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Archive 2016 · Tripods with a multi-angle centre column...

  
 
Abbott Schindl
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p.2 #1 · p.2 #1 · Tripods with a multi-angle centre column...


You might also consider making a simple groundpod; search for the term and you'll see a lot of ideas. I built one using a piece of acrylic, several 3/8-16 bolts for leveling, and a stud for mounting a ballhead. I get more use from this than I did from my Gitzo Explorer. While I liked the Explorer, I thought the weight added by the pivoting column was too much—for my purposes, the Explorer provided less utility than my Systematic, while the Systematic lacked some of the ability to get close to lower subjects that the Explorer provided. The groundpod adds about as much weight to my kit as the pivoting mechanism added to the Explorer (compared to a similar-size Mountaineer) and gives me the versatility I need. As you've observed, it really depends on what you want the support to do for you, your budget, and your willingness to carry gear.

BTW: While the attached photo shows a Novoflex head, I also use a RRS BH-40; head choice is up to you.





Abbott's groundpod




Aug 30, 2016 at 11:38 AM
artificialyello
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p.2 #2 · p.2 #2 · Tripods with a multi-angle centre column...



freetime101 wrote:
Thanks all, some really informative responses - definitely food for thought.

I think I'll stick with aluminium for now with a view to getting a more specialised tripod in the future - this one is going to be a jack of all trades to determine what I'll actually use it for. One of the things I want is to get low which means either a horizontal centre post or no centre post, hence looking at these models.


I got one of these for the above purpuse:

http://www.tecnocroma.com.br/benro%20A2970T%20min.jpg

It's a Benro A2980T with a tiltable center collum. YMMV. The feet are a tad soft, so you might need to use the included spikes and the nobs aint that smoth. It does carry heavier gear than my Totalux though. Whatever, it's a discontinued product and if the price is right...

Edit: The picture shows the 2970, it has two extensions instead of three but does the same tricks...



Aug 30, 2016 at 02:05 PM
peter_n
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p.2 #3 · p.2 #3 · Tripods with a multi-angle centre column...


freetime101 wrote:
Has anyone used the Benro FGP28A or FGP28C?

And finally, other than weight, does carbon fibre offer anything magical over aluminium?


Those Benro models are not sold in the US (yet), they are functionally identical but stylistic upgrades to their earlier model range. Nice blue highlights on the end bits. I use a Benro A2970T, also not sold here so I had to get it from Australia. Mine is a three leg-section model that I almost exclusively use indoors, it's very sturdy and the center post mechanism is of an all-mechanical ratcheting design. It's a little on the heavy side but there's no creep because of the gears. The downside is that you don't get a super precise angle but I use a geared ballhead with mine and that solves the problem, which is a very small problem BTW.

I'm glad to see these new models because I noticed that the prior model range was getting much harder to find, and I assumed Benro was phasing them out due to low demand but apparently not. They work really well and there aren't too many manufacturers making tripods with articulating center posts. If you decide to get a Benro tripod don't buy the kit version with a Benro ballhead. Their tripods are good but their ballheads leave a lot to be desired.

Carbon fiber doesn't add anything magical over aluminum but it does absorb vibration quicker and it's lighter. In most cases it's quite a bit lighter than aluminum but with Benro tripods there's a consistently smaller difference in the weights. The aluminum tube wall thickness is thin on mine but the tripod is very stable. On the very few occasions I've used it outside I've not experienced any stability issues at all.







Aug 30, 2016 at 09:58 PM
Michael White
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p.2 #4 · p.2 #4 · Tripods with a multi-angle centre column...


Why not use a magic arm clamp to something solid or your existing center column below the head that should be very flexible and sturdy, if you have to take a tent peg drive it in the ground use a strap to between it and the lowest part od the center column to steady it or sandbag it. I used magic arm to hold paint pole light pod in the past by mounting it to my monopod that had legs.


Aug 30, 2016 at 10:53 PM
freetime101
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p.2 #5 · p.2 #5 · Tripods with a multi-angle centre column...


Abbott Schindl wrote:
You might also consider making a simple groundpod; search for the term and you'll see a lot of ideas. I built one using a piece of acrylic, several 3/8-16 bolts for leveling, and a stud for mounting a ballhead. I get more use from this than I did from my Gitzo Explorer. While I liked the Explorer, I thought the weight added by the pivoting column was too much—for my purposes, the Explorer provided less utility than my Systematic, while the Systematic lacked some of the ability to get close to lower subjects that the Explorer provided. The groundpod
...Show more

That's genius, I'll be stealing your idea, thanks



Aug 31, 2016 at 07:01 AM
freetime101
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p.2 #6 · p.2 #6 · Tripods with a multi-angle centre column...


