BENRO!!!!

Just got my new Benro Tripod , ran around with it all day all I can say is AWESOME!!! I would hate to be GITZO with these things out there.

Would love to see some pics of it!

Ill try and take some I got the M227 6layer,

thats great and a pretty kick-ass price! i've had my eye on those benro's.

i'm very close to buying one of these but i'm worried that, at 55" w/o the column raised and 62" with it raised, its may not be enough for me. i don't have a tripod yet but after the research i've done, i'm a bit iffy on buying a tripod that doesn't come to near eye level without the column raised. do you ever find that to be a hinderence?

i certainly do like that price.

I am 5'11 and with the column extended, without a head and camera on it, it is already at eye level, by the time I added a ball head and my camera, it is too tall with the center column extended, which is good because I can then lower my column down, and have alot more stability, I should be able to should column lowered for 90% of my shooting.

ok great! i'm 5'11 also so thats good to hear. well, it looks like i'm going to be out $245 soon.

I got mine from Link Delight on Ebay, no problems, great communication ect.... I recieved it in less than a week from the time I ordered it. Comes with a nice padded bag and all the tools, and it was very well packaged. I considered the M228 with the four leg sections, but I am glad I went with three, I like the speed and simplicity of only having three leg sections.

mtblackdog wrote in post #2666874
Just got my new Benro Tripod , ran around with it all day all I can say is AWESOME!!! I would hate to be GITZO with these things out there.

Apparently Benro ripped off the Gitzo design going back to the 1227/1228 days. See:

Benro Tripods/Gitzo Clones: Open Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review

That would be two generations back so I don't think Gitzo's products are in any jeopardy whatsoever. Since then Gitzo has revamped their CF design two times, done some major design changes that have boosted shooting loads and reduced the weight of their tripods dramatically. The new models out are significantly better performers than the old versions Benro knocked off.

There is also serious questions on whether Benro can duplicate the IP and has the requisiste mechanical engineering to continue to push this forward and/or to develop new products. See:

"Benro" Rhymes With "No!"

While this is a tear down on their ballhead, the level of sophistication on the mechanical design is alarmingly poor. Given that none of these companies are huge it is doubtful that mechanical engineering experise is all that deep. This, in my experience, is often the case with knockoff's - the get the appearrance right but under the hood is entirely another matter altogether.

I'll be interested in hearing how this holds up over time. There is a thread over on Fred Miranda on the reliability and design of Feisol - which generated much of their own IP - and they seems to be questions on the robustness of the Feisol design in the field. I would suspect the same is true of Benro especially when one looks at the teardown on the ballhead - pretty on the outside, not so good (in fact, poor) on the inside. See:

My Feisol Broke - FM Forums

I am of the belief that Feisol is a better built tripod simply because they own their own design and I would recommend it for up to moderately rugged usage. Since it appears that Benro doesn't (or at least didn't own the first version), it will be interesting to see how it does and what is really the case going forward - if they can extend what they know into further generations. Until we know the quality of castings and the quality of the CF, it is going to be very hard to judge on appearrances. Either that, or if some one does a test like Leica did on tripods in their 1/06 issue, we just won't know.

Please check back when you have used this for some time and in some rugged applications so we can hear on this tripod fares.

Here is my final link on what a tripod does:

Charlie Kim Tripod Teechnique

Based on all of this above, I think that (a) Gitzo is going to be just fine and will continue to set the gold standard on tripod performance in CF, (b) there are concerns about Benro's capability, quality and longevity that can only be answered as the numbers get out there and the failures begin to be reported (much as they are with other brands), and (c) Benro's performance in vibration damping still needs to be evaluated. Based on what I have seen, my bet is that it will perform at or below its price point and not above.

J.

John.. I mean no offence but do you actually own and use them? I don't doubt your familiarity with tripods but I don't see a Benro in your gearlist...

As a long term Benro owner, rather than someone who bought it with the express intention of destroying it (indicates possible bias, doesn't it?) - I don't find any issues with this setup. Some of my best, sharp low light shots (15-30 sec long exposure) were landed with this combo and if there were consistent issues I would be the first to notice and replace it. I am itching for a Gitzo upgrade and it wouldn't take much of an excuse really...

