@@scottstramyk thank you for the video, it was great. I cant decide between the tortoise 34c and 35c. For river spots or coast with small waves hitting the tripod legs would the bigger diameter legs of the 34c be a real difference? On the other hand 35c gives a lil bit more height and is also easier to store. Thanks!!
Great video Scott. really useful to get that bit of professional experience to help tease out the differences between these two tripods. I'm kinda lined up to the Rhino 34C first I think. I'm also waiting for an L-bracket to arrive in the post!!
An informative review, Scott! One thing to add though - the GX30 has a rotating mounting base, meaning it removes the need for a seperate levelling base when shooting panoramas. You just simply level the camera and rotate the top mounting plate (where you fix the caemra). I dont own a GX ballhead myself, so correct me if im wrong, of course. But Im pretty sure thats how its supposed to work :)
That is exactly how it works. Yes there are two rotating functions on the head which help but i found that i get more mobility when my tripod is at an off balanced position on rough terrain. More flexibility provides me with more control when shooting. Plus the extra 2 inches it gives my height without compromising the tripod stability is a big benefit without a centre column.
As a point of reference it would be good to know how tall you are. I am quite tall and have trouble finding a tripod that keeps the camera at eye level
Do you really need the levelling base when both these tripods come with dual panning heads? If the legs are not level, is it not possible to just unlock the ball on the ball head, level the top plate on the head, lock the ball then if you are panning/rotating use the top panning feature only.
Great question, it is definitely an option. Firstly, I don't want to have to remove my camera from my tripod to see the spirit level on the top plate, by having the levelling base this gives me another spirit level lower down to indicate the legs are level without changing my setup. Secondly, In my personal experience I have found that if the legs aren't level and without the use of the levelling base my panoramas tend to shift/droop away from the horizon even when using the dual panning functions. I find the bottom panning knob to be more accurate and shift less in a full rotation in comparison to the top plate level. I'd rather level the legs through the levelling base over just the head. It quickens my set up time especially in the morning or evening when the light is ever changing and I need to move quickly to different compositions.
That's fine until you want to do a pano with your camera at an angle. Then a leveling base is a convinient way of avoiding the hassle of adjusting the tripod legs to level the base.
With the GX ballheads from Benro you don't need this additional leveling base because you'll have the upper panorama panning on this ballhead! Therefore you could save weight.
I like the extra height and functionality it gives me and it doesn’t weigh a great deal extra. When I’m doing a full day hike in to a destination I might take it off.
Between those two ball heads - which one is "better"? Mostly to be used for landscape photography. No so often - wildlife/bird photography (with a heavy Sigma 150-600). Thank you
Hey Alex I’d highly recommend the VX30 over the GX35. It’s a personal preference really but I found the VX30 a taller and more user friendly to operate in all conditions. The grooves that are carved into the ball joints are deeper making it easier to lock and unlock. Where as the GX35 can be harder to get a grip on in colder conditions or when using gloves. I find it doesn’t lock down as easily. It always need an extra half turn after you’ve tightened it.
I believe so, For the most part, Yes. They are just a universal thread similar to all tripod accessories and head are. The only thing you would need to consider is the size of the legs and head that are going onto it. You may find that the locking levers may hit or rub at certain angles when setting up out in the field.
I'm torn between them. The Tortoise seem to pack thinner which could help with backpacking, but the Rhino seems more versatile going higher or (upside down) lower.
I did not decide yet between these two. So, if I understood well, tortoise is taller when opened but havier then rhino and also bigger when closed. I have checked their web page and apparently figures are completely different. I need one for traveling ; small when closed, tall when open, and light weight. Can you help me please choose betewwn theese 2? My heaviest lens is a Tamron 150-50 mm - abt 2kg
The rhino is heavier due to the centre Coloumn. Comes in at 500grams heavier, it also inverts to reduce its overall closed length. The tortoise has no centre column and makes for a better low lying tripod without dismantling the tripod.
Nice look at the Tortoise. My current travel tripod is shorter than the Tortoise even with its center column (which I hate to use) so ive been looking for a taller, columnless travel tripod and this sound like it will check all the boxes for me. ✔️
Thank you for this video, If I want to buy one of them which one you recomend? I want to use heavy long lens on it (the nikon z 180-600 mm), I do also landscape astrophotography.
