New Tripod

[Steven Paulsen]

Pretty much all internet wisdom concludes the Gitzo Explorer series as unfit. For low level work, mine is a joy to use as long as I'm not using anything super heavy. (I love mine.)

A D800 with my 85pc workes well & so does the same with my 1kg, Series 1, 90-180. The Acratech Ultimate matches perfectly with this setup. (My concerns are carrying weight & I don't advise it at all for use as a standard set of legs.)

It''s expensive. Troll Ebay for a few months or wait till Gitzo offers a good rebate on their stuff at the NY camera merchants.

[ArthurDent]

I sent the Benbo back and requested a replacement. There’s a lot to like about that tripod IF it will just lock down when deployed close to the ground, so I’m going to give Benbo another chance and see what happens. If the second sample has the same problem as the first, I’m going to go to plan B, return the Benbo and get a Vanguard. Hopefully, that will not be necessary.

[Steven Paulsen]

The Benbo Trekker was pretty much the hype and rage, back in the 90's. They were referred to as "The Dead Goose," hanging from your back. Depending on your home location, I'd consider trying to find an old model. (My guess that there would be less plastic.) The Mom & Pop camera stores in my area, long ago/gone, featured & sold quite a few. I really liked the ground level setup, but at the time, I was hiking or riding a bicycle. I opted for the old Bogen 3021. (The side arm was a horrible add-on & quite clumsy.)

It was also the time when "Mail Order" was from a multi-page ad in Shutterbug or Popular Photography. Naturally, I assumed that the biggest NYC ad with the lowest prices was the best choice.

(If you were local, I'd donate you a Bogen 3001. I broke a tab on the 3021 & the smaller model was a bad decision.)

[Akira]

Sorry to be late to respond.  This is my (sort of) tripod specialized for the low level or table-top photo.  It's a combination of Sunwayfoto FB-28 ballhead, Manfrotto DADO parts set for the lighting fixture (in the center), RRS rubber feet for Gitzo/RRS Series 1 tripods and an RRL 3/8" stainless thread to mount the ballhead onto the red ball (two of these are depicted here).  It is very solid (I've used it with D610 and Ais 400/5.6 IF ED) and can be disassembled to put the parts into a small soft case for a compact camera.

[ArthurDent]

That ‘s great, very practical! What is the source for the red ball?

[Akira]

That ‘s great, very practical! What is the source for the red ball?

Thank you.  The red ball comes as part of Manfrotto DADO kit.  There are two different DADO kits.  The smaller kit consists of a red ball, three black rods and three double-sided bolts, and the larger, a red ball, six black rods and six double-sided bolts.  I bought the larger kit.

I came up with the idea when I learned that all threads of DADO parts were the industry standard 3/8".  I had loved the idea of Novoflex BasicBall and MiniPod, but had thought that their legs were too long, and the 1/4" thread was recessed, which made the improvised usage with odd parts difficult.

With the larger DADO kit, you can add another rod to make a quadropod and use the combo like this:

[Netr]

I have a tripod arrangement similar to Akira's. Thank you, Akira-san, for the idea, which I copied from a post you made a while ago.

[Akira]

I have a tripod arrangement similar to Akira's. Thank you, Akira-san, for the idea, which I copied from a post you made a while ago.

Glad to know that.  If you have a monopod, you can add it to the system to make the system more versatile, thanks to its standard 3/8" thread.

To Arthur:

Due to the arrangement of the threads on the red ball, you cannot set three rods so that the ballhead is perpendicular to the plane on which you put the tripod.  But this should rather be advantageous when you, for example, push the tripod against a wall or a pole to support the camera/lens combo and switch between the landscape and the portrait orientations.

[Seapy]

I sent the Benbo back and requested a replacement. There’s a lot to like about that tripod IF it will just lock down when deployed close to the ground, so I’m going to give Benbo another chance and see what happens. If the second sample has the same problem as the first, I’m going to go to plan B, return the Benbo and get a Vanguard. Hopefully, that will not be necessary.

Sorry to read this, have't been on the forum for a few days much.

I have just tested my Benbo tripod out of curiosity.  I set the height to about 6inches, 150mm under the knuckle then tightened the clamp to 20 Lb/Ft or more modern equivalent 27 Nm.  A normal mild steel ISO 10mm bolt should easily withstand 30 Lb/Ft so by no means over tightened.  As tight as I can comfortably tighten it by hand with the standard handle.

I then placed a dial gauge indicator (DTI) on the knuckle.  I applied 10Kg force down on the centre post  which resulted in just over 70 thou deflection, on release the DTI returned to zero.  I went on to press down on the centre post until I had almost half an inch deflection registered on the DTI when I released the pressure the DTI returned to about ten thou less than zero, so it might have slipped a smidgins but more likely the carpet was crushed!  Bear in mind this wasn't scientific, it was on carpet and my measurements aren't 100%.  I don't know how hard I pressed down on the centre column but it must have been between 40 and 50 Kg. I still have the indentation in the palm of my hand from pressing it down.



Two thoughts pass my mind, firstly you are being too cautious tightening the handle, secondly the new tripod paint may have lower friction coefficient than the paint on mine, what's left of it...  From day one I have tightened the handle as tight as I can, if needs be, it was many years before the threads stripped and then, not suddenly.  The repair was cheap and actually better than the original, so nothing lost, just stronger and longer lasting.

Incidentally, the red tape on one leg is to remind me which lower leg comes right off,  if stuck for a monopod I use that leg together with the centre pole as a short monopod if the need arises.

[ArthurDent]

Seapy-I had the bolt torqued down as much as I thought I could without damaging anything. I had the legs splayed out about 80 degrees and had the column extended about 3/4 of its full extension at a slight upward angle, maybe 20 degrees or so. It was sitting on a wood floor. Configured thusly, I could get it to go fully flat with just very gentle downward pressure on the column. That doesn’t seem right to me and I wouldn’t feel safe putting my camera on the tripod as I feel it would simply collapse. Certainly, it was nowhere near as rigid as what you describe. I think I just got a bad sample.  I’m hopeful the replacement will be better.

[Steven Paulsen]

(I love this place.)

That red ball with 3/8" thread could have infinitive possibilities. Just add some super long bolts from the local hardware store. I hope your second Benbo produces smiles & more.

Best Wishes

[Akira]

That red ball with 3/8" thread could have infinitive possibilities. Just add some super long bolts from the local hardware store. I hope your second Benbo produces smiles & more.

Yes, indeed.  Just as B. Rørslett assimilated the Nikon K ring set to the LEGO block, the red ball can be function as the core of the LEGO-like support system according to the imagination of the user.

[ArthurDent]

B&H received my return and claimed to have sent me an email stating they could not replace the Trekker, no stock. I never got the e-mail. I contacted them today and asked for a refund. I ordered the Vanguard 263AT2 from Amazon, expect to see it in 5-8 business days. Must admit to being somewhat frustrated by B&H.

[Seapy]

Shame.

I have had a minor disaster with mine... I think my son has either stood on it or some similar catastrophe.  We went on a trip at the weekend, he loaded the tripod and other gear into the car, when we arrived at the destination, a nature reserve, he announced there was something wrong with the tripod.  When he produced it one leg had broken off. 

I managed with a bipod for the outing but not really satisfactory.  Now I am home I am weighing up how I can repair the broken part.  It's a casting, not easy to weld, too fiddly, not likely to be a success.  I will, I just need to think how best to do it.  Another thread... 

[ArthurDent]

The Vanguard tripod arrived from Amazon last night, and is being returned today.  The center column will not rotate at all. The quest to find a decent tripod continues! Albeit, with more than a little frustration on my part.