benbo trekker manual/information?
bugbear
tripod.
I suspect my imagination is failing me, in the face
of such an unusual piece of kit.
Does anyone have a copy of the manual, or an old advert,
showing the weird and wonderful configurations it
can be put into?
Either a website, scan or good old photo copy would
be wonderful.
BugBear
Malcolm Stewart
news:4309892a$0$17498$ed2e...@ptn-nntp-reader04.plus.net...
> I just lucked into a cheap Benbo Trekker Mk1
> tripod.
>
> I suspect my imagination is failing me, in the face
> of such an unusual piece of kit.
>
> Does anyone have a copy of the manual, or an old advert,
> showing the weird and wonderful configurations it
> can be put into?
Before I bought mine I too was totally confused!
In the case of the Benbo and Uniloc tripods, practice with plenty of space
around (and initially no camera) did the trick for me. I have one of each
(heavy Benbo Mk1, and lighter more versatile Uniloc 1600 system with the
extra lock knob - very useful) and they're now my favourites despite my also
having traditional tripods. I assume you have the ball head, or similar.
One suggestion :-
Holding the tripod off the ground, loosen the bent bolt (Hence "Benbo"), and
arrange legs in (very) approximate position. Lower to ground for support.
Tighten bent bolt. Adjust lengths of legs. Loosen bent bolt a little, and
arrange legs in (final?) position, and camera plate at correct height and
angle. If satisfied, tighten bent bolt firmly. Mount camera.
Don't feel constrained to have all legs the same length. Note that legs are
sealed at the bottom, and can be immersed in ponds etc. with few problems.
--
M Stewart
Milton Keynes, UK
http://www.megalith.freeserve.co.uk/oddimage.htm
bugbear
>
> Before I bought mine I too was totally confused!
> In the case of the Benbo and Uniloc tripods, practice with plenty of space
> around (and initially no camera) did the trick for me. I have one of each
> (heavy Benbo Mk1, and lighter more versatile Uniloc 1600 system with the
> extra lock knob - very useful) and they're now my favourites despite my also
> having traditional tripods. I assume you have the ball head, or similar.
Nope - it's an unadorned MK1, I think. Black thoughout, no ball
head, no 180 degree crank in the main tube.
Whatdy'a expect for 2.00 quid!?
>
> One suggestion :-
> Holding the tripod off the ground, loosen the bent bolt (Hence "Benbo"), and
> arrange legs in (very) approximate position. Lower to ground for support.
> Tighten bent bolt. Adjust lengths of legs. Loosen bent bolt a little, and
> arrange legs in (final?) position, and camera plate at correct height and
> angle. If satisfied, tighten bent bolt firmly. Mount camera.
> Don't feel constrained to have all legs the same length. Note that legs are
> sealed at the bottom, and can be immersed in ponds etc. with few problems.
Thanks for the tips. I'd still love the diagrams/ilustrations though.
Anyone?
BugBear
Tony
<bugbear@trim_papermule.co.uk_trim> wrote:
>
>Thanks for the tips. I'd still love the diagrams/ilustrations though.
>
>Anyone?
>
> BugBear
From memory (unreliable) a couple of Heather Angel's books on NatHist
photography showed the beast in use, which may help. I used to have
the new Trekker, which I sold on as I could not get on with it -
plasticky top to 'centre' column wobbled even under 35mm, let alone
MF, and every so often when adjusting it one leg would sneak up and
whack me straight in the proverbials ( a problem I doubt Heather Angel
had ! )
HTH
Tony
no one
Just out of curiosity, what's a reasonable price for one of those Uniloc
Benbo copies (or is the Benbo a copy of the Uniloc?)?
Malcolm Stewart
news:11gktic...@news.supernews.com...
>
> Just out of curiosity, what's a reasonable price for one of those Uniloc
> Benbo copies (or is the Benbo a copy of the Uniloc?)?
I bought both of mine s/h from stalls at camera fairs, and paid around £90
each. Condition in both cases was fine. If my information is correct, the
Benbo came first, and after a period the company struggled, got taken over
etc., with the main designer then setting up as Uniloc.
I bought my (relatively lightweight) Uniloc first and found the
adjustability for macro shots a revelation, compared with traditional
tripods of which I have a selection! I then had the additional offset
centre bracket & clamp fitted at the factory (at Leighton Buzzard, a few
miles away) and some slight leg stiffness was also corrected without charge.
The hinged and lockable main strut can be just what you need for a tricky
location.
Came across the Benbo Mk 1 a few months later, and couldn't resist it. With
the aid of a Manfrotto 115 head, it now supports my 5x4 MPP outfit where its
extra mass is a real bonus - except when getting to location <g>.
Warehouse Express list Uniloc on their website (or did).
bugbear
> I used to have
> the new Trekker, which I sold on as I could not get on with it -
> plasticky top to 'centre' column wobbled even under 35mm, let alone
> MF
I don't think I'm going to have any trouble; I intend to use
it with:
http://www.steves-digicams.com/2005_reviews/a510.html
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canona510/
weight= 230 g
BugBear (who normally uses a nikon table top tripod)
Tony Polson
http://www.patersonphotographic.com/tripods/benbo.html
http://www.imageevent.com/pmattf/naturephotography/uniloc
http://www.pro4.com/uniloc_main.html
The latter gives you a potted history of Benbo and Uni-Loc.
A word of warning: Always hold the camera/lens very firmly and
securely before you loosen the BENt BOlt. A fraction of a second's
lost concentration and your camera/lens will tumble to the ground.
Using a Benbo/Uni-Loc tripod is like wrestling with bagpipes. I used
Benbo Mark 1 and Trekker tripods for several years. I liked the
versatility but not the total lack of stability once the BENt BOlt was
loosened.
I cannot afford to see my current gear hit the ground, so the Benbo
tripods simply had to go. I replaced them with two Manfrotto tripods,
the smaller of which (055 Pro) I have since replaced with a Tiltall.
After three (or so) years with a Tiltall, I see no reason to change.
By the way, I found all the above links with two very quick searches
on Google. It is considered polite to search Google before you ask
questions on Usenet newsgroups:
bugbear
> bugbear <bugbear@trim_papermule.co.uk_trim> wrote:
>>Does anyone have a copy of the manual, or an old advert,
>>showing the weird and wonderful configurations it
>>can be put into?
>
> http://www.imageevent.com/pmattf/naturephotography/uniloc
> http://www.pro4.com/uniloc_main.html
>
> The latter gives you a potted history of Benbo and Uni-Loc.
The second one is excellent. Thank you.
> By the way, I found all the above links with two very quick searches
> on Google. It is considered polite to search Google before you ask
> questions on Usenet newsgroups:
Indeed. I often advocate it myself. I did search,
and found many catalogue shots, and histories,
but only a coupla of "positions".
BugBear
Tony Polson
>Tony Polson wrote:
>> bugbear <bugbear@trim_papermule.co.uk_trim> wrote:
>>>Does anyone have a copy of the manual, or an old advert,
>>>showing the weird and wonderful configurations it
>>>can be put into?
>>
>> http://www.patersonphotographic.com/tripods/benbo.html
>> http://www.imageevent.com/pmattf/naturephotography/uniloc
>> http://www.pro4.com/uniloc_main.html
>>
>> The latter gives you a potted history of Benbo and Uni-Loc.
>
>The second one is excellent. Thank you.
You're very welcome. Just be careful!
;-)