Thank you for a great review Scott. I’m planning to travel to Iceland and Scotland soon and not sure which travel tripod to buy. I’m my mid 60’s weight and sturdiness is important. I also use a R5 and RF lenses which are not light. Which would you recommend?
What did you end up choosing. I would normally recommend the rhino for colder conditions due to it having a better ball head suited to cold conditions. All comes down to the ball joint design.
@@scottstramyk Hi Scott, I bought a Innorel GT324 Carbon tripod. It is supplied with a small column, weighs 2.2kg, Max Height 179cm, folds down to 62cm, and is supplied with a 44mm ball head which I wasn't fond off, so I'm using my Leofoto Ball Head which has a quick release mech and far better quality. At the time it was $340 Aussie dollars. So far, I've used the tripod a number of times including an Astro shoot. It worked fine and it showed to be very stable due to its sizable leg diameter. Thanks for asking.
How do you find the stability of the 5 section Tortoise when fully extended? I am 5’ 8” and I am undecided if I should just go for the 4 section Tortoise which will be inherently more stable than the 5 section when fully extended. Do you find having a tripod that is slightly taller helps e.g. when shooting night sky etc?
The taller your tripod the more susceptible it is to wind and vibration and flex. You can always use the centre hook to counteract any of this by weighing it down with a camera bag. In saying that I haven’t noticed any difference between a four section in a five section tripod in terms of stability. These tripods are rocksolid. I chose this tripod purely for its height and its ability to go tall, so I can shoot environments and landscapes from a higher vantage point. Definitely helps when you having to shoot over man-made fences or structures. Generally when I’m shooting night sky, my tripod is as small and low to the ground as possible to reduce any camera shake or vibration on the tripod itself. The other reason is that I want to catch up so much night sky as possible so if I have my tripod extended I’m unable to get the composition that I want for the night Sky scene.
Hi @naturallybob Thanks for asking. After testing it all out individually heres the breakdown Tripod Benro Rhino 34C Tripod - 2.09kg Legs -1.74kg VX30 Head - 343g I hope this helps you make your decision. Its not the lightest tripod in the world. But I can set up a supertele lens on this and its rigid. I can shoot 400mm long exposure photos at night and still get stable sharp photos without movement from the tripod. Obviously other factors can really affect this but with minimising wind and other elements of vibration. This is of utmost importance when travelling.
@@scottstramyk Thank you! Really appreciate it. I just need the tripos actually. I'll be using a different head, the Manfrotto MVH500AH. Basically using it for birdwatching using a spotting scope. A bit of a large scope hence the added weight is okay for windy situations. Again, thanks a lot for the response.
@@naturallybob Oh perfect! I know that head, Ive had it in the past! Another amazing bird watcher/photographers gimbal head is the Benro GH2FL Low Profile Folding Gimbal Head. Foldable, portable and amazing fluidity. If you need a seperate one for the tele lens.
I'm 6ft, the tortoise tripod has a maximum height of 156cm then add the additional LBA2 leveling base it proably gets to a heigh of 162cm then my camera sits on top of that. So shooting height is probably close to 168cm which is a great height.
the S4pro looks like it will fit. its the same fitting as the tortoise and they sell it as a kit. My only concern but there should just be enough clearance is the wing nut at the bottom of the head could scrub the locking rubber of the centre column. You would still be able to use it though.
@@mordavian most traditional video tripods don’t use a centre column. If you got this with the s4probhead you’d be at a max of 159cms. Looks like this. www.maxxum.com.au/benro-tortoise-24clv-with-s4pro-head-carbon-fibre
@@scottstramyk Thank you for the link 🙏164 cm is total height with head? This is a good option but i may need to attach a small photography head like GX35. In this scenario, the height may not be enough. I don't want to carry video head all the time with me. It is heavy compared to GX35.
Buyers beware --- Benro has not been able to ship The Theta Tripod. Benro is over a year late. They do not even update their website. It is June 9th and the website still says it is expecting to start shipping in May. Have sent a bunch of messages asking for updates and lately for my money back and NO RESPONSES! Maybe they are having financial troubles, but this video is a joke! DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY! Benro customer support does not respond!
