BUYERS’ GUIDE
3 LEGGED THING JAY KIT £699/$623 3leggedthing.com
tilts. Legs can all be detached for use as a monopod or boom. Plus, 3 Legged Thing sells ‘footwear’ that replaces the legs and screws into the base, turning it into a tabletop tripod – a handy little feature. The S kit employs a standard video camera plate, while the A kit is identical – except for an Arca-Swiss-type head plate.
British tripod brand 3 Legged Thing offers the Jay kit, which is ideal for smaller cameras like mirrorless, as it has five-section, carbon-fibre legs and folds down to just 50.1cm/19.72in. It weighs 2.16kg/4.76lb, reaches 121cm/46.6in and can take a very decent payload of 14kg/30lb. It has a levelling base and comes with the AirHed Cine fluid head for smooth pans and
Pros: Funky looks and details
Cons: Head is not the best
BENRO TORTOISE CLV SERIES £385/$475 benroeu.com
sizeable payload of 20kg/44lb. Both can be bought with the S4Pro video head. Neither tripod uses a central column, so splay the legs out to get them very close to the ground. They have twist-style leg locks for speedy use, but no spreader is available. Both come with a carry bag and set of spiked feet.
Benro’s Tortoise series tripods feature a self- levelling platform, so you can mount your choice of fluid head on top and get everything set up quickly. The tripods have four-section legs, with the £321/$326 24CLV going as high as 148.5cm/58.5in and handling a payload of 14kg/30.9lb. The larger £385/$475 34CLV reaches 153.5cm/60.4in and handles a very
Pros: Self-levelling head
Cons: No spreader available
JOBY COMPACT ADVANCED £87/$115 joby.com
pressed into service to hold everything – from a small B camera, an action cam or your phone to a mic. The centre column gets you extra height, while flip-locks stop the legs from creeping. Having a compact and inexpensive tripod like this is always a good idea.
Joby’s Compact Advanced is designed for a mirrorless or DSLR camera and has a three- way head. It takes up to 3kg/6.6lb. As Joby and Manfrotto are sister brands, it’s easy to see the influences of the tripod giant in this kit. Unless you have a very small camera, this isn’t going to be your main tripod. Yet it can be
Pros: Light and inexpensive
Cons: No counterbalance adjustment
JOBY GORILLAPOD 3K PRO KIT £99/$140 joby.com
This 3K Pro Kit is perfect for mirrorless cameras with a payload up to 3kg/6.6lb, and comes with a ball head using an Arca-Swiss fitting. The head locks into place with a single knob, so it’s fast and easy to use. It’s not going to be your main tripod, but can get you out of a tight spot, and is ideal for small LED lights or audio kit.
The Joby GorillaPod might not be everyone’s first choice of support, but thanks to its articulating wrap-around legs, it can grip on to many things. Although some GorillaPod models are largely plastic, this Pro version makes use of aluminium components for strength and extra safety, allowing it to suit larger cameras.
Pros: A handy support solution
Cons: Not for your cinema cam!
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