Benro A328 and KB-2

[Greg B]

The wonderful Birdy got these to me at the office in Sydney on Friday so I could have them over the weekend, thanks again Birdy.

I went for the A because of cost considerations, and the 328 because of size considerations - the 328 with 4 leg sections obviously packs up smaller than the 327.

The legs are great, finish is excellent, everything is firm and works very well. The whole thing is as solid as a rock. The carry bag is excellent quality too.

The KB-2 is sensational, smooth ball movement, solid locking. Feels very solid and good.

Instructions are all in chinese - what is the smaller knob adjacent to the larger ball locking knob for?

My previous tripod was a Velbon, which was about as stable as my first wife. The move to the Benro is really something, I am very happy.

Further testing shortly.

[birddog114]

what ios the smaller knob adjacent to the larger ball locking knob for?

It's the tension knob! to support the main (larger) knob.

[Greg B]

Two knobs!! Outstanding.

[Glen]

My previous tripod was a Velbon, which was about as stable as my first wife.

[MCWB]

My previous tripod was a Velbon, which was about as stable as my first wife

 LOL Greg, but here's the kicker:

The legs are great, finish is excellent, everything is firm and works very well.

[Glen]

[DaveB]

Instructions are all in chinese - what is the smaller knob adjacent to the larger ball locking knob for?

If it's anything like the tension knob on the A-S B1, the general routine for using it is:

1. Loosen the tension knob as far as you can.
2. Adjust the main knob to the loosest position you'll want to use with the current load.
   If you're switching lenses a lot you'll probably want to do this with the lightest lens to avoid having to reset it on each lens change.
3. Tighten down the tension knob as far as it will go.

Then the main knob will not loosen any further: you've defined the minimum position for it.

[Greg B]

Thanks Dave, excellent instructions - I will do just that tonight.

cheers

[DaveB]

Visited Greg this evening to pick up an Air Rocket, and had a short play with his KB-2 head. I had my tripod with Arca-Swiss B1 there and did a side-by-side comparison (using Greg's D70 on the Benro plate).

The two knobs on the KB-2 do not work the same as the main knob and tension screw on the B1. The diagrams in the chinese-language manual don't help much, but my guess is that the small knob is simply the coarse adjustment and then the large knob is the fine-tuning (being able to loosen from locked-down to quite loose just using that knob).
One thing I did notice was that on the B1 I can easily set a tension where the camera doesn't creep but I can manually move it around, in between having it loose and having it locked down. On the KB-2 this was fairly hard to do.

My personal feeling (based on this 5-minute experiment) is that the KB-2 isn't in the same league as the B1, but does seem like a reasonable "mid-range" ballhead. It will be very interesting to see how the KJ-2 stacks up!

Thanks Greg!

[birddog114]

The KJ-2 is identical with the B1, from colour to all other aspects as recognized by our member last Saturday, I have the Arca Swiss B1 (Two knobs) side by side with the KJ-2. Hard to tell which one is which one if you mask the logos. You can tell when you put it on play, but at AU$290.00 for the KJ-2, how can the Arca Swiss B1 can be competed with?

The KB series are the entry level of the head, it will serve number of loads as you wish to top on it.
Another way to lust in economy, I heard lot of people wondered and asked: why they have to pay too much for the tripods and heads, do they need those expensive stuffs? the answer is go to the Benro, otherwise the Gitzo and RRS BH55 or BH 40 or Kirk or AUB, they are up to the high standard with highly cost at the end.
The choices are yours.

[Greg B]

OK, following DaveB's visit, I now have the plate mounted on the camera so that it mounts sideways (as it were). Pretty obvious really, but I hadn't thought of it.

Secondly, looking at a comparison between what you get for maybe $500 and $1200-$1500, the Benro looks better and better.

In relation to the multiple knobs, the Benro website clears it all up for us

KB Series reference the structure of American Kirk Heads,
operation with three knobs, the main knob and the potty knob is depart,
the damp adjustment is real time. With different set, you can adjust the
main knob and the potty knob. The different with Kirk, BENRO KS Series
is designed with ellipse-ball, so, it has many advantages of KB Series
head, and has the follow advantages at the same time:
- A - Operation is easy
- B - The problem has been setteled completed that the KS Series can be locked.
- C - The damp adjustment is real time and agility.
- D - It is very convenience to service and maintain, just a very groovywrench, you can clean by yourself easily.

