GEAR
BUYERS’ GUIDE
FRESH LEGS
It’s time to hone your tripod game – take a look at these masterpieces of stability PICK UP STICKS
WORDS ADAM DUCKWORTH
S ometimes you need a lightweight tripod to keep everything as portable as possible on location or for travelling. Other times, only a set of sturdy sticks for locked-down shots or a wobble-free base for smooth movement is called for. Nothing else will do. This month, we take a look at a range of dependable, full-size tripods to suit all projects, cameras and budgets.
Benro’s Mammoth is a heavy-duty, four-section carbon-fibre tripod with a quick-levelling 75mm bowl ideal for video heads. There are twist leg locks to change the height from 160cm/63in to as low as 14cm/5.5in due to independently locking legs. The rubber feet can be unscrewed and replaced with included spiked feet. The tripod weighs 2.25kg/4.97lb with a maximum payload of 25kg/55.1lb. A perfect match is Benro’s WH15 Wildlife two-way head, which has eight-stop counterbalance pan and tilt drag adjustment. This has a bowl levelling system and handle that can be extended quickly and locked with ease. It will support up to 15kg/33lb and has an Arca- Swiss style plate. BENRO MAMMOTH WITH WH15 HEAD £370/$350 tripod, £600/$700 head benroeu.com
LIBEC HS-150M KIT £1105/$1009 libec-global.com
Speed of set-up, as well as performance in use, is a requirement for any tripod chosen by filmmakers. And Libec’s HS system has a simple counterbalancer that even works for lighter mirrorless cameras. The HS-150M kit includes the HS-150 tripod, which is a traditional multi-tube leg set-up, and the new H15 head. The legs have a mid-level spreader and bowl-style adjuster to get everything level. The Manfrotto-fit plate clicks onto the head. And then the counterbalance knob is adjusted until the camera stays perfectly still wherever it’s pointed. Pan and tilt movements have three drag settings, as well as free movement plus lock. Maximum payload is 3kg/6.6lb.
Pros: Very smooth head Cons: Not the lightest
Pros: Universal 75mm bowl fitment Cons: No spreader available
61
PROMOVIEMAKER.NET
Powered by FlippingBook