I've seen the Benro line at the local store and find them pretty nicely made. But look to see how much elevation you'll get without the column extended ... that was the kicker for me with most of the legs I saw from Gitzo and Manfrotto. I would have had to go with a larger, heavier set of legs rated 11-13 lbs to get the elevation I wanted without having to raise the column all the time.
I like to use column adjustment for fine elevation control, usually the last couple of inches, rather than just to get necessary elevation. The tripod is more stable that way. I ended up with a set of Feisol CT-3442 legs. They're beautifully made: - very very light (2.27 lbs) - support up to 22 lbs - pack down to 18.9 in total length ... the legs fold up over the head so the total package length remains small. The case is cylindrical and about 5.5" in diameter. - max height without column 54.3 in, with column about another 13". - min height without column 6.3 in The column is an optional accessory. I paid $380 for these legs with column kit, all tools and non-column head support and case, including direct express shipping from Taiwan. Total all up weight with an Acratech Ultimate Ball Head (bought separately) fitted including the case is 4.3 lbs. It's the best tripod for my use I've found to date ... rock steady with the Nikkor 180/2.8AI lens fitted to the Panasonic L1, my heaviest/highest magnification camera/lens assembly at present ... and simple to use. I sold both my Manfrotto legs and heads once I had this setup. Their website is pretty funky. Click on English and then "New Products" for the specs, then "Direct Purchase Instruction" to order. They were very responsive to email, and the order was at my door within four days of being placed. http://www.feisol.com I don't know what price you're looking at on the Benros. These were not cheap, but are a darn sight better for this money than anything else I could find. Godfrey On Sep 16, 2007, at 8:06 AM, Mike Hamilton wrote: > I'm looking to buy a decent tripod and ballhead. I've selected a > couple of Benro legs, but I'm unsure which would be most appropriate. > Their C-027 legs support up to 5.5lbs, and the C-228 legs support > 17.6 lbs. My heaviest setup will be K10D (1.7lbs) and DA 14mm > (1.0lb). Will the C-027 legs be enough for that setup? > > The C-027 legs save 1.3lbs over the larger C-228, and an additional > $70. > > Advice? > > I'll be pairing it with a Manfrotto 484RC2 ballhead. > > Mike -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