The façade of KB Series use the technic of bake lacquer which is import.
The KB Series match with BENRO A Series tripods is very beautiful, it is
one intergrated mass. It is a little unconvenience that the main knob is
depart with the potty knob, but you can use it skilled after several times.

This is slightly less difficult to understand than the instructions which are
all in Chinese characters, but the critical issues are that there is a big ball
and a number of knobs, and you can use the whole thing to hold your
camera still.

[DaveB]

You have to wonder about equipment that has a "potty knob"...

[birddog114]

You have to wonder about equipment that has a "potty knob"...

That "potty knob" make your gears sing!

[Greg B]

You have to wonder about equipment that has a "potty knob"...

You really do!!!

[wendellt]

I have the benro c1227 and it has sand inside the twistable sections now it makes weird crinkling noies when I twist the knobs, what is the best way to get sand out of the thing?

[Alpha_7]

I'd say dis-assemble and use some compressed air on it.. but I'm no tripod expert... but that is how I'd try to to do it..

[birddog114]

I have the benro c1227 and it has sand inside the twistable sections now it makes weird crinkling noies when I twist the knobs, what is the best way to get sand out of the thing?

That's the C227 not the C1227.
It seems to me you cracked everything new at first! The D2x and now the C227

How can sand got inside the leg? I could not figure it out!
Disassemble the leg, clean them and put them back together, if you hear that noise, it may sractched the tubes or its cylinder already.

[DaveB]

If it's anything like the Gitzos (which we presume it is) if you fully unscrew the joint it will come apart.

For instructions (including pictures) for maintenance on the Gitzo CF tripods, check out http://www.naturescapes.net/082004/gd0804.htm.
Hopefully you can use this as a guide if you take your Benro apart, as it should be similar.

[wendellt]

I have the benro c1227 and it has sand inside the twistable sections now it makes weird crinkling noies when I twist the knobs, what is the best way to get sand out of the thing?

That's the C227 not the C1227.
It seems to me you cracked everything new at first! The D2x and now the C227

How can sand got inside the leg? I could not figure it out!
Disassemble the leg, clean them and put them back together, if you hear that noise, it may sractched the tubes or its cylinder already.

birdy

i got sand in the screw grooves just under the twistable knobs, not inside the legs, i actually disassembled the legs and they were not pressurized like the high end gitzos, i noticed the grooves had grease on them and the sand was in this grease, i cleaned the grease off along with the sand and put everything back together again. To this moment i still get noises when i turn the knobs, obviously there is still sand in there and it is scratching the legs and joints. Should i use water? Another thing is now i have wiped off most of the lubricating grease from the joints so should i re-apply some head wax to it, to smooth things out again or am i just stuffed up another one of my purchases?

[wendellt]

If it's anything like the Gitzos (which we presume it is) if you fully unscrew the joint it will come apart.

For instructions (including pictures) for maintenance on the Gitzo CF tripods, check out http://www.naturescapes.net/082004/gd0804.htm.
Hopefully you can use this as a guide if you take your Benro apart, as it should be similar.

thanks for the info dave, it looks comprehensive and very very serious.

[birddog114]

birdy

i got sand in the screw grooves just under the twistable knobs, not inside the legs, i actually disassembled the legs and they were not pressurized like the high end gitzos, i noticed the grooves had grease on them and the sand was in this grease, i cleaned the grease off along with the sand and put everything back together again. To this moment i still get noises when i turn the knobs, obviously there is still sand in there and it is scratching the legs and joints. Should i use water? Another thing is now i have wiped off most of the lubricating grease from the joints so should i re-apply some head wax to it, to smooth things out again or am i just stuffed up another one of my purchases?

I used the C328 on the sand too, and had no sand attached to it when packed it, make sure you clean the sand prior to fold the legs, that happened to all tripods if you don't take care of it.

Any tripods regardless of brand when you use them on the sand or dip it in the water, you should well taken care of it.

Yes, sand are still in the knobs or join, you haven't clean it throughout, so redo and applied very light coat of grease, yes you may crashed another your new toy.

[DVEous]

... Obsolete ...

[ozczecho]

OK, following DaveB's visit, I now have the plate mounted on the camera so that it mounts sideways (as it were). Pretty obvious really, but I hadn't thought of it.

Learn a new thing everyday

Thanks Adam for reviving this thread....