Tripod similar to Benbo Classic 2

Are there any other tripods out there which work with the universal joints like the Benbo's? I am looking for one sized similar to the classic 2 but trying to avoid the high cost. I know I could get the trekker version but I am looking for one tripod for normal standing shots and the unique angles / positions the Benbo designs are capable of. I'm afraid the trekker will just be too short for normal use. Cost wise, I can't justify buying the classic 2 and a head... the price is just too steep.

So are there any others out there which work on the same principles and are worth buying? I would like to stay under the $150 (USD) mark... but if it's junk, then I'll just get a good standard tripod and pick up a trekker later on. I'm tired of shooting off tripods that are flimsy and apparently designed to hold a 2 ounce camera...

Any incite would be appreciated...

Pretty good bang for the buck:

http://www.amazon.com …Angle+Carbon+Fi​ber+Tripod

magoosmc wrote in post #15756350
Pretty good bang for the buck:

http://www.amazon.com …Angle+Carbon+Fi​ber+Tripod

Nothing like a Benbo Classic,, are you confusing Benbo with Benro?.

I've had a Benbo Classic 2 since the mid 1980s. I bought it to mount 4x5 and medium format cameras on. They are one hell of a tripod.

I haven't seen or know of anyone else who uses the bentbolt system.

yogestee wrote in post #15756423
Nothing like a Benbo Classic,, are you confusing Benbo with Benro?

Yep - I was...

magoosmc wrote in post #15756447
Yep - I was...

Common mistake,, I've even heard mention that Benbo is a knock off of Benro.

I'd go as far as say that Benbo Classic is the best tripod I've ever used or owned and that includes some top shelf Manfrotto units. Nothing like a Benbo Classic once you get your head around how they work.

Well, that pretty much sums it up... Benbo is a Benbo and nothing else is... So, I guess now I have to decide whether to sacrifice the height and get the trekker version, or sacrifice the money and get the Classic 2. Why can't some decisions be easy lol.

Bassun wrote in post #15759451
Well, that pretty much sums it up... Benbo is a Benbo and nothing else is... So, I guess now I have to decide whether to sacrifice the height and get the trekker version, or sacrifice the money and get the Classic 2. Why can't some decisions be easy lol.

Have you ever used, or even seen a Benbo Classic 2 first hand? Compared to most tripods they are a monster. They are not a tripod to go walking long distances with.

I remember when the Benbo first came out. It certainly is a unique design and it makes all sorts of peculiar positions possible EASILY. But...a good tripod with independently adjustable legs (no leg braces) and a good reversible/horizontal center column can get the camera in just about any position a Benbo can. So, you can get a Benbo and have a fine tripod, but there are other ways to get much the same functionality; just not as elegantly.

For $150, a Manfrotto 055prob will be very good. But you will still will need to spend at least another $150 for a usable ball head. Don't get a Manfrotto head, they don't lock down solidly.

rgs --- Yeah, I apparently did a horrible job searching the web before I posted my question. I've seen a variety of options now. Benbo, Manfrotto, Uni-Loc, Giottos and I'm sure more. So I think I need to rethink what I really want and perhaps ask for suggestions based on need vs based on a particular tripod. Plus, from what I've read unless you get an old Benbo the quality isn't really that great...

I am looking for 1st off, full height. I do not want a short tripod or one where I need to crank some post up and lose the rigidity of a solid base. 2nd - flexibility. I want one tripod I can use for varied terrain or in a studio, one that can remain stable in longer exposures out doors, and one that supports nth degree articulation for a variety of macro angles. So the more versatile and stable the better; but I need to balance all that against cost. I think I am going to have to pay more than I was hoping to get close to meeting those requirements. I think I need to research heads more as well...

And I think you may be right. The 055xprob seems like the best of all of the above. And I will just have to suck it up and get a good head. $ for $ I don't know that I can find a better option.

yogestee - no, I have never shot off a Benbo. And after better research and not focusing on Benbo per se, rather on a tool to achieve my needs; I probably wont. Unless I happen across a used one at a yard sale, lol.

Thanks guys! As always, good input. Please feel free to suggest heads, or other solutions I should consider.

Bassun wrote in post #15760104
yogestee - no, I have never shot off a Benbo. And after better research and not focusing on Benbo per se, rather on a tool to achieve my needs; I probably wont. Unless I happen across a used one at a yard sale, lol.

My Benbo has been sitting in the attic of my home not used for 20 years. I sold off my 4x5 and medium format gear when I sold my studio and went to work for a newspaper in 1990.

One day I'll need it again, I'm seriously toying with the idea of shooting 4x5 B/W again,, just for the fun of it.

I know there was some concern with a manfrotto head but what about this combo?

The 055XPROB with a Manfrotto 055 Magnesium Ball Head with RC4 Quick Release

From everything I have read, it sounds like this combo would be a solid solution that I can use for almost any situation. But, reviews are sometimes jaded or planted so I prefer to hear input from real users who I know actually use the gear and can comment on it. So please, any input would be greatly appreciated.

My reading of the comments on the Manfrotto RC4 head on this forum is that some who have worked at it are able to live with the issues (droop etc.) but most seem to regret the purchase. I think these posts are of genuine experience.

My issue with that ballhead is that the QR system is Manfrotto proprietary and not compatible with the Arca-Swiss type of quick release which is now in almost universal use.

If you're looking for a value ballhead check out the Photo Clam range, I've used one and thought it was well made and great value for money. If the Photo Clam blows your budget think about getting a used head, you can get some really good deals on this site and also in the FM forum.

I saw a comparison of a Manfrotto 055XProB verses a Benro (note not Benbo). I can't remember which model it was, it may have been the Benro Versatile A1980F, (edit: nope it's the A2970F). However the most interesting point of the comparison involved how the centre column operates. With just the one screw operating the Manfrotto there are lots of issues with getting it to be in a specific place, basically it is fiddly. I know this to be true because I have a 055XProB. The Benbo Classic was probably more like the Benro with more than one bolt - the Benro in this review had three - making it easier to accurately position the centre column at any angle.

I found the comparison: http://www.youtube.com​/watch?v=OiqD7v9mKPY

I have owned the Benro A2970F (the one shown in the video compared with the 055XProB) for about a year now. It is well made, very sturdy and I really like the flexibility of the center column adjusting to almost any angle. Quite happy with its performance and do not plan to upgrade. However, I am looking for something that folds up smaller for those occasions when I do not check my luggage when flying.

I do like the additional abilities of the Benro vs the Manfrotto. Realistically I think I'll be pleased with any "good" set up vs the $30 junk I've been using. I appreciate all the incite guys!