I'm not denying these reports and I think some of them are quite comprehensive, but what actually happens in the field is what counts. While the Benro may be a Gitzo copy, it's not represented as the real thing (I wouldn't be happy if it was passed off to me as a real Gitzo) - any inferences we make are purely our own inferences. We infer that because it is designed like a Gitzo it should perform like one. No.. not really. I bought and evaluated mine on its own merits. I can't find any other aluminium tripod that offers the same weight carrying capacity, weighs as little as this one and comes with all the extras like the bag. There are the list of options that have been read to me, I've seen 'em all and found them lacking in one area or another. Of course everybody will have to make this decision themselves.

For its price point there is little else that will do the job. I have yet to find another Arca-compatible ballhead in that price class - I put down just shy of $100 for my KS-1 ballhead and it served well both under me and its new owner. Admittedly today I have a $315 Markins Q3 but that has more to do with itchy fingers and 'therapeutic money spending' as one thread calls it (love the Q3 though!!)

However, starting with the Arca-compatible system allowed me to keep all my plates and accessories that I'd accumulated. I have a real problem with third party proprietary QR systems which are not expandable and not scaleable.

I strongly feel that it performs above its price point. I've gone through a couple of other solutions and they were inadequate. Real Gitzo it is not, but it doesn't cost like one either (the ~$500 for the GT-1530 Mountaineer Series 1 6X I am looking at is a little off-putting..).

I still recommend people buy the Benro, but lower the expectations to its appropriate price range rather than 'buy it and think it will behave like the $800 original' (just like so many do with certain lenses). To the best of my knowledge culled from actually using it, it serves well for my applications and that's what I'm basing the recommendations on. As always this is just one person's opinion (as are most things on forums) and you have to do your own research. And by the time you read this post it will just be another "Internet opinion" which carries even less weight - as it should

After all, at the end of the day when I'm packed in with a couple of hundred other fireworks shooters, what I'm seeing are that MOST of them are using the $30 department store special tripod - that one has a unique look that you'd recognize anywhere. High tripod prices are a deterrent - Benro at least brings it down to a level that makes the midrange stuff more accessible.

Yes, comparing to the bottom end of the spectrum is unrealistic, but so is comparing to the topmost end of the spectrum.

PS.. I had a real Gitzo and ArcaB1 on loan to me last winter.. it was nice but didn't produce much measurable/meaningful difference vs my existing setup.

The design of the Benro ballhead is poor - it is really junk inside and for what one has to pay for it, it is overpaying. For that reason, you won't find a Benro in my gear list. Why would I have to buy it to know this? I think the teardown is excellent documentation of this.

The thing is going to be susceptible to failure in any number of failure modes and that will be some (unacceptable) number of those built and probably not every one. Designs like that become a cr*p shoot for quality and reliability - will it be yours that fails or the next one?

I also doubt that it has the tolerance and performance alleged - but without proper testing, we will never know (and I'm not going to waste my money testing one either). Every once in a while, I get the urge to set up the same test setup that Leica did and then subject a number of tripods and ballheads to that test and see what happens - would be very useful in some of these discussions.

One can go buy one but I won't be in that group and YMMV.

My background is engineering and I spend a lot of time in all sorts of factories in Asia on technology products of all kinds. I also spend a lot of time working through the failure analysis that comes from these same factories - I quit counting the trips when I filled up my last passport. Suffice it to say, I'm pretty familiar with what goes on.

There is much that is good - no doubt. However, the pattern of stealing of intellectual property ("knock off"), the pretty finishes and the lack of engineering under the surface is a pattern that I see repeated time and time again. While I haven't done the testing on this one, the ballhead discussion and teardown is really just another case of the same, in my opinion and, I think, documents the poor design rather well. I guess I don't see the argument here.

