I can't justify spending the cash on a Gitzo carbon fibre tripod right now. I've read some nice things about Feisol and Induro tripods. My heaviest setup will be a 40D and a 70-200 f/4 IS. Anybody have any thoughts on how the other brands compare to the Giztos and what a light, compact choice might be?

Feisol

I've never owned a Gitzo, though I've used a few before. Their workmanship is superb, but as you know the quality comes at a price. Many here will recommend to just swallow the pill and buy the best - and wait a little if you can't afford to now.

I was in a similar dilemma and decided to go with a pre-owned Feisol (The CT-3441s) as my travel set-up. It's actually become my every day set of legs just because it's conveniently light and compact and stable enough for my 5D and standard zoom as long as the wind is not gusting. The leg locks are not as good as those from Gitzo, so it is a bit more fumbling to get set up - but that doesn't bother me much. Otherwise I've been a happy camper.

Induro/Benro etc tend to seem fine out of the box, but from what I see their longevity is not really established and their quality of materials is questionable. Most people around here that have one seem to be fairly happy, I guess it depends on your usage pattern. Most likely fine for casual use, but for heavy duty use and for supporting expensive/long lenses I personally would pass.

I used the mid-sized 3 section feisol when they first came out.

Very nice equipment. I broke some of the leg internals while disassembling (my own fault) and Feisol very quickly sent me free replacement parts for all 3 legs.

The gitzo's are highly refined and efficient machines...definitely worth upgrading to down the road.

I have a feisol and would recommend it. I've used a friend's Benro, I was pleasantly surprised how nice it is, especially considering the general negative comments here. I plan on taking it on a trip to DC for a week.

I think either of their lightweight tripods would hold your setup fine. I have been considering buying the Gitzo 0531 as a travel tripod...it is compact and light. With the current rebates, it's about $360. Not cheap, but only about $100 more than the "newcomers" offerings in this class.

I have the Feisol 3342 w/ Markins M10; absolutely no complaints after hiking around w/ it

sjms wrote:
Feisol

Yep.

I just went through this decision - and made my decision after reading a lot of the discussions (sometimes heated!) on here and on photo.net and others.

I decided on Benro legs and Feisol head.

Benro is the same product as Induro. Induro is apparently the brand used for American consumption. The products are identical.

I ordered my Benro from China via eBay and had a perfect experience with the seller (kghobbie). It arrived in six days. The price was excellent.

A major part of my decision was made by my need for a center post that could angle out (the Manfrotto can only go to 90 degrees which does not suit my needs; the Gitzo does it, but at a huge price.) I ordered the C298. It has 4-section legs, is light weight, and has seals on the leg sections to keep out water and sand/dirt.

I wanted the lightest possible quality ballhead. I got a fantastic deal on eBay ($60) for a barely-used CB30-C.

I have to say both items are exactly what I wanted. They both feel solid and high quality. They function smoothly and I can use them confidently.

There are many people who deride Benro, Induro and other brands because they are "cheap Gitzo knock-offs", yet, I have yet to read that any of these critics have actually handled a Benro/Induro.

Time will tell if it holds up, of course. That is true with all products such as a lens that is new in production.

I checked out Induro at a major pro-level camera shop in Boston (E.P.Levine) before I ordered the Benro. They loved it and recommended it. I was impressed by it.

Also, by the way, Kirk is promoting Induro on its website.

Hi

I faced the same problem a short while ago, in the end I decided on a Feisol CT 3442 with a Kirk BH3 head.

I use a 5D and the 70-200mm f4is lens amongst others and they go together just fine. I don't even miss the centre
column.

No complaints about either product.

I've put my Induro CX-214 through it's paces for over two years now, and it works as well now as when it did when it was new. On a recent Popular Photography Mentor Series Photo Workshop in Arches National Park, we had 4 pro photographers to support our group. One pro (David Tejada) was using an Induro C-214, and told me he had been using it for nearly a year and liked it. While he did say he liked Gitzo too, his comment was that it wasn't worth the price to him . . . so even an established pro doesn't feel his shots or gear are compromised by his selection of Induro.

I shot a used Induro C 313 8x carbon tripod on ebay and I am absolutely satisfied with it. Needed some light cleaning and oiling, but works well. I also own a Benro and 2 Gitzo aluminium, but the Induro is lighter and much more stably than Gitzo's aluminium ones. I can recommend the Induros without restrictions.

Mario

Recently went through the tripod decision process ... discovered how true the advice often given that buying low end gear in the short term will end up costing you more in the long term since you'll end up replacing or upgrading the low end stuff several times, eventually ending up spending more than if you bought what you really needed up front.

My take on the Induro\Benro vs. Feisol debate is Induro\Benro are cosmetic knockoffs of Gitzo, while Feisol does some R&D and actually develops products to compete on their own merits with other tripod manufacturers. Both manufacturers seem to have had their share of quality problems, but it also sounds like both have steadily improved in that area. The leg failures that I recall reading about were Feisol top segment coming out of the leg brackets, and Induro\Benro bracket failures (breaking). KInd of makes sense: Feisol is keeping weight down by making their brackets as light (ie small) as possible, while Induro\Benro is more interested in being as cosmetically close to Gitzo as possible.

