Whirlpool

I am looking for a light weight and small tripod for travelling. I also considered the Gitzo traveller tripods, but decided to go for a Benro since information I have found on the Internet has been mostly positive and even the B&H sales rep recommended the Benro tripod.

The Benro I am looking at is the C-269M8 Travel Angel. The weight, length and load weight are superior to that of the more expensive Gitzo.

Has anyone had any experience with these tripods? Are they sold anywhere in Sydney?

I also need to buy a ball head, and was considering getting the Benro B-1 which comes cheaply if bought as a package. I would like a more superior ball head, but I am just considering the cheaper one due to the savings.

The Benro ball heads have not had that much positive feedback, but that is generally when they are compared to the the top of the line stuff. Am I wasting $100, and should I just get a really good ball head right from the beginning? It is a little inconvenient to get a RRS, or Markins ball head since B&H don't sell them.

Thanks.

Check eBay.. they seem cheaper on eBay than their website at Photo Shop Studio, and on eBay they offer free delivery.

http://www.photo-shop-studio.com/eng/p2.asp

I ordered a Aluminium Tripod A198 with BH-0 head for $260.00. Comes with free carry bag. I opted to go with height and fit within my budget.

I've got a Benro carbon tripod and a ballhead. C-057 and KB-1 ballhead.

Typical load is Nikon D90 and Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 on a tripod collar.

The tripod is just about perfect.. a non-slip feet would be nice.. but thats about it. Better feel than my Manfrotto 055 XProB. I bought both at the same time thinking of using the light Benro for travel and Manfrotto more for studio setup. I end up using the Benro for studio as well as it does the job quite well also.

The ballhead is far, far better than a lightweight Velbon I had previously (which seriously slipped on any kind of load). The Benro doesn't drift at all once locked in.. the trick is getting it locked on exactly the right frame when you're tightening the grips.. Most ballheads have similar issues though.. I think.

Overall.. very happy.

Hey (silver), I have picked up one of these Benro tripods recently on my trip to NY from B&H. I bought the C-357 N6 mainly because I am 194cm tall and I don't like crouching on my back for a very long time.

About the tripod, it is light (about 2.5 kg with the head), came with a nice carry bag and spikes. It is very strong, and I have supported a acquaintance's 5d + 600mm lens on it with no problems at all.

The price is also just about right for someone who does not want to spend for the comparable (in quality) Gitzo.

Regarding the head, I don't remember the exact model number for mine, but like the tripod it goes with my kit well and I have absolutely nothing to complain about.

I would definitely recommend BENRO to anyone who is looking for a serious tripod and yet not ready to spend on the Gitzo.

Hope this helps

sleepy9394 writes...

Check eBay.. they seem cheaper on eBay than their website at Photo Shop Studio, and on eBay they offer free delivery.

Have you seen the carbon fibre versions on eBay? I could only find the aluminium versions.

Thrawn writes...

I end up using the Benro for studio as well as it does the job quite well also.

That is reassuring that is out performs the more heavy tripod.

Aftermath writes...

I have picked up one of these Benro tripods recently on my trip to NY from B&H. I bought the C-357 N6 mainly because I am 194cm tall and I don't like crouching on my back for a very long time.

I don't like crouching either, but I figured I don't like carrying extra weight even more. My brother is in New York now, considering whether it is worth him carrying it back or just getting it shipped. The 8% in NYC is annoying, especially seeing you can't claim it back.

(silver) writes...

Have you seen the carbon fibre versions on eBay? I could only find the aluminium versions.

Thrawn writes...

They have 2 series of carbon fibre – The C series and M series.

Benro Tripod Carbon Fibre M-158 + BH-1 Ball Head Combo

Benro Tripod Carbon Fibre M-158 + KS-0 Ball Head Combo

I guess they only sell the M-series on eBay.

yeah i bought C-269M8 Travel Angel + B1 ball head...

THEY ARE AMAZING! in terms of quality and affordability, gitzo just too overpriced compared to benro...

Trust me, you won't be dissapointed.

(silver) writes...

The 8% in NYC is annoying, especially seeing you can't claim it back.

Well do you get BENRO in stores there in Australia? Wouldn't you end up paying 10% GST anyways?
For me it worked out cheaper because we have 5% import duties on camera imports and plus shipping to pay from USA to Dubai.

I got my C-269M8 Travel Angel tripod from Aperture Gear in Richmond. Build quality seems really good. Going to give it a good workout in Thailand next week. When I was there last week they had the whole range of Benro tripods and studio flash gear (picked up a 400watt Fomex as well). http://www.aperturestudios.com.au

They got this massive studio at the back with just as massive cyclorama. Can't wait to book that out one day when I get the chance.

getnikpunk writes...

I got my C-269M8 Travel Angel tripod from Aperture Gear in Richmond.

