Benro Pan Tilt Head - Real?

[jmontague]

I have been seeing ads for the new Benro GD3WH 3-Way geared head, which goes for $199 at B&H, being offered for $135 shipped from China. Are the Chinese versions real, or knockoffs? That is quite a price difference. Anyone get one from China? Thanks.


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[Steven Ruttenberg]

Just looked it up, that is a neat little head. After some more reviews, I may consider it for my 4x5.

[Tin Can]

I trust reviews on B&H and Amazon if read carefully

I don't trust eBay as they may be factory seconds

I just got a Gimbal head from Adorama. Cheap, strong and heavy. No gears...

[justanothernoob]

I have been seeing ads for the new Benro GD3WH 3-Way geared head, which goes for $199 at B&H, being offered for $135 shipped from China. Are the Chinese versions real, or knockoffs? That is quite a price difference. Anyone get one from China? Thanks.


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I'm also looking at the Benro GD3WH - did you go ahead with the Chinese version? Good / bad?

[Pieter]

I think all the Benro stuff is made in China.

[Drew Wiley]

Regardless, the distinction in quality boils down to diecast alloys, which involve making expensive dies first, and therefore are inherently more expensive products to sell,
versus lesser-quality mfg techniques such as melt-casting etc. For example, I noticed a knockoff Sinar geared rail clamp made in China and sold at a rather low price new, even compared to used original equivalents. At least they're honest enough to give the details - CNC machined housing with brass gearing, which means a product composed of soft alloys that will quickly wear out. Just depends how much you use something and what it needs to do. A diecast nailgun might easily last 20 or 30 years of hard service if properly maintained; a melt-cast one (95% of the ones being made now, mostly in the same factory in China regardless of brand) will last less than six months, and not even be worth repairing; nor are parts likely to even be available. Pretty soon we'll see 3D printed paper mache items. But there's no substitute for doing your homework. Trust Amazon? Ha! They're the ones in trouble with the Fed right now for all the bait and switch knockoff listings.

[Tin Can]

Reading today on Ries site, their heads are now machined vs their old style cast parts

Ries claiming the new is far stronger than the old and don't expect their old stuff to be equal to their new stuff (paraphrasing)

I do believe machined high grade alu is better

But the competition is moving quickly, design change to lower CG adding 90 degree flop for verticals

I have been looking at heads for a while

[Drew Wiley]

Depends on the alloy. Machining per se doesn't tell you one way or another. A machined focus gear made out of common brass stock might wear out in a year; the same thing in the correct bronze alloy might last for centuries. Even a diecast brass doorknob will outlast a melt-cast version a hundred to one. One reason I chose an Ebony folder was for the machined titanium hardware. But I wouldn't worry about Ries; they know how to do things right.

[justanothernoob]

yeah - there are so many variables - that's why I was hoping Mister Montague might have been brave enough to go ahead with the purchase and might have been able to give some feedback.

It works out at about 2/3 the price of the original unit so I'm tempted just to go ahead and get one. But then again … while I like a bargain, I don't like compromising quality. gahhhhhhhh

[jmontague]

I did did not make the plunge - too concerned about the possibility of a counterfeit.


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