I’ve purchased and owned over 10 different tripods over the years and even own a $1500 gitzo tripod and this Benro Rhino tripod is my favourite tripod I’ve owned and I use it for just about every shoot.
Do not buy a Rhino tripod, especially if you need to travel. They fall apart, anything that can fall off probably will and then you will be passed from pillar to post because the custimer service in Europe is non-existent.
Hi @dalyfoto thanks for your comment. Thats a very interesting situation and personally not my experience with the brand. customer service in Australia is very much the opposite experience here. I know that if people have issues in Aus that they have been looked after quickly. Ive taken these tripods through all conditions and havent had any issues except losing a rubber screw foot when I loaned my tripod to a friend. (User error for screwing the wrong part off when packing down the tripod)
@@boctunes1853 I appreciate the comment, although you might be looking for a brand vs brand comparison. This video is comparing two different tripods from.m the same brand I use travelling and how it compares and why a photographer might prefer one model over the other for their travels.
Just got a new Benro Tortoise 35C. This very thoughtful detailed presentation is very helpful. Thank you indeed!
@@jakemcavoy2554 great choice, I love mine. What do you prefer to photograph with your Tortoise?
@@scottstramyk thank you for the video, it was great. I cant decide between the tortoise 34c and 35c. For river spots or coast with small waves hitting the tripod legs would the bigger diameter legs of the 34c be a real difference? On the other hand 35c gives a lil bit more height and is also easier to store. Thanks!!
@@juanradlfphotoI had to go the extra height as I felt that was more important for my style of shooting.
Great video Scott. really useful to get that bit of professional experience to help tease out the differences between these two tripods. I'm kinda lined up to the Rhino 34C first I think. I'm also waiting for an L-bracket to arrive in the post!!
Great to hear Clive, what LBracket did you end up getting? How have you found the tripod and bracket combo when out shooting?
An informative review, Scott! One thing to add though - the GX30 has a rotating mounting base, meaning it removes the need for a seperate levelling base when shooting panoramas. You just simply level the camera and rotate the top mounting plate (where you fix the caemra). I dont own a GX ballhead myself, so correct me if im wrong, of course. But Im pretty sure thats how its supposed to work :)
That is exactly how it works. Yes there are two rotating functions on the head which help but i found that i get more mobility when my tripod is at an off balanced position on rough terrain.
More flexibility provides me with more control when shooting. Plus the extra 2 inches it gives my height without compromising the tripod stability is a big benefit without a centre column.
As a point of reference it would be good to know how tall you are. I am quite tall and have trouble finding a tripod that keeps the camera at eye level
Do you really need the levelling base when both these tripods come with dual panning heads? If the legs are not level, is it not possible to just unlock the ball on the ball head, level the top plate on the head, lock the ball then if you are panning/rotating use the top panning feature only.
Great question, it is definitely an option.
Firstly, I don't want to have to remove my camera from my tripod to see the spirit level on the top plate, by having the levelling base this gives me another spirit level lower down to indicate the legs are level without changing my setup.
Secondly, In my personal experience I have found that if the legs aren't level and without the use of the levelling base my panoramas tend to shift/droop away from the horizon even when using the dual panning functions. I find the bottom panning knob to be more accurate and shift less in a full rotation in comparison to the top plate level.
I'd rather level the legs through the levelling base over just the head. It quickens my set up time especially in the morning or evening when the light is ever changing and I need to move quickly to different compositions.
That's fine until you want to do a pano with your camera at an angle. Then a leveling base is a convinient way of avoiding the hassle of adjusting the tripod legs to level the base.
With the GX ballheads from Benro you don't need this additional leveling base because you'll have the upper panorama panning on this ballhead! Therefore you could save weight.
I like the extra height and functionality it gives me and it doesn’t weigh a great deal extra. When I’m doing a full day hike in to a destination I might take it off.
VX also has that, and it's a nice feature. But if you want to do a pano at an angle you still need to level the base.
08:57 The head has a double panaromy adjustment. You don't need a leveling base. You're very handsome 🙂
Between those two ball heads - which one is "better"? Mostly to be used for landscape photography. No so often - wildlife/bird photography (with a heavy Sigma 150-600). Thank you
Hey Alex I’d highly recommend the VX30 over the GX35.
