Tripod - £400, hit me (not literally)

Raymond Lin

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Raymond
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Looking for a shortlist to try out or take a closer look into. Requirements are:-

1 - Carbon Fibre
2 - Folded down to 45cm max (internal length of my carryon luggage)
3 - come with a soft case a plus

That's it really. Ideally, I prefer a clip/snap lock over a twist lock but it's not a deal breaker.

edit - on Sony A7III, mostly portraits, will need a head.
 
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Benro are fantastic
Looking for a shortlist to try out or take a closer into. Requirements are:-

1 - Carbon Fibre
2 - Folded down to 45cm max (internal length of my carryon luggage)
3 - come with a soft case a plus

That's it really. Ideally, I prefer a clip/snap lock over a twist lock but it's not a deal breaker.
 
A few more details are required:
What are you shooting?
With what lenses?
Do you need a head?
 
I just been told this is really good.

https://3leggedthing.com/brian

Folded to 41cm
Height is 187cm
weight is only 1.45kg

It folds smaller than the BeFree, extends to taller than the BeFree and weight less than BeFree and cheaper too...

5 leg sections, last section is tiny, and 2 section centre column. I almost wouldn't bother taking a tripod :p

The befree seems a lot better though I have never used it.
 
I bought a 3 legged thing just before Christmas from Jessops - A Leo with an Airhed Switch ball head - My Manfrotto tripod was too heavy for general travel around, and so was looking for something compact, lightweight, would fit in a suitcase, be easy to carry around but still hold a Canon 1dx2. My choice was this:

https://3leggedthing.com/leo

It folds down to 34cm without the head - and with the head is well within your requirements.

So far my thoughts are:

Pros:

Light
Easy to carry
Lots of different positions available - I like the ability to mount the camera upside down under the tripod - so the camera is literally a mm off the ground.
Ball head is quite reasonable
Holds my 1dx2 with primes easily and steadily

Cons

I find the finish a little easy to scratch - so it's being used as a working machine - but I can see it not looking so pretty in a year's time.
Due to it being so compact - and extending to such a length - it's necessary to have a lot of twisty connections. Can be a little time consuming putting it up and down - but I've kinda got used to that now.
Shakes a little when I press the shutter with my 1dx2 and 70-200mm 2.8 - but with the use of a self timer I'm able to manage that

Overall - it allows me to carry a tripod when I travel without too much of a headache. It has a few weak areas - but overall does the job well.

https://a.uguu.se/n7eHcLTSiq2c_519e81b791794305a9cb2cf6e6b3e219.MOV

Here you can see it in action when I used it in HK last week - it's one of those 24h temporary video hostings - so be quick to watch it :)
 
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If you can get your hands on a Sirui T-1205X, you won't be disappointed. Or the T-1204X, folds bigger but a bit more stable.
 
5 leg sections, last section is tiny, and 2 section centre column. I almost wouldn't bother taking a tripod :p

The befree seems a lot better though I have never used it.

Whilst you have a point in terms of stability, it won’t be used for really long exposure and the extensions sections are not a dealbreaker.
 
I’ve got the 3lt punks brian as my travel tripod as the gitzo 5 series is occassionally just too much. Took it to venice for 5 days and pleased with it, incl some 30s-2min exposures. Tried not too extend the centre column if possible and the final leg sections are slende4 but did the job.

Wouldn’t be so keen in a stiff wind but happy enough with it.
 
Whilst you have a point in terms of stability, it won’t be used for really long exposure and the extensions sections are not a dealbreaker.
You don't mention where and how you'll use this. But I suspected one wouldn't buy a £400 tripod to use once on a single trip.
 
I purchase a 3-Leggedthing a fews years back, it been a great tripod.
It folds small, and fits into my travel bag.
It works well, I am currently using it with a fuji XT-2.
 
My Gitzo 1542T was about £300 on an Amazon offer a few years back, I added an Arca Swiss P0 head so it worked out to about £500 all in and the combination handles everything up to my 5x4 kit and folds down to 50cm - I think the newer versions fold down a little smaller. I'm happy with the setup but if the budget is firm I'd still go for the same head but find a cheaper set of legs that collapse a little more to meet the 45cm.
 
Yes, will need a head and the 45cm must include head.


I would (do) remove the head for the length critical part of the trip.

Have a look at Ffordes and Mifsuds websites to see what they have 2nd hand - you'll get a lot more for your money.
 
Go to photography show this weekend and have a play and presumably buy one at discounted price. There is a lot of utter crap out there and you can only suss it out by feeling them.

