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High-end asian tripods
  • SangyeSangye

    Anyone know anything about this brand? I've been seeing them on eBay lately while looking for a good deal on a used Sachtler tripod.

    Basically, their line-up looks like clones of Sachtler, except for about 1/4 the price ($1000 instead of $4000).

    I have my doubts about the fluid head, but the tripod itself might give brands like Sachtler, Miller, or O'connor a good run for their money.

    For example: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Carbon-Fiber-Tripod-For-Red-Epic-Scarlet-Cage-Rigs-With-Fluid-Head-For-video-Cam-/251550030885?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a918cdc25

  • 25 Replies sorted by
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    They are not high end, and it is not Top Photo (it is US or such reseller).

    They are long known and make quite good quality stuff.

    http://www.trixtripod.com/index.aspx

  • SangyeSangye

    Thanks for the edit, I was about to fix it myself. Looks like the brand name is "Trax" and the retailer is "Top Foto". Haven't found any info about Trax.

  • SangyeSangye

    @Vitaliy_Kiselev -- not high end, but good quality? Do you have a recommendation for a better carbon tripod with fluid head off the Asian market?

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    Top Weifeng heads and their top carbon legs.

  • SangyeSangye

    @Vitaliy_Kiselev - seriously? Weifeng are in a totally different class. Nice and simple, but better suited for photographers on the go.

    These Trix tripods are clearly designed for serious video cameras, supporting cameras 30KG and beyond.

    The only Weifeng that I could find that even has a ball leveling mechanism, appears to be a rebranded Ravelli AVTP, which I own, and which most certainly is not top end!

    Based strictly on design, I'd say that Weifeng is to Manfrotto, what Trix is to Sachtler / Miller / O'connor.

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    Weifeng are in a totally different class. Nice and simple, but better suited for photographers on the go.

    LOL

    Do not say about things you have no idea about.

    Weifeng is huge factory (largest tripod manufacturer). And they have different brands for different things.

    They also make extremely good video tripods and video heads, and they are very far from cheap.

    While they are known mostly for cheap 717 and such tripods, they also make things in other league.

  • SangyeSangye

    Can you link to a ball-leveling tripod they make, with 100mm or 150mm bowl diameter?

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1046960-REG/e_image_eg10c2l_e_image_gc102_2_stage_carbon.html

  • SangyeSangye

    Thanks. The legs look a little different, but the head looks identical to me to the Trix one that I linked in my OP. Are you certain that Trix isn't made at the same manufacturer as well?

    I think I'll try my luck with the Trix TX-V12

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    LOL, "looks", "luck", You are selecting tripod like a girl for a night :-)

    It is very different manufacturers, Trix do not make even close to Weifeng quality legs.

    Heads features and manufacturing quality is also very different (for example, Trix has only 3 step, with one being off, counterbalance).

  • filthyfilthy

    @Vitaliy - Any word on if that CT7402 w/mid-level spreader from the deals page ever came back in stock? I'm still needing a second set of sticks that's more stable in real wind over my Manfrotto carbon 536's. If the price is still current including the head on this page........ I'll take it.

    http://www.personal-view.com/deals/tripods-monopods-fluid-heads/weifeng

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    @filthy

    They do not have both legs and head in stock.

    We need to arrange new deals with new models.

  • filthyfilthy

    @Vitaliy

    Thanks for the update. Will follow that page and wait for the update.

  • htfhtf

    @Vitaliy_Kiselev

    any news on the legs? what about e-image gc752? would really appreciate being able to get them via pv deals section!

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    any news on the legs? what about e-image gc752? would really appreciate being able to get them via pv deals section!

    I was too busy lately, I'll try to arrange something. It'll be only carbon legs.

  • IronFilmIronFilm

    For the OP, Tom Antos has reviewed that tripod: http://tomantosfilms.com/4714/came-tv-carbon-fiber-tripod/

    I'm quite tempted by it, as I might need a more heavy duty tripod than my existing Fancier FC270A to handle the extra weight of a fully rigged Sony F3.

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    Yep, CAME just rebranded it. But you must be sure that he is fully unbiased here.

  • chauncychauncy

    whenever someone says it's a great for the price, it means it's a waste of money just not a lot of money.

