dcains Offline Dedicated FM Upload & Sell: On
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If you're referring to the rumor that Gitzo for a time used Benro (or some other China-based manufacturer) for outsourcing production, Gitzo's product manager has publicly denied any such thing ever took place, and common sense wold have to agree.
Further, whether or not Benro, Induro, et al., "stole" or "reverse-engineered" any of Gitzo's designs is a moot point, too. Three legs and some leg locks is all it takes to make something you can call a tripod. None of this is rocket science, and I can't imagine how any such treachery would be needed to design a cheap, knock-off, low-tech consumer product. Nothing like knocking-off an iPhone or a guided missle. I could build one from scratch using PVC tubing and compression fittings from Home Depot in short order.
What does make a difference is the research and development a high-end manufacturer puts into their product initially, their continued evolution of that product (based on more research and experience), and customer support after the sale. That's where Benro, Induro, Dynatran, et al, fail miserably, with the notable exception appearing to be Feisol, at least to some extent.
Too many uneducated consumers are available and vulnerable to buzz-word marketing, and anyone choosing a tripod based solely on price or material it's made from (i.e. CF) had better be happy with an inferior product, and perhaps be wiling to spend more the second time to get he job done right in the future.
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