Vicky - I recommend a Redsnapper tripod. Redsnapper is a UK company that sells high-quality Chinese tripods:
http://www.aldine.co.uk/redsnapper/redsnapper-quality-tripods.html. (I have no connection with Redsnapper.)
I wrote a review for the Brighton & Hove Camera Club Newsletter - it's a bit lengthy but I'll reproduce it in full as it's all quite useful info if anyone's thinking about buying Chinese equipment.
I bought the aluminium alloy Redsnapper tripod, but if you'll be out and about, the tripod and head - light by pro standards - weighs 2.5 kg. Redsnapper's equivalent carbon fibre tripod is £140 and saves 0.3 kg. Hoiking 2-2.5 kg is no fun, but if you're after a decent tripod and head that will do all you ask of it, I wouldn't get anything less sturdy unless you're prepared to compromise in exchange for portability - a lighter tripod than either of the Redsnappers will be less robust and more prone to vibration, and smaller head than the Giottos I describe below will suffer from "photographer's droop" - you get you shot nicely lined up, tighten the head, and let go, only for the camera to creep downwards! :bang:
If you do want a light-weight, portable tripod, consider the Velbon Ultra Luxi L: it's only available with a pan head (I prefer ball heads) - that said, the head is attached with a standard 1/4 inch screw, so you can change it if you want. Costs about £80 online. I carried my Velbon whilst climbing Mt Etna, and it performed admirably. (Don't use it as a walking stick, 'cos I trashed it!
🙄)
Lastly, Confucius he say: a slightly wibbly tripod is always better than a solid one that never leaves the house because it's too heavy!
PS, Vicky: I'll plug BHCC (
http://www.bhcc-online.org) - ever thought of joining: there are several members who live in Worthing? Being based in Brighton, it's not your typical fusty camera club comprising two pipe-smoking men in tweed jackets poring interminably over B&W shots of the Lake District! Instead, there are well over 100 members of all ages, sexes and occupations into every type of photography imaginable. We meet on Tuesdays between September and May.
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Buying a Chinese tripod and ballhead - a review
I've got a small, light-weight Velbon Maxi tripod for travelling, but wanted something more substantial for general use.
European equipment of the quality I'd like is expensive (in the ballpark of £350), but I noticed Chinese alternatives with seemingly identical specifications on eBay for a quarter of the price, and wondered if they were any good. I Googled to find out more info on Asian camera gear: as we all know, stuff from China is a bit of a curate’s egg – some is superb quality, some is horrendous; and you can’t always tell by appearances.
So, what did I find out? There are a number of Chinese factories that are manufacturing tripods and accessories, many of which look very similar to respected models from Western companies such as Gitzo, Arca-Swiss and Kirk. There’s grumbling on the Internet about ethics, but as these products aren’t counterfeit, the West can’t whine if Communist China hoists us by our own capitalist petards! Yilee and Weifeng seem to be the main manufacturers, selling products directly under the brand names Benro and Induro (Yilee) and Fancier (Weifeng), and possibly to other companies for rebranding. These three brands, especially Benro, are popular throughout Asia, and are now being exported worldwide; the companies are gaining a reputation for quality at keen prices. There are also smaller companies making similar products, such as Shenzhen Yongnuo (Yong Nuo and Gitai brands), and these products are up to 50% cheaper than the Benro, Induro and Fancier equivalents, and are readily available on eBay from sellers often based in Hong Kong. However, although the latter three brands are generally liked, the quality of the products from the lesser-known companies such as Gitai can be very poor.
Unpicking who makes which brand is almost impossible, as is ascertaining quality (most look identical, and externally seem well made): so, unless you want to take a chance or trust a recommendation (I recommend Redsnapper – see later), Fancier, Induro and Benro are the brands to choose for reliable, consistent manufacture; their products are discussed and reviewed reasonably well on the web.
The products aren’t exact copies, and the aim (at least of the better companies) seems to be to match the specifications of their Western counterparts whilst minimising costs (simplified mechanics, lower-specification materials). Tripods from the major Chinese companies such as Benro or Fancier don’t seem quite as sophisticated or as well finished as their more expensive Western brethren, but perform just as well in stability and vibration tests. Here’s a review of a tripod taken on an
Antarctica expedition, and
another.
My own reviews follow.
Redsnapper A-283 tripod
I decided to buy a tripod with similar specifications to the Gitzo GT2331 – a 2 kg aluminium model at the lighter end of the professional tripod spectrum. My camera is small (a Leica M8), my longest lens is short (135 mm) and feather-like, and I rarely photograph on storm-lashed mountain peaks, so I don’t need a heavy, ultra-rigid tripod. I decided against carbon fibre, since the quarter-kilo weight saving is negligible, and, of more importance, tripods below 2 kg are noticeably less able to damp vibration, offsetting the slightly better structural rigidity and anti-vibration properties of carbon fibre. In short, I’d be paying twice as much for a tripod that wobbles more! (For proof, see
LFI magazine, Jan. 2006.)
It was hard to find a suitable Chinese-made aluminium tripod in the UK (the Chinese prefer to export carbon fibre models, presumably because they’re trendy and sell better), so I asked for recommendations, and was pointed to
Redsnapper, who are so confident of the quality of their products that they provide a 3 year guarantee. Redsnapper’s prices are ridiculously low, too.
On paper, the Redsnapper and Gitzo tripods compare very favourably, and have almost identical specifications – heights, weights, adjustable leg angles, etc. The biggest difference is that the Redsnapper tripod costs £50 whereas the Gitzo one costs £200!