Do they have web store front. Only could find information about their studios and equipment rental. What ball head are you using with this?

How much did you pay for the tripod?

Aftermath writes...

Wouldn't you end up paying 10% GST anyways?

But I can claim this when I leave the country. Buying a few bits and pieces doesn't make a difference, but GST rebate is sizeable on cameras and lenses.

I don't mind a little bit of sales tax when I go somewhere since I am using the cities tax funded resources, but there aren't that many countries that don't let you claim back sales tax on large retail purchases.

I got a Benro Travel Angel A-069 for $165 from Photo-Studio-Shop on ebay. They have a store front in Sydney apparently. Very quick delivery.

The tripod "feels" pretty well made. It folds up into nothing, and is really, really light. I have a Manfrotto 484RC2 ball head on top of it usually. If I was outside in a howling gale I'd think I'd want something more stable... but that was a deliberate choice on my part, I did choose a tripod that weighed less than a kilo *grin*.

I'd buy another (although I'd probably get a slightly heavier one).

Brad

Are tripods with 5 leg sections much more unstable than those with 4. The 4 leg section of the tripod isn't in stock, and also the folded length of the 5 leg section tripod is less.

I would say that the 5 sections would be getting wobbly, but depends on what you want it to hold too, and whether you want to do slow shutter speeds as well.

Personally, I went the whole hog and went Gitzo + RRS. Not cheap, but..... its my memory of the AUD almost hitting parity.

The best thing is the RRS ballhead, can set it exactly where I want (no fiddling at all to tighten and keep level / where wanted), and the RRS lever clamp and L plate / lens plate system really works well for me.

I also seriously considered the Markins ballheads (from Nikonians.com ) but.... too fiddly and expensive to buy a bare ballhead and then fit the RRS lever clamp. So never did it, even though I'd like a lighter ballhead for hiking – would get probably the Q3.

Brad Gould writes...

I did choose a tripod that weighed less than a kilo *grin*.

Today I chose Benro M-057 carbon fibre tripod which weighs touch over a kilo (1.07 kg) :)

They have M-157 on sale down from $260 to $205. I almost purchased this one but it was 320 g heavier.

Silver,
did you end up getting the benro c-269m8? I'm looking at the same model. There are some Hong Kong based ebay sellers including the B1 head at almost the same price as local sellers are selling the tripod alone. Otherwise I'm inclined to go with a Markins Q3. Any thoughts appreciated.

Thanks

I'm not sure if anyone is still following this thread but it comes up in google when searching for info about Benro so I might as well add my 2 cents.

All the bad press about Benro I've read including the notorious teardown of a KS-2 ballhead seems to be a little dated.

I'm actually in China right now and I bought a C-269 M8 with a BH-1 ballhead. I've seen these on ebay for $400-$500 AUD recently. Of course since I'm here I paid a lot less. Around $325 for the lot. I was also offered a 5 year local warranty as I bought direct from the distributor in Guang Zhou. But not every has that luxury of course.

Anyway, I digress. Right now I have a 50D with battery grip attached to a 35-350mm L (similar weight to the newer 28-300mm L IS which is the heaviest zoom av) sitting on the ballhead via the lens collar at 45 degrees off vertical. It's not locked tight either, I can still crank it in another quarter turn. There isn't another configuration that would test the ballhead weight as much as this and it hasn't budged in the time I've taken to sign up and write this.

I've also set the ballhead up so that it's movable for tilt and hold and I haven't had any issues there either. It's just a matter of dialling in the small knob first to zero, then the bigger knob til it feels right and then remember the number setting. I like to take care of my gear so I tend to loosen a quarter turn when i re-position to reduce wear. But that's me, it'll work without doing that.

As for the legs, they are solid and sturdy. If you're not fussed about the extra mm, you might as well get the 4 section one instead of the 5, to get that extra solidness.

I haven't field tested this extensively over months yet, so long term I can't comment, but overall it's been great to use so far.
It comes with a nice bag that has 2 d-rings to clip to and a shoulder strap for the bag. I don't tend to carry bare tripods around as I don't like advertising my gear so the bag is great.

I think Benro has taken a lot in over the years and put a bit of effort into fixing their problems and the more recent gear seems to be fine.
It might be worth asking how old the stock is that you're getting.

The only thing I would ditch is the QL plate or buy another one so you never have to take it off your lens or body. It needs the provided allen key to attach it, annoying if you ever lose the key. Either that or find a wingnut screw to replace it.

So anyway, overall very happy with the unit, even at $400AUD had I paid that.

And just as a last dig to all those 'I hate Chinese copies' types,
try spending less time arguing in forums and more time taking pictures. The money you save on gear might just get you that extra trip to use it as well. You'll be happier for it. =)

badgermoney writes...

