Review: Benro C-298n6 carbon tripod with KS-0 ballhead

Posted May 3, 2008 Comments Off

I finally found the (almost) perfect tripod for me. I decided to go for the Benro HVC Flexpod C-298n6 with a Benro KS-0 ballhead for the following reasons:

  • Lightweight (legs made of carbon fiber)
  • Extractable/reversible center column
  • Maximum load of tripod and ballhead is 8kg (17.4 lbs)
  • Maximum height is 167cm (65 in.)
  • Fits into my travel gear (folded: 54.5cm/21.5 in. + ballhead height)
  • Affordable price tag (for a full-height carbon tripod)
The weight of the tripod including the KS-0 ballhead is just 2.4kg (5.2 lbs) which is lighter than my previous aluminum tripod which didn’t even have a ballhead.

Once the tripod is extracted to it’s full length everything is still stable. Nothing wiggles, nothing wobbles, nothing creaks or groans. The rubber lock grips on the legs are easy and quick to use.
The really cool thing about this tripod is the multi-function center column. It can be positioned vertically or horizontally for almost any odd-angle macro shoots you can think of.

The tripod has head screws for 1/4″ and 3/8″ ballhead mounts. The C-298n6 even sports a compass and a spirit level. Benro also includes three steel spikes that can be replaced with the rubber feet. There are three small screws to additionally secure the ballhead from below.

SpikesCenter column hook

Unfortunately, there are two disadvantages with this tripod:

  • You can hardly pull out the center column without scratching its carbon surface.
  • The tripod fits barely into the bag. I already ripped off both zipper sliders while trying to pull the zipper over the tripod. The sliders are made of aluminum or some other soft material. They bend and break very easily.

Benro KS-0 ballhead

The quality of the Benro KS-0 aluminum ballhead is awesome! It features the usual controls: the main drag adjustment knob, the minimum drag adjustment knob, and the pan collar lock knob. The knob sizes and the rubber coating are perfect. There’s another knob on the plate to secure the camera mount. The camera plate has a quick-release safety lock that prevents the camera from sliding off the plate in case it’s not properly secured with the knob. Nice!

 

I bought both items on eBay for the total price of US$ 420.– (shipping & local taxes excluded) from shamino123′s store.


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