Side-by-side with comparable Gitzo legs, the Benro feels up to par. The bolts that the legs rotate on were a little too stiff for me when I bought the legs, so I used the included tool to loosen them the tiniest bit; the tighter setup is probably a hair more stable.
The leg sections are stiff when locked, and lock tight. Unlike some of the other inexpensive brands, Benro has a tiny set screw (see photo) that holds the center column bolt mechanism down tight. The center column uses the same construction to secure the screw mechanism at the bottom of the center column for the spring-loaded weight hook. The center column is grooved so that it does not rotate. The rubber, bottom feet unscrew and can be replaced with pointed, metal feet. All the moving parts that need it are well-greased, and fit TIGHTLY together. The fit is very precise, the cutting/molding is very clean (any mess you see is just grease).
As you can see, the legs use a similar anti-rotation lock mechanism to found in Gitzo and other brands. It’s actually just a sleeve of some kind of white, plastic-like material. The black, locking ring looks very similar to the Gitzo gravity lock, though I think it functions differently.
The set came with a simple tool to tighten/loosen the bolts, and a very nice bag with a shoulder strap. The bag is well constructed, has a small internal pocket, and can easily fit the tripod with a larger, taller head.
Side-by-side with comparable Gitzo legs, the Benro feels up to par. The bolts that the legs rotate on were a little too stiff for me when I bought the legs, so I used the included tool to loosen them the tiniest bit; the tighter setup is probably a hair more stable.
The leg sections are stiff when locked, and lock tight. Unlike some of the other inexpensive brands, Benro has a tiny set screw (see photo) that holds the center column bolt mechanism down tight. The center column uses the same construction to secure the screw mechanism at the bottom of the center column for the spring-loaded weight hook. The center column is grooved so that it does not rotate. The rubber, bottom feet unscrew and can be replaced with pointed, metal feet. All the moving parts that need it are well-greased, and fit TIGHTLY together. The fit is very precise, the cutting/molding is very clean (any mess you see is just grease).
As you can see, the legs use a similar anti-rotation lock mechanism to found in Gitzo and other brands. It’s actually just a sleeve of some kind of white, plastic-like material. The black, locking ring looks very similar to the Gitzo gravity lock, though I think it functions differently.
The set came with a simple tool to tighten/loosen the bolts, and a very nice bag with a shoulder strap. The bag is well constructed, has a small internal pocket, and can easily fit the tripod with a larger, taller head.
Side-by-side with comparable Gitzo legs, the Benro feels up to par. The bolts that the legs rotate on were a little too stiff for me when I bought the legs, so I used the included tool to loosen them the tiniest bit; the tighter setup is probably a hair more stable.
The leg sections are stiff when locked, and lock tight. Unlike some of the other inexpensive brands, Benro has a tiny set screw (see photo) that holds the center column bolt mechanism down tight. The center column uses the same construction to secure the screw mechanism at the bottom of the center column for the spring-loaded weight hook. The center column is grooved so that it does not rotate. The rubber, bottom feet unscrew and can be replaced with pointed, metal feet. All the moving parts that need it are well-greased, and fit TIGHTLY together. The fit is very precise, the cutting/molding is very clean (any mess you see is just grease).
As you can see, the legs use a similar anti-rotation lock mechanism to found in Gitzo and other brands. It’s actually just a sleeve of some kind of white, plastic-like material. The black, locking ring looks very similar to the Gitzo gravity lock, though I think it functions differently.
The set came with a simple tool to tighten/loosen the bolts, and a very nice bag with a shoulder strap. The bag is well constructed, has a small internal pocket, and can easily fit the tripod with a larger, taller head.
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