tripod or other support with a locking design, the small grip from the ends can be removed to reveal the solid stops. Using this with compatible large-format tripods ensures that the arm holds solid even with weighty accessories attached.

Verdict

Accessory arms are an integral part of my kit bag, and most of my tripods have one permanently attached, ready to fit an audio recorder or monitor.

The VEO TSA DLX M is one of the best accessory arms I have used; there’s plenty of flexibility over the use, it’s incredibly well made and does that job perfectly.

The design, however, isn’t just limited to Vanguard tripods and works equally well with models from Manfrotto, Benro and 3LT, making it a great buy for anyone wanting an accessory arm.

As ever, with a piece of kit that will last a lifetime and is so useful, it does come with a price tag. However, if you use friction arms or have been looking to invest, then I would highly recommend stretching your budget to buy the Vanguard VEO TSA DLX M over a cheaper alternative.