Is this Benro carbon-fiber Travel Flat tripod a great little tripod or what? Compare the specs and prices between the Benro and the Gitzo equivalent.
Main specs: C-1190T vs GT-1542T
Max Load: 17.6 lb vs 15.4 lbs
Max Height: 52.6" vs 45.8"
Folded Length: 16.3" vs 16.7"
Leg Sections: 5 vs 4 sections
Weight: 1.8 lbs vs 2.2 lbs
Price: $348.00 vs $490.00
The nicest thing about the Benro is that it is 6" taller than the Gitzo w/o using the center column, as I like to use my tripod.
Don't get me wrong ... I love Gitzo tripods and I am currently using a GT 2540 with a Z1 monoball and RRS lever-clamp ... but I need something very light for travel. Would be nice if it has 4 leg sections instead of 5 but, well ... I guess you can't have everything.
Does anyone here have any experience with this tripod and can weigh in?
I have a Benro CF Travel Angel tripod and I love its portability and reliability. I've never had problems using mine with my lighter d90 + tamron 17-50 landscape setup. Can't comment on their larger tripods though.
Check out the Velbon Lexi and Rexi, Under 14" folder, under 3lbs, under $200 and also 5 feet tall without center column and with 3 position adjustable legs etc
Fantastic travel tripods that replaced my Gitzo for about 1/4th the price
Interesting ... but what material is it made of? Carbon fiber is light, rigid and damps well. I am a little suspicious as to how the Velbon tripods can be so light and compact and yet so inexpensive. Something has to give or Gitzo and Manfrotto will be out of business real soon!
millsart wrote:
Check out the Velbon Lexi and Rexi, Under 14" folder, under 3lbs, under $200 and also 5 feet tall without center column and with 3 position adjustable legs etc
Fantastic travel tripods that replaced my Gitzo for about 1/4th the price
Its aluminum and that's why its under $200, but still very light and honestly, the 60" height without raising center column, 3 position adjustable legs, and ability to fold down to under 14" really made it beat out my Traveler in terms of overall usefulness. I tried nearly all the travel style tripods and found they were all too short and I hated stooping over all the time. Anything of a decent height though was over 14" folded and just not quite portable enough. Likewise, theres also the worry about a $600 tripod left in my hotel room, baggage etc that I don't really have with the Velbon since its cheap enough that I could replace it if need be.
All and all best tripod I've owned for the combination of size/weight/cost/stability
I've got other Gitzo's as well but even with my D3 I quite often just grab the Rexi because its easy and does the job
Carbon fiber is lighter than aluminum and it does a better job of damping vibration. Also, I am nervous about the reliability and durability of the friction leg-locking system. But I have to say that it's a pretty interesting concept for a compact/lightweight option. I am still leaning towards the Benro C1190T.
My first tripod had 5 leg sections; never again! Four sections is now the most I'll go and I use a Benro C2680T traveler; a better tripod than my Gitzo 1541T traveler. If you're buying a travel tripod get a Markins Q3T ballhead for it, they are very good.
Yeah ... a 5-section legset is definitely more wobbly than a 4-section legset, so I ordered a Feisol CT-3401 as well, and I will most likely keep the Feisol and send the Benro back. The Feisol is also less expensive, and I think their products are generally more reliable than Benro. I like that the Feisol also comes with a flat platform (with a hook) as I have a dislike for the center column which compromises the overall stability.
One other good thing about the Feisol ... it comes with a 3-year warranty vs a 1-year warranty for the Benro. That says a lot about their confidence in the quality and reliability of their products.
peter_n wrote:
My first tripod had 5 leg sections; never again! Four sections is now the most I'll go and I use a Benro C2680T traveler; a better tripod than my Gitzo 1541T traveler. If you're buying a travel tripod get a Markins Q3T ballhead for it, they are very good.
Bobby,
I have the Feisol CT-3342. I got it for its lightweight, and wow...
I did not realize how really nice this tripod is...
Check out the specs, as it beats the Benro and Gitzo you have listed.
Not familiar with the one you were just discussing, but Kerry Thalmann is
great to work with at Really Big Cameras .com...
Thumbs up all the way...
My Gitzo is very nice, but, glad I also got the Feisol!!
Thanks for dropping by! I just had a look at the CT-3442 specs ... and I still prefer the CT-3401 that I ordered because (1) 52" height is good enough for me as I am not very tall, (2) the folded length is practically the same, (3) the max load of 20 lbs is more than I need ... and most importantly (4) the CT-3401 is $115 cheaper!
The only nice thing about the Benro is that it folds flat to only 16".
Update on the Benro C1190T. I have just now received the tripod and, OMG ... it looks very nice indeed! It folds down flat to only 16" and weighs between 1.8 and 1.9 lbs! And because the height is 52.6" I will never ever have to use the separate center post - so that can stay at home in the nice bag, permanently. I thought the 5-section legs may be a little bit wobbly, but No, the 1 Series legs are very rigid when fully extended, as long as you lock them down tight. It would be nice if they give us a 3-year warranty like Feisol, but heck, I will take the 1-year warranty and keep the tripod.
I recommend Feisols to people =>5ft 10in, otherwise I like the Benros. They are improved Gitzo copies that take Gitzo and (some) RRS parts. Both are good products I think the Feisol's base platform used to be a weak design but they have improved it. I don't think one brand is necessarily better than the other, now it seems to be inspection and quality control that is key; you can get a good or a bad sample of Gitzo, Benro or Feisol. Unfortunately it's not possible to know the percentages as all you generally hear about is things that have gone wrong. FWIW I have a Slik, three Gitzos and a Benro and they have all been fine. My Benro has a 3 year warranty.
peter_n wrote:
I recommend Feisols to people =>5ft 10in, otherwise I like the Benros. They are improved Gitzo copies that take Gitzo and (some) RRS parts. Both are good products I think the Feisol's base platform used to be a weak design but they have improved it. I don't think one brand is necessarily better than the other, now it seems to be inspection and quality control that is key; you can get a good or a bad sample of Gitzo, Benro or Feisol. Unfortunately it's not possible to know the percentages as all you generally hear about is things that have gone wrong. FWIW I have a Slik, three Gitzos and a Benro and they have all been fine. My Benro has a 3 year warranty. ...Show more →