It’s a personal preference really but I found the VX30 a taller and more user friendly to operate in all conditions.
The grooves that are carved into the ball joints are deeper making it easier to lock and unlock.
Where as the GX35 can be harder to get a grip on in colder conditions or when using gloves.
I find it doesn’t lock down as easily. It always need an extra half turn after you’ve tightened it.
Awesome work! I assume the benro leveling base is also compatible to other tripod correct?
I believe so, For the most part, Yes.
They are just a universal thread similar to all tripod accessories and head are. The only thing you would need to consider is the size of the legs and head that are going onto it. You may find that the locking levers may hit or rub at certain angles when setting up out in the field.
I'm torn between them. The Tortoise seem to pack thinner which could help with backpacking, but the Rhino seems more versatile going higher or (upside down) lower.
Yes that’s right. I personally take the rhino with me more often. It’s the one I tend to pack more frequently
I did not decide yet between these two. So, if I understood well, tortoise is taller when opened but havier then rhino and also bigger when closed. I have checked their web page and apparently figures are completely different. I need one for traveling ; small when closed, tall when open, and light weight. Can you help me please choose betewwn theese 2? My heaviest lens is a Tamron 150-50 mm - abt 2kg
The rhino is heavier due to the centre Coloumn. Comes in at 500grams heavier, it also inverts to reduce its overall closed length.
The tortoise has no centre column and makes for a better low lying tripod without dismantling the tripod.
Nice look at the Tortoise. My current travel tripod is shorter than the Tortoise even with its center column (which I hate to use) so ive been looking for a taller, columnless travel tripod and this sound like it will check all the boxes for me. ✔️
That would be a perfect addition to your kit! It’s such a solid tripod that is sturdy at full extent.
Thank you for this video, If I want to buy one of them which one you recomend? I want to use heavy long lens on it (the nikon z 180-600 mm), I do also landscape astrophotography.
I would recommend the one in the video. Benro Rhino 34C
It’s great because you can also turn it into a monopod.
Epic mate. Need to get back to NZ 😍
I'm keen, Didn't get to do any of the hiking I wanted. Nor did I get to visit Milford sound.
Thank you for a great review Scott. I’m planning to travel to Iceland and Scotland soon and not sure which travel tripod to buy. I’m my mid 60’s weight and sturdiness is important. I also use a R5 and RF lenses which are not light. Which would you recommend?
What did you end up choosing. I would normally recommend the rhino for colder conditions due to it having a better ball head suited to cold conditions. All comes down to the ball joint design.
@@scottstramyk Hi Scott, I bought a Innorel GT324 Carbon tripod. It is supplied with a small column, weighs 2.2kg, Max Height 179cm, folds down to 62cm, and is supplied with a 44mm ball head which I wasn't fond off, so I'm using my Leofoto Ball Head which has a quick release mech and far better quality. At the time it was $340 Aussie dollars. So far, I've used the tripod a number of times including an Astro shoot. It worked fine and it showed to be very stable due to its sizable leg diameter. Thanks for asking.
@ oh that’s awesome, I haven’t seen that one myself, but the leofoto have grabbed my attention for the quick release.
Bro I'm 5'9 I'm considering Benro mach 3 TMA38CL or Rhino FRHN34C OR FRHN24C, which one among these would you suggest me to get considering my height?
How do you find the stability of the 5 section Tortoise when fully extended? I am 5’ 8” and I am undecided if I should just go for the 4 section Tortoise which will be inherently more stable than the 5 section when fully extended. Do you find having a tripod that is slightly taller helps e.g. when shooting night sky etc?
The taller your tripod the more susceptible it is to wind and vibration and flex. You can always use the centre hook to counteract any of this by weighing it down with a camera bag. In saying that I haven’t noticed any difference between a four section in a five section tripod in terms of stability. These tripods are rocksolid. I chose this tripod purely for its height and its ability to go tall, so I can shoot environments and landscapes from a higher vantage point. Definitely helps when you having to shoot over man-made fences or structures. Generally when I’m shooting night sky, my tripod is as small and low to the ground as possible to reduce any camera shake or vibration on the tripod itself. The other reason is that I want to catch up so much night sky as possible so if I have my tripod extended I’m unable to get the composition that I want for the night Sky scene.
