Travel Tripod - Opinion on Use

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pfinfante

pfinfante

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So, I have the Benro CF Travel Angel. It is a 4-section model. Looking for an opinion when max height is needed.

Do you think it better to extend only 3 legs and extend the column, or.....
Extend all four legs and leave the column all the way down.

Which would you think is more stable?

I'm thinking it's an equal trade off -- but maybe not....
 
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I always try to keep the column right down and if I do have to extend it, I never go up much. The longer the column is above the collar the less stable that single support is. Choosing between the options you have I'd go for the legs to extend rather than the column.

I appreciate that it is a travel tripod but I don't use four section legs as the thinnest ones are too thin. Even though the bottom one on three section legs is longer, it is still stiffer. Manfrotto confirmed to me some time ago (when I bought an 055 CF tripod) that three section legs are more stable than four section when I wanted my thinking to be checked by someone who knows.
 
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I would think that extending all four leg sections would provide better stability than raising the center column. The carbon fiber should dampen any vibrations traveling up the legs but the extended center column might amplify any vibrations if extended far enough. (but I am not an engineer!)

I would add some weight if possible if there is a hook, or I have seen slings that fit on all three legs that weight can be placed in.
 
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Keep the center column down. Period. Even though there are huge differences between different brands and different models, it's always better to keep the center column down, if at all possible.

That said, I'm sometimes amazed what tripods people use in the field. I'm into birdwatching, and to see a top class scope (or camera) on top of a flimsy tripod makes me shudder. I've seen plenty of "accidents" over the years, and I believe that especially when it comes to lightweight tripods you invariably get what you pay for.
 
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Hermann said:
Keep the center column down. Period. Even though there are huge differences between different brands and different models, it's always better to keep the center column down, if at all possible.

That said, I'm sometimes amazed what tripods people use in the field. I'm into birdwatching, and to see a top class scope (or camera) on top of a flimsy tripod makes me shudder. I've seen plenty of "accidents" over the years, and I believe that especially when it comes to lightweight tripods you invariably get what you pay for.
Click to expand...
Well, I did pay quite a bit for this Benro Travel Tripod :) Even more than I paid for my studio one.
 
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The Advantage of more leg sections is the compactness of the tripod (for Travel), it is however a sacrifice on stability.
It is more stable to open all sections than to use the center column (from experience photographing the moon).
I have a Manfrotto befree GT Carbon, it is very stable, weighs 1.5 kg, reaches 1.38 m without center column and 1.62 with, and carries a load of up to 10 kg.
It works well for me, even with my height of 1.90 m, because I use it mainly for Landscape.
 
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I got a Gitzo traveller on a special. Solid investment but try and avoid using the column. And in wind etc, it helps hanging a bag off the bottom hook. Besides the legs, the head is as important. Sirui are fine, including their Leveller, but heavy. 2018 I replaced with Acratech GPSS and the leveller, which works well and doesn't need grease. I like the Acra QR system on their locking plates.
I always try and minimize using the bottom-most leg sections
 
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I agree with others, do not extend center column if u don't have too. My big RRS tripod has no center column, and I modified my Gitzo mountaineer to remove the center column completely, to mimic the RRS.
 
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pfinfante said:
I'm thinking it's an equal trade off -- but maybe not....
Click to expand...
I agree with the others, use the legs before raising the center column and hanging weight from the top helps as well. Three thin legs splayed out is generally more stable than one center column sticking straight up which basically amounts to a monopod mounted on top of a tripod.
 
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People will sometimes recommend hanging extras weight e.g. a camera bag off a tripod to make it more stable. Some tripods come with a hook for this purpose. Is this a good idea in windy conditions? A bag may have quite a large surface area and will this make the bag/tripod combination more susceptible to wind?
 
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DaveCl said:
People will sometimes recommend hanging extras weight e.g. a camera bag off a tripod to make it more stable. Some tripods come with a hook for this purpose. Is this a good idea in windy conditions? A bag may have quite a large surface area and will this make the bag/tripod combination more susceptible to wind?
Click to expand...
If you are talking that windy, I would first suggest making sure you load is balanced as best as possible, as a large lens has enough profile to make it more susceptible to wind. And if is really that windy, I probably would not take my hand off of the camera/lens.

--Ken
 
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DaveCl said:
People will sometimes recommend hanging extras weight e.g. a camera bag off a tripod to make it more stable. Some tripods come with a hook for this purpose. Is this a good idea in windy conditions? A bag may have quite a large surface area and will this make the bag/tripod combination more susceptible to wind?
Click to expand...

I do think weight helps, it simply adds mass to the tripod which will give it more stability and dampen any vibration caused by the wind. If the tripod has a hook you can simply use a mesh bag and carry weights or grab a few rocks if conditions permit. I have a triangular shaped bag that attaches using Velcro straps to the tripod legs and I just drop rocks in it when I need more stability or I use it to hold gear off the ground if I don't need stability. When I really notice the improvement from adding weight is when I am using my spotting scope at high magnification on a smaller tripod.
 
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An update FYI - Over new year's I caught up on newer tripods and it's clear Leofoto are a brand of some note. Over the past 2 years in S Africa, Leofoto has proven its worth as a much more affordable alternative to Gitzo. These tripods also cope well with desert and coastal conditions etc and they are easy to clean. There is now the new Poseidon series with titanium feet etc specifically for marine conditions.

I am always seeking solutions to a lighter field tripod to hike with, but safely capable of supporting a telephoto rig. Finally after much agonizing, I invested in a LM323C Summit, with 70mm YB-75 QR levelling base. These legs are remarkably stable even though they weigh only 1.52kg. This stability extends to supporting a 5.2kg rig - namely gripped D850 and heavy telephoto on a gimbal.

The 1.33kg LS-284CEX with its integral leveling-base is a popular choice for landscapers
https://landscapegear.co.za/blogs/news/a-landscapers-secret-weapon-the-levelling-tripod

 
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