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Induro Carbon 8x Tripod CT-414 Mini Review

Posted by scottbourne on June 8, 2010
Posted in: Reviews. Tagged: .

NOTE: Induro is distributed by MAC Group who advertises the X-Rite Color Checker Passport on Photofocus. Also note that last week, Induro named me as one of their Tier 3 representatives. I started using Induro tripods PRIOR to them naming me to Tier 3, or prior to MAC Group becoming a sponsor and likewise, wrote the majority of this review before that date as well. But for the cynical among you, I wanted to make these facts known.

Forgive me if I sound like a teenage girl in love – but the new Induro tripods have me swooning. I’ve written once about the Induro CT-214 here. Now I finally have that tripod’s big brother – the Induro Carbon 8x Tripod CT-414 and it’s a lovely beast.

As I wrote in the last article, I was a Gitzo man for a long time – but pressured to find quality solutions for my audience that were more affordable, I started searching for a tripod that was as good as a Gitzo but not quite as expensive. I’ll spare you the gory details of my search. I looked high and low for almost a year, with no decent prospects – until I tried the Induro that is. But all was not perfect yet. I didn’t have the large Induro so I still needed one of my Gitzos for heavy work. Then I finally got my hands on the 414. I sold the Gitzo the next day. For the first time in two decades, I do not own a Gitzo tripod. It feels strange to say that, but not too strange. All I have to do is pick up the Induro and I’m good to go.

The 414 is the largest of Induro’s carbon fibre line. It’s VERY well made. It’s stout, yet it doesn’t seem bulky. The smallest details were attended to when this baby was put together. There is a bubble level to help you keep things lined up. The leg locks are big, fat and beefy and easy to grab on to (sort of like me :)) The legs are dust and moisture resistant and I know this because I’ve put them through Hell already.

You get both rubber feet and stainless steel spikes with the CT-414, along with a cool little tool kit (that fits in the included bag) a carry bag and instructions.

One of my favorite features on the 414 is the closed cell foam grips on all three legs. There’s no need to buy leg warmers for this tripod. Those are included and it makes the tripod easier to handle in weather.

Now back to beefy. This monster can support up to 55 pounds! It stretches to 77 and one half inches in height and weighs only 6.3 pounds. It compares favorably with the Gitzo GT5541LS. The Gitzo weighs the same and supports the same amount of gear, but costs around $200 more. It also doesn’t come with spiked feet. The Gitzo doesn’t have a center column while the Induro does. This is either a benefit or a problem to you depending on how close to the ground you want to get. The Induro goes much higher than the Gitzo.

I wasn’t originally looking to replace my own tripod when I started trying to find less expensive solutions for my audience, but I was so taken aback by the obvious quality to price ratio in the Induros I couldn’t resist.

I now have two Induro tripods and love them both. They are well designed, well built, easy to carry and load and sturdy as a rock. If you’re looking for a tripod, at least give the Induro a look before you spend more for a Gitzo that doesn’t offer any better quality.

Highly recommended.

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This post sponsored by the Digital SLR Store

Induro PHQ3 Panning Head – Mini Review

Posted by scottbourne on May 28, 2010
Posted in: Reviews. Tagged: , .

I’ve used them all – the Acratech, Arca-Swiss, Kirk, Really Right Stuff, etc. Tongue and groove (Arca-Swiss-style) ballheads have been a part of my photography workflow since 1994. I’ve enjoyed using my old Acratech and Kirk ballheads for a long time. I switched to the Induro BHD-1 recently and love it. But when I saw the Induro PHQ 3-Way Panhead, I knew I had to have one.

I realized that one day my dedication to ballheads might come to an end and now it has – sort of. This is the first panning head I’ve considered using in a long time. But you can relax, it’s not really JUST a panning head. The PHQ series from Induro works like a hybrid. It has the best features of both a pan head and a ball head.

As far as I know, there’s nothing like the PHQ-3. I used it five straight days during the Palouse workshop I recently taught. It took a while to get used to. My traditional ballheads only adjust three places. This head adjusts in five places.

The construction is rock solid yet the head only weighs 2.2 pounds. It includes five – count em’ five bubble levels – viewable on all sides. There are also fully graduated scales and a built in variable direction Arca-Swiss style quick release clamp. The tripod comes with a nice tool kit and transport bag. Speaking of transport, the handles on the head fold in for easy transport.

I used and tested the PHQ3 in the field while teaching the Palouse workshop last week. I must say that it offers an amazing amount of precise control over the camera. I would caution that if you’re a traditional Arca-Swiss style ballhead user, this unit will take some getting used to. After the first morning shooting with it, I sort of had the hang of it and by the end of the first day the PHQ3 behaved like an old friend. It’s the fact that there are five adjustments instead of three that took getting used to. So in this case, it’s a matter of getting more not less.

Want a much better idea of how the head works? Then check out this video from Induro.

If you need a tripod head that offers quintaxial positioning (and even if you don’t) you owe it to yourself to try out the new Induro PHQ-3. This is a very well-made, well-thought-out product that is superbly-constructed, rugged, stable and valuable for any serious photographer who needs precise positioning of a camera on his tripod. Highly recommended.

DISCLOSURE: The Induro PHQ is distributed by MAC Group, who sponsors the X-Rite ad you see here on Photofocus.com.

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This post sponsored by the Digital SLR Store

Got A Really Big Lens? You Need A Really Big Tripod Head – Induro GHB2 Mini Review

Posted by scottbourne on April 22, 2010
Posted in: Reviews. Tagged: , .

