Recommendations for a new carbon fibre tripod please?

Kieran_89

Kieran_89

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Afternoon all,

My cheap Manfrotto tripod finally gave up so I'm looking for a new tripod, may as well take advantage of the opportunity and buy something well made and sturdy but also lightweight enough that i won't get annoyed carrying it around with me, it must be small enough to go down the side of a camera backpack.

I have looked at the Peak Design CF, the Ulanzi Zero Y and the SIRUI 5C.

Anyone have one of the tripods mentioned above and can give me their positive/negative feedback on them please? Or alternatives to those specific tripods?

From what i have been reading online, the PD seems the best overall but comes at a price at mostly double the cost of the Ulanzi.

Cheers.
 
Had 2 of the Ulanzi/coman tripods, both have broken after minimal use. I’m talking a handful of uses. I only now use a tripod for scanning film so they never went out of the house!

The current one has a lower leg that now drops out when I undo the clip, meaning I can’t use any of the lowest section now. The first wouldn’t close down and kept jamming. I’d avoid.
 
Another vote for Benro.
 
After loads of different ones that all have gone for one reason or another I’ve got myself a gitzo .no complaints it just works
 
sparker said:
I have one of these, highly recommended

uk.benroeu.com

Tortoise Columnless Tripod #3 Carbon Fiber TTOR34C+GX35 head 4 sections

Experience the ultimate stability with Benro's Tortoise Columnless Tripod. Lightweight, compact, and perfect for travel. Ideal for photographers on the go!
uk.benroeu.com uk.benroeu.com

Simon
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That looks good, will do some reading. :)
LongLensPhotography said:
Any reason it must be carbon? Light = unstable by the way
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I just figured I’d go CF this time as it’s quite a good weight saving over some of the aluminium tripods.
mstphoto said:
I like the Benro tripods.
I have the Rhino and Induro Hydro 2.

Another brand I really like is Vanguard.
They have a large selection of quality tripods to fit your needs at a reasonable cost.
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Haven’t seen anything about Vanguard tripods, I’ll do some research. :)
 
pmac said:
Bought a benro cyanbird last year.
So far it’s been excellent though I’ve not used it loads.
Small when folded, light and sturdy.
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This looks good, found it for around £180 brand new so that’s a good contender.
 
I didn't get along with the PD travel tripod, it's too fiddly, not good with controlling vibrations and all round didn't like using it. Sent it back.

Since then I have found heipi 3-in-1 tripod (I have the original version). Been using it for 2.5 years, it's pretty stable, will made, easy to use and compact.

I also have another feisol CF tripod which is larger and sturdier which I take out locally for shooting night sky and such but otherwise for all travels abroad I take heipi which is fantastic.
 
nandbytes said:
I didn't get along with the PD travel tripod, it's too fiddly, not good with controlling vibrations and all round didn't like using it. Sent it back.

Since then I have found heipi 3-in-1 tripod (I have the original version). Been using it for 2.5 years, it's pretty stable, will made, easy to use and compact.

I also have another feisol CF tripod which is larger and sturdier which I take out locally for shooting night sky and such but otherwise for all travels abroad I take heipi which is fantastic.
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Thanks for the info about the PD tripod, read rather a lot of negative views especially for the price, I’ll stay away

Heipi looks good, I’ll do some research, thanks. :)
 
Kieran_89 said:
I just figured I’d go CF this time as it’s quite a good weight saving over some of the aluminium tripods.
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Weight is what keeps it stable and safe. I wouldn't even contemplate anything less than manfrotto 055 class or equivalent, ideally bigger
 
LongLensPhotography said:
Weight is what keeps it stable and safe. I wouldn't even contemplate anything less than manfrotto 055 class or equivalent, ideally bigger
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I get what you’re saying but unless I’m shooting in strong winds then carbon fibre will be absolutely fine.

I always hang my backpack underneath my tripod for extra weight pulling it down so it should be fine.
 
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That's still a lot of money sitting on your tripod, so buy the best you can afford. - Take a look at the Gitzo 3 series!

If you are likely to upgrade to a larger lens in the future, then go for a 5 series!

I shoot with Nikon Z9/Z800 and Z6iii/Z100-400 and whilst I usually carry them on a double strap and shoot hand held, I use a Gitzo 5 series when shooting from my hides, or stationary positions.

Buy once and buy right!
 
Kieran_89 said:
I get what you’re saying but unless I’m shooting in strong winds then carbon fibre will be absolutely fine.

I always hang my backpack underneath my tripod for extra weight pulling it down so it should be fine.
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Stability of the tripod is based on a number of things not just the weight or material.
Weight of course matters but so does the material (CF handles vibrations better than Aluminium), number of leg sections (lower is better), diameter of the legs (normally higher the number of sections the thinner the diameter of the final section), centre columns vs. no centre column etc etc etc
in fact even the quality of locks between the legs matter, having poor quality ones will just pass on the vibrations and make things worst.
hanging backpack especially in windy conditions potentially can cause more problems than solve if you bag is swinging around.

its really hard to measure the stability of a tripod objectively. for a long time i stayed away from 5 section tripods since i had bad experiences with them, but my heipi is fine.
so there is a lot of factors that contribute to what will make for a good stable tripod.