Thanks for the replies, it's good to hear that people have been pleased with Benro's previous designs, in theory this latest one should be even better...


Aug 31, 2016 at 07:02 AM
freetime101
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p.2 #7 · p.2 #7 · Tripods with a multi-angle centre column...


Thanks for the replies, it's good to hear that people have been pleased with Benro's previous designs, in theory this latest one should be even better...


Aug 31, 2016 at 07:02 AM
freetime101
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p.2 #8 · p.2 #8 · Tripods with a multi-angle centre column...


peter_n wrote:
If you decide to get a Benro tripod don't buy the kit version with a Benro ballhead. Their tripods are good but their ballheads leave a lot to be desired.


Oh really, what's wrong with them? I was going to go for the B1 ball head as it matches the tripod - I've never seen or tested it though.

What ball head would you recommend for £100? My only requirements is that it's suited to the tripod legs (FGP28A, rated at 14kg) and has an Arca Swiss mount for the camera.

Cheers



Aug 31, 2016 at 07:08 AM
peter_n
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p.2 #9 · p.2 #9 · Tripods with a multi-angle centre column...


^ It's rare for tripod manufacturers to make really good tripods and ballheads. In the case of Benro I think they've improved a bit in the last few years but initially they were lambasted in their ballhead reviews. They really were junk although as I say they're a bit better now. They just haven't focused on the ballhead and these kits are sold at a price that is poor value because you can get a much better quality ballhead for just a wee bit more money.

I'd recommend you look at the Sirui K-20X and K-30X which I know you can get in the UK (they're also sold on Amazon UK). They are a highly rated value ballhead that will cost just a bit more than £100. I've played with heavily used versions of these heads and they worked really well. Check out the reviews for yourself on this forum and elsewhere.



Aug 31, 2016 at 09:35 AM
CreationBear
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p.2 #10 · p.2 #10 · Tripods with a multi-angle centre column...


Peter-- apologies to the OP, but have you reviewed the Sunwayphoto geared head any where? (I love my Manfrotto 410, but for backcountry work here in the Smoky Mountains, it makes for a heavy pack by the end of the day.)




Aug 31, 2016 at 12:27 PM
Ian.Dobinson
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p.2 #11 · p.2 #11 · Tripods with a multi-angle centre column...


Macrogirl wrote:
I have heard the Uni-loc tripods are very adjustable, and made in the UK.



I have a UNILOCK . got it years ago . if you have a like for fighting with a Bagpipe playing Octopus then you'll like the unlock




Sep 01, 2016 at 02:06 AM
peter_n
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p.2 #12 · p.2 #12 · Tripods with a multi-angle centre column...


CreationBear wrote:
Peter-- apologies to the OP, but have you reviewed the Sunwayphoto geared head any where?


I haven't reviewed it, its my first geared head and so I have no other experience for comparison. I had read up on other peoples' comments about the head on this forum and elsewhere so I sort of knew what to expect, but when it arrived I was surprised at how stiff the two knobs were. As everyone said though, they became smooth pretty quickly. I replaced the panning clamp with a RRS clamp and so far it has worked well, although it's not for heavy gear. I'm using it with film rangefinders, a Rolleiflex TLR and a Sony mirrorless camera and its a treat to use over a ballhead in certain situations. I've hung a very heavy Fotoman 617 panoramic camera plus Schneider lens off it for a couple of days to see if it moved - it didn't. So far I like the head a lot and I wish I'd bought a geared head much earlier than last winter.

We are OT so if you want to follow up PM me and I can give you more details.



Sep 01, 2016 at 06:10 AM
Fotografpaul
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p.2 #13 · p.2 #13 · Tripods with a multi-angle centre column...


CreationBear wrote:
Peter-- apologies to the OP, but have you reviewed the Sunwayphoto geared head any where? (I love my Manfrotto 410, but for backcountry work here in the Smoky Mountains, it makes for a heavy pack by the end of the day.)




I had the 410 for years, as well as it's big brother 405. Great heads for the money, but they are big and need to be "modified" to take Arca Swiss plates.

