What about Benro tripods?

[John Kasaian]

The TAD18A is rated for 17.6# and weighs 3.13#.
For $100 bucks it sounds like a good match for LF photography.
It's aluminum, not carbon fiber,
I'm curious as to your thoughts.

[mdarnton]

I know that the numbers say you can do it but it looks like a bad idea to me.

[locutus]

I have a Sirui aluminium tripod which is very comparable, it holds my 5x4 up fine but there is a surprising amount of rotational flex in the spider/legs which makes operating the camera annoying (...springy) and it doesn't dampen in any amount of wind.

I use it on days with good light when i want little weight *AND* and i know shutter speeds will stay over >1/30th, otherwise its the Berlebach...

[LabRat]

There's many winners & loosers with small tripods these days, but you really have to see these in person to see for yourself...

I was at a Fry's electronics and played with two Benro CF compact tripods... Both the heads were barely passable for a light DSLR, but the legs were pretty good... The more expensive one with the lever leg locks was worse, but the twisting locks on the cheaper unit were pretty good and might hold a press camera OK (if you don't raise the center column much at all)... BYO head...

And there's always an old Tiltall...

Look before you buy, or have an open return policy and play tripod roulette for awhile (online)... Or pay more and buy a compact tripod from one of the noted mfgs...

Steve K

[mdarnton]

I have one of those tiny folding Benro copies, a Dolica, with like four or five section legs and a tiny ball head. My 5x7 will go on it, and you could even use it to take a picture. As locutus said, it's got a lot of flex if you let it. In the course of researching, I learned that the head is glued together, and the glue sometimes fails. The problem with this type of low-end product is that you never know where they took a short-cut that might bite you sometime down the line. Everything might pass the eyeball test, but modern cheap manufacturers are good at hiding where they shave quality. With that idea in mind, I'd trust a small Manfrotto before I'd trust one of those small Chinese tripods that all look alike and cost nothing.

The Dolica mainly gets used to hold a portable digital recorder, not an expensive camera of any type.

[John Kasaian]

I have one of those tiny folding Benro copies, a Dolica, with like four or five section legs and a tiny ball head. My 5x7 will go on it, and you could even use it to take a picture. As locutus said, it's got a lot of flex if you let it. In the course of researching, I learned that the head is glued together, and the glue sometimes fails. The problem with this type of low-end product is that you never know where they took a short-cut that might bite you sometime down the line. Everything might pass the eyeball test, but modern cheap manufacturers are good at hiding where they shave quality. With that idea in mind, I'd trust a small Manfrotto before I'd trust one of those small Chinese tripods that all look alike and cost nothing.

The Dolica mainly gets used to hold a portable digital recorder, not an expensive camera of any type.

I must have gotten Benro confused with Benbo which IIRC is commonly considered a quality manufacturer.
The switcheroo "r" for "b" is enough to earn my distrust.:mad:

[mdarnton]

Now I'm confused!

[Alan Gales]

I must have gotten Benro confused with Benbo which IIRC is commonly considered a quality manufacturer.
The switcheroo "r" for "b" is enough to earn my distrust.:mad:

John, just don't confuse Benbo with Bimbo. :)

[Peter Collins]

blah, blah, why must I have 3 'characters'?

[Peter Collins]

Last month I looked at the Benro tripods VERY closely from the comfort of my laptop and decided that I should not buy.

[John Kasaian]

Benbo---
http://www.patersonphotographic.com/benbo-tripods.htm

Benro---
http://www.benrousa.com/products/photo/

[Jim Andrada]

I think maybe if I were looking for a tripod to hold my cell phone I might think about a BenRO. Otherwise, not so much.

[blue4130]

Don't write them off so quickly. They've been around long enough to work out most issues and actually have a decent product now. Good warranty and price. They may not be gitzo, but you can get three for the same price.

[John Kasaian]

To give it a fair chance, I ordered the Benro and it arrived.
Nice tripod, but strikes me as slightly less substantial than my ancient, full size Tiltall so it's not what I'm looking for.
So back it goes.
It wouldn't surprise me if the heavier Benro models are suitable for 8x10 cameras, as the one I ordered---because of it's light weight---would likely give good service under a 4x5 if the head is up to snuff and a weighted bag is suspended from the center column (such a bag, I guess would cut into the weight rating, no?)
So ends my "fling" with Benros.

[Kirk Fry]

Stop messing around and just get a used Majestic tripod with their head. A hurricane will not knock it over.

[John Kasaian]

I've already got a Ries, which is darned near perfection.
This was to be a set of legs for a particular shoot where the overall length and weight of the 'pod are more critical issues.

[Patrick13]

I have a Benro aluminum tripod that's many years old now. Does all kind of contortions with a reversible post and post clamp that can rotate 90deg out. It is not a delicate thing but it is solid and serves well for my non-backpacking purposes.
Replaced the original ball head with a Manfrotto 410 geared head and never looked back.

[LabRat]

I have a Benro aluminum tripod that's many years old now. Does all kind of contortions with a reversible post and post clamp that can rotate 90deg out. It is not a delicate thing but it is solid and serves well for my non-backpacking purposes.
Replaced the original ball head with a Manfrotto 410 geared head and never looked back.

Check that it is a BENBO, not Benro, as the swinging center column was the Benbo feature... The Benbo is strong, but taut and a little springy, and rings a bit before settling down, is the downside... (The Benbo name supposedly is from the key component that's a slightly curved bent bolt that allows the column to swing...)

Steve K