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Oben CT-2491 Carbon Fiber Tripod and BC-166 Ball Head Kit

BH #OBCT2491K2 • MFR #CT-2491/BC-166
Oben CT-2491 Carbon Fiber Tripod and BC-166 Ball Head Kit
Key Features
  • Load Capacity: 38 lb
  • Max Height: 77.2"
  • Min Height: 10.7"
  • Folded Length: 28.0"
This B&H Kit includes the Oben CT-2491 Carbon Fiber Tripod and BC-166 Ball Head. The tripod is an extremely sturdy support for any DSLR, point-and-shoot, or mirrorless cameras. With a load capacity of 38 lb and a maximum height of 77.2" including the head, the tripod offers a number of advanced features that ensure its stability and reliable performance.
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Oben CT-2491 Tripod with BC-166 Ball Head Overview

This B&H Kit includes the Oben CT-2491 Carbon Fiber Tripod and BC-166 Ball Head. The tripod is an extremely sturdy support for any DSLR, point-and-shoot, or mirrorless cameras. With a load capacity of 38 lb and a maximum height of 77.2" including the head, the tripod offers a number of advanced features that ensure its stability and reliable performance.

The tripod features ergonomically designed rubber twist locks on each leg. Because legs are non-rotating, all three of a leg's locks can be disengaged at once with a single twist of the wrist. This enables extremely fast setup of the CT-2491. A thoughtful leg design makes it a simpler task to service and maintain the leg sections.

The CT-2491's rapid center column extends with a twist of a knob. For protecting your camera when the column is retracted quickly, there's a rubber damper under the center-post collar. Steel locking screws underneath the collar enable you to fasten a camera head more securely.

Push/pull tabs allow you to set the positions of the three legs independently at three different angles. This allows you to shoot from low angles or on uneven terrain. For additional stability on softer ground, the CT-2491 also features metal spikes that retract and emerge by twisting the foot's rubber portion.

For extreme low-angle shooting, the center column can be split into two sections with the provided hex key. The shorter column leaves no protruding parts under the tripod collar, allowing you to extend the legs out to their maximum angle. For another method, the center column is also easily reversible. These features are especially ideal for macro and close-up photography. The retractable metal counterweight hook serves as a stopper at the bottom of the center column.

The BC-166 is a durable aluminum ball head that features an Arca-type compatible quick-release system. It has a large locking knob with a tension control screw to give you maximum control of the ball, and a separate knob for the 360° panning movement.

Its multiple knobs help make taking panoramic photos simple by allowing you to pan a specific number of degrees while keeping the head's tilt position locked. In fact, the BC-166 features degree markings around its circumference to aid in that task. A notch in the ball head allows you to quickly change between portrait and landscape orientation.

The included quick-release plate attaches to your camera via its standard 1/4"-20 screw, and is secured in place with an Arca-type clamp. A locking knob controls the opening and closing of the aluminum clamp simply and reliably. Two safety screws on the bottom of the plate help prevent your camera from accidentally being released when adjusting the plate fore and aft. Multiple bubble levels help ensure that your camera will be level with the horizon.

Oben CT-2491 Tripod with BC-166 Ball HeadSpecs

Oben CT-2491 Tripod with BC-166 Ball Head Reviews

Top Shelf Tripod

By Terry
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2021-04-27

I've used many different makes and models of tripods, but this is undoubtedly my favorite. The quality of the BC-166 Ball Head is excellent. The Manfroto pan/tilt head was listed as an added accessory. I purchased one and after giving it a workout, I was very impressed with the smoothness. This is a great combination and I don't know if I could have made better choices.

Ballhead has too much friction

By James
Rated 2 out of 5
Date: 2019-05-02

I bought the Oben tripod with ball head to have a sturdy tripod for landscape and macro photography.  The tripod itself is very sturdy.  However the knob on the ball head is very difficult to turn.  After adjusting it several times, my palm was sore.  I returned the whole system.

CAUTION

By Timothy
Rated 1 out of 5
Date: 2017-08-02

AFTER 31 DAYS THE LEG CAME OUT AND THE BALL HEAD IS HEAVY AND CUMBERSOME TO USE I WOULD NOT SUGGEST PURCHASING EITHER OF THESE

Great fit

By robert bradley
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2016-05-22

I found this tripod to fit my needs perfectly. Looking for a taller tripod to carry with me on my travels. Very sturdy.

Incredibly sturdy

By Dakota the hiker
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2015-06-07

I upgraded tripods from a $ setup that dropped my camera in a river.. literally the clasp just gave out even though my camera was well under the weight limit. I have been using my Oben tripod for 6 months now and absolutely love it. Every time I use this tripod I have full confidence that I can put it where I need it without any problems.The only down side I could possibly find is that it is heavy and while hiking it can be a bit cumbersome, but the rewards outweigh that one downside.

A quality product!

By Terry
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2021-04-02

The Oben tripod and ball head kit was well worth the price. From the moment I took it out of the box I could tell it was a quality product. The optional accessories will allow me to get the most use out of this tripod.

Good value for good support

By Wesley
Rated 4 out of 5
Date: 2020-11-18

I've been shooting with this kit for over 3 years now. I've carried it all over the place and it lives in the trunk of my car so that I always have it with me when I'm out and about. Regarding the CT-2591 - It's a solid tripod - not up to the level of Gitzo (I have a Gitzo) or I suspect RRS, but it is perfectly adequate at supporting a full-frame DSLR with a 70-200 f2.8 and 2x extender without breaking a sweat - I don't feel the need to get something higher-end (and with tripods, my motto is buy nice or buy twice). I appreciate that the center column (which I don't recommend using on any tripod unless you absolutely need that extra foot of elevation) is removable, although I wish you didn't need a hex wrench to do this. I like that the legs are keyed so that they don't turn freely when the twists in higher-up sections are loose. One annoyance is that if you completely unscrew a twist, the mechanism easily falls apart and the little plastic shims that are used to apply compression against the legs can fall out. This has happened to me on a couple of occasions (particularly when a person who isn't familiar with the tripod tries to help open it) and the first time it did, it almost resulted in me missing a once-in-a-lifetime shot while on a trip. So I suggest you familiarize yourself with how to disassemble and reassemble the twist mechanism to be ready in case this happens in the field. I like the spike feet, but they don't really lend themselves to disassembly as far as I can tell, and as a result mine are a bit gunked up with sand and possibly a bit of rust due to my shooting around (and putting the tripod feet into) saltwater on occasion. Even with that, I can still extend the spikes on all three feet. Regarding the BC-166 ball head - it's really solid. It's pretty large and heavy - not something you'd want to carry with you on extended treks on steep terrain - but it has worked flawlessly for me through being used extensively over the past three years and it pairs well with the RRS L-bracket I have on my camera and the arca-swiss compatible plate I have on the foot of my 70-200 f2.8. One final note - I bought the Oben leveling base to put between the tripod and ball head, and that has been very helpful for quickly leveling the ball head when setting up panoramas.

See any errors on this page? Let us know

question

how to attach bc-166 to ct-2491?
Asked by: Larry
The ball head simple screws onto the stud on the tripod.
Answered by: Donald M.
Date published: 2018-08-25
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