Velbon MAXI 343E Tripod info needed

Hi,

 

I just read the 'In praise of cheap compact tripods' article by Ross

Alford and the comment from Stephen Smyth about the Velbon MAXI

tripod. I'm in search for a good travel tripod like the one described

for more than 2 years now. I tried some cheap ones, but they broke

after very little usage. I want to be able to use the tripod with my

Nikon FM2 and an older (heavy) 80-200mm Nikkor lens. The problem with

the tripods I tried was that the *platic* clip mechanism or screws

couldn't handle the weight and I had to fasten them so much that they

broke after a couple of uses. How does the Maxi do in this respect. It

has metal legs, but how sturdy are the adjustable components?

 

Thanks, Knut

I personally find the Velbon Maxi 343e to be very servicable. It is reasonably steady considering its size & cost. It's not a do-it-all tripod for every occasion, but as a lightweight pod to pack around with you, it does quite well.

 

The legs are quite skinny & flimsy looking but seem to be able to keep reasonably heavy equipment steady if the wind is blowing too hard. The rest of the parts seem well made & lock down very well. Even the small ball head works well and locks down tight. It should hold your FM2 and 80-200 in a vertical orientation without straining too hard.

 

Keep in mind that this will never be a replacement for a sturdier tripod, but when traveling light it can be made to work. And it looks like it should hold up well with normal use. I've had mine for nearly a year & am quite happy with it.

 

Some people would never be happy with a tripod this small for any use, and you will likely hear differing opinions.

I have this tripod and add Velbon QRA-635 Magnesium quick release to it. The tripod is flimsy but it is useful for travelling. However, since you already broke some tripods, I think you will brake this one pretty soon.

 

The legs is so small so that the tripod is designed to have limited opening or otherwise it will sag. With this opening, I don't think you will have enough stability for your 80-200mm lens. Don't get me wrong, I am happy with this tripod, but I will use it with gentle care and shorther/lighter zoom lens. For heavier uses, I will stick with my Bogens. Hope it helps.

 

FNU Brawijaya

BTW: I had a chance to check the Velbon Maxi in a store and was disappointed on how shaky it was and how much plastic was used on the clips. It didn't made the impression it was build for heavy equipment and heavy duty usage.

Currently I refined my search and fell in love with the Gitzo G01 (G1001 old model number). In the store they only had the G1275 ball head which looked a little bit bulky to me. In general I liked the concept of the Gitzo Ballheads. Now I try to find a smaller one, perhaps G1172 and see how that feels. I read in a different thread that people recommended this combo for it's light weight and solid quality.

I took the 343E to Mexico - what a mistake. The thing is made of

soft metal, it breaks rather than bends. The ball head came

unscrewed several times. If you extend the smallest part of the

legs the thing just dances away with your camera. The center

column is not removable - therefore useless. Frankly I was

embarrassed to be seen with the cheap thing. Pass on this one.

You want a tripod, get a real one, not this imitation...mine will be

on eBay soon.

Michael

What does one have to do to "soft metal" to break it, as opposed to bend it (if it, in fact, broke, how much do you expect to get for it on ebay?)? Wouldn't any ball head unscrew, were it not tightly screwed to begin with - and even if it did unscrew, is that the measure of the tripod head, or the owner of the tripod head? What camera was on it when it danced away on you, and how far did it dance, and why? Just how many g-forces are exerted by your shutter or hand/cable release? Wouldn't knowledge of the �removability� of the center column have been available both before you bought it, and before you left for Mexico (I assume you, at least, looked at the thing before boarding)? If this was a key factor, then why on earth buy it in the first place? Center columns are not made useful or useless based on removability, not unless you assume every tripod is also a monopod, or that the non-extended tripod height is the only measure of a pod. Embarrassed to be seen with it? Really? But doesn't that say something about something other than the quality of the photography being done? Are Latinos so well-versed in tripod manufacture that they found the presence of the 343e hilarious? The whole thing seems bizarre, especially for an otherwise decently reviewed item...

This tripod weighs less than 2 lbs, if I recall correctly. What you intend to put atop is sounds like it might be more that this. Since this is a ball-head top, you would really be testing the limits of the unit. If you must use the tripod socket on-camera, as opposed to one on a lens collar, even more so. Leg spread is limited by the proportions of the unit, so keep that in mind if you like low-angle shots with the camera in the vertical position. It could work in a pinch, but if you travel a lot, you might want to think "bigger". That said, people I know are satisfied with this unit; some are pleased as it fits into a custom bag they travel with; others are pleases since it can handle their zooms, but their zooms, and camera, are lighter than what you are asking about.

I opened the clamps on mine and let the legs extend by gravity. Wrong move! Two of the legs fell off and scattered their clips on the floor. I don't know how to put it together again, and I am awaiting a response from Velbon on a repair place. This tripod is really designed for lightweight digital cameras. I wouldn't try it with your relatively heavy equipment.