Equipment & Techniques > Cameras, Lenses and Shooting gear

Feisol CT-3441S tripod experience?

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LarsHansen:
Hi,

I've been reading some great posts here regarding what to consider when choosing a tripod. I've noted some recommendations from many of you:

- avoid raising the center column because it can make the tripod more unstable - only use it for fine adjustment if needed
- be aware that the informed max. height of a tripod can be based on the legs set in a narrow and unstable angle  
- save money by buying good equipment .. read the recommendations by Thom Hogan. I did..

I've concluded that the Feisol CT-3441S could be the right one for me - it seems to support the weight of the gear I expect to use and it's possible to buy a short center column or maybe even with a fixed plate:
http://www.feisol.net/feisol-traveler-trip...rapid-p-38.html

As recommended, I would like to have the possibility to work without the centercolumn - on the ohter hand I don't want to get down on my knees. Feisol informs that the height is 128 cm without the center column - adding a ball head will probably make the height just fine to work with for me .. I'm not tall. But if the legs needs to be angled much wider to get the tripod stable it could become too low. Has any of you experience with this Feisol tripod without the center column and have any opinions regarding it's stability, optimal leg angle, load etc.?  

I will use the tripod for nature/landscape/architecture and expect to use a pano-head like the Pano-MAXX - this will probably require some kind of leveling base. Maybe a good ball head can do the leveling job. On top of that, of course, a camera+lense .. I'm expecting my next camera to be a Nikon D90 sized camera. I'm not using heavy lenses.

Regards
Lars

Ken Bennett:
The 3441S is designed as a travel tripod -- it folds "inside out" so it can fit in luggage, for example. Great little tripod, but if it were me I would use it only when size and space considerations forced me to do so. Otherwise I find it's not really large enough for a medium digital kit (40D, which is pretty similar in size to the D90.) I have a similar tripod from Bogen -- the 190CX series -- and it's terrific for travel when I have to worry about space and weight. It'll support my 40D and a 70-200 reasonably well, too. But any time I have the room for a full size tripod, that's my preference.

Of course, this means one really needs two tripods -- a big main tripod and a smaller travel tripod. So the 3441S is still a decent purchase.

stever:
i use the 3441s mostly with the short column as a travel tripod and for macro (always using a remote release or timer for macro)

the legs fold back for travel making a very compact package -- without ballhead - any reasonable size ballhead will prevent the legs from folding compactly

i use a 4th Generation Designs Mongoose 2.3 gimbal almost entirely instead of a ball head (for lenses without feet this requires an L-bracket preferably with a rail to get the camera and lens balanced) as i find the gimbal useful for macro, wildlife, and panoramas.  the gimbal provides a bit of height which makes the short column useable and also allows the camera/ lens combination to be well balanced and i find the combination quite satisfactory with a 100-400 and have used it with a 400DO which i think is about the limit.

the one problem i've had is failure of the glue joint between the long column and mounting plate.  it looks like a manufacturing problem resulting from the inside of the carbon fiber tube not being abraded for a better bond to the epoxy.  not hard to fix, but not nice if it happens in the field.  i'm sure i've aggrated the problem by fairly frequent removal and installation of heads -- but as i've mentioned you have to remove and replace the head when packing the tripod for travel.  have not had a problem with the short column.

the longer column can be useful and is probably adequately rigid so long as you don't extend the second stage of the column.  i really only use it when i need to adjust the camera to an exact height to shoot a test target

i think the tripod is adequately rigid and stable with the normal leg angle.  Feisol provides a hook so you can hang some weight from the column which is always helpful.

a leveling head would be nice, but i've resisted adding another piece of gear to carry and gotten somewhat accustomed to adjusting the legs for level

i've become addicted to liveview and Canon's infrared remote release for anything that's not moving - i think this makes lightweight tripods much more practical

Ken Bennett:
Huh, I may need to re-evaluate my travel tripod if you're using a 400/DO on the Feisol. Interesting. I wouldn't put a 400 on my Bogen. Thanks for the info.

LarsHansen:

--- Quote from: k bennett ---The 3441S is designed as a travel tripod -- it folds "inside out" so it can fit in luggage, for example. Great little tripod, but if it were me I would use it only when size and space considerations forced me to do so. Otherwise I find it's not really large enough for a medium digital kit (40D, which is pretty similar in size to the D90.) I have a similar tripod from Bogen -- the 190CX series -- and it's terrific for travel when I have to worry about space and weight. It'll support my 40D and a 70-200 reasonably well, too. But any time I have the room for a full size tripod, that's my preference.

Of course, this means one really needs two tripods -- a big main tripod and a smaller travel tripod. So the 3441S is still a decent purchase.
--- End quote ---

Thanks Bennett.
Yes, it's the usual dilemma regarding size and weight. I have a 20 years old aluminium Velbon I often leave at home due to the size and weight which I regularly regret. I mostly get around on a bike and/or hiking. I've been looking at the Velbon Sherpa PRO 635 and the GEO 830 but I find both too large to carry around. I know it's not optimal but my hope is that people who use the 3441S find rigid and stable enough for practical use in the field despite it's small size and low weight. I get the impression that the 3441S is not too flimsy when it support 10 kg load, but I might be wrong - might decide to go for a larger tripod if I recieve too many warnings here. I also looked at the Feisol Tournament - also large like the Velbons I mentioned.

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