My main tripod is this one. I've used it to trek all over the East Coast and I've discovered that it has helped me get some really tough images. Its adaptability is unmatched. Although it isn't light as some Gitzos, it is not at all burdensome. This is recommended to me by one of Hamilton tree service staff.

None so far...

Its solid construction and versatility make it equally well-suited for studio and remote location work.

None so far.https://sacramentodryrot.com

Solid, metal, simple, easy to maintain, no gizmo's or gadgets and nothing to break off if you twist it a bit further. Legs wont buckle, ever. Can stand in any terrain. Can be used underslung for ground level close ups, or as a cantelever for lying on your back and shooting straight up. Highest reach is about eightfeet.

1) it wont fold up and fit in my back pack, or the trunk of my Smart Car
2) Its not a leightweight, so hawking it around the countryside for an hour or two is a challenge.
3) You don't forget where you put it down.
4) Unlike a five year old, it stays put when you need it to.

I needed a tripod that was strong, stable and capable of being used in any situation, on the side of a hill, on a bridge, in a field or in a workshop. It has to be capable of holding my heavy camera and lens and to be reliable, once set, forget it. I chose the Benbo for good reason, its large, its heavy, its of solid construction and its chunky with no frills. It does not have laser balancers, dangly bits with hooks or bubbles in green goo for deciding on horizontal.

The legs are free to extend telescopically and are infinitly adjustable and they are not tied by a central brace, limiting the amount you can spread them. The main tube has a thread on each end for small and large mounting adaptors.

THE ONLY CONTROL IS THE BIG BENDY SPRING LOCKING MECHANISM WITH THE SIX INCH MAN-SIZED LOCKING HANDLE. Telescopic sliders have fist sized release locks, simple, twist and lock, untwist and unlock. The release shoe has three moving parts and I recomend that you buy a couple extra beds for your toolkit.

You do need patience, as you will want to set it up once and use it, not set and reset and set again.

The whole thing weighs in like a 5 year old, with boots on. Unlike the five year old, it stays put. Streams dont affect it (unlike a five year old), and when it gets knocked against the side of the car, the car gets the scratch. It is serious kit and I suggest it is value for money.

Its not a casual, "I'll take it along in case I want to use it", its planned for, accounted for and has to be accommodated. I wont go without it, and I know it will hurt if I carry it for too long, so I will darn well use it and think of myself as being lucky to own such a solid tripod.

Customer Service

Bought through ebay, remember, Caveat Emptor. For £70.00 it was a bargain. It is pre-used, and banged about a bit, but it is just as relaible and as strong as the day it was manufactured.

Fast, Flexible setups in the field. easy to carry, light weight.

Total Bent Bolt failure after approx. 200 usages in field. Can't get internal replacement parts. No MFG WeB Site.

I have owned the Benbo Trekker for about 5 years and have used it about 200 times. The Benbo drift has been a problem. At present the Tripod is useless. The main Bent bolt is stripped and I can't locate a replacement. The Outer Clamping nut (handle) became stripped after 20 or Thirty uses, and I welded a wrench to the nut itself. It's too bad, as I really enjoyed using this tripod because of it's multi capabilities, but I've had so many problems with the drift and the stripping on the nut and the bolt that I'll be moving along to another similar product if I can find one with a better bolt. They should have used a hardened, stainless bolt. I'm really disappointed with this product.

Customer Service

To the best of my knowledge, there is no customer service. If there is, They can't be found via a search engine.

Better range of angles than anything else I've tried.

Reverse telescoping legs allow use in water and mud up to the first joint without messing up the internals.

None.

This was my first tripod and I still use it for anything requiring great stability (high wind, long exposures, heavy gear) or great flexibility of set-up (macros, many interior home shots and still lifes, some landscapes).

Since it was my first tripod, I had no trouble getting used to the bent-bolt design.

However, it weighs 7.5 lbs which combined with a 4.5 lb pan-tilt head, makes it an anchor for long or difficult (scree and nearly vertical slope) hikes. The folded tripod is still very unwieldy so I carry it over the shoulder, bayonet style. While I used to carry it on such hikes, I later bought the Trekker tripod for that type of application.