I ordered Redsnapper’s A-283 tripod, and it arrived the next morning, as promised.
The Redsnapper tripod is impressive and very well designed. How Redsnapper makes a profit on these, I don’t know! It’s as solid as a rock, and seems as sturdy and vibration-resistant as the Manfrotto tripods I’ve tried (I can’t say how it compares with a Gitzo tripod since I’ve never used one). The build quality can’t be faulted: all the parts are precisely made, and there’s no skimping on materials – nearly every part is metal, the leg walls are a sturdy 1.5 mm thick, and the screws are all stainless steel. Quality control is exemplary, and I couldn’t find anything that wasn’t as it should be. There’s also lots of small but nice touches that again point to the quality of its design and manufacture: for example, all three legs have foam sleeves; and the hook on the bottom of the reversible central column is not only stainless steel but is held retracted by a spring (just like a Gitzo!). The tripod also came with accessories (which the Gitzo doesn’t, apart from a thin, skimpy bag): an alternative short central column, a toolkit for maintenance and a high-quality padded bag.
As I mentioned, this tripod is solid: there’s no play or wobble anywhere. In use, the legs fold out smoothly, and a mere quarter twist on the screw locks frees them, to allow the legs to extend smoothly. The Redsnapper has its own version of Gitzo’s Anti Leg Rotation Leg (ALR) System – which means that the legs don’t rotate when turning the twist locks, so both locks on each leg can be loosened simultaneously and both sections extended together, making the tripod very quick to open. A quarter turn on the locks clamps the legs in a vice-like grip. Pulling out the levers on the spider allows the legs to be spread at three different angles.
There is one minor gripe: the central column platform for the head has three grub screws to lock it solidly to the head, so the head cannot work loose. Unfortunately, if you twist the head when locked to the platform, the platform unscrews from the central screw! The solution is use thread-locking compound n this central screw.
In summary, I have no hesitation in recommending the Redsnapper A-283 to anyone looking for a decent tripod for general use, and I agree with Redsnapper’s description of it as a “professional tripod”. I cannot see what I’d gain by spending an extra £150 on the equivalent Gitzo.
Ye Yuer KS-0 ballhead
I’ll put my conclusion first: don’t buy this
I prefer ballheads, and decided that I needed a better head to go with my new tripod. Decent ballheads aren’t cheap, so again I decided on Chinese one. Most seem to be based on the Kirk BH series (which start at £250!). I could have bought a Redsnapper ballhead for £50, but, rated for a 10 kg load and consequently heavy, it’s overkill for my tiny Leica rangefinder. I also had another concern: Chinese tripods aimed at serious photographers seem to be generally acclaimed, but not so their ballheads. After searching the web, the general opinion seems to be that they’re OK but some are not well designed, and can suffer from manufacturing faults such as stiff action and unwanted play. The
“Benro KB-2 Ball Mount Tear Down” thread in the Canon Digital Photography Forums describes these flaws in detail. Benro state specifically that they’ve taken onboard criticisms and have improved their ballheads (and also increased their prices considerably) – recent reviews do seem more favourable. And Redsnapper are so confident of their head that it has a 3 year guarantee.
I like how these Chinese Kirk-type ballheads work: the ball is set with two control knobs: one sets the friction, preventing the camera from flopping over when you let go; and the other locks the ball securely. The head rotates laterally on its base to allow panning, and a third knob locks the panning base.
Benro sells the B-0, which at half the weight of the Redsnapper head is perfect, but costs £90 in the UK. For that, or cheaper, I can buy a similar head from Benbo or Giottos with a proven track record. However, eBay has a plethora of Benro B-0 clones under various brand names, often using the KS-0 model designation, and costing between £25 and £40 including postage from China. I bought a Ye Yuer KS-0 for £24, including postage from Hong Kong. Its specifications seemed ideal, with a large 36 mm ball able to support 8 kg, and an Arca-Swiss-style quick release.
It came without instructions, but a quick search of the web informed me that the large knob is the tension control, and the smaller knob opposite is the ball lock.
It looks well made, with thick satin-black anodising. Unfortunately, although care has been taken over its appearance, the functional design is appalling – in short, it’s junk! The ball moves jerkily, and hits tight and loose spots as you rotate it; the functioning of the friction and ball-lock controls cannot be distinguished from each other, and the friction cannot be set as the controls are too sensitive – merely touching a control alters the friction, and moving the ball reduces the friction; the rubber non-slip pads on the quick release plate have ridges that are too high and thin, allowing the camera to twist slightly when moved; and the panning base has rough spots when rotated.
It was so poor that I couldn’t possibly sell it or give it away, so binned it! What a waste of money!
Giottos MH-1001 ballhead
Ballheads need to be well designed from an engineering standpoint. Unfortunately, it seems that some Chinese manufacturers are only interested in appearance, so buying a cheap unknown brand can be a mistake, as I found out: two ballheads may look identical but perform world’s apart. Everyone says buy the best head you can afford ... I should’ve listened!
I’ve now bought a replacement ballhead with a similar design and specifications: the Giottos MH-1001. It’s excellent value for £50, and performs flawlessly: the ball and the panning base both move smoothly, it locks up tight without any play, and the tension knob has a wide range of movement for fine control. I tried a few mid-range Manfrotto ballheads, but the Giottos felt more refined.
If buying a Redsnapper tripod, also consider one their heads (I haven’t tried one, but the company emphasises quality, so I’d expect it performs admirably).