    The Weifeng 717 head so many seem to get excited over is absolute crap. It feels heavy and solid and, at first grab, high build quality. Then go and try a pan with it, so stiff you have to put so much force a whole side of the tripod wobbles or comes off the ground. Or the delightful crunching sound when you turn the "counterbalance" wheel. http://vimeopro.com/kevinconder/film-equipment-review/video/83535676

    I know they also make really expensive stuff and have no idea about their quality. But no way I will buy anything from them or their 10000 name rebrands without a significant hands on test.

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    whenever someone says it's a great for the price, it means it's a waste of money just not a lot of money.

    Bullshit.

    Well, 717 tripods is most widely used video tripod :-) being far from the best.

    About stiff thing and counterbalance thing.

    If he got faulty head or something else, I have no idea. Proper 717 head is not top notch, but pretty useful. And I know bunch of people using it for years. Some people replaced the grease.

    I also have no idea that is "counterbalance wheel". Counterbalance is only useful if you can tune it according to camera weight. And I never heard about "crunching sound".

    But no way I will buy anything from them or their 10000 name rebrands without a significant hands on test.

    Do the test and post it, in this case.

    P.S. Also check topic title.

  • chauncychauncy

    a useable piece of equipment with limitations is a viable alternative. Beware equipment that the buyer tries to justify by squeaking "this is wrong, that's no good, but it's great for the price"- usually said when the buyer knows the equipment is useless but tries to justify his purchase.

    717 reviews are everywhere that complain about the same issues. The grease is more like a paste.

    I agree with this review that it's so thick to mask the extremely rough movement caused by poorly machined parts.

    Replacing the grease is hardly a trivial endeavor and many who are not DIY experts would destroy the thing.

    All of this is relevant to the topic, since weifeng or fancier or eimage or rebrand #21 make very expensive tripods as well. Is their process better than their inability to machine parts that fit on the 717? Maybe they're great, made in another factory or something.

    I don't know but the point is dare anyone trust their "skills"? I don't for a heartbeat. I'd need to see and play with the expensive heads. I would encourage anyone thinking about buying the top end stuff not to buy unless they could do the same.

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    All of this is relevant to the topic, since weifeng or fancier or eimage or rebrand #21 make very expensive tripods as well. Is their process better than their inability to machine parts that fit on the 717? Maybe they're great, made in another factory or something.

    I don't know but the point is dare anyone trust their "skills"? I don't for a heartbeat. I'd need to see and play with the expensive heads. I would encourage anyone thinking about buying the top end stuff not to buy unless they could do the same

    Please note that I'll move 717 related into http://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/3912/weifeng-717-and-718-heads-and-tripods-topic/p1

    Also note that PV rule is to talk about products, not brands, unless it is just really similar things (like parts manufacturing in rigs) or chit chat. Brands generalization or even angry products feedback from individual who saw exactly one item are useless.

    Considering factory. Manfrotto most horrible fluid heads are made in same factory where top Sachtler heads are made.

    Not only this, but some US and EU distributors (under their own brands) sometimes ask Chinese manufacturers to reduce quality (save or anything they can) if this can make their price cheaper. In case of 717 it is grease manufacturer, this I can tell you.

  • fotosiamofotosiamo

    So I'm actually in the market for a tripod and fluid head myself. Although I tend to shoot with the a7S + Shogun, occassionally I do rent a RED DRAGON. I also tend to use cinema glass (Schneider Xenons, Zeiss CP.2, and even a Canon 30-105mm T2.8 cine), so I'd like to get a reliable tripod+fluid head that can handle up to 50 lbs.

    Of course, there are always the Miller, Sacthler, O'Connor, and Vinten line of tripods, but I'd like to see if I can get something below $1,000 that is not Manfrotto.

    What do you suggest?

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    but I'd like to see if I can get something below $1,000 that is not Manfrotto.

    So, you want both head (100mm bowl I think) and legs (most probably carbon) below $1000? :-)

  • nomadnomad

    Then try to find a used Oskar Heiler tripod!

    This small german company was a spinoff by Sachtler engineers before Sachtler was sold and quality went down. They made excellent tripods, but in this world of "buy as cheap as you can" they didn't last long. Maybe you're lucky and get one in good condition, I found mine for 950,- €, well, quite close to the dollar these days …

  • brianlbrianl

    I use a Japanese brand called Liber. Good bang for the buck.

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