And if I had infinite money i will hire someone to carry my gear and the heaviest, most stable tripod for me. Till such a time I win the lottery, I will accept some compromises ;)
you need to figure out what compromise works best for you :)
 
Kieran_89 said:
I just figured I’d go CF this time as it’s quite a good weight saving over some of the aluminium tripods.
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I have a Manfrotto CF 055 3 section. The use of CF doesn't in practice make it much lighter than an aluminium IMO - once you add a larger head.

In cold conditions then CF is a bit nicer to handle with bare hands. One moan I do have about the 055s is that you can't just buy a set of ordinary spikes and screw them in.

If I was replacing it I wouldn't be over bothered by whether the replacement was metal or carbon fibre.
 
Dryce said:
I have a Manfrotto CF 055 3 section. The use of CF doesn't in practice make it much lighter than an aluminium IMO - once you add a larger head.

In cold conditions then CF is a bit nicer to handle with bare hands. One moan I do have about the 055s is that you can't just buy a set of ordinary spikes and screw them in.

If I was replacing it I wouldn't be over bothered by whether the replacement was metal or carbon fibre.
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+1
 
This will probably make a few people's eye twitch, but I've had one of these for about 3 years now and it has been solid.

Decent size, decent weight, nice and firm, and most importantly - nothing has broken yet. It's been in sea, rivers, mud, freezing cold, summer heat. No problems whatsoever.

They do a range of different sizes with different design options. No idea if the others are as good.
 
nandbytes said:
Stability of the tripod is based on a number of things not just the weight or material.
Weight of course matters but so does the material (CF handles vibrations better than Aluminium), number of leg sections (lower is better), diameter of the legs (normally higher the number of sections the thinner the diameter of the final section), centre columns vs. no centre column etc etc etc
in fact even the quality of locks between the legs matter, having poor quality ones will just pass on the vibrations and make things worst.
hanging backpack especially in windy conditions potentially can cause more problems than solve if you bag is swinging around.

its really hard to measure the stability of a tripod objectively. for a long time i stayed away from 5 section tripods since i had bad experiences with them, but my heipi is fine.
so there is a lot of factors that contribute to what will make for a good stable tripod.

And if I had infinite money i will hire someone to carry my gear and the heaviest, most stable tripod for me. Till such a time I win the lottery, I will accept some compromises ;)
you need to figure out what compromise works best for you :)
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I too have never found hanging weights let alone practical nor beneficial. You just don't...

Cf in theory really helps very tall setups, particularly extension poles if you want to go there. I personally would rather fly a drone if i need 10m height.

Cf doesn't really reduce weight all that much all things being equal. Manfrotto 055 is 2.4kg in aluminium and 2.1kg cf. When you add 2kg head and 2kg (approx) camera + lens you are looking at 6.4 vs 6.1kg. thats within the margin or error but the cost of tripods is very different
 
This is an American site, which claims to provide objective data on tripod stiffness and damping. My engineering knowledge is very limited so unable to comment on the testing methodology and outcomes. However it may be of interest https://thecentercolumn.com/testing-tripod-stiffness-and-damping-at-the-center-column/

I currently have a Feisol which I bought some years ago which has a decent leg diameter and I've found it to be pretty stable but it isn't the smallest. I've also got a smaller Leofoto for travelling; it's pretty decent for its size but I did get found out on a night shoot when I ran out of height and had to lean it against a wall as a bipod !
 
Thanks for the feedback so far, I do appreciate it.

I’m off out this afternoon to try and pick something new, will update if I manage to get something.
 
I have a 15 year old Redsnapper and a 6 year old 3LT Travis. Neither have let me down and they have both been used well and still are depending on what I'm shooting. I've shot long exposure night skies on windy clifftops, general landscapes, seascapes and even 40 minute film exposures.

Whatever you do get, make sure you can add nice spikes to it. That does make a big difference.
 
Ended up going for the Peak Design aluminium tripod, weight doesn't feel bad at all, folds down nicely and got it for a great price.

Thanks all for the suggestions. :)
 
This isn't a recommendation, it's one to avoid. I have a Manfrotto MT055CXPRO4 - carbon fibre with 4 sections. I had expected a sturdy and dependable tripod - the price is now £399 - but it has been a right pain. One leg section fell out and was lost before this was discovered - another one can fall out when extending the legs unless I am very careful. The clamps on the legs have snapped and needed replacement. You can buy spare parts even for discontinued models, and it's good that they are available, but they are very expensive. I've probably spent £200 on spare parts.