Head attachment size and compatibility is one area where you need to pay a lot of attention. Manfrotto heads aren't very happy on many many tripods with smaller necks.
 
Go to photography show this weekend and have a play and presumably buy one at discounted price. There is a lot of utter crap out there and you can only suss it out by feeling them.

Head attachment size and compatibility is one area where you need to pay a lot of attention. Manfrotto heads aren't very happy on many many tripods with smaller necks.

I’m going, which is what prompted this thread to get ahead of the curve so to speak.
 
SIRUI T-2205X cracking tripod add head of your liking
 
I could tell you a couple of tripods not to get! Giottos and Manfrotto are on my naughty list, but then they weren't high end carbon fibre models but still in the £150-£200 region. I hear 3-legged thing make some really good gear, but man, do they over complicate it when it comes to choices!
 
I will be getting a Benro Mk3 and G2 head - just above the budget but I have been assured of a good price (I know some people....) looked at one at the Societies convention in Jan and was impressed. My Benro GH2 gimbal has given me great service - just a shame my Nikkor tripod feet are goddam awful
 
Naturally the best solution is a Gitzo Traveller tripod - but they can get pricey! I am biased - because I use Gitzo tripods and have found few to compare.
If you shop carefully they do come up at affordable prices now and again - I have never paid more than £400 for a Gitzo new or used.

However, if you cannot wait, the Feisol CT-3442 is very good. A wee bit longer than ideal (shove it in the hold luggage) but very light and pretty rigid. A friend has one and it works quite well with my 1DX and 300 F2.8.

Keep an eye on this one, might not be too pricey, though it is double what I paid for it's older brother -
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gitzo-GT...m4d8edcc5cc:g:HDcAAOSwrndcg8hB&frcectupt=true

See how this one goes (older model but still good):
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gitzo-G1...235543?hash=item1ef6a82cd7:g:1IcAAOSw5k1ciOwx
Note the overall length is without the head on this one.
 
Sirui ET-1205 or ET-2205. Four section legs with clip locks, 42cm or 43cm folded length (including head), reasonable head and case included. I have both but use the heavier 2205 more so could put the 1205 in the sales sectio if asked.
 
I cannot go over the 45cm folded length, that is a dealbreaker since I would like to use this in future trips and sometimes I just take the carry on.

Thanks for the suggestions, there are quite a few which i will look into. Naturally I would like a Gitzo but unless they are on some special offer I don't think they will be in budget.
 
I cannot go over the 45cm folded length, that is a dealbreaker since I would like to use this in future trips and sometimes I just take the carry on.

Thanks for the suggestions, there are quite a few which i will look into. Naturally I would like a Gitzo but unless they are on some special offer I don't think they will be in budget.

I am pretty sure most carry on allow >50cm. Why 45cm?
 
I am pretty sure most carry on allow >50cm. Why 45cm?

The internal dimension of my carry on luggage. Any bigger and it won't fit. Yes I know it will probably fit diagonally but that isn't the most efficient use of space.

(don't want to put it in the hold because sometimes I don't travel with check in bags)
 
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Yes I know it will probably fit diagonally but that isn't the most efficient use of space.


Easy enough to fill the triangles with soft clothes and worth it for the extra stability that fatter sections will give. No point at all in having an even slightly wobbly tripod.
 
Easy enough to fill the triangles with soft clothes and worth it for the extra stability that fatter sections will give. No point at all in having an even slightly wobbly tripod.

Sorry, that is a dealbreaker, it needs to be under 45cm, I would take the stability hit over the size. Same as getting a steel one over CF for more stability. I have to draw the line somewhere. Because this could easily get out of hand quickly and I end up with a massive one that can take the weight of a RED 4k camera for my little Sony.
 
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Sorry, that is a dealbreaker, it needs to be under 45cm, I would take the stability hit over the size. Same as getting a steel one over CF for more stability. I have to draw the line somewhere. Because this could easily get out of hand quickly and I end up with a massive one that can take the weight of a RED 4k camera for my little Sony.
No with just slightly more length you can go for something like feisol CT-3442 which is really great. That's what I use now for travels anyway. Folds down to 48mm. That's where I draw my line for stability vs. bulk ;)
 
No with just slightly more length you can go for something like feisol CT-3442 which is really great. That's what I use now for travels anyway. Folds down to 48mm. That's where I draw my line for stability vs. bulk ;)

I am sure there are better ones but larger too.

45cm, that is the limit.

p.s. the spec says 49cm...
 
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