Benro Mach3 Aluminum Tripod – Professional Heavy-Duty Tripod for DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras, 3-Section Twist Lock Legs, Magnesium Casting, and Interchangeable Feet for Ultimate Stability (TMA37AL)

Okay first, let me just say that after going from a small travel tripod that weighs half a pound less and can pack down to fit into a backpack... this thing feels like it should have its own zip code. I knew it was going to be larger but I didn't truly know what I was getting into until it eclipsed my porch upon delivery and had to be wrestled inside the house. It has now taken up residency in my living room and is demanding township rights. And I even purchased one of the smaller options (2 series 3 section)! That said, it does feel sturdy and supports the weight of my 10-ton DSLR setup much more solidly than the travel tripod, which was exactly what I was looking to achieve. Even without a head attached, it stands about face-level to my 5ft 4in self. I particularly like that it has a hook at the end of the center section to hang a bag on, though I'm afraid my particular camera bag would break it as it's not a very heavy duty hook. As for the head, I opted for the Benro FS20PROC 2-in-1 Dual Panning Head rather than the standard ball head, which holds about half as much weight (still enough for my D850 and Sigma 150-600 together!) but boasts more adjustment options and also feels pretty well built. Eventually, I may splurge on the ball head to see just how much difference there is in quality/sturdiness. For now, since I haven't had it out in the wild yet, my review is based on first impression alone. This tripod is tall, solid, and large (but still portable if one has a sturdy constitution and an equally sturdy back). I will update my review once I've had a chance to use it as intended!

This tripod is the best I have ever owned. It is extremely sturdy and the height is exactly what I needed. It may be a little pricey but well worth the cost. I researched and went to a local camera shop and checked it out. Unfortunately they did not have any in stock just the demo. I needed the height and am not disappointed in the quality of this tripod. If you can afford this tripod, I highly recommend purchasing. I have gone through at least three lesser quality tripods and decided to spend the money on a quality tripod instead of continuing to purchase the $100 or less tripods. It is heavy and cumbersome when fully extended but it does not tip with all of my equipment attached. I use a Canon T7i with extended battery case attachment, a cold shoe that holds an external Rode microphone, and 5.5" external monitor along with all the cord attachments. I use this to record Sunday church service for online posting. I highly recommend this tripod and have not found anything negative even the cumbersome is a positive just means that being a short person I need help with the equipment but that was true of the cheaper tripods.

Very sturdy, adjustments (legs center column) are smooth and secure and easily accessed with short small movements. Very lightweight however the lightness has one small drawback in that the legs are not heavy enough to fall out when released and must be manually extended somewhat. Not an issue with me. Also the screw locks on the legs while very smooth are not as quick as lever locks. Also not a problem for me. I like that the feet are screw in (also very smooth and sturdy) and not a cap. Comes with spike feet if needed for more stability. Also I like how the legs can be unlocked with one movement of a clip to flair out and get very close to the ground. It also comes with a second center column thats shorter for this purpose. As far as height, it will extend out 69" without the center stand which adds approx 12" more. The whole thing comes in a nice nylon carrying case with 2 side pockets for accessories and a nice cloth inner case for the tripod itself. Also has with a small tool set with an open end and allen head wrench to tighten up anything that may work loose. I have not used it long enough to see for sure but I dont see anything working loose anytime soon. Just seems like every screw or nut is such close tolerance that the tools wont be necessary. A bit pricey at 450 but well worth it.

