Tripod with articulate lateral arm?

Hey folks,

I'm more and more spending time low to the ground and at weird places, doing wide angle and telephoto landscape shooting. Nothing particularly heavy, literally sometimes my wee little EOS-M and sometimes an APS-C with ultrawide lenses or even mild-telephotos (nothing super heavy though, at worst, a 200 F2.8 prime, but usually I'm on the wider side of 11mm to 35mm).

I've been thinking about getting a simple little tripod with an articulating lateral arm. I've also thought about maybe just looking into an arm that attaches to the top of a current tripod I have (nothing special, mind).

I don't want something cheap, light, unsturdy, etc. I'm ok with heavy metal stuff. I don't want to buy carbon fiber cost level stuff though.

Would love to have a tripod that drops low to the ground and has an articulating lateral arm, like the Benro 2970F (can't seem to find the twist lock version at all), to hold lighter cameras and relatively normal lenses (nothing massive/heavy). Sure wish I could find the twist-lock version. Can't find it on ebay or anything.

And it needs to be able to take salt water hopefully. Tall order, I know.

Looking for suggestions for quality tripods, or possibly alternatives to this idea for getting low and having more control on angle? I have an ultrapod two and a stroboframe vertiflip for my smaller camera setups. But that's not going to take a wave at the beach.

Very best,

I think Benro is your solution as they make a complete range of their articulating tripods in aluminum and carbon fiber, with twist locks or flip locks. As you've figured, the issue is finding one.

Benro doesn't sell their best tripods in the US, presumably because their Induro brand is sold here. Induros are slightly redesigned and marked up Benros but they are only sold in a limited range, so you have to source Benro's great systematics, travel and articulating tripods in the Far East or Australia.

I use a Benro A2970T and it's just great; solid as a rock and the articulating mechanism is very simple and works really well. I searched long and hard for mine and eventually found it in Australia. They are very hard to find and I was beginning to think the twist lock version was discontinued but then Benro created a new web site with the whole range on it (linked to above). My advice is to keep looking, they're great tripods with no competition at their price point.

Heya,

Can't seem to find a twist lock version anywhere. Oh well. I'll probably just bite the A2970F and live with the flick locks. Can't seem to find any used, which is a statement in and of itself. New cost is around $150 or so, shipped. Very inexpensive really, if it's truly sturdy and versatile.

Will mostly use it for low to the ground landscaping and HDR work.

I might try it out with macro, but I'm not sure it can hold my macro setup as it's really big, long and heavy as I mostly handhold shoot my macro. But I have considered doing some night macro where nothing moves, and use a tripod with my 180mm + 2.0x TC on a rail with a tripod, for stacks, or for just simply really well focused shots. But again, not sure if it will be all that stable on this tripod. Especially with the arm as it would never hold the weight of this setup on that arm horizontally.

Very best,

I looked myself and I didn't find one either. Even the dealer in Oz that I bought from has no stock. Unfortunately it may be discontinued after all. The new Benro flip locks are extremely solid and I would have bought the flip lock version if I hadn't found the twist lock after a lot of looking.

Hang a weight off the hook on the other end of the center column to counterbalance your rig.

peter_n wrote in post #17162686
I looked myself and I didn't find one either. Even the dealer in Oz that I bought from has no stock. Unfortunately it may be discontinued after all. The new Benro flip locks are extremely solid and I would have bought the flip lock version if I hadn't found the twist lock after a lot of looking.

Hang a weight off the hook on the other end of the center column to counterbalance your rig.

Heya,

What's the longest, heaviest load you've put on this tripod, if you don't mind sharing?

My landscape setups weigh nothing.

But my macro setup is 180mm prime (920g), ASP-C gripped (650g maybe together), 2.0x teleconverter (185g), and then magic arm + flash + cable + 12" diffuser (not heavy stuff, but big and bulky). All in all, the setup is fairly long, so even if the weight is not a lot, it's a lot of horizontal spread for that weight, making the end of the horizontal arm take a tremendous amount of stress to hold it steady. Oh and the ball head I use is 725g. So all in, and without considering the weight of the arm/flash/cable/diffus​er, the overall known weights are 2500 grams or so. Let's round up to 3000 grams for the flash and stuff, and call that an approximation. So 6.6 lbs? Round that to 7 lbs overall. I do this handheld, and it's fine. But I'm wondering if the tripod can even hope to hold that steady, with a counter weight of course (I'll put a 6lb bag on it or so maybe).

Very best,

I have the A2970F and really like it. It has no trouble supporting my 60D+150-600+1.4TC+Yongnuo 568 on a Mongoose gimbal. But never tried that combo on it with the arm horizontal....