Previously I had an aluminium tripod from the 055 series and that was OK. I also have an 075 model with leg braces, which is enormously strong but very heavy.

Also avoid "reviews" by Youtubers who have been sent a tripod for review and post such a review on the basis of using the product once. I have a K&F tripod which I picked up in a charity shop for £17 and sells for about £80 new. A couple of Youtube reviews were glowing, but this one started to fall apart within a few months of occasional use. No big deal for me because it only cost £17 and it's a donation to charity, but it rammed home how much long-term robustness matters compared to looks or first impressions.
 
Kevin Allan said:
Youtube reviews were glowing, but this one started to fall apart within a few months of occasional use. No big deal for me because it only cost £17 and it's a donation to charity, but it rammed home how much long-term robustness matters compared to looks or first impressions.
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This. They all salivate about mediocre products claiming they perform perfectly, best ever, etc. In reality that lens is quite soft, it is missing this or that, and so on. This undermines truly great products and loses trust altogether. You are just watching a long form ad, no different to brands own informercial.
 
Kevin Allan said:
This isn't a recommendation, it's one to avoid. I have a Manfrotto MT055CXPRO4 - carbon fibre with 4 sections.
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I have the 3 section version for something like 8 years and it has been fine so far.

I do think that the previous generation of metal 055s looked and felt like they were in a different (higher) class than the current generation.

I have seen students from one of the local colleges out in groups and they were using Manfrotto - looked like a mix of 055s and something smaller. I don't think the college would buy them if there was an issue.
 
LongLensPhotography said:
This. They all salivate about mediocre products claiming they perform perfectly, best ever, etc. In reality that lens is quite soft, it is missing this or that, and so on. This undermines truly great products and loses trust altogether. You are just watching a long form ad, no different to brands own informercial.
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I agree there's an awful lot of infomercials for gear out there. They're reasonably easy to spot but there are very few "I've used this for 12 months in tough conditions....and here is the good, the bad and the ugly"

I've seen some photography channels turn into here are products sent to me for review channels. Sometimes with only a tenuous link to photographic use

I guess it's the way of social media. You build up a sufficient following then manufacturers send you gear for "review" If you want more free stuff you need to create videos about it. It's my understanding that gear reviews are one of the best performing genres
 
Dryce said:
I have the 3 section version for something like 8 years and it has been fine so far.

I do think that the previous generation of metal 055s looked and felt like they were in a different (higher) class than the current generation.

I have seen students from one of the local colleges out in groups and they were using Manfrotto - looked like a mix of 055s and something smaller. I don't think the college would buy them if there was an issue.
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I've also got the 055 CXPRO3, bought second hand (but like new) about 14 years ago, I don't use it a huge amount, but it's been on beaches, in woods, etc. and never had a problem with it. I've got a spare short centre column, which has my gimbal mounted, and swap that with the standard column (which has my 410 Geared head on) as required.
I know they've made changes to the 055 over the years, perhaps quality has decreased.
 
I've had the Peak Design Aluminium tripod turn up and i must say it feels and looks great, certainly don't feel the need to go CF now as this is light enough and folds down small enough to fit comfortably in the side pocked of my bag.

I appreciate those who said CF wasn't worth it, maybe down the line i'll try again but for now, this is very good. :)
 
3rd one now broken. One of the lower legs has dropped out. This one has been used twice since I’ve had it!

Having a job to get it replaced on the joke 2yr warranty. Think these are about £250 too. AVOID.


IMG_1225.jpeg
 
Kieran_89 said:
Afternoon all,

My cheap Manfrotto tripod finally gave up so I'm looking for a new tripod, may as well take advantage of the opportunity and buy something well made and sturdy but also lightweight enough that i won't get annoyed carrying it around with me, it must be small enough to go down the side of a camera backpack.

I have looked at the Peak Design CF, the Ulanzi Zero Y and the SIRUI 5C.

Anyone have one of the tripods mentioned above and can give me their positive/negative feedback on them please? Or alternatives to those specific tripods?

From what i have been reading online, the PD seems the best overall but comes at a price at mostly double the cost of the Ulanzi.

Cheers.
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I have the peak design travel CF and I think it's superb, although I think it's massively overpriced. I picked mine up with a hefty discount though. The legs are definitely quality, and whilst good I'd say the ball head isn't as good quality.

If I was buying now and money no object I'd buy the taller Peak Design Pro tripod, I'm 6'4" and have to bend down to look throught the viewfinder on my camera when mounted on the OG Peak Design. It's not a biggie though as 99% fo the time I use the rear screen when tripod mounted.
 
Very happy with my Manfrotto O55.. Walked around Wex with a carbon in one hand, and an aluminium one in the other (both had matching Manfrotto ball heads on). Couldn’t detect any noticeable weight difference - so went aluminium.

Had it for 5 years, now. No problems
 
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