This is a VERY short term review, based on a few hours worth of impressions and side by side comparisons with a Gitzo Series 1 and Series 3 tripod. the Gitzos are previous generation 6X legs, the Benro claims the new 9X material. In terms of overall build quality the Benro compares favorably. The metal casings and central plate do not feel as robust as the Gitzo, but that may be because of the use of magnesium on the Benro where the relative lightness just gives the wrong impression in a side by side comparison. When it comes to stability you start to see differences. I tested all three tipods two ways - with a 400mm lens at f/22 and 25s exposure under ideal conditions (indoor, no disturbances) and under "disturbance" (tapping lightly with my fingernails immediately above the first leglock). Each test was repeated 3x. The Gitzo Series 3 performed as you may expect it - razor sharp under static conditions, and a very slight (but noticeable) degradation under disturbance. The Benro under static conditions was about as good as the Series 3 under disturbance. The Benro under disturbance had noticeable image degradation. The Gitzo Series 1 produced slightly sharper images than the Benro under static conditions, and about equivalent images under disturbance. I then did some subjective assessment how the tripods behave under load. I basically pushed them around with my hands in various directions - both top-down and pushing sideways on one of the legs. The Gitzo 3 series 6X is rock solid and does not yield noticeably. This is not entirely a surprise. What IS a surprise is that the Gitzo Series 1 (1531) legs feel stiffer and seem to yield to latteral stress less than the Benro TMA27C. We are comparing a 5-6 year old 6X tripod with smaller diameter legs to very recent 9X model with larger diameter legs here. Overall I found that the Benro TMA27C performs about as well as a Gitzo 1531. Given that the Benro only costs $300 while the new Gitzo is over $700 that would imply a good value. However, I am not convinced that the Benro would fare as well against the 9X CF Gitzos. Since the Gitzo 1531 weighs 1/2 lb less I am likely to keep the Gitzo for when I need a light tripod and return the Benro. I was looking for something more stable than the Gitzo series 1 but not as heavy as the Series 3. The Benro TMA27C does not seem to fit that bill. Will chew on it for a few more days before deciding.

Very high quality tripod, super sturdy, no wiggle at all. Very good for night long exposure photography.

I was very happy with my 200 dollar travel tripod until I purchased a long lens. 200-600 zoom. Suddenly I had 2 new problems. Being a travel tripod it was designed and built with light components. With a mirrorless camera and a standard lens using the tripod was not a problem. Throwing a long lens on there and whoops, shake city. I tried every trick I could find but only one thing could fix it. A solid sturdy tripod. I spent days researching and evaluating and decided on this Benro model. I’m a serious amateur but I have a limited budget and went with the aluminum version of this model at 1/2 the price. I don’t hike 15 miles with my gear so this was a no brainer. I ordered the Benro gimbal with this but that is in a separate review. This tripod is a huge step up from my travel unit. Three section leg design, less wiggle on joints, larger tubing, 1” vs 1/4” on the smallest tube, Benro vs my travel unit. More stops, wider head plate, easier securing rings and amazing quality. I would recommend this to everyone. I have looked at the high end 1K units in the store and they simply don’t offer an upgrade over this that can come close to justifying the price. If you like big brand names and price doesn’t matter go for it but if you want to spread your money around on heads or other equipment this is absolutely the way to go. I put a borrowed head on this and it is rock solid. No shake no missed photos anymore. Great purchase.

This is my first Benro product. It is replacing a Manfrotto 055xproB. The Manfrotto is just too loose when the center column is extended and my camera is not staying put. Some exposure images were affected. The legs of the Manfrotto have also become loose over time and flop around when I pickup the tripod and move it. Doing real estate Photography it is important that the tripod maintain it's position from shot to shot. The Benro is nice and firm out of the box. The leg have exposed hex head adjustments to prevent the legs from floppy around when it gets older. The center column it tight in both up and down positions. I thought the center column release on top looked kind of funny but once I tried it, I think it is much better than the little adjuster on the Manfrotto. Doing real estate shooting, I prefer to set my legs such that I can go quickly from room to room and only adjust the center column between shots. This Benro adjuster makes that super easy to do. The legs lengthen and shorten easily with about 3/4 of a turn of the rubber lock nut. It's not hard at all to lock the legs in place. Very quick and easy to adjust the length. Comes with a very nice padded carry bag that has enough room to carry the tripod with an attached ball head. I am really impressed with this tripod!

I had a rather expensive Enduro tripod break on me while on a job and needed a replacement tripod quickly. I seeked out the opinion of others and Benro was the resounding choice amongst professional real estate photographers. After purchasing this tripod I can see why. I am extremely pleased with this tripod. The center column and legs tighten easily. I am able to work quickly with this tripod. It is not as light as a traditional carbon fiber tripod. I would not purchase this if hiking, traveling, etc -- but for general overall day to day use -- it is GREAT. I bring it on all of my real estate shoots and have absolutely no issue lugging it around. It honestly is not very heavy. It is extremely sturdy, durable, and has a quality build. I would definitely purchase this tripod again if needed. Highly recommend.