MalVeauX wrote in post #17162704
What's the longest, heaviest load you've put on this tripod, if you don't mind sharing?

Well, nothing like yours really. I mainly use small film rangefinder cameras and lenses so I've never had the issues you have.

[QUOTE=MalVeauX;171574​83]Hey folks,

I'm more and more spending time low to the ground and at weird places, doing wide angle and telephoto landscape shooting. Nothing particularly heavy, literally sometimes my wee little EOS-M and sometimes an APS-C with ultrawide lenses or even mild-telephotos (nothing super heavy though, at worst, a 200 F2.8 prime, but usually I'm on the wider side of 11mm to 35mm).

I've been thinking about getting a simple little tripod with an articulating lateral arm. I've also thought about maybe just looking into an arm that attaches to the top of a current tripod I have (nothing special, mind).

I don't want something cheap, light, unsturdy, etc. I'm ok with heavy metal stuff. I don't want to buy carbon fiber cost level stuff though.

Would love to have a tripod that drops low to the ground and has an articulating lateral arm, like the Benro 2970F (can't seem to find the twist lock version at all), to hold lighter cameras and relatively normal lenses (nothing massive/heavy). Sure wish I could find the twist-lock version. Can't find it on ebay or anything.

And it needs to be able to take salt water hopefully. Tall order, I know.

Looking for suggestions for quality tripods, or possibly alternatives to this idea for getting low and having more control on angle? I have an ultrapod two and a stroboframe vertiflip for my smaller camera setups. But that's not going to take a wave at the beach.


---------------

I have a AT 413 induro tripod with a induro gimble.

I have read through your posts.
I think induro makes one of the best tripods on the market only because I own a wood working machine shop, metal drop bed lathes , mills, CNC's.
I am the most impressed with how sturdy and light the AT 413 is.
I own a manfrotto tripod too and its a disappointment compared to the induro.

Here are the specs on the AT 413,
http://www.indurogear.​com …at413.aspx#spec​ifications

Farmer

^ The OP is looking for a tripod with an articulating center column. Does the Induro AT413 have that feature?

Manfrotto has an arm that can clamp to a leg of the tripod. Here are a few examples

http://gearguyd.com …-a-super-clamp-magic-arm/

http://www.amazon.com …manfrotto+super​+clamp+035

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …n_Magic.html/pr​m/alsVwDtl

They likely have other products of this sort as well.

peter_n wrote in post #17165117
^ The OP is looking for a tripod with an articulating center column. Does the Induro AT413 have that feature?

NO

Sorry


Farmer

I also have the Benro A2970F, haven't had it very long and only a couple of occasions to use it. I got it for the same reason, low to the ground macro stuff. I've used it with both my T4i and 70D, 100 f/2.8 Macro,with 430EXII. I also have the ballhead, SBH-250, off my Vanguard ABEO 323 on it.

I'm a little nervous about the leg clamps, they seem a little cheapish, as well as the plastic knobs that secure the column. However so far it's working. I might try removing the ballhead, and just using a quick-release clamp/plate. However the ballhead does allow an unlimited amount of positioning.

EDITED
Ok like I said I haven't had the Benro very long. So right after posting the above I decided to investigate the Column tension screws or whatever they're called, further. Well, my apprehension is laid to rest. I was thinking that it used the plastic knob/screw. You know the ones where you turn just a tad too much and the plastic strips? Not happening with this one. They use some heavy duty stuff. I took the liberty of putting a little more force in tightening them then I really cared to. No giving, held strong. I mean when I used the tripod, I never placed as much force on them to get it to hold the arm, as what I just done. So anyway, as Forrest Gump said "One less thing".

The flip leg locks, at the top are still what I'd say is not that great. So that is about the only place I'd be a little careful with. Other than that it seems to be a very solid tripod for the money.

Another vote for the Benro A2970F. I'm very happy with mine and it one of the most versatile tripods around. Well worth the 150 bucks or so. I don't think you'd be disappointed.
-mark

Benbo (not Benro, different company) British made and has been around for ages. I've had a Benbo Classic No 2 since the mid 1980s. Bit of over kill for a DSLR but the Classic No 1 and Trekker are smaller. I bought the Classic No 2 to mount 4x5 and medium format cameras. Benbo are the toughest tripod I've owned/used. Beautifully designed.


Because of its unique bent bolt design the centre column swivels through 360 degrees. There's a tripod head mount on both ends of the centre column also.


http://www.patersonpho​tographic.com/benbo-tripods.htm

Anothe Benbo No.1 user here, heavy, tank like and solid as a rock

The OP may be interested in the Benbo Trekker range tho