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- Verified Buyer
I purchased the Induro CLT004 Carbon Fiber Tripod in 2017. I have several great things say about it. As a landscape photographer, I sometimes like to stand in streams or over other waterways. I am 5'9". The height of this tripod has allowed me to extend the legs of the tripod and still stand on rocks or other elevated structures and not have to bend over much if at all.It is not a compact tripod but you could stow it in a duffel bag with other things for travel. I use the shorter center column because I never extend them. The short column allows me to lower the tripod head to less than 8 inches off the ground.I disassemble it and and clean to salt water and sand, then lubricate the threads after trips and it still operates smoothly.The only problem that I have form time to time is the connection from the frame to the leg, needed to be tightened a couple of times. Since a replaced the lock washer, it is fine.I would recommend the product.EDIT:No pinch points is such a lie! I get pinched and cut by this tripod all the time, to the point of bleeding under my skin or bleeding outright. 3 years with this tripod though, and it’s still the one I’d recommend. Love it.I'd like to start this review off stating that I do Interior, Architectural, and Real-Estate Photography and Videography for a full time job. I even do 3D tours powered by Matterport.. So with the experience I've had with this tripod, I believe I can truly give you the best input on how it performs in the field.The first thing you'll notice is the sleek look of the carbon fiber weave, and oversized leg locks. This things screams build quality, while keeping it insanely lightweight! The leg locks are huge, accompanied by an oversized center column lock. The legs are very stiff, which is important for stability. Another great feature would be flexibility of the tripods wingspan, allowing the tripod to reach ground level. Everything I use this tripod for works great.. with only one problem.I hate the twist leg locks. Coming from a traditional Manfrotto tripod, and many others like it before, Lever leg locks are simply more convenient. While these twist locks MAY hold up better over time, I still can't stand them. It almost keeps me from using it sometimes and just shooting hand held because they're so inconvenient. Maybe it's personal preference, or I'm still adjusting, but believe me, twist locks are just not as convenient. It takes so much more effort and time to adjust the legs. Any professional working under a time crunch knows how important this is.Pros:Lightweight (Half the weight of a Manfrotto in a similar price range)Excellent Build Quality and DesignAesthetically Pleasing - Black and Carbon Fiber with 3 Foam Hand GripsAdjustable Wingspan (For shooting close to ground level)Comes with padded tripod bag, tools, spikes, and replaceable rubber feet.5 Year Warranty extended to 10 Years with Online ActivationCons:Twist Leg LocksCarbon Fiber Scratches EasilyI have been looking for a tripod for quite sometime. I did alot of research and the Induro CLT103 has come up as a great tripod in many reviews. I decided to buy it it, since I found a refurbished one through VL Camera. It was very sturdy. The height was decent,you don't need to stoop. But the deal breaker for me was when I opened up the leg and found the plastic shim in the leglock. I was surprised to see this on such an expensive tripod. I feel the one piece metal design on a Leophoto ranger tripod in this same price point is a better deal. So don't make the same mistake as I did and assume this would be metal or at least a one-piece design. Ask questions first. VL Camera worked with me to sort out my return and are a wonderful company to work with.I have been a Gitzo user for 25 years. Have had 5 of them over the years. But the ridiculous cost had me looking for alternatives. I decided to try this out. First, the legs go way up. Higher than my eye level (I'm 6') without the center column extended. The leg locks work well, though you'll notice that you have to do a little more than a quarter turn, but I got used to that fast. It is very light. My old Gitzo 3way head is heavier than the legs! The diameter of the legs is very nice. Very stable and dampens vibration. The construction looks pretty good. Probably not as high of quality as Gitzo. We'll see how many years or abuse it can take. But, at less than half the price, if it lasts 5 years of Pro use, I'm still ahead of the game.NOTE: the tripod that I got came with a lot of extras in the box. The tripod legs were in a light draw string bag that was in a heavy duty carrying bag (that is too small to fit a decent size head, so that's not of use to me). There are tools and replacement feet with spikes. And most unexpectently, it comes with both a long and short column. I bought the short column at the same time and was chagrined to see that it already came with the tripod. Had to return it and loose $6 on the deal for return shipping.Overall, a good tripod at a reasonable price.For this much money I think they could have used a bit thick foam padding.
