When most people are concerned with photography, they focus more on the obvious. Cameras and lenses. That's a lot, but if you invest more in photography, some essential elements become necessary. A Lightweight tripod is one of them. I have several, but I did not have my own tripod. I have some robust models that I like. Versatile tripods that support my heavy equipment and work well in the studio or on the field. But such tripods are rarely good companions on your travels. Too big, too heavy and too heavy. I started hiking a few months ago with my Vanguard Alta Pro 263AB Tripod, and at the end I found a hiding place and got it at the exit. I like the tripod in many contexts, but being attached to a backpack was not one of them. It weighs almost 8 pounds, but is not well distributed for this type of shot and the head of the ball is too heavy and too voluminous. I was looking for something special for a trip to the American Southwest (Arizona), and my research prompted me to test the tripod carbon fiber Oben CT-3535 Top + BE-208T Patella. I spent several weeks transporting it, whether it was for air travel, hiking, video work or various landscaping ... and here I found something.
CT-3535: lightweight and versatile
The combination CT-3535 and BE-208T is remarkably light. The total weight of 2.5 kg (1.1 kg) is less than many of the lenses that I check and attach to the side of a backpack (or under my backpack LowePro Versapack 200 AW)), the weight is barely noticeable. The fact that it can be folded into a pack of only 30.5 cm in length means that it is not wider under my trail rucksack than this backpack itself and therefore does not adhere to anything. For the backpack it is very important that the weight during transport is folded and the weight is evenly distributed. It folds to avoid the protuberances that might cling.
Observations of the patella BE-208T
The integrated ball head Tripod (BE-208T) does the trick. It has a load capacity of 4.1 kg and its Canon 5D Mark IV weighs 800 g. A lens like the Canon EF 100-400 mm 1: 4.5-5.6 L IS II weighs 1.59 kg (3.5 lb) equals only about 2.4 kg (5 ¼ lbs). They realize that it can carry a surprisingly high amount of weight.
Bag included
The CT-3535 comes with a beautiful, sturdy carry case with two carrying handles and an optional carrying strap. The bag itself is made of a very durable material, but personally I would rather use it for storage than for transport, as I tend to attach the tripod to each bag for which I use the trip or hike. The only complaint I would make about the bag is that it seems a little tight when you insert the tripod. You need to make sure that the tripod is as compact as possible. I like the fact that there is an extra bag in the bag for storing tools or accessories, and that the carrying bag itself seems to be made of rain-resistant materials.
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