Chuck
I have been extremely pleased with my Uni-Loc System 1700. It is brilliant
for working close to ground level, and the 180 degree swivel joint in the
centre column makes it more versatile then the similar Benbo versions. It
weighs around 2.5 Kg without head, and is very sturdy. I normally use it
with a Benbo Trekker 1" ball head with revolving base, to which I have
added a Uni-Loc 25 quick release platform. (All up the head weighs about
300g.) For longer/heavier lenses, or when I want more precise adjustment
capability, I change to a Manfrotto 056 3 way head.
IMO the Benbo ball heads are better than their Uni-Loc equivalents. If you
decide to get a ball head, make sure you get a model with a revolving base,
as without it, some movements are restricted when the platform is used at
90 degrees for vertical compositions.
If the Uni-Loc is too heavy, consider the Benbo Trekker. It does not have
the 180 degree swivel joint in the centre column, but otherwise is ident
ical in design. I weighs in at 1.86 Kg without head, is not quite as
sturdy as the Uni-Loc, but is still a worthy contender.
The main advantage of these designs for me is the independent locking of
the centre column and legs, which allows you to work low and to use the
tripod in really awkward situations where a conventional tripod is
hopeless. The other big plus is the way the top leg sections telescope
inside the lower leg sections, which allows the lower leg sections to be
fully sealed. This means you can immerse the legs in water or mud, and
just hose it off when finished.
I have both. Due to the fact that the Uni-Loc is almost impossible to get
in Australia, (I actually had one on order for about 8 months but it never
came) I ended up buying the Trekker. About a year later, my Uni-Loc
bobbed up second hand at a very reasonable price, the only one I've ever
seen advertised. I tend to use the Benbo when I am doing lots of walking,
and the Uni-Loc the rest of the time.
This site may be useful:
http://www.pro4.com/systempods.cfm
Regards
Ross
On Sunday, August 29, 1999 8:35 PM, Chuck Norcutt [SMTP:norcutt@xxxxxxx]
wrote:
> Hi list,
> After 30 years of cheapo tripods I've finally decided that I should get
> something decent.
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