The only thing I would ditch is the QL plate or buy another one so you never have to take it off your lens or body. It needs the provided allen key to attach it, annoying if you ever lose the key. Either that or find a wingnut screw to replace it.

I'm not sure if all Benro QR plates are the same, but the one I have has the hexagonal screw with a straight slot in it, so all I ever need to do to tighten or loosen it is to grab a 20c coin that's lying around and use that.

Personally, I've got a Benro Aluminium tripod and ballhead, and it hasn't let me down yet and I'm pretty damn happy with it.

Haven't used a Benro but I did take a SLIK 614 Carbon tripod to Japan with me for 2 weeks and it was awesome. Compact and light.

pop4 writes...

Benro QR plates are the same, but the one I have has the hexagonal screw with a straight slot in it

That's what I got too. Mine has been fine, tripod, head and all. Only mod I've made is drilling 3mm holes through the rubber feet because the carbon legs seal so well that it can be hard to extend them :)

Looking at buying a Benro Travel Angel before I go on my big trip.

To the people that have bought it, is it solid enough for a 70-200L (either 2.8 or 4.. have not made my mind up yet on which one yet)

Is it easily carried on a backpack?

Doesn't anyone have a Benro C-269 M8 or C-268 M8? If so, are you happy with it with your large primes or 70-200mm lens?

I was reading up on benro especially their ballheads, opted to go the Gitzo and Markins way. I'd rather not have $10k+ worth of gear hit the floor ;) tiny fraction of your total gears worth to have it secure imo.

OCC|xlr8ed writes...

I'd rather not have $10k+ worth of gear hit the floor ;) tiny fraction of your total gears worth to have it secure imo.

I've also read the 2nd gen tripods and ball heads have been much improved since 2008.

Just got my Benro C-269 M8+B-1+PU-60 Carbon Fiber Tripod Kit! Amazing quality and travel size. The B-1 ball head is great as well.

http://benro.cn/EnSite/EnProduct.aspx?ParaId=1&id=140&ProductId=439

Bought it on ebay last weekend and got it today. Will put it to the test this weekend when I visit a winery.

Sprae writes...

Just got my Benro C-269 M8+B-1+PU-60 Carbon Fiber Tripod Kit! Amazing quality and travel size. The B-1 ball head is great as well.

http://benro.cn/EnSite/EnProduct.aspx?ParaId=1&id=140&ProductId=439

Bought it on ebay last weekend and got it today. Will put it to the test this weekend when I visit a winery.

Nice. How much do they go for?

Got it here for around $510 relative to the exchange rates of the day.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220402539314&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

Cost over $700 if I ordered it from the Sydney Benro shop.

sorry to dig up an old thread, but any more user comments about this Benro Carbon fibre Tripod.

Thinking of taking the plunge and getting one soon but not sure which to get the 268 (4part) or 269 (5part)

Nhutty writes...

268 (4part) or 269 (5part)

Depends how you use your tripod. I've got the 269 and more optional lengths the better. Remember that on uneven surfaces like rock faces, slopes, etc. these options really helps.

Nhutty writes...

268 (4part) or 269 (5part)

In theory, the less number of sections, the steadier the tripod is. Note how the minimum diameter for each leg on the 268 is 19mm whereas the 269 is only 16mm.

Sprae writes...

Depends how you use your tripod. I've got the 269 and more optional lengths the better. Remember that on uneven surfaces like rock faces, slopes, etc. these options really helps.

just wondering have you tried taking photos where you leave the shutter open for long periods of time, do you notice that the camera will sway/move during this time outside?

that is probably my only main concern

Steady as hell. Unless there are very strong winds, you're fine. There's a hook on the main column for additional weights to load it down if required.

SLB writes...

In theory, the less number of sections, the steadier the tripod is. Note how the minimum diameter for each leg on the 268 is 19mm whereas the 269 is only 16mm.

In practise, it's fine. Unless you want to use a pyramid as tripod for ultimate stability, then having more flexibility to carry this around is more important.

Sprae writes...

In practise, it's fine. Unless you want to use a pyramid as tripod for ultimate stability, then having more flexibility to carry this around is more important.

I'm not disputing you on this. I'm sure it will be fine in most cases. Some people, however, will not take any chance at all. Heavy duty tripod with thick legs, cable/remote release, mirror lockup etc just to minimise micro vibrations.

At the end of the day, you decide what's best for you.

I got the 298M8 (4 sections CF) and the HD-38 head.
It is a fantastic piece of equipment. Most of the times the last section (the thinnest) is retracted.

I can do table top macro shots with the camera 90 degrees down (have 5dII gripped with the 100mm 2.8 is macro) and it just works great.

Didn't like the ballheads much so opted for the 3-way head which I find more useful.

I have a Canon 450D with 10-22 & 18-200. Would the C-169 be more suitable for me or should I stick with the C-269?