That all being said, I certainly could be wrong on the tripod end of things (although I doubt it). These companies are not mega multinationals, they are smallish manufacturers serving some pretty niche markets. The odds that the same engineering expertise that is applied to their ballheads is also behind their tripods is pretty high. In that case, given the poor and amateurish engineering on the ballhead, I'm not particularily confident in the construction (and what is under the pretty finish) on the tripod either.

Presuming the Benro/Ilee ripoff of Gitzo's intellectual property is true (and I have no reason to doubt that it is - there have been numerous reports of this as well as the one I cited), then they probably are more right in the design of their initial tripods (thanks to Gitzo) and not the disaster the ballhead design is. But, they won't have the ability to extend the product well nor to really know when they have a problem in manufacturing or on warranty returns. This means that the process is somewhat out of control (in an SPC sense) and there will be/can be wide variations in quality. Again, that is not a place I'm willing to take a flyer with my money. Sure, it may come out right on Tuesday, but what about Wednesday and Thursday's production?

Finally, any company that is engaged in the rip off of intellectual property has serious issues and is not someone with whom I will do business. Just as they ripped off a potential customer (Gitzo), why would they not rip off me? The huge cost to develop the IP on one's own and then to have it essentially stolen is just abhorrent. It is a case of business ethic that should not be rewarded, and I won't. There is a large, and growing cost in this, for all of us. It is simply the wrong thing to do.

Again, things that are too good to be true generally are.

YMMV.

J.

What does YMMV mean? Im not trying to be goofy, I really dont know.

Your Mileage May Vary. Common advertising 'disclaimer' that's found its way into popular culture as a way of saying, one person's experience may differ from another depending on circumstances. Some have very good results, some may not.. that's life..

YMMV is your mileage may vary

Which is true with Benro btw.

I am also a very happy owner of a Benro CF tripod and a monopod. Why did I buy it - for the budget I had in mind, it was the only CF legs I could get. Did I want it coz it was a Gitzo ripoff - not really, but it probably added some confidence

Now, why is it ymmv? Coz I recently had a problem with one of the legs on the tripod - and realized that the distributor for Hong Kong on the benro site (who I bought it from ) has changed from a Benro dealer!!! And my mails to Benro have yet to get me a response as to who to contact. Do I expect to get an answer - probably not.

If this is the case in Hong Kong, I can well imageine Americas or Europe support. You get all that for the Gitzo price. For the Benro price, I'm happy with what it does (even with 1 not so perfect leg) and that's what I should be content with.

kram wrote in post #2673390
YMMV is your mileage may vary

Which is true with Benro btw.

I am also a very happy owner of a Benro CF tripod and a monopod. Why did I buy it - for the budget I had in mind, it was the only CF legs I could get. Did I want it coz it was a Gitzo ripoff - not really, but it probably added some confidence

Now, why is ymmv? Coz I recently had a problem with one of the legs on the tripod - and realized that the distributor for Hong Kong on the benro site (who I bought it from ) has changed from a Benro dealer!!! And my mails to Benro have yet to get me a response as to who to contact. Do I expect to get an answer - probably not.

If this is the case in Hong Kong, I can well imageine Americas or Europe support. You get all that for the Gitzo price. For the Benro price, I'm happy with what it does (even with 1 not so perfect leg) and that's what I should be content with.

kram.. good story and I like the way you put the point across without slamming the manufacturer or the parties involved. Sorry to hear about your problems. But your last paragraph is basically what I am saying.. it's decent for its price point. Of course if one could afford a real Gitzo there would be no question about it at all.

I suppose in a way I am lucky. I was very skeptical at first, but the local camera shop (which I've built a very good working relationship with) took the time to convince me. Plus, they are my first point of contact for warranty issues, they've bailed me out before on other things and I believe they will again.

Hope you get your problem fixed soon. BTW, if you don't mind me asking - what happened to the leg?

One of the rubber grips to tighten the legs does not become tight - it slips a groove and keeps rotating. The tripod itself is quite steady when the rubber grip on the leg is at its tightest - but its a pain to remember that one rubber grip on one leg will not become fully tight

Its a replaceable part - I took the leg apart and verified it. All I need is the warranty place....