Similar Products Used:

Benbo Trekker

This is my primary tripod. I've hiked all over the East Coast with it and find that it has helped me attain some very difficult shots. It's adaptibility is second to none. It's not heavy (not as light as some Gitzos) but far from being a burden. Once you get the swing of using the Benbo - there's hardly a shot that can't be had. The standard head is great and I haven't had any problems locking down my camera with up to a 300mm lens with a 1.4x attached to it. I love this pod.

The learning curve is kinda big. The Benbo takes patience to master. Because of the uni-lock device, some photographers shy away from it because it deviates from the norm.

If you enjoy nature/Landscape photography and like to get in the mix - You need this tripod. It's built well and bends to the shots you want. Also excellent for macro pictures because it lets you get right on top of your shot.

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I have an old bogen (A#1), have used Slik (cheap) and have used Gitzo (dream weight).

Stable, flexible, unique
construction.

Non so fare

This tripod is a very useful tool especially for the outdoor Photographer.
I have used this tripod in five years in all kind of conditions, weather and
season. It’s very stable and can be used for the most thing a Photographer
wants to do. From quick and stabile telephoto to extreme close-ups near the
ground. The unique construction gives the possibility to move the legs in any
direction you want and the legs is constructed to put in to water and mud.
Very easy to clean afterwards. To day I use the tripod in combination with the
Benbo 322 ball-and-socket joint. Its a very god combination.
The tripod and ball have a very high quality construction and finish made for
professional work.

Customer Service

Never used

Similar Products Used:

Many

The ultimate tripod for everywhere, flexible...

Needs some training to handle it properly.

As I said before, the ultimate choice, despite the price!

Customer Service

Not needed

Similar Products Used:

Manfrotto, Cullmann

Flexibility
Fast set up
Very solid

Full verticle extention would not be good for heavier medium format or larger cameras

I shoot mostly macro nature and flower shots. It is impossible to imagine using any other tripod for low to the ground macro work. With a ball head, I can set this tripod up in less than a minute on uneven ground, extend the camera holding column and attach my camera and focus in another minute or two. Because there is only one leg tightening knob per leg and the knob is high on the leg, it's very swift to adjust leg height. The one bent bolt frees the legs and column and with a little practice, you can easily and quickly configure this pod into more positions than a yoga master. The legs telescope from the bottom upwards and are sealed, so sand and mud are no problem. This is the only tripod I am aware of that has been designed for Nature Photography from top to bottom. The larger XL model would be great for studio illustration work because the camera column could be used in a lateral position and the longer legs and camera column would be very helpful. I hate tripods, but this one is fun to use and has to be the most flexible on the market while remaining rock firm and solid. I prefer it to the Gitzo tripods I've used. I would recomend this tripod to all outdoor photographers.

Customer Service

Not Needed.

Similar Products Used:

Velbon
Gitzo
Bogen
Majestic

Quick setup, once you learn how
Big, easy-grip knobs and handle, no fiddly bits
Solid construction & truly rigid big-tubing legs

Learning curve

I owned the original Benbo and stupidly sold it several years ago. I just bought a new one, and it's even better: much nicer finish and detailing.

Most people who like this tripod praise its flexibility for ankle-high nature photography, but that's not my thing. I like the Benbo for its quick setup and rock-solid stability in more normal use.

It is a weird design, no question. Loosening a single control turns it into a handful of wet noodles. To avoid people laughing at you, practice a while in your living room before using it in public. Once you learn how, that single control makes it the quickest tripod there is. Here's the trick: Before you fold it, pull the center column all the way up and lock it. Pick it up by the column, loosen the big handle, and swing the column 180 degrees, so the head is down. Then bring the legs in close to the head and tighten the big handle. That way, your expensive ball head is protected inside the legs when the tripod rolls around in the back of your pickup truck. Setup is just the reverse: Grab the center column before you loosen the handle, swing the column up and place the legs.

Customer Service

Never tried

Similar Products Used:

Tiltall, Bogen, Gitzo