Benro FGP28A Go Plus 4-Section Aluminum Travel Tripod

I had a chance to use this tripod a few times inside for macro photography. All I can say is that it's very well engineered, and practical to use. No fiddling with the central column as I had to do before. It's so smooth and easy to move the lateral arm into position. It's also compact and easily transportable with the carrying case. One feature I especially like is the possibility to use one of the legs with the central column as a monopod. It's kind of an ideal tripod for my needs. Combined it with an Acratech ball head, and you have a winner!

I bought this tripod to complement my Manfrotto 055DB and my Sirui T1005X. The Manfrotto rated payload is 20 lb. while the Benro is rated at 30lb. In reality the Manfrotto is much more sturdy with the legs fully extended (both are the same height without the central column extended, but the Benro as 4 leg sections while the Manfrotto has 3, which in turn means that the Benro is shorter when folded). For payload, the Benro is more in league with the Sirui, which is rated 22 lb., although the Sirui is much shorter. In my experience, Manfrotto has always been very conservative for max payload, and in general it's impossible to compare different brands payloads by numbers only. So the Benro actually sits in between my Manfrotto and my Sirui, which in the end suits my needs fine. That said the build is fine, and the legs open and extends quite smoothly and quickly. I like the leg angle locking mechanism, which stays open when you open the leg's angle, and then locks the leg in place with a simple push. The Benro really shines in the extra features it has: the lateral positioning of the center column is really handy for macro work and in general for difficult to reach positions. Of course the possible payload when off center is much reduced, but that's expected: it's just physics. My only comment is that the mechanism to tilt the center column is not very intuitive, and the end of the central column needs to be completely unscrewed in order to detach/flip upside down the column (for very low shooting or to use as a monopod). Also if you screw in the weight hook, it does interfere with the mechanism functionality. A design with a fast detaching central column end and an integrated hook would be a big improvement. The spikes are a very nice addition, and being able to detach one leg and use it as a monopod can be useful at times: I do have a monopod, but I never bother to carry it with me, because of the extra space/weight; but if it's already there with the tripod, I can see myself make good use of it! Finally a nice surprise was finding a 1/4 female screw mount on the side of the plate to mount all sorts of accessories, which is even covered with a rubber lid to prevent moisture to get into the mounting.

(My initial model had to be exchanged because one of the leg locks did not function with weight. The new one was fine.) Excellent travel tripod that will fit in a checked bag. The compact size paired with a high max height and weight capacity are what led me to choose this one. Everything functions well and it comes with a great case that organizes the spare parts well. Only issue is the rising pedestal makes the camera a little wobbly at maximum height so you should really try to get there with legs only if possible. 4.5 review.

I purchased this to be dedicated to a video head so I would not have to swap the video head on to my current tripod. Quality is great, and gives you many different setup options depending on the situation.

this is easily the best tripod I have owned. It is not overly heavy but it is solid. I do tabletop flat work and the ability to mount the center column horizontal was a major factor in my purchase. I have used it so and it works well. The only inconvenience is having to invert the legs in order to get it back into the well constructed carry case and the big ball head still attached. Benro, are you listening? Make the soft side case a few inches longer and wider to accommodate the tripod with the head attached!

This tripod will be my workhorse for years to come, this one here is one of my favorites due to how many uses it has all packed into one big and heavy tripod.

I a big fan of tripods with the lateral are feature. Including this one I have. This one is my least favorite because it has the most flex and the lateral arm adjustment knobs a too small make it difficult to tighten everything down. On the plus side it does fold down nicely, very nice twist locks and comes with a bag.