If the ball head of the Rhino 34c is removed, what's the weight of the tripod itself? Appreciate the response in advance. Great review too. Thanks.
Hi @naturallybob Thanks for asking. After testing it all out individually heres the breakdown
Tripod Benro Rhino 34C
Tripod - 2.09kg
Legs -1.74kg
VX30 Head - 343g
I hope this helps you make your decision.
Its not the lightest tripod in the world. But I can set up a supertele lens on this and its rigid. I can shoot 400mm long exposure photos at night and still get stable sharp photos without movement from the tripod. Obviously other factors can really affect this but with minimising wind and other elements of vibration. This is of utmost importance when travelling.
@@scottstramyk Thank you! Really appreciate it. I just need the tripos actually. I'll be using a different head, the Manfrotto MVH500AH. Basically using it for birdwatching using a spotting scope. A bit of a large scope hence the added weight is okay for windy situations. Again, thanks a lot for the response.
@@naturallybob Oh perfect! I know that head, Ive had it in the past!
Another amazing bird watcher/photographers gimbal head is the
Benro GH2FL Low Profile Folding Gimbal Head. Foldable, portable and amazing fluidity.
If you need a seperate one for the tele lens.
@@scottstramyk Oh, nice. Thank you, Scott!
Nice review 🙂👍
Thank you for the kind compliment. Glad you liked it
How tall are you? And is the rhino fully extended? Because it comes right upto your eye level
I'm 6ft, the tortoise tripod has a maximum height of 156cm then add the additional LBA2 leveling base it proably gets to a heigh of 162cm then my camera sits on top of that. So shooting height is probably close to 168cm which is a great height.
Can I attach s4pro video head to Rhino?
the S4pro looks like it will fit. its the same fitting as the tortoise and they sell it as a kit. My only concern but there should just be enough clearance is the wing nut at the bottom of the head could scrub the locking rubber of the centre column. You would still be able to use it though.
Tortoise looks really good but i may need center column. Do you think it has enough height for videography?@@scottstramyk
@@mordavian most traditional video tripods don’t use a centre column. If you got this with the s4probhead you’d be at a max of 159cms.
Looks like this.
www.maxxum.com.au/benro-tortoise-24clv-with-s4pro-head-carbon-fibre
Or 164cm with this one -
www.maxxum.com.au/benro-tortoise-34clv-with-s4pro-head-carbon-fibre
@@scottstramyk Thank you for the link 🙏164 cm is total height with head? This is a good option but i may need to attach a small photography head like GX35. In this scenario, the height may not be enough. I don't want to carry video head all the time with me. It is heavy compared to GX35.
Buyers beware --- Benro has not been able to ship The Theta Tripod. Benro is over a year late. They do not even update their website. It is June 9th and the website still says it is expecting to start shipping in May. Have sent a bunch of messages asking for updates and lately for my money back and NO RESPONSES! Maybe they are having financial troubles, but this video is a joke! DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY! Benro customer support does not respond!
best tripod is the one u get for free from sponsors
I’ve purchased and owned over 10 different tripods over the years and even own a $1500 gitzo tripod and this Benro Rhino tripod is my favourite tripod I’ve owned and I use it for just about every shoot.
Do not buy a Rhino tripod, especially if you need to travel. They fall apart, anything that can fall off probably will and then you will be passed from pillar to post because the custimer service in Europe is non-existent.
Hi @dalyfoto thanks for your comment. Thats a very interesting situation and personally not my experience with the brand.
customer service in Australia is very much the opposite experience here. I know that if people have issues in Aus that they have been looked after quickly.
Ive taken these tripods through all conditions and havent had any issues except losing a rubber screw foot when I loaned my tripod to a friend. (User error for screwing the wrong part off when packing down the tripod)
Benro vs Benro in the “Best travel tripod”, funny how that works in our Benro only world … pass
@@boctunes1853 I appreciate the comment, although you might be looking for a brand vs brand comparison. This video is comparing two different tripods from.m the same brand I use travelling and how it compares and why a photographer might prefer one model over the other for their travels.