Also has anyone heard much about the C-1691? – it only appears on the chinese website http://www.benro.cn/EnSite/EnProduct.aspx?ParaId=1&id=131&ProductId=363 and not their worldwide (.com) site. This version can change from tripod to monopod which might come in handy

I was keen on CF Benro for OS travel next month, but this put me off:

http://forums.mactalk.com.au/41/61086-benro-tripods-other-suggestions.html

(scroll ½ way down)

Instead I decided on a Feisol CT-3441S with some options for $417.

monyx writes...

http://forums.mactalk.com.au/41/61086-benro-tripods-other-suggestions.html

Depends on the usage mate. No tripod is invincible, and unless you know that poster personally, wear and tear happens to all tripods.

Anyway, treat any gear with care and it will go a long way. I've got mine for over 6 months without any issues.

in addition I was influenced by the 'cheap metallurgy' employed in China manufacturing i.e. buy a cheap polished/billet bling part for my motorbike...one hit on the road they break apart whereas a genuine USA billet engiine cover gouges and scrapes, but can be polished up nicely and reused where and it has protected my stator.

monyx writes...

China manufacturing

But what isn't made in China these days? All my Macs are made there. Don't group a whole country's QC to bad experiences, you'd end up not buying much nowadays. Even if 30% of them are dodgy ;)

yes...but I was alluding to is the short-comings in engineering at a more fundamental level i.e. metallurgy & CF construction as opposed to electronics/assembly. I know very little about either, but a lot of people go on the 'look & feel' with scant regard to the underlying construction. This reminds of reports years ago about the quality of Chinese-sourced steel used in construction. I peronsl have experience with car/bike parts...

Whether this is relevent to CF/alloy tripods...whether Taiwain-made Feisol kit is world's better..I don't know, but I was happy to spend a bit more on Feisol based on years of persuing forums/opinions about different brands.

Would I be able to put a Manfrotto fluid head on one of these?

bu-bumpies!

Anyone used the C-2681M8? Looks like a fantastic solution..

Not that exact model – I did consider it but went for the Benro C-069 Travel Angel.

The C-069 packs incredibly small (fits in my backpack) yet can take my Canon 450D + 18-200 or 10-22 no worries.

Only negative is the twist lock is a lot slower to setup than the the flip lock type legs.

nbawden writes...

The C-069 packs incredibly small (fits in my backpack) yet can take my Canon 450D + 18-200 or 10-22 no worries.

I saw that the smallest leg sections of this tripod are only 10mm across. That's tiny! Is it strong enough for normal situations and a normal lens? I need something like that for Europe..

I've got a 60D and a Sigma 30/1.4. Can't decide between the Travel Angel range..

hi Silver, I bought a Benro A-550ex in China for about $160AUD (from memory). I used it last night while here in China shooting the new years fireworks. With my camera mounted, I carted it all around the streets and can't boast about this tripod enough; it's sturdy, light weight, small enough to fit in my suit case, it's perfect and I always take it with me overseas. I had a Nikon D5k attached to it and carried it all with one hand, no problem. When I first saw it, I ummed and ahhed about the price but and am so happy I bought it. No regrets what-so-ever. The head mechanism and lever lock leg clips are superb. Get one.

I'm currently tossing up between the A-1681 ($220) or the C-2691 ($360). Same weight, but the CF version would be smaller, yet taller when fully extended and stronger ITO weight (better head, CF legs). Just not sure if I need stronger, since I rarely use tele lenses. Got an old 200mm prime that weighs about 1kg, but otherwise I doubt I'll ever go over 3kg total, which means that even the A/C-0691 would do the trick.

I definitely want the one with the detachable monopod for video work and just to walk around with.

I've got an A-1691 and love it, the monopod mode is genuinely useful.

I bought one and have been really impressed, I wrote a review if you are interested:

http://www.leeduguid.com.au/blog/tips/which-tripod-benro/

Good review, thanks! Although I'm pretty sure your tripod weighs way less than 3kg. It's supposed to be about 1.7kg

I've since decided to go for the C-1681EX. It's CF, ~1.4kg, has 4 leg extensions, min 16mm legs, sits at 1650mm with the centre column extended (I'm 6'2" as well), has lever locks and folds down to 475mm. It has it all, for $325 delivered. I just have to wait till next payday in 2 weeks! I've ben waiting for that day for about 10 months.. :D

?? If you have been waiting for this day for 10 months, why do you have to wait 2 weeks for pay day?

susitna writes...

?? If you have been waiting for this day for 10 months, why do you have to wait 2 weeks for pay day?

It takes me a while to save up for non-essential stuff. I've had my heart set on a Travel Angel for ages but since have since gotten married which makes buying gear a bit harder ;)

I understand now :-)