Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mykeprime" data-source="post: 671540" data-attributes="member: 44914">Hi, I’m taking a trip to Snowdonia in September and have decided that, wanting to enjoy the walks without feeling over encumbered, I need to invest in a travel tripod.I've got a Manfrotto 055x pro b that’s never let me down, but it’s too big and heavy to lug about. I did that last time I was there and even with a carry handle it wasn’t the best experience. The idea is that I get something that can unobtrusively strap to the side of my Lowepro Flipside 300 AWII 300, with one leg slipped into the side pocket. (It has a dedicated set-up on the back, but I don’t really want to be swinging the extra depth around).I know travel tripods are a compromise and will never be as stable or vibration resistant as my big 055, but I want something that will be there if I need it, being stable enough to do the job and not useless due to vibration. There’s bound to be some wind at some point so I’ll try not to extend center columns to help. My backpack, at an estimate of its potential heaviest, should be around 4kg, so as ballast with the camera it should still come in under the max load of the tripods I have my eye on.I’m not professional, I want to get back into the hobby. I use a Nikon D90, usually with the 18-105 it came with but also a Nikkor 70-300 f/4.5-5.6g, which is likely to be the biggest thing I’ll ever try to use on the tripod for the foreseeable future. I’ll have some cokin P filters on the end occasionally too.Looking at various options: I have become very keen on the Manfrotto Befree Advanced. Unfortunately there is very little in the way of reviews for the advanced model. No user reviews on amazon, just a handful of videos on youtube that suggest it’s pretty good. It’s rated for 8kg, so should easily support the weight, but whether or not it’s stable is another matter. I’ve read that the Advanced legs are improved and more rigid than the original befree (of which I’ve noted people saying they're susceptible to vibration at top height), but I have very little to go on other than that. It seems to have a loop on the side between the legs so I might need some sort of cord to hang my backpack.This guy seems to have found it suitable for where I’m going, but it’s a Manfrotto publicity video, so probably not the best for impartiality!<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxjnfNFoxmo" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxjnfNFoxmo</a>The Mefoto Roadtrip is also looking like a strong contender, with lots of good user reviews and a number stating to have used it well with DSLRs and bigger lenses (though they didn’t really mention how high it was when using it). But there were some questions over the build quality, and I wonder whether the 5 leg sections will make it less stable than the manfrotto, which has 4. I’ve also read that the last section of the legs seems quite flimsy, some people even mentioning that they can flex a bit at the end. On the other hand, it is a bit taller than the Befree Advanced, has the detachable monopod, and a hook at the end of the center column, which seems like it may be more convenient for hanging the bag from.I’ve also seen the Manfrotto element traveller big… I’m not sure why this exists as well as the befree range. It looks like it might be a rebranded Sirui, which may or may not be a bad thing (I keep seeing the name pop up). I can only find a few user reviews, but they have been positive, and say that the legs are very stable and rigid, though the head may not be great. The Carbon version would weigh the same as the befree and stand taller, but there’s not much reference to judge how much chunkier it might be to carry on the bag.I briefly had the 3 Legged Thing ‘Brian’ in contention too, but I thought the triangular plate under the ball head might tug and tear the stretchy mesh on my backpacks side pocket if I’m not careful.Unfortunately, There’s no where near me that has the Befree Advance in store, nor anywhere stocking the mefoto within easy reach. So I can’t really get my hands on them to evaluate.Could anyone with experience of these tripods offer some insight? How do they compare? Are they stable enough to use with my set of gear? Are they usable when it’s a bit windy? EtcThanks!</blockquote>

Verification