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 p.1 #1 · Feisol CT-3401 Tripod Review | |
After looking at the typical range of Gitzo & Bogen CF tripod offerings, I bought a Feisol CT-3401 tripod last June. I also bought a Kirk BH-3 ballhead for it, and the combination has been in active use from day 1. Since the various tripod offerings had me so conflicted for too long, I thought I would post this experience for those in a similar tripod buying situation.
First, I am not a professional photographer, although I have sold some of my work through the years. Call me an avid amateur with professional aspirations. I wanted a stable tripod that was light enough to hike with, throw over my shoulder for brief walks, and easy to setup and use. Early on, I was captured by the allure of carbon fiber, but taken aback by the Gitzo prices. I’ve heard the argument that someone who spends so much on a camera and lenses should not shy away from a quality support. I buy that argument, really. However, like most of you, I work in a field other than photography and have a family to support. Spending $1000+ on a tripod and ballhead made me cringe, although lenses in this range seem to be a different matter. The purists will scoff at those observations, but it is my honest reaction.
When I found the Feisol website, it seemed too good t be true. They sold a tripod similar to the Gitzo 1228 in terms of size, weight and carrying capacity, but at less than half the price;$185 plus shipping to be exact! I was unsure about buying from far-away Taiwan, and how the shipping would work. So, I read every Feisol review online that I could find, and the consensus seemed to be fairly positive. I was leery of buying a so-called “no name” brand. I have Gitzo and Bogen aluminum tripods, but find them either too big or heavy to consistently carry around. If a tripod is too limiting in any way, be it price, size or weight, then it is of no use when I leave it at home as a result.
I decided to buy the Feisol & Kirk combination, and if the Feisol did not work out, bite the bullet and buy the Gitzo. Upon shipping a day later, I received an email with a scan of the shipping label and expected arrival time. It literally arrived 2 days later—good job, Feisol! Since I live in Honolulu, Hawaii, I was floored. Almost nothing from the mainland ships here that quick, let alone from Taiwan. I’ll break out my next observations out to ease reading.
INITIAL IMPRESSIONS: light, light, light. It is the same weight as the Gitzo CF tripods I have played with, but holding it in my hand, at home, was a different thing. The finish is very nice, kind of a dull CF look. The legs move out (rotate?) with the same stiffness that I am used to with a quality tripod, as though there are oiled bearings involved. The foam leg coverings are well placed and secure enough to be of use. The leg locks work very well, almost as good as a Gitzo version. The center post seemed a little on the flimsy side, especially when raised, but thoughtfully included a hook on the bottom to aid stability. The center post also unscrews in the middle to leave a shorter length post with the same hook bottom. The legs will flatten very easily via a thumb lever on each leg at the top, and automatically return to normal when collapsed back in. The individual leg segments extend and retract with a “swoosh” sound similar to the Gitzo CF tripods, fairly tight tolerances. The overall first impression was that this is a very nice tripod, and not a cheap Gitzo knock-off in any way (like $20 Rolex watches). I tested stability with my 20D and 70-200/4L + 1.4x tele-extender mounted from the camera body (tripod collar on lens not used), and when locked down, the stability seemed every bit as good as anything else I’ve tried of the same size.
After almost 3 months of use, here are my Pros & Cons.
PROS: very light, very stable (yes, it really is quite stable), relatively inexpensive, easy to use, zero problems in 3 months, very nice foam leg covers standard, useful tripod bag & leg tools included, tall enough with a Kirk BH-3 ballhead & Canon 20D camera without the vertical grip to reach eye level without any stooping for anyone about 5 foot 9 inches (plus or minus several inches, is my guess), quite compact when collapsed down, and a useful center post hook that I wish all tripods had.
CONS: Feisol should redo the center post on the next version; it feels and acts not-so-solid but locks down acceptably in use, there are no spikes or snow boots available for the feet ends, the top could be more secure (rubber coating?) for the ballhead, warranty work is only through the factory in Taiwan, and the leg lock collars are easy to grip and use but not quite as easy as a Gitzo.
All in all, I am very glad I bought the Feisol and anticipate years of excellent use from it. I’ve hiked with it, sunk it into the Pacific Ocean surf, mud, dry sand, dirt, and grass without a concern or problem, and it has performed beautifully. If I were a working pro that used my tripod every single day, I might not buy the Feisol mainly due to the warranty work needing to be done in Taiwan. If a repair were needed, the time required might be excessive for a pro’s purposes. For those of us who do not use our tripod on as frequent a basis, even if heavily used on weekends and holidays, this tripod is perfect! Is the Feisol as good as the Gitzo 1228? Perhaps not quite, but lets say 95% as good for 35% of the cost! I would rate it higher than any Bogen tripod I’ve used, including CF Bogen, or higher than the Gitzo basalt series I briefly examined. The Kirk BH-3 ballhead with the CT-3401 tripod makes for an awesomely light and very stable duo. I really love the Kirk BH-3, it’s the smoothest & most secure ballhead I’ve ever used, but that is for another review. For large majority of us avid photographers, I think this is an easy choice. Get a Feisol and invest the rest in a very nice ballhead. Highly recommended.
I posted a gallery of Feisol tripod pictures at:
http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/798358
I bought the tripod through the Feisol website at: http://www.feisol.com/english/enconnect-n.htm
I hope this review will be of use to someone—enjoy!
Mark
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