For years, one small company named Wimberley has owned the gimbal head market. Photographers who use the big fast lenses like the 500mm F/4, 600 F/54 or 800mm F/5.6 lenses now have a choice. Induro has announced the Induro GHB2 GH-Series Aluminum Gimbal Head.

Gimbal heads make it very easy to use big glass. They provide a gravity balanced, weightless experience. In my wildlife work, I wouldn’t think of shooting without a gimbal.

If you’re unfamiliar with gimbal heads, Induro has a video that you can watch free of charge demonstrating the product.

For years I’ve been searching for a less expensive alternative to the Wimberley. Now I found it. The Induro GHB2 is more than $100 less expensive than the Wimberley, but offers similar if not better quality.

The one trade off is weight. Wimberley’s latest version of the gimbal, the Wimberley II, weighs just 3.15 pounds. The Induro GHB2 weighs 4.00 pounds. If you can accept the additional weight, you can save $100.

As for the rest of it, well Induro nailed it. The knobs are oversized and easy to turn. The platform is height adjustable and even comes with a calibrated scale. There is the traditional Arca-Swiss compatible quick release system and they even throw in a long lens plate. (The last time I checked, Wimberley sold the lens plates separately for $52 to $58 which makes the Induro that much less expensive.)

Induro does make smaller, lighter versions of this head. I personally like the beefiest head I can get when working long lenses so I selected the GHB2. It provides the most stability, flexibility and control.

The Induro is equal or better quality to the Wimberley product in quality and significantly cheaper to buy. Unless weight is your only real consideration, the Induro gimbal sets the new standard. Highly recommended.

DISCLOSURE – Induro tripod heads are distributed by MAC Group. MAC Group is currently sponsoring the X-Rite ad on Photofocus.

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This post sponsored by the Digital SLR Store

How Induro Tripods Got Me To Make The Biggest Gear Switch Of My Life

Posted by scottbourne on October 13, 2009
Posted in: News, Reviews. Tagged: , .

tripodI am a pragmatic guy. I work with the best tools I can get period. For me, gear is NOT a religion. Gear equals tools to me – nothing more. I shot Canon for 17 years and switched to Nikon. I’d switch back to Canon if it came out with a D3 killer and Nikon didn’t respond. I used Photoshop to manage my photos for 10 years and then switched to Aperture. Three years after switching to Aperture I ADDED Lightroom to my post-processing arsenal. But NEVER, EVER did I think I’d say the following words. I am switching tripods!

For nearly three decades I’ve owned a Gitzo tripod. Granted, I’ve also owned and used Bogen tripods as well as Benbo tripods, etc. But these were always backup tripods or special use tripods. The Gitzo was always my go-to set of sticks. Why? The quality, construction and lightweight carbon fiber materials were tough to beat. Unfortunately, Gitzo tripods are very expensive. I’ve never been shy about paying the money because I thought their product was worth it. Then came the new line of Induro carbon fiber tripods.

I got my hands on one of the first Induro CT214 -8X CT-Series tripod and wow I am very impressed. This is a well-designed, well-thought-out, super strong and stable tripod. Induro makes its own ultra-light 8X layer carbon fiber legs for this tripod. They include an oversized center column lock and enhanced leg angle locks. What’s really impressive is the non-rotating leg sections. This makes set up and tear down a breeze. While this particular model isn’t strong enough to support my longest lenses, for everything else I do, this 3.3 pound unit will more than do the trick. I’ll have to grab a CT414 for use with the big 500, 600 and 800mm lenses.

Back to the CT214 – Induro didn’t forget anything on this tripod. They include a bubble level, spring-loaded bottom hook (for counter weight), triple closed cell comfort grips on all three legs making it very easy to hoist this bad boy over your shoulder. They also provide interchangeable rubber feet and stainless steel spikes, a tool kit and deluxe carrying bag and strap.

What’s most exciting about this tripod is that it packs up to less than 21″ folded and extends to more than 61 inches extended.

The retail price for the tripod is $400 which is about 20% less than a Gitzo product. The tradeoff? Gitzo tripods sold in the USA include a lifetime warranty against manufacturer’s defects. The Induro comes with a five year warranty. I don’t see this as a big deal since MANUFACTURER’S defects are most likely to show up sooner rather than later.

I can highly recommend the new Induro CT line, especially when paired with their new ballhead. Oh yeah – that’s the next piece of unbelievable news. The new BHD-Series, is a stunning dual-action ballhead that offers increased load capacities, large ergonomic locking knobs, adjustable drag and tension control, independent panning control and the cherry on top – it has an Arca-Swiss style quick release plate system. I can’t tell you how huge this is. I firmly believe in the Arca-Swiss style plates and heads. I’ve NEVER seen one fail. Unlike most other solutions that leave your camera swinging around and twisting on the plate, Arca-Swiss style plates (sold by companies like Kirk Photo) offer a totally secure solution. The ability to use these plates with the new Induro BHD2 (Retail price $197) which I paired with the CT214 gives me a very solid, pro-level, stable, strong and dependable solution for less than $600 retail.

pan-knob

This ballhead uses an independent 360-degree pan control knob which means it is set up perfectly for panorama shooters, especially when used in conjunction with the bubble level on the tripod. This knob makes it easy to accomplish full or partial horizontal panoramic adjustments. At an additional 1.3 pounds for the ballhead, the entire rig, CT214 and all weighs less than five pounds.

What can I say? I am fickle. After 30 years, I decided to switch just like that.

Highly recommended.

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