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Archive 2014 · Any long term owners of Feisol 3441 tripod(s) ? (and a hello..)

  
 
Bill Cone
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Any long term owners of Feisol 3441 tripod(s) ? (and a hello..)


Hello, I may not be your 'average' photographic gear obsessed member, but I do use cameras, telescopes and other photographic equipment in pursuing my visual interests, professionally and privately. I work in the computer animation industry as a designer, and on the side, as well as for work at times, I regularly paint out doors, and have been at it for about 18 years. I do yearly backpacking trips to the eastern Sierra with other artists to paint. I've used an old Manfrotto 3205s for many years to mount a paintbox, easel and umbrella on. My goal is to keep, or reduce the weight of the tripod, while increasing strength, as, on our next trip, we'll be at 11,000', and mostly out of the trees, so I'm expecting a fair amount of wind. I have nowhere near the need for precision and perfect damping that a long lens user will need, but I am looking for something durable, light weight, and more stable than what I currently am using. Of course I looked at Gitzo, but combining that with a strong (non-ballhead) mount begins to get absurdly costly for my less precise, analog needs. I don't mind paying for a bit of overkill in terms of weight capacity and stability though...

Towards that end the 3441T seems to fill the bill for the manner I plan on using it, and what I'm willing to pay. I only need a tilt type monopod head, and my goal weight is 3.5 lbs or less, including the head. The 'job' of the gear in this case is to be portable, hold up to gusts of wind (I'll weight down the center column with rocks), and hold my gear steady and level in uneven terrain, which is what the long legs will provide. One doesn't need a camera to have an unquenchable desire for stability when working out doors.

I'd appreciate hearing from Feisol users who can tell me how their gear is holding up after a few seasons of outdoor use and unintentional 'abuse'. Previous commenters have taken both sides with regard to its ease of use when hiking, etc. Others have mentioned that theirs was 'slowly falling apart..' but give no details. I don't mind paying more for less weight, increased strength, and would expect such products to be durable. My 15 year old Manfrotto is like an old pickup truck. I once drove over it in my car, and the only damage was squishing the lower part of the center column, which I carefully bent back to full functionality. So, how do the Feisols hold up being hauled around, scraped, blown over, dropped, etc.? (I don't intend to drive over another tripod, if I can help it). That's it. Any help appreciated.



Apr 17, 2014 at 06:22 PM
Andrew J
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Any long term owners of Feisol 3441 tripod(s) ? (and a hello..)


Mine held up to light duty use. They had to send me parts at least 5 times. A used Gitzo is a better deal. Feisol monopods are really great.


Apr 17, 2014 at 06:54 PM
jcolwell
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Any long term owners of Feisol 3441 tripod(s) ? (and a hello..)


Andrew J wrote:
... Feisol monopods are really great.





Apr 17, 2014 at 09:11 PM
Bill Cone
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Any long term owners of Feisol 3441 tripod(s) ? (and a hello..)


Thanks Andrew for your response. 5 times for parts? Care to elaborate all? Pm is fine. Or email. [email protected].
Specs are one thing, and real world use is another. There are many things I've obsessed details over, but have only recently focussed that sort of attention on tripod reliability and utility. I know what a workhorse is: an aluminum Manfrotto. If I can find a carbon fiber alternative that is sturdier, equally reliable, and weighs less, that is the goal. If Gitzo is it, I may have to bite the bullet.



Apr 17, 2014 at 11:14 PM
Lars Johnsson
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Any long term owners of Feisol 3441 tripod(s) ? (and a hello..)


I have owned the FEISOL Traveler Tripod CT-3441S Rapid a few years. It has been rather good. No repairs or problems.


Apr 18, 2014 at 01:41 AM
Bill Cone
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Any long term owners of Feisol 3441 tripod(s) ? (and a hello..)


Thanks Lars for your input. With these small samples every input means a great deal.


Apr 18, 2014 at 01:52 AM
peter_n
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Any long term owners of Feisol 3441 tripod(s) ? (and a hello..)


There's a guy over on the Canon forum who has just hammered a 3441T. I think it's 2 or 3 years old and he really abuses it. So far it has held up.



Apr 18, 2014 at 08:25 AM
Bill Cone
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Any long term owners of Feisol 3441 tripod(s) ? (and a hello..)


Thanks for the pm's a few individuals have sent me. Unfortunately, I apparently can't respond to them until I have reached a quota of 25 posts. A bit frustrating to get messages you can't respond to. Ah well.

I gather that individuals have had problems in the past, the service with Feisol is good, but slow, and that perhaps the move to machined metal parts have improved the quality and performance. (and upped the price)

One goes through this spec sheet research delirium phase, which I've been in for over a week. In any endeavor there's the reality and wisdom of experience with the equipment, which is what I'm after here. I welcome the input whether via post or pm, though I won't be able to respond to a pm.