The sunway, now discontinued is a copy of the AS D4, before the retailer in Sweden stopped selling it i had a play with it. While ok, it's certainly a case of you get what you pay for. I consider the 410 smoother, the sunway is however smaller and lighter and if you don't plan using heavy gear and not to picky about handling and smoothness it will work fine.

For me it's a not a good fit as im used to both the 405 and 410 both which i find very good for the money. albeit cumbersome to get on location.

The AS D4 is on a whole different level, both in terms of quality and price..



Sep 01, 2016 at 07:23 AM
CreationBear
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p.2 #14 · p.2 #14 · Tripods with a multi-angle centre column...


To make amends for the earlier thread-jack, I will say you might give the Uni-loc a second look, especially if it comes with an articulating center column, as mine does. Here's a video of the heavier "System" tripod, but it does show how the column can allow for rock solid, ground-level shooting.



FWIW, I also own an Induro CX214 that's quite similar to its Benro cousins pictured above--it's carbon fiber, so is much easier to haul, but for "wildflower season" here in the Southern Appalachians I find the Uni to be a more versatile option in rough terrain.



Sep 01, 2016 at 09:13 AM
freetime101
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p.2 #15 · p.2 #15 · Tripods with a multi-angle centre column...


Thanks, the Uni-loc looks a bit overkill for my needs... I think I'm set on the Benro FGP28A, I just need to choose a head.

The Sirui K-20X looks interesting, and within budget. However the Benro FGP28A can be bought with the B1 head for £239: http://www.cameraworld.co.uk/benro-go-plus-travel-aluminium-tripod-fgp28a-b2-ballhead.html. The tripod itself is £159 making the B2 £80 if bought as part of this bundle. The K-20X is £!19 from the same store (on offer) - it's 50% more expensive but is it 50% better?

Cheers



Sep 02, 2016 at 07:31 AM
peter_n
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p.2 #16 · p.2 #16 · Tripods with a multi-angle centre column...


^ Your link to Cameraworld is mangled (returns http:///) but I did visit the site and read the specs of the tripod. It appears to have a fully articulating center column.

To respond to your question some keep their Benro ballheads and some sell on pretty quickly. You can get the K-20X for £110 on Amazon so that's a 38% difference. But we're talking very little money in absolute amounts here.

I should add that I personally don't use any Sirui products but I have briefly used their ballheads in trade shows and dealers and have been impressed with the quality and durability. A couple years ago I was in the B&H store in NYC and played with the K-20, 30 and 40. All had clearly been there for a long time and looked very beat up. All worked really well and were smooth in operation. My take on them is that they're very good value for money and apparently durable.



Sep 02, 2016 at 10:31 AM
freetime101
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p.2 #17 · p.2 #17 · Tripods with a multi-angle centre column...


Thanks Peter, not sure why the link got mangled but glad you found it the long way around

I took a very serious look at the Sirui heads - they do look good. But the B2 will cost me £80 if bought as part of the kit, which is roughly what they are going for on eBay. So I've gone for the kit... If it turns out to be rubbish worst case is that I'll sell on eBay and buy the Sirui. I read this review (and the second part of testing) before buying which in summary, states that the B2 is good for the money: http://www.scvphotoideas.com/2010/11/benro-b-2-ball-head.html

Further thoughts, and a quick review to come once the tripod is delivered



Sep 04, 2016 at 04:01 PM
freetime101
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p.2 #18 · p.2 #18 · Tripods with a multi-angle centre column...


Well, queue the told you so's, I've had the tripod a week now and it's pants.

Ok so maybe that's a bit harsh, it's ok for the price, but not as good as I was hoping, it's mid range price wise but the design is poor and the 14kg rating is optimistic to put it politely - it struggles to hold my 40D still... Here it is in a bit more detail:

The tripod comes with a nice padded bag with two external pockets. Thanks to the reverse folding legs the tripod still fits in the bag with a head attached. You also get an allen key, bag hook and three metal spikes to swap for the rubber feet. This is probably the best bit.
The tripod gets reasonably high and very low - in terms of a flexible design it's brilliant. You can position the camera more or less anywhere you want it. It's keeping the camera still that's the problem.

The B2 head:
Not bad, not great. The ball moves smoothly and holds my 40D with 24-105L in place when the tension is set to around 7. However when the locking knob is tightened the whole thing droops, not sure why. Easily worked around but not ideal. There is also a tight spot on the panning base, not a disaster, but not the precision but of kit I was hoping for. I did a quick comparison with the gorilla pod ball head and think the gorilla pod is better despite being smaller and cheaper...

