On 3/25/2015 2:48 PM, Chuck Norcutt wrote:
...
I did not have any chance to handle the Velbon VS-443D. I only looked at it and briefly picked it up. I do confess
some reservations about the off-center "center post" but the versatility it provides is intriguing. Given the extra
leg sections I think the cam lock legs are a requirement. Watching a couple reviews on YouTube seems to show it
comfortably holding cameras and lenses larger than the E-Mx thingies. As to carbon fiber I've never even seen let
alone picked up a CF tripod.
To me, it's a whole different thing. They feel, handle and sound different than aluminum. I would never go back for that
class of tripod.
I'm still very much interested in this Velbon but will look around some more to see if there's anything else out there
that is functionally competitive and lighter weight.
The Manfrotto 190 I have certainly fills that bill. Even the new version is lighter than that Velbon. I'm curious
whether the new, MT, version is really that much heavier than the one I have. Ah, here's a review that confirms the
increase in weight and price.
<http://www.dpreview.com/articles/4361312796/manfrotto-190-series-carbon-fiber-tripod-review> I can see the center
column mechanism has been redesigned, the leg locks are longer, and the whole spider casting is larger, presumably to
accommodate the side threaded socket for accessories.
"The main differences between both models boil down to the fact that the new 190 can support heftier loads and achieve a
taller maximum height, while gaining more than an inch in portable length and almost a pound more mass. [sic.]"
I don't see that as a good trade-off of features for #/$. The extra height means nothing to me and the old 190 is fully
up to holding E-M5 with 75-300 attached, as I've proved many times. In fact, it worked fine with 60D and 28-300. I don't
remember any height issues at all. But I think it's a new world since film. With flip or tilt screens, I can see what I
need with the camera below eye level more comfortably than through the VF when on a tripod.
I'd be looking for a used one of the earlier model. I've walked many miles with my 190 hanging from a strap over my
shoulder, and I don't think that would have worked with the four# VS-433D.
I learned long ago that it's really useful to find a shop where one may play when looking for tripods and heads. I've
been very surprised more than once when actually handling a pod or head I had decided must be ideal from web research. I
did buy the UT 45 without seeing one, as it was new and time was short. But it is a development of earlier Velbon travel
pods with which I am very familiar, so there were no negative surprises, only positive. It's hard to believe how fast
this thing is to set up, change height, flip upside down, etc., or how sturdy it is.
Triune Moose
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