Smith-Victor CF500 Carbon Fiber Tripod?

**Policar** · 7-Dec-2010, 12:07

I was shopping around for a used ball head and chinese-made carbon fiber tripod when I saw this tripod at B&H for $200:

http://smith-victor.com/products/det...eries&nm=CF500

Has anyone had any experience with this product or brand?

Right now I am using a toyo 45aii with a 3063 bogen video head on "amvona" (poor bogen 3221 imitation) legs. This set-up is too heavy, not stable enough, and difficult to use since it's designed for video. I would rather use a ball head and carbon fiber sticks.

I want something steadier at reasonable extensions, much lighter, and with a ballhead. But I can't justify spending a ton of money when I already have a functional tripod. Should I go with this or shop around used, maybe get a used aluminum gitzo tripod and benro ball head? Thanks in advance for any feedback! This will be mostly a field tripod, btw, but given that there's no wind indoors and one uses a cable release I can't see how steadiness is much of a factor in the studio, except maybe for macro work, so I'll use it indoors, too, probably.

**John Koehrer** · 7-Dec-2010, 16:34

Steadier and lighter shouldn't be used in the same sentence. I doubt S-V makes the tripod you're looking at, more likely just a rebrand.
By the time you have gone through three or four(or more) inexpensive tripods you may as well bite the bullet & buy a good one. You'll save a lot of time and money in the long run.
$200 should get you a used Gitzo Studex in aluminum, CF 2X-3X more.
IMO the aluminum is a better bet unless you hike or backpack, then you want the weight advantage of CF,
The Studex is excellent for your camera, but if you came across a good deal on a Interpro Studex I allows using a crank column as well as rapid.

The smaller tripods usually have a name plate at the top of the spider.

**Policar** · 7-Dec-2010, 17:20

Thanks, I should have known it was too good to be true.

I'll look into the gitzo studex. Portability is important to me, though, so I'm drawn to the feisol 3402, which claims it holds around 20 pounds and weighs three or four, but if the price one pays is sharpness...it's not worth it.

**Policar** · 8-Dec-2010, 22:05

I hate to continue being "that guy" but how is the Hakuba:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...3_Section.html

I don't really understand what a LF camera needs tripod-wise, except that my current tripod isn't enough. In theory, it should need little more than a digital slr (my longest lens is under 200mm, and 200mm lenses are all over the place for slrs; my camera weighs 6-7 pounds with lens and film, no more than a fully loaded slr).

But then, it's built like a sail. Just not sure what to buy that's lightweight but sturdy enough to justify shooting LF in the first place.

**kodioneill** · 9-Dec-2010, 12:39

I feel your pain, I just posted that I received a new tripod. I spent close to 6 hours on line trying to decide on the "one". The only criteria for me was to buy it from Amazon because of their no hassle returns. I settled on a Induro C-413. Well worth the price perfect fit for a 4x5 set up.