Benro A-169M8 Travel Angel Aluminum Tripod with BH-0-M Ball Head

Comments about Benro A-169M8 Travel Angel Aluminum Tripod with BH-0-M Ball Head:

I bought both this and the Manfrotto 7302YB to compare. The reason I decided to keep this one is because it is modeled after the more expensive Gitzo tripods. When you think about it, this design is a lot more efficient than the Manfrotto lever locks, design, etc...the only thing Manfrotto has over this one is that there quick-release system and plate is amazing.

The legs on this Benro are very sturdy, the twist lock will make it last longer, the head is much smoother than the Manfrotto with the same range.

I bought this for a manual SLR but you can very well use it for a professional dslr, for travel or otherwise. And it comes with a double padded, very nice carry case, unlike the Manfrotto's polyester sack.

better price for the money compared to similar models. extremely good workmanship! Built like a lower end Gitzo!

Comments about Benro A-169M8 Travel Angel Aluminum Tripod with BH-0-M Ball Head:

Sometimes I have to get in tight places to shoot. The A-169M8 works well for what I need to do. The ballhead is easier to use than the normal heads with grips. I also use a Benro ballhead on another tripod, so this makes it easy to change tripods while working.

Comments about Benro A-169M8 Travel Angel Aluminum Tripod with BH-0-M Ball Head:

This is an excellent value for a compact/travel tripod. It's not the lightest or easiest to operate among tripods of this nature, but for the price it's very hard to beat.

Comments about Benro A-169M8 Travel Angel Aluminum Tripod with BH-0-M Ball Head:

This product is great. The only reason that don't give 5 stars is the number of the legs....maybe 1 less was better.The ballhead is strong.

Comments about Benro A-169M8 Travel Angel Aluminum Tripod with BH-0-M Ball Head:

I agonized over this tripod vs a Manfrotto, but finally decided the only way to know if it was right was to try each out at the store (I'm near B&H).

The Benro Travel Angel won hands down for several reasons:
1) Compact: at 14" folded, it will fit inside a suitcase for travel. Nothing else in it's class will. It's the size of a foldable umbrella! Will attach to the outside of any camera bag with ease.
2) Easy to use: the whole folding legs thing is EASY!! I don't understand reviewers who say it's OK when you get used to it. There's nothing to get used to! The legs just fold UP. To use the tripod, simply pull them DOWN! There are locks in the usual position to keep legs folded down within specific angular range JUST LIKE ANY OTHER TRIPOD!
3) Ballhead: When I locked the easy to use lever, I COULDN'T MOVE THE HEAD! No way a camera and lens (under 600mm) is going to move this ballhead.
4) Center Shaft: When I pulled up on the MANFROTTO center shaft, the little rubber retainer at the bottom popped off when it hit the center "stop", and the shaft came right out. That would be a major problem in the field (river, ocean, mountain, etc.), if you pulled the center shaft up without being very careful. The Benro shaft WILL NOT COME OUT accidentally. Quite easy to remove for reversal if needed.
5) Twist Leg release: This was my biggest worry. They are EASY TO OPERATE!! Easier than the lever locks on my larger Manfrotto 5021B, and the lighter one I compared the Travel Angel to. 1/4 twist, they're loose. Another 1/4 twist to tighten. You can loosen or tighten all from one leg together when collapsed (of course, expanded, you twist them one at a time). NO pinched fingers!!
6) Weight hook: on bottom of center shaft. Quite nice for stabilization.

Buy it. You will not regret it.

Comments about Benro A-169M8 Travel Angel Aluminum Tripod with BH-0-M Ball Head:

I use this platform mostly for landscape shoots but it also meets my other tripod needs as well. It does a good job supporting my Canon 5D Mark II with my Canon 70-200mm f2.8 L IS glass attached. It's as tall as I need it to be when fully extended; plus the many leg sections allow for many more height adjustments than my standard tripod does. Build ouality is very good. Before I ordered it I was concerned that all those leg sections, with the twist-lock releases would be difficult and time consuming to get extended. I was plesently supprised to see how well and quickly the twist releases worked. I am very pleased with this purchase.

Comments about Benro A-169M8 Travel Angel Aluminum Tripod with BH-0-M Ball Head:

I needed a full sized traveling tripod with a small stowed footprint. This tripod meets that need perfectly. It is truley a thing of beauty, rugged, well designed, with all of the right features for an advanced amateur. I would recommend to others as a big bang for your buck purchase.

Comments about Benro A-169M8 Travel Angel Aluminum Tripod with BH-0-M Ball Head:

very lightwieght, fits in luggage well. Takes some getting used to for set up and break down. Very sturdy.

Comments about Benro A-169M8 Travel Angel Aluminum Tripod with BH-0-M Ball Head:

At first [$] for a tripod seemed a little over priced but I needed one that was stable. After receiving this tripod I concur with the previous statements of excellent stability. This will be great for night photography coupled with a remote shutter release.Some might say it's a little heavy but for me another three pounds is insignificant. It even came in a nice bag. The ball head that comes with it is decent but there's no need to get rid of it. As long as you're not trying to twist someone's arm while tightening the ball head there should be no problems with creep.Two minor cons was that it did not come with steel spiked feet and the other is that it takes some time to setup. I'll probably get used to it soon so the time to setup will no longer be an issue. After reading the features again the spiked feet are optional.

Comments about Benro A-169M8 Travel Angel Aluminum Tripod with BH-0-M Ball Head:

Very good for traveling. It is very light and fits all my equipment. Very usefull side pocket for an easy and fast acceso to my camera. Space for personal stuff is a little bit reduced.

