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BUYERS’ GUIDE
6. BENRO A373FBS6PRO £414/$475 benroeu.com
The nattily-named Benro A373FBS6PRO kit comprises the A373F aluminium single-tube tripod, which has a 75mmbowl and includes a 75mmhalf- ball adapter, mated to the S6Pro Fluid Video Head. This cool-looking head supports up to 6kg/13.2lb, so is ideal for most mirrorless cameras and smaller cinema cameras. The kit goes pretty high, to 163cm/64.2in, but the minimumheight is just 31cm/12.2in, which really does let you get down low for some creative shots. The head has five-step counterbalance, with an attractively blue anodised aluminiumdial to adjust fluid drag on the pan axis, and a large knob on the left side to adjust tilt. There are pan and tilt locks, which are easy to use.
5. MANFROTTO 645 FAST CARBON TRIPOD £900/$950 manfrotto.co.uk
Every second counts when getting a tripod ready. Minutes feel like hours when the action is happening or the talent is getting restless. Manfrotto’s answer is the 645 FTT Fast Twin Carbon Tripod, featuring a double tube leg system and Fast Lever Lock technology for super-quick set-up. The tripod comes with a two-in-one half ball. There’s a standard 100mmbowl, and 75mmadapter to enable the use of a wider range of video heads. It also features a middle spreader. However, you can get rid of this, and use the three-angle selectors. The closure mechanisms between the upper and lower locks allow you to control the entire leg with a single lock and get to work in record time. It has spiked feet for rough terrain, and integrated rubber overshoes to keep indoor floors frombeingmarked.
7. 3 LEGGED THING JAY KIT £534/$623 3leggedthing.com
It’s impossible tomention British tripod brand 3 Legged Thing without describing their products as ‘quirky’ or maybe ‘funky’. They all have unusual names and stylish design features to set them apart. But the firm always delivers professional-quality products. The Jay kit is ideal for smaller cameras, such as mirrorless, as it has five- section, carbon fibre legs, and folds down to just 50.1cm/19.72in. It weighs in at 2.16kg/4.76lb, reaches as high as 1.21m/46.6in, and can take a payload of 14kg/30lb. It has a levelling base and comes with the AirHed Cine fluid head for smooth pans and tilts. The legs can all be detached for use as a monopod or boom, too. And 3 Legged Things sells what it calls ‘footwear’, turning it into a tabletop tripod. The S kit uses a standard video camera plate, while the A kit is identical, apart from an Arca Swiss-type head plate.
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