I recently replaced my old tripod setup with new Induro AT213 aluminum legs and BHL1 ball head.
These are the things I was looking for in a new setup:
- legs + head + camera = 62" to meet my eye level
- under $400
- under 5 pounds
Once I started looking around, I found nothing but positive reviews for Induro gear. Many people whose photography I have followed for some time were switching over to Induro from other big name brands. Through discussions on these forums and from research around the web, I learned that Induro gear was engineered in the US and manufactured in the same plant in China as Benro gear. I am a long time Benro user and have always been satisfied with the quality, so it was an easy decision to give Induro a try.
The BHL series of heads are low profile, short, lightweight, and still support heavy loads. They are styled very similarly to the RRS BH-55 ball head which I think is an excellent design.
The BHL1 supports 44 pounds and has a 36mm ball diameter. It has an over sized locking knob with the tension adjustment built in and made to be operated with your thumb. The quick release knob has a safety feature where turning it only loosens the grip so you can slide the plate side to side. You have to pull the knob out and turn again to fully release the plate. This means your camera will never accidentally fall off of the head.
The AT213 legs have a 28mm top diameter and a 19mm bottom diameter. They support 22 pounds. The angle locks are large and easy to operate. The leg locks are over sized and made for easy use when wet or wearing gloves. They only require a small turn to unlock and extend the leg sections.
Add in the optional short center column and the tripod goes almost to ground level.
And finally, here it is in action in the Gulf of Mexico. Even though it is aluminum, I still was not worried about using it in salt water, and I submerged it well beyond the first leg lock. I rinsed it in the shower after use, then took it apart and cleaned it more thoroughly when I got home. No problems.
I think this makes a great medium duty tripod. My next size down is a Benro Travel Angel. Before long, my next size up will be a RRS TVC-33 & BH-55 ball head. I would have just gone for that model now, but I needed a new support system immediately and didn't quite have the budget for the RSS setup. I will probably have that one by this time next year.