Comments about Benro A-169M8 Travel Angel Aluminum Tripod with BH-0-M Ball Head:

This tripod is a good option when traveling. It is not so heavy and it is so compact. The ball head does not support very well my camera with my Canon 70-200 f/4 lense when taking long exposure pictures. The lense falls down a little bit if you don´t have the tripod mounting ring.

Comments about Benro A-169M8 Travel Angel Aluminum Tripod with BH-0-M Ball Head:

The Benro tripod has been a fantastic addition to my kit. I have started taking environmental portraits and so I needed something that was sturdy yet lightweight. I find that it is incredibly easy to take with me wherever I go and comes with a super handy travel bag. It's lightweight enough where I don't find it a drag to bring it along and is super easy to set up. And this is coming from someone who rarely has ever used a tripod so the ease of use is immensely important.

Comments about Benro A-169M8 Travel Angel Aluminum Tripod with BH-0-M Ball Head:

Let me start by giving you a couple of bits of background:

-I've tried several different tripods in the past, from cheap to expensive.

-I don't really like tripods. I know I should probably use them more often, but I always find them cumbersome to lug around and set up and move, so I always find some excuse not to use one.

-Try as I might, I can't find the perfect tripod that's inexpensive, easy to use, tiny, sets up in seconds, fits in a shirt pocket, and is something I'd always use to make every picture perfect.

So all that being said, I had sold my very expensive Manfrotto because it was gathering dust and I couldn't justify the cost, and I donated my $20 junker tripod to a local thrift store because it was useless. I was searching for the aforementioned perfect in-between tripod.

I must say that the Benro Travel Angel, while sure not to please everyone, is the closest I've found to meeting all my needs.

Pros:

It's very lightweight. The tripod and head are 3 pounds, 2 ounces. The entire bundle, with case, strap, and head, weighs in at exactly 4 pounds.

It's very stable for its weight. I've had no problem with a Canon XTi and a Canon 70-300 lens. The spring-loaded hook is useful for adding weight if needed.

The ball head is easy to adjust. It works through its full range of motion smoothly, and locks firmly. There's a single locking lever that controls everything. There's also a built-in bubble level.

The locking lever is spring-loaded. You can pull it out and reset it wherever you want it, so it's conveniently located for quick release with your thumb.

The quick-change plate has a dual safety lock. It also has a ring built into the screw head for tightening it to the camera, so you don't need to fumble for a coin. Nice little touch.

Nice weather- and dirt-resistant collars on the legs.

The unique locking mechanism on the legs allows them to fold up next to the head, so the whole tripod is really compact. Only takes a minute to get the hang of how to do it. Fits easily into a backpack.

It includes a case! How many tripods, especially in this price range, come with a case? And it's a nice one. Good construction, fully zippered, with a carrying handle and a shoulder strap. And inside the case, there's another little zippered compartment where you can carry the strap, the instructions, and the hex wrench if you want to. Overall, the case is about 4 x 4 x 16 1/2 inches, so it fits easily in a suitcase or duffel bag.

Cons:

I wish it had 4 leg sections instead of 5. That would have made it a little sturdier, and a little faster to set up. On the other hand, it also would have made it a little longer, so that's probably not worth the trade-off.

It takes a little longer to set up than some other types of tripods, due to the leg locking mechanism. Not a big deal once you see how it works.

Conclusion:

If you've managed to read this far, you deserve a conclusion, so here it is. This is the best trade-off I've ever seen in a tripod. You really get a lot for your money. It's not a heavy duty, rock solid tripod like the Manfrotto, but then it doesn't pretend to be. On the other hand, it's not 500 bucks or more.

It's a well-built, reasonably solid tripod with a lot of well-thought-out features. It has a smooth head, a nice case, and a very attractive price. I think it's great for anyone who doesn't use a tripod every day, and it's especially ideal for anyone who travels.

I'd definitely recommend it.

Comments about Benro A-169M8 Travel Angel Aluminum Tripod with BH-0-M Ball Head:

It's very compact and actually seems well built. The attached ballhead is only so-so. I bought it for travel on planes only. It does rise high enough I don't hunch over to see through viewfinder (I'm 5'9".) Have to send it back though as it's not solid enough for D300 + Nikon 80-400mm VR (5 pound load.) It would be OK for D90 + 70-300mm VR lens, maximum. For light duty it is nice though.

Comments about Benro A-169M8 Travel Angel Aluminum Tripod with BH-0-M Ball Head:

combination of case and height of tripod this is ideal for travel...............I have found it easy to use and takes up little space.

Comments about Benro A-169M8 Travel Angel Aluminum Tripod with BH-0-M Ball Head:

Lightweight, Compact, Sturdy. Used this tripod with a Nikon D80 and 80-400VR lens on a recent trip to Churchill, Manitoba. Held camera and heavy lens steady to allow sharp photos of bears at long distance.

Comments about Benro A-169M8 Travel Angel Aluminum Tripod with BH-0-M Ball Head:

I haven't used it in the field much yet but I really like its ease of us, strength and stability. The carry bag is very convenient too. So far, I haven't noticed any problems with it.

Comments about Benro A-169M8 Travel Angel Aluminum Tripod with BH-0-M Ball Head:

Professional sturdy tripod in a sturdy carrying case. I like the folded size, however, I determined that the weight of the tripod was more that I wanted to carry on national and international flights. If you don't mind the weight, then it appears well made. It was not for me.

Comments about Benro A-169M8 Travel Angel Aluminum Tripod with BH-0-M Ball Head:

This tripod is light and ideal for traveling. The Security Locking Lever is a great added safety feature, and still allows for a quick release when necessary.The ballhead is awesome for quick movements!