Customer Reviews

VELBON MAXi 343E Lightweight Photographic Tripod

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I own a heavier Velbon as well - a Camarge. I wanted something smaller and lighter, which could fit into my daypack on walking trips. I read an inconclusive article about lightweight tripods in "Outdoor Photography", and decided to do my own research.

Of the quality brand lightweight tripods available (Slik, Velbon, Gitzo, Manfrotto), this one is one of the lightest (at around 860g including the head). Yet it's carrying capacity is one of the best (at around 3.6kg). Of the other brands, the only ones that came close were double the weight and 4-5 times the price. With a folded length of only 444mm (4 sections), it fits into my daypack - with the head mounted - no worries.

The Maxi tripod is marketed for use for Digital cameras. The legs are even inscribed as such. Velbon is missing a large market segment with this strategy. I have no problems mounting a Nikon FM3A film-SLR with a medium-sized zoom lens. At the same time, the maximum operating height is good (I am tall).

The legs can get wobbly if you mount a heavy telephoto, or on a very windy day - particularly if you extend the center column. Pull down on the center column for stability, or stabilise the tripod against your body. Otherwise shorten the legs.

The ball head is easy and comfortable to use. The legs are equally easy and quick to setup or adjust. The rubber feet have built-in spikes (can be hidden). You may want to buy a small quick-release adapter as well.

I find that I now use the Velbon Maxi more than my Velbon Camarge. It is a good compromise for most conditions.

I purchased the Maxi 343E after reading Herb Keppler's article about it in Popular Photography. I really needed a tripod that I could travel with; my Bogen might be sturdy enough to mount a small car on top, but it comes with a price... WEIGHT!!

PLUSES:

It travels EXTREMELY well, and fits nicely in just about any piece of luggage, breaking down to about 18" and weighing barely a pound.

The ball head is easy to use, and even with a Nikon D100 SLR and a telephoto, the head keeps the camera locked in place. (Very little sag.) ALTHOUGH, for a REALLY long telephoto that weighs more, I suspect that this ball head wouldn't be up to the task.

The flap-locks are great. I like them much better than the screw-type locks seen on some tripods. Setup and breakdown is very fast.

PROBLEMS:

It's a light tripod. There's something to be said for MASS. In anything more than a little breeze, there just isn't enough mass to keep things from shaking.

The ball head works well, but you cannot smoothly pan from side to side as you can with a more expensive head.

BOTTOM LINE:

Certainly worth the price I paid... and considering the fact that the price has dropped $20.00 since I purchased it a few months ago, it's now a veritable bargain.

I purchased this tripod based on editorial reviews such as: http://www.imaging-resource.com/ACCS/VEL/VEL.HTM, right before embarking on a 10 week x-country roadtrip.
2 weeks into the trip, the clamp that allows extension in one of the legs broke, making it impossible to extend and lock the leg.
It turns out the the inside pieces are cheap plastic!
Please note that I was a bit rough with it (undoing the clamps and flipping upside down to let the legs collapse), but given that this was designed for outdoor, 'roughing it' expeditions, it should really not have broken so easily.
I will say that the size and weight are fantastic.
The inner components should definately be stronger!!!

I use this tripod with my film SLR and now with my newly purchased digital SLR. I have carried it to the tops of mountains in ten states, and dragged it through the Canadian Rockies and the Japanese Alps. For such a small and light tripod, it does a stellar job. It's very quick to set up and easy to adjust.

Remember that this is a lightweight tripod, not intended to support a long telephoto lens in a heavy breeze. If you use it as intended, you will be delighted with it.

Velbon's MAXi 343E tripod is the perfect size for traveling. It easily fits into my carry on bag along with my camera gear. Although it is too light-weight to support heavier gear, it is ideal for my digital camera work. I also love the swivel head that does away with the old arm-mount design. I can set up in a snap. Just level and shoot. It has solved my need to "travel light" and recommend it to others with similar needs.

I have had this Velbon tripod for a couple of years, but I rarely use it. Instead I use a Bogen/Manfrotto 724B Digi Tripod with ball head. The Bogen is 1 pound heavier. It is also 5" taller at 64.6" with the column raised. The Bogen is a much stiffer tripod with a much better ballhead on top. Both tripods claim to support cameras up to 7.5 pounds, but I find that more believable with the Bogen than the Velbon. I actually bought the Velbon first, and found the Bogen to be so much more of what I wanted, that I bought that second. I am keeping the Velbon for those occasions (e.g. backpacking) where that 1 pound makes a difference and I will only be using a light digicamera.

I've had and used this Tripod for nearly 2 years now and absolutely love it. It is the perfect size to fit in my carry on luggage for long trips and nice and light weight for backpacking. I've had absolutely no problems with it and use it quite frequently.

I agree with someone below who said, "the clamp that allows extension in one of the legs broke, making it impossible to extend and lock the leg. It turns out the the inside pieces are cheap plastic!"

I owned mine for less than a year, with maybe once a week use, and it busted the same way for me. Never again. I guess people buy Bogen for a reason, and that's the direction I'm going.

The 343 does come with a lifetime warranty, so I'm enforcing the warranty coverage and will sell it on eBay once its returned to me from service.

This is a lightweight tripod that was designed for travel and backpacking.

Is it a good tripod? Not very. The compromises of lightweight mean that it is spindly. An extended column with a mounted camera will vibrate like a tuning fork in a wind. The ball head may not support pro slrs with heavy lens without drooping.

But it serves the intended use very well. Light, packs into a small space. Mostly all metal construction, which is important to me after I broke a cheap Sam's club tripod the first time I tightened a screw. You just have to learn to use it in much the same way you would use a monopod. Damp any vibration and brace the camera by holding it with your hands.

This tripod has spent a total of 30 days in Tibet stowed in bouncy Chinese trucks amidst 8 people's luggage, another two weeks on the luggage rack of my bike touring Nepal, and another couple of months being carried while doing the backpack tourist bit through Thailand. It shows the wear, much of the anodizing is missing, a corner of the spider has been flattened a bit from some inpact, but it still keeps on keeping on. I recently purchased another tripod that is only slightly heavier and more expensive and a better tripod, but the Velbon is the on I use when I want convenient portability.

If you want a GOOD tripod, get something else. But this may be the best tool for its intended job. I've been very pleased with it.

I bought the Velbon 343E when it first came out a couple of years ago. It was not long before the leg mechanism broke (internally). I had a very hard time getting the Velbon address to mail it back to for warranty work. I finally found the address after contacting the VP of Marketing at Velbon and mailed it back.

After receiving the repaired unit it worked again for a few weeks and then broke again. It has been sitting in my drawer since. I am going to return it one more time.

My advice: It's a great concept, but is of no value if it breaks this easily. I would avoid this product.