> Subject: [OM] Benbo user comments?
>
> I was at a local camera shop yesterday, browsing for a new tripod.
> They have a used Benbo 1 for $75 that caught my eye.
That's a steal! Snap it up! I paid $150 for mine, used!
> After playing with it a bit, I decided against buying it, because
> it felt like it would be very clumsy to work with in the field.
Having used Benbos for years, I find other tripods to be "clumsy" in
comparison. For example, the Benbo legs lock into place -- I often
carry it around open, ready to plop down, without having to "spread
'em" first, like you have to with "conventional" tripods.
I have a #1 that I use a lot, and a Trekker that I rarely use any
more, because I'm willing to carry the extra weight (and stability)
of the #1. It's heavy enough for 4x5. I have a Manfrotto 310 mini
gear head on it -- they make a GREAT macro or super-tele combo! On
the other hand, it is very heavy for long hikes and such. You'll want
carbon fiber if that's your first criteria.
It's been said that some people swear by them, and others swear *at*
them. I wouldn't give mine up for an $800 carbon-fiber Gitzo.
But then, I shoot Olympus, compute on a Mac, bike on a recumbent, and
drive a (bio)diesel vehicle. Don't ask me about popular culture; ask
me about what works!
:::: At best, it [conservation] means we will run out of energy a
little more slowly. -- Ronald Reagan ::::
:::: Jan Steinman <http://www.VeggieVanGogh.com> ::::
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