Sunday, May 13, 2012

Benro 2nd Generation Flat Folding Tripods

In 2011, Benro launched the second generation of the innovative Flat Folding Tripods. Similar to its ancestor, it inherited the compact and portable advantage of the Flat series: less than 6cm thin when folded.

Surely, new features were added to make it more functional:
  1. Monopod conversion ability
  2. 3 Levels leg angle adjustment ability
  3. Extremely low minimum height!
Let's go more in-depth, here we use C1192TB0 as the demonstration.

Where to Buy?


Opened, neatly balanced design.
Folded, thin and portable.
Specifications of the whole series



From the chart above, we could know the basic properties of the tripods:
  • Material: Carbon Fiber / Aluminium
  • Max. Leg Thickness: #1 / #2 thickness
  • Tripod Design: "1" = Flat Folding Tripods
  • Leg Sections: "8" = 4 Sections / "9" = 5 Sections
  • Extra Function: "2" = Monopod conversion with "head + center column + leg" mechanism
  • Lock Type: Twist Lock
  • Bundled Head: B0 / B1
Please read the post "Naming System of Benro Tripods" for more details of the Benro tripod models.

To be simple, there are 8 models for selection in total, with different materials / thickness / sections



General Features

Folded, with ball head.

Close up - Upper part. Both tripod body and ball head are with bubble level.
Side view (ball head is detached)
3/8" mounting screw (connecting ball head and tripod), please note that it's not removable.
Front of upper part, ball head is detached.
Folded - Upper part, ball head is attached.
Twist Lock
Extendable center column (it's now in contracted state), for increasing tripod height.
Center column is attached to tripod for extra height.
Still need more height? The center column is extendable!

Feature Highlight 1 - Multiple Leg Angles Selection 
Unlike traditional tripods, the Flat series tripods don't need any short center column to achieve high, medium or low leg angles! It is really a great advantage for low angle shooting, macro shooting and wild life shooting.
Angle Selector - 3 leg angles available
Highest Angle
Medium Angle

Lowest Angle. Wow! Extremely low!!

Feature Highlight 2 - Monopod Conversion 
Actually, converting to a monopod is just a simple operation: screwing out a leg, and attaching it to the ball head, done!
And if you need a longer monopod, just adding the center column between the head and the leg, that's it!

Foamed leg, ball head & center column are the elements for monopod conversion
Close up - detaching the foamed leg from the tripod body.
Demo 1 - Short Version Monopod
(Ball Head + Foamed Leg)

Demo 1 - Short Version Monopod
Done!
Demo 2 - Long Version Monopod
(Ball Head + Center Column + Foamed Leg)
Demo 2 - Long Version Monopod
Done!
Ball Head Details

Benro B series ball head is bundled.
4 knobs controlling:
Main Drag Knob / Damping Knob / Panoramic Knob / Quick Release Knob
Top View - with Spirit Bubble Level

New safety design, prevents sudden dropping of equipment.

Accessories & Packing

Accessories:
Hexagonal Wrench / Allen Key / Steel Spiked Feet
Interchangable Feet:
Rubber feet for flat surface
Steel Spiked feet for rocky, muddy, sandy surfaces
Steel Spiked feet for rocky, muddy, sandy surfaces
Original tripod bag and packing box

Verdicts 
We have summarized the pros & cons of the tripod for buyers' consideration.

pros:
  • Thin and portable
  • Light weight
  • High steadiness (by the center-column-free design)
  • Convertible to monopod
  • Flexible leg angles (3 levels)
  • Extremely low minimal height
  • Interchangable feet for different surfaces (rubber and steel spikes)
  • Detachable ball head
cons:
  • When tripod head is attached, it's not as short as traveler tripods (i.e. reverse folding tripods).
  • Only accepts tripod heads with 3/8" base screw diameter.
  • Tripod head cannot be upside-down (usually used in films or books reshooting).
Although flat tripods are not uncommon among the industry, but with the monopod conversion and flexible angle selection features "all-in-one" makes the Benro Second Generation Flat Tripod outstanding. It's one of the best tripods from Benro so far.

Thank you for reading. I hope you find the article useful. :-)

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1 comment:

  1. Can't find one or a review of one in the US. Only ebay store. Would be interested in a C2182 or A2182 for a big lens with gimbal head. Would like to see if the 12kg is a practical real world capacity for such a travel friendly design. The v2 series with leg locks, bubble level, and monopod looks very promising. If you looking for a user review in the US and have demo unit in the states, send it to me and I'll youtube and dpreview it. :) Seth

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