Seems like Feisol has a better rep among posters here, Nikonians, etc. There's a write up over at LL of someone taking Induro legs to Antartica ... given the conditions, not a bad showing for Induro.

My take is either one would hold up to normal use. If I had to chose, I'd go for Feisol: lighter in weight.

Chris Noyes wrote:
I've put my Induro CX-214 through it's paces for over two years now, and it works as well now as when it did when it was new. On a recent Popular Photography Mentor Series Photo Workshop in Arches National Park, we had 4 pro photographers to support our group. One pro (David Tejada) was using an Induro C-214, and told me he had been using it for nearly a year and liked it. While he did say he liked Gitzo too, his comment was that it wasn't worth the price to him . . . so even an established pro doesn't feel his shots or gear are compromised by his selection of Induro.


+1 on the CX-214, I sold my Feisol after a year. I'm much happier with the Induro. It's has a more solid feel to it than the Feisol. Not much heavier. I do have a bigger Gitzo for my biggest lenses.

Such sacrilege!!! And on the FM boards, yet. If anyone can remember when ebay actually had auctions, I snagged a couple of Dynatrans (828 or 858) for just 50 bucks each. Solid and stable, inexpensive, and heavy. 4 years and still going strong.
Many on these boards like to pooh-pooh them, but they've never used them, either.

I recently borrowed a Cullman Magnesit 35 ballhead. It's rated to 35 Newton-meters or just over 25 foot-pounds of torque. For the uninitiated, this would be a twenty five pound weight held out one foot from the center of the ball. This much weight this far off center would simply pull over almost any tripod. (Imagine a 12 pound bowling ball on the end of a 2 foot stick.)

This head held my D700, Bigma and TC rock steady at 45 degrees. It's big. Very big. The ball is humongous, but it works very very smoothly. The QR plates dwarf an A-S plate.

Well, it's nice to know that others have actually looked at the Induro/Benro tripods. If anyone were to actually look for themselves, they would see a quality made product, despite the "cosmetic knockoff" claims. The fact is, the Induro/Benro tripods provide solid support, ease of use, at a fraction of the cost of other brands. That simply represents "value" to me.

That they are "cosmetic knock-offs" is a clear fact. And most of us who are critical of their marketing and manufacturing have indeed owned and handled them. Enjoy yourselves, though -- just don't pull any muscles slapping yourselves on the back.

I trust that the original poster can read for himself.

Smiert, do be so full of yourself. That big head might keep you from seeing through your viewfinder.

Chris Noyes wrote:
That simply represents "value" to me.

+1 ... couldn't agree more


monochrome wrote:
Smiert, do be so full of yourself. That big head might keep you from seeing through your viewfinder.

+1

Buy a manfrotto 190 cx3 a mmanfroto 701 HDV video head if you dont have a ball head. I think youll regret the chinese speced and manufactured stuff. I have a gitzo and this manfrotto I got for 5D2 video but I use it alot fro light photo stuff.

hhski wrote:
I think youll regret the chinese speced and manufactured stuff.


I don't regret my purchase of a Chinese manufactured Benro c298.

patriot wrote:
There's a write up over at LL of someone taking Induro legs to Antartica ... given the conditions, not a bad showing for Induro.



That was actually Michael Reichman (the owner of LL) himself. He's among the most famous landscape photographers and printing experts alive today.

Also, FWIW, I sold my Gitzo after buying two Induros... a C313 and a CX213. They've been in heavy and constant use for about 1.5 years. I shoot quite a bit of backcountry rock climbing and my tripods get humped over talus fields, hauled and lowered on fixed lines up/down 200 foot cliffs, etc.

Jonathan H wrote:
That was actually Michael Reichman (the owner of LL) himself. He's among the most famous landscape photographers and printing experts alive today.

Careful there Jonathan . . . I got flamed once for quoting Reichman on his experience with Induro . . . something to the effect that he accepts advertising . . .

In any event, glad to hear from yet others with positive views of Induro/Benro tripods.

The detractors usually bemoan the lack of innovation by Benro/Induro while chiding them for being completely copy-cats. Well, unless Gitzo has something like this recently released Betnro C-2621/C-1691 tripod/convertible monopod, I think their complaints will hold less water in the coming years as the Chinese companies continue to learn and improve.

I was looking for a separate travel CF tripod and monopod. I think this Benro combo is a fantastic idea whose time has come!

It seems like a good idea, but I'm not sure I'd want a ball head on top of a monopod. Simpler solutions may be preferable. See the RRS web site for examples...

JayNathanson wrote:
It seems like a good idea, but I'm not sure I'd want a ball head on top of a monopod. Simpler solutions may be preferable. See the RRS web site for examples...

I agree that other solutions may be preferable. I've been using a pistol grip ballhead on my monopod for years. Try a Manfrotto 3265 ballhead on it and you will be pleasantly surprised. Disclaimer: I use both the 33265 and the Dynatran knockoff, and both work equally well.