The legs:
First impressions are good, the legs are nice and thick, feel sturdy and have beefy twist locks. The rubber feet can be swapped for the (included) metal spikes and, my favourite bit, to change the leg angle you pull out a metal tab and push it back in to lock the legs at one of three angles. I prefer this to other tripods where you push a button to unlock and a spring locks it. The benro seems simple and robust, however...
I've used them once in the field and broken them already... thumbs down Benro, your durability sucks. The legs have a none rotating design which is great for the twist locks but after one day out one of the legs now clicks and can be twisted all the way around. Poor.

The column:
This is the tripods greatest feature, but worst bit. The whole design lets the tripod down completely. The column can be rotated 180 degrees which is great, but is only held in place via one tiny clamp so the whole thing wobbles terribly. I expected this when the column was out at an angle, but not when it's fully retracted. There is plenty of room underneath the central base to add a stiffening collar. This wouldn't help the column when it's out at an angle but would stabilize it when used vertically. The wobble introduced through this poor design makes the whole tripod (rated to an optimistic 14kg) less stable that my cheap Manfrotto which is only rated to 2 or 3kg.
Also, it's nice that they include a bag hook, but the hook catches on the base clamp preventing you from rotating the column - you have to take the hook off every time you want to rotate the column. Stupid design, poorly thought through. Easily fixed with a bit of string and a carabiner but whoever designed this bit needs a slap.

The monopod:
One of the legs unscrews from the tripod and can be attached directly to the centre column to make a monopod. I think this is a great feature and works well. No complaints about this bit.

So in summary:
Am I expecting too much from a £239 tripod? Probably.
This doesn't come close to the performance of better brands, but it's not priced to either. The build quality and design feels better than the Vanguard, but the performance is about the same so for half the price I'd go with the Vanguard.
The Gitzo is still out price wise but I think overlooking the Manfrotto was a mistake - there's a reason they're so popular.
With a few small tweaks the Benro could be excellent, but for me, the FGP28A doesn't justify it's price.

I'd love for Benro to read this review and tweak the design, if they do I'd love to try the mk II. But I won't be holding my breath...

As for Cameraworld. they quote 2-4 working days delivery, but I placed my order at around 11 o'clock on Saturday night and it arrived Tuesday morning - that's next working day - can't complain about that!
I haven't tried to return the tripod under warranty for the broken leg though, not sure I'll bother as it still works.

Cheers



Sep 13, 2016 at 03:49 AM
artificialyello
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p.2 #19 · p.2 #19 · Tripods with a multi-angle centre column...


Abbott Schindl wrote:
You might also consider making a simple groundpod; search for the term and you'll see a lot of ideas. I built one using a piece of acrylic, several 3/8-16 bolts for leveling, and a stud for mounting a ballhead. I get more use from this than I did from my Gitzo Explorer. While I liked the Explorer, I thought the weight added by the pivoting column was too much—for my purposes, the Explorer provided less utility than my Systematic, while the Systematic lacked some of the ability to get close to lower subjects that the Explorer provided. The groundpod
...Show more

A clear cut case that you get what you pay for! ヅ



Sep 13, 2016 at 02:22 PM
peter_n
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p.2 #20 · p.2 #20 · Tripods with a multi-angle centre column...


freetime101 wrote:
Well, queue the told you so's, I've had the tripod a week now and it's pants.


Very sorry to hear you've had a bad experience. You should return the tripod/head for a refund as is sounds like you purchased a defective product.

This model you bought is an "updated" version of mine. Its a slightly different design but the fundamentals are the same as far as I can tell from the pictures on the seller's web page and the specs.

All I can say is that mine is now about 3+ years old and it has been absolutely great. I also have a Benro travel tripod of very similar construction that I bought as a backup to a Gitzo traveler, then sold the Gitzo a year later as the Benro was (is) the better tripod. Its now in it's 6th year of being hammered and its just really durable, it looks very used but its working fine.

It may be that this range of tripods with the blue highlights is a cost-reduced model. Benro is a huge manufacturer and an OEM for many brand names. Benro and Induro are the two names that are best known, but I'd be surprised that Benro are selling a cost-reduced model under their own name. Their cost-reduced products are sold with the MeFoto brand name.

To repeat I think you should return it as I'm sure you're soured on the Benro name as a result of this experience. Feisol seems to be a popular value product in the UK and if you go that route I'd still encourage you to look at a Sirui ballhead for it.




Sep 13, 2016 at 04:35 PM
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