Digital SLR Photography - UK (2019-12)

Ifyou’relookingtobuy a tripod, check outthe offers from theUK’s best photo dealers in this issue for the very best prices

Buyingadvice ear

Everyphotographershouldowna lightweightandsturdytripod.Wehighlightourfavouritecarbon-fibre models

Essential photo accessories:Carbon-fibre tripods

INDUROSTEALTHCLTT 203

BENROTRAVELANGELFTTA 18 CV 0

SIRUIN- 220 4X

BENROGOPLUSSCLASSICTGP 17 C

MEFOTOGLOBETROOTTERC2 35 0Q2

MANFROOTTOMT 057 C 4 - G

BENROMACH3TMA 37 C

MANFROOTTOMT 055 CXPRO4

GITZOGT 2545 TWITH 13 82QDHEAD

Guidepprice:£30 0

Legsections:ThreeWeight:1.6kg

Website:www.indurogear.com

Guidepprice:£3 14

Leggsections:FourWeighgt: 1 .5kgg(inchead)

Website:www.benroeu.com

Guidepprice:£ 389

Legsections:FourWeight:1.8kg(inchead)

Website:www.sirui.eu

Guidepprice:£ 309

Legsections:ThreeWeight:1.38kg

Website:www.benroeu.com

Guidepprice:£3 19

Leggsections:FiveWeighgt:1.7kgg(inchead)

Website:www.mefoto.com/uk

Guidepprice:£59 9

Legsections:FourWeight:3.75kg

Website:www.manfrotto.co.uk

Guidepprice:£ 309

Legsections:ThreeWeight: 1 .85kg

Website:www.benroeu.com

Guidepprice:£3 49

Leggsections:FourWeighgt: 2 .1kgg

Website:www.manfrotto.co.uk

Guidepprice:£899

Legsections:FourWeight: 1 .48kg

Website:www.gitzo.co.uk

Thisis a classicthree-sectiondesign,focusingon

theessentialsofhighperformanceandstability,to

rivalBenro'sMach3andManfrotto 055 ,butwitha

handyweightsaving. Themaximumheightof

135cmcanbeextendedto 1 60cmviathe

centre-column.Minimumheightis 16cm.

Thisis a compactandlightweighttraveltripod

(withmonopodoption),offeringgoodsupport

andjustenough height(121cm,extendableto

145cm)formost.It closesdownto44cmforeasy

storage.ThesuppliedV 0 E ballheadis nomore

thanaverage,whichis a littledisappointing.

ThehighqualityoftheSiruiis immediately

obviousbyitssolidfeelandthesmooth,positive

actionsofitsadjustments.First-rateconstruction,

thoughtfuldesigntouchesandampleheight,

alongwitha monopodfeature,fora modestly

priced premiumproduct,makesthis agreatbuy.

Boastssomereallyusefulandwellimplemented

extrafeatures,togo witha high overall

performanceandmodestweight.Thearticulating

centre-columnandmonopodfacilityoffersextra

versatility.Shootfromgroundleveltoa maximum

heihtof132cm(159cmwithcolumnextended).

MeFOTOisasub-brandof Benroandthismodel

is similartoBenro'sTravelAngel FTA29CV1.

It combineslight weight withstabilityat a

competitiveprice.Measuring41cmwhenstored,

it canberaisedto132cm(154cmwith

olumnextended).A decenttraveltripod.

Atopoftherange tripodwithstabilityat itscore,

at theexpenseofadditionalweight.It is very

wellengineered, withgreatstrengthanda

maximumheightof182cmthatcanberaisedto

206cmviathegearedcolumn.Idealforthestudio

oroutdoors,if you'rehappytolugit about.

Everypennyofinvestmentin theTMA37Cis

concentratedondeliveringsolidsupport,with

widediameter(32mmat thetop)legs madeof

nine-layercarbon-fibre.Shootaslowas17cm

orat themaximumheightof136cm(162cmwith

columnextended). Idealforheavierloads.

Manfrotto'srenowned055-serieshaschangeda

lotovertheyearsbuthasalwaysdeliveredhigh

performance.Thisversionaddswelcomenew

features,includinga tiltingcentre-columnand

heavydutyQuickPowerLocks.Excellentstability,

evenat itsmaximumheightof140cm.

The priceis staggering,butthis exceptionaltravel

tripodfromGitzocouldpossiblybetheoneand

onlytripodyou'lleverneed.Constructionis

sublime,asis handling, whilethe 13 82QD ball

headis firstratetoo.Storedit measures44cm,

ngto129cm(153cmwithcolumnraised).

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December 2019DigitalSLR Photography 109

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