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I nearly posted this in the Humour section but for needing a bit of advice re tripods.

Have been looking about for a tripod and ball head for my wife.
Can you believe this?

Features

JINJUE KJ Series is a type of finial heads, it is from Sweden classic ball-heads design-theory, By the ellipse ball, to form the rub damp by the movement of the arm of force at circumrotate¡A and inforce a lot of damp of moment to balance the camera, to keep invariableness resistance, to avoid to hurting photo machine. JINJUE KJ Series has high technology in damping, the panorama operation is very smooth. The fast release plate is compatiable with that of Arca and Kirk.

Operation is easy, the fast release plate is compatible with that of Arca and Kirk.
The damp adjustment is real time and agility.
It is very convenience to service and maintain, just a very groovy wrench, you can clean by yourself easily.
KJ-0
Include one fast release plate, a carry bag and a screw drive.
Additional QR-0 is available at US$19.29 each is available to buy in our shop.
Made in CHINA
Net weight¡G042kg

Perhaps I should open the HK version and translate using google, might be more understandable...

Think I will do my research at http://www.benro.cn and see if i can get answers there.

The thing is, I have a C-128 and KB series ball head. I am thinking of getting her a C-028 tripod and maybe another KB ball head. But it's really hard to tell the difference between KB and KS series apart from colour (and price). Is the KS series a hellova lot better or what?

What she really needs is a tripod that can get her close to the ground for macro stuff, like side profile so it would mean inverting the centre column as we have been doing on the C-128. But wondering whether anyone has any suggestions as to what tripods might be more suited to macro photography close to the ground? Preferrably something that converts to a max height of say waist high without having to pull it apart to invert the centre column, if such a tripod exists.

Any advice appreciated. BTW Not entirely happy with the KB ball head. It seized on me so I pulled apart and cleaned, used a lighter grease.
The problem seems to be that the allen key screws bite in too much when tight, and the thing wobbles if not tight enough, and there doesn't seem to be a sweet spot in the middle to allow the thing to work as it should.
I put up with it but should fix it, any ideas? I bet I'm not alone on this score.

tasadam wrote:BTW Not entirely happy with the KB ball head. The problem seems to be that the allen key screws bite in too much when tight, and the thing wobbles if not tight enough

Pull the screws out and file the tips so they're round instead of having thread debris on the ends. It helps if you have a nut that will go on the bolt/screw so that cleans the thread a little when you unscrew it after filing.

Moz

http://www.tomwebsterphoto.com/Essays/B ... nroks2.htm

The above link generously provided by Matt K has details and pics about playing with your Benro

tasadam wrote:Features

JINJUE KJ Series is a type of finial heads, it is from Sweden classic ball-heads design-theory, By the ellipse ball, to form the rub damp by the movement of the arm of force at circumrotate¡A and inforce a lot of damp of moment to balance the camera, to keep invariableness resistance, to avoid to hurting photo machine. JINJUE KJ Series has high technology in damping, the panorama operation is very smooth. The fast release plate is compatiable with that of Arca and Kirk.

Operation is easy, the fast release plate is compatible with that of Arca and Kirk.
The damp adjustment is real time and agility.
It is very convenience to service and maintain, just a very groovy wrench, you can clean by yourself easily.
KJ-0
Include one fast release plate, a carry bag and a screw drive.
Additional QR-0 is available at US$19.29 each is available to buy in our shop.
Made in CHINA
Net weight¡G042kg

As Mr Jack Nicholson might say : "You can't handle the truth!"

Thanks to both. Now I have some reading to do!

cricketfan wrote:As Mr Jack Nicholson might say : "You can't handle the truth!"

tasadam wrote:

JINJUE KJ Series has high technology in damping, the panorama operation is very smooth.

Heh, I understand what that means! Ounces of trademark glue-grease...

Cheers
Steffen.

I wonder if they mean "a groovy wench" not a groovy wrench.

Bob

Well that was an interesting read... Thanks.

Now, where is the best place to purchase the most simple of Giotto ball heads? D70 and a macro lens is about the limit for it.

Ideas?

EDIT - Needs to have Arca quick release mechanism.

tasadam wrote:Now, where is the best place to purchase the most simple of Giotto ball heads? D70 and a macro lens is about the limit for it.

Why are you after a Giottos head? Or did you mean something else? Based on experience, I wouldn't recommend a Giottos head to anyone.

Needs to have Arca quick release mechanism.

Keep in mind that you can get a head with a standard 1/2" or 3/4" thread, and attach an Arca-Swiss clamp (from Wimberley, Kirk, Acratech or RRS) to it. My first "Arca" head was a Manfrotto with a Kirk clamp.

Well the deal is I have a Benro KB ball head that I will put up with.
I am going to get a tripod for my wife and the D70.
We currently have Arca plates to suit the Benro, on both camera bodies.
So it would be sensible to get a tripod head for my wife that is interchangeable with our plates so we can easily swap tripods as needs arise when we are out and about.

Any tripod head that you would recommend would be good. Preferrably lightweight, as our primary interest is bushwalking.

I only said Giotto based on the other tripod head in that review.
Thanks for "straightening me out".
Adam.

DaveB wrote:and attach an Arca-Swiss clamp to it.

Is it possible to mount an Arca Swiss clamp straight to a tripod and do all the manouvering with the tripod, or is that just silly / too much fiddling?

tasadam wrote:Any tripod head that you would recommend would be good. Preferrably lightweight, as our primary interest is bushwalking.

Your options are only limited by your budget.
The RRS BH-40 is great. The Acratech Ultimate Ballhead is definitely lightweight (I took one to Africa last year) but it's not the most flexible setup.

I only said Giotto based on the other tripod head in that review.

The Giottos head in Tom's review is one of their higher-end models, but the A-S clamp on top of it is not made by Giottos. It looks like a Kirk clamp that's been bolted on.

tasadam wrote:Is it possible to mount an Arca Swiss clamp straight to a tripod and do all the manouvering with the tripod, or is that just silly / too much fiddling?

Yes it's possible, and yes it's just silly (although some people do this with monopods, tripods are a different proposition).

Well I made the decision, and the new tripod is on the way...

Getting one of these

http://www.kirkphoto.com/MightyLowBoy.html

And, yes, another Benro KB-1 ball head from HK.
Having owned a KB-1 for a year now, at least now I know how to fix the ball heads

Seriously, I haven't found it too bad for the price, and the budget doesn't yet run to three times the price or more. So it will have to do for now - get what use I can out of it before upgraditis.

The tripod should be good though.