The weather is beautiful here, so maybe I can sneak out of work a bit early, haul my slightly wobbly, overloaded tripod up to a hilltop and paint.



Apr 18, 2014 at 11:19 AM
Steve Walker
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Any long term owners of Feisol 3441 tripod(s) ? (and a hello..)


I have a 3442 (rather than the 3441 you asked about). I have had it for 2 years. It is great tripod and has stood up well to everything I have thrown at it. No repairs needed.

Based on my experience, I would buy another 3442 if anything happened to this one.

Good luck in your search!



Apr 18, 2014 at 01:20 PM
rdcny
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Any long term owners of Feisol 3441 tripod(s) ? (and a hello..)


https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1288091/0#12282586



Apr 18, 2014 at 02:01 PM
nma
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Any long term owners of Feisol 3441 tripod(s) ? (and a hello..)


Another satisfied user of Feisol 3442.

4 years with no problem. My use is episodic: nothing, then periods of intense use in demanding conditions such as sand, snow, mud, water ... As you may know, the 3442 may be purchased without a center column which is thought to improve the stability. Wind can be a problem with long lenses, depending its direction. I mark this as a universal problem for supporting long lenses, one that can be solved to some degree by adding weight or shielding the wind.




Apr 18, 2014 at 03:48 PM
Kris Reiswig
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Any long term owners of Feisol 3441 tripod(s) ? (and a hello..)


The long spikes help a lot with this tripod. I had not had any issues with mine.


Apr 18, 2014 at 04:33 PM
Bill Cone
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Any long term owners of Feisol 3441 tripod(s) ? (and a hello..)


Thanks Steve, rdcny, nma, and Kris for your comments. Good to hear that for some the gear is holding up. Wind can be as lousy for painting on a tripod as it is for cameras. There are times when I have to hold the easel with one hand and paint with the other so I can land my marks correctly. A lightweight tripod can only do so much. Luckily, where I'm going there will be plenty of rocks to weigh one down.


Apr 18, 2014 at 07:11 PM
peter_n
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Any long term owners of Feisol 3441 tripod(s) ? (and a hello..)


Not sure why you're stuck on a Feisol, there are other decent value brands. Induro tripods are popular on this forum, I don't use one but there have been positive reports here on their models.



Apr 19, 2014 at 07:48 AM
Bill Cone
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Any long term owners of Feisol 3441 tripod(s) ? (and a hello..)


Thanks for the suggestion Peter. I have so far studied Manfrotto, Gitzo, and Feisol. Induro has popped up in my web searches, but there never seemed to be an inertial mass of comments to herd me in that direction. Research continues... :


Apr 19, 2014 at 09:28 AM
jcolwell
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Any long term owners of Feisol 3441 tripod(s) ? (and a hello..)


I've used a Feisol CM-1471 Rapid monopod for about four years, with no issues at all. Based on this, I bought a Feisol CT-3441S tripod for travel, just about a year ago. So far, so good.


Apr 19, 2014 at 10:32 AM
Bill Cone
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Any long term owners of Feisol 3441 tripod(s) ? (and a hello..)


Thanks jcolwell. It is good to know there are some satisfied users with no problems. I appreciate the response.



Apr 20, 2014 at 09:45 AM
GroovyGeek
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Any long term owners of Feisol 3441 tripod(s) ? (and a hello..)


I used to have a Feisol. It was light and compact. It was unstable in the wind even with short lenses. The rubber feet came off really easy. The leg locks were not the most robust, particularly if you need to disassemble and clean often. The factory was good about sending spares. I understand they stand behind their product in terms of service, but paying for a round trip to Korea may not make economic sense. For your needs it may be good enough, though. I second the advice to compare to Benro Induro and used Gitzo.


Apr 20, 2014 at 01:44 PM
Bill Cone
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Any long term owners of Feisol 3441 tripod(s) ? (and a hello..)


Thanks GroovyGeek. It appears no one is dissatisfied with the timely service that Feisol provides the user in terms of parts and repair. However the plethora of such responses perhaps indicates shortcomings with regard to the product in the areas of design, materials, an/or fabrication. Perhaps a bit of all 3.

Off to look into Benro and Induro. Isn't Benro the 'ghost' company that was setup to specifically copy Gitzo?



Apr 21, 2014 at 10:21 AM
Smiert Spionam
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Any long term owners of Feisol 3441 tripod(s) ? (and a hello..)


Very satisfied with my Feisol 3402 for travel -- it has series 2-size legs, but weight between a Gitzo series 1 and 2. Stability is closer to series 2 than 1, so I consider it a good choice in its class.

If you want to take a decisive step up from Feisol, consider Gitzo. Beyond that, RRS.

I would never buy another product from Benro/Induro. I once owned a Benro head that was a piece of pot mmetal garbage, and they still smell far too much like a counterfeiter for my taste.



Apr 21, 2014 at 11:55 AM
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