Tripod video with fluid head : Benro or Weifeng?

[Rick Wise]

Both are Chinese knock-offs. Here’s a brief overview: https://www.studiodaily.com/studiomonthly/currentissue/8857.html. A Google search for each will tell you a lot more about them. To my eyes they do not appear to be a good long-term investment. Obviously, the legs are only half the story. The head is the other half. Unless the head allows you to make butter-smooth pans and tilts, they are next to useless except for a lock-off.

Myself, I’d decide what my budget is. Then go to BHPhotovideo, type into the search box, “complete tripods with heads”, then sort by low to high, and go up to your ouch-point. The cheapest starts at just over $12. There are 15 pages of complete tripods to pick through. Starting page 12 prices are around $230. You’ll find lots of Benbo pods. Some tripods have multiple user reviews, which can be of help.

Rick Wise
director of photography
San Francisco Bay Area
and part-time instructor lighting and camera
grad school, SF Academy of Art University/Film and Video
https://www.RickWiseDP.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rwise
email: Rick@RickWiseDP.com

[Todd Terry]

High-end tripods/heads are notoriously expensive… but there is a very broad used market for them.

After you take Rick’s sage advice and do some research at B&H, I’d hit ebBay or mandy.com and see what’s available in the same line… perhaps an earlier model of the same current new tripod. You might be able to find a great deal.

I have a couple of sets of identical Oconnor sticks and heads which are workhorses which we use every day. When they were new, the MSRPs on these particular ones were pushing the five grand mark. I paid $800 for one set at auction, $650 for the other.

Deals can be had, if you know what you are looking for,are patient, and get lucky.

T2

__________________________________
Todd Terry
Creative Director
Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc.
fantasticplastic.com

[Shun francois Nanjo]

thanks RIck, thanks Todd
yeah, my problem is my budget for now is 300$ish
and also, when I checked Benro tripods on BHphotovideo website, it has a good rating…..
I couldn’t find Weifeng tho…
so for now, I go for my Benro… and will see if it’s worth it
Will keep you updated when I’ll get it
thanks guys, your links helped me a lot in my decision

best,

[Rick Wise]

Todd’s point about ebay is definitely a way to leverage your $300 for a much better tripod…. unless you are pressed for time, in which case unless you find a deal quickly, you are stuck buying new.

Rick Wise
director of photography
San Francisco Bay Area
and part-time instructor lighting and camera
grad school, SF Academy of Art University/Film and Video
https://www.RickWiseDP.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rwise
email: Rick@RickWiseDP.com

[Shun francois Nanjo]

Thanks Guys
I wanted to report on how’s the Benro KH-25 I purchased since we discussed here

Well, I bought the thingy for 200 Euro
As far as I never touched a Vinten tripod or same ranked materials, I can’t really compare I gotta say
But still, the one I bought is not that bad……
the head is removable, and I guess I can change it later with a better real head from Manfrotto or whatever
the foot itself, with pressure buttons is pretty ok, I can move away the the foot lock to make them wide opened (there are screws tho… so can’t make it quickly), and add a trolley too
the head, for now is… well, fluid. the access to different buttons is not that easy but so-so ok
you can adapt the pressure on the head for pan moves, but it’s not really precise in my taste… the buttons are too small…. I would rather have a bit bigger buttons, to adapt properly the pressure on it
for now, I would say the movement wasn’t 100% fluid, but I can’t tell if it comes from my lack of experience, or if it comes from the tripod itself
I can add a LANC remote later on…
it comes with a bag and a leash…
well, for 200 euro, I guess it’s not bad..
I wished I could try a Vinten to tell you more about it

Anyway, thanks guys
Hope I’ll get more jobs til the day I would be able to afford the Vinten, and the camera that goes on
😀
beeeest!

[Tom Heinrich]

I purchased a Weifeng 571H for the very same reason…finances! It is noisy, one leg extends way past where it should when setting it up (the pot metal in it broke), and I can’t find a replacement part.

I did however bite the bullet and purchased a Manfrotto Tripod with attached Bogen fluid head (used) from a Professional photographer for less than I paid for the “BOGUS” WEIFENG” lol

Good ones are out there…just got to look…and sometimes look some more.