what tripod to get

timballic · #51 (**permalink**) 27-09-2011, 12:03 PM

John, (and anyone else interested), Neil Ellis at StableImaging is giving up selling Triopo tripods, because of all the problems he has had with quality control from the manufacturer.

(contact email: sales@stableimaging.co.uk. Neil is a great guy to deal with.)

He still has a few (Gx1227) left in stock with faulty spirit levels (easily replaced with the same 12mm bubble type from one that fits in a camera hot shoe).

The Gx1227 is the one with 28mm top leg diameter like the Gitzo GT 2531 (with a few cm missing!)

He told me he would sell for £90 incl.pp The next nearest web price for one is £136 from HK.

I think that at this price it is a steal. Apart from the spirit level they are perfect.

(Remember, the real size is not as stated on any Triopo site!)

The actual measured dimensions are:

Closed: 63cm
Height, column down: 135cm
Height, column up: 156cm
Weight: 1.44Kg
I haven't measured lowest height, but obviously you need a short column to get really low.

(From my experience Benro and Triopo columns are/were interchangeable.)

johnf3f · #52 (**permalink**) 27-09-2011, 09:32 PM

Thanks for the info!

johnf3f · #53 (**permalink**) 29-09-2011, 11:10 PM

A friend of mine has just ordered one - at that price it's got to be worth a go!

timballic · #54 (**permalink**) 08-10-2011, 10:58 AM

Any feedback about the Triopo from your friend, John?

johnf3f · #55 (**permalink**) 08-10-2011, 11:48 PM

Got a chance to have a play with it yesterday.
As you correctly observe it is a little shorter than the Gitzo.
As I suspected (from my other Triopo tripod) the legs are not as rigid (stiff) as Gitzo and I can see why any fault in the top casting would potentially cause a failure as happened to you.
Right that's the bad news out of the way!
The Triopo is (IMO) prettier and operates very smoothly - the center column operates better than my Gitzo. The leg locks are great (and easier to clean!).
Overall I am impressed. If I were buying again then I would probably get the TRIOPO in preference to the Gitzo - after all if it failed then I could buy a couple of spares! At Stable Imaging's prices I could buy 4 spares!
I do prefer the Gitzo and (at the price I paid) am glad I bought it, but if price is a consideration then that Triopo looks very interesting! I have seen nothing to challenge it at under £200 let alone under £100! My friend, who bought it, has a Gitzo 3320BS and a Gitzo 1327 to compare it to and he is rather happy with his purchase.

timballic · #56 (**permalink**) 09-10-2011, 12:15 PM

That's what I thought. Really good value if you don't mind the height.
I think it's a shame that Neil at Stable Imaging has had bad support from Triopo and that they haven't taken off, they deserve to be much better known.

WhiskyBottle · #57 (**permalink**) 13-10-2011, 05:01 PM

Hi,

Not read all the posts here, but my thoughts!

I've not brought a tripod for years

I brought a second hand Manfrotto 144 (now 055) with a 3-way pro head for £75 30 years ago, and a Uniloc 1600 Major 25 years ago, with a heavy-weight ball head (FHM or something, from Germany).

Don't use the Manfrotto too much now but it's still a fully functional pro tripod.

The Uniloc goes everywhere with me. It's been dropped off a cliff, sunk in peat bogs and salt water, used as a seat, and seams to be indistructable.

Both will hold a 300/2.8 or 500/4.5

The morrel is get something decent now and you won't be replacing it is a few years time.