Feisol CT-3342 Carbon Fiber Tripod - Initial Review
I recently decided to upgrade my tripod, choosing a carbon fiber Feisol model. My choice was particularly swayed by the many positive online reviews and its value for money, especially considering its 1kg weight and carbon fiber construction. I ordered the Feisol CT-3342 carbon fiber tripod and it arrived in only 4 days shipped direct from Taiwan. You are provided an EMS shipping number by email for tracking online. Payment was made through Paypal.
The tripod was shipped in a brown box, with the tripod specifications listed on the side. I was amazed how very light the box was.
Inside the box was a Feisol bag that includes a shoulder strap and small pouch on the outside. I was surprised that there was no additional packaging to protect it in transit. Luckily the shipping box looks as though it had not taken any knocks, so the contents should be okay. However, I would have liked to see at least a couple of wraps of bubble wrap.
The bag opens by a zip at one end, and contained the tripod in a protective plastic bag.
The side pocket of the bag contained a warranty card, a hook for attaching under the tripod, an optional set of small spikes that I ordered and 3 Allen keys for tripod adjustment and maintenance.
One thing to note is the lack of any instructions. Whilst they are not really needed as its operation and adjustment is pretty straight forward, it is sometimes nice to have a printed guide to help get you started. Note that basic instructions are available online here, by clicking on the User Manual link on the left and selecting the Tournament and Standard Class Tripods section. However, the details are very sparse and not very comprehensive.
After unwrapping the tripod from its protective plastic bag you are amazed at how light it is. At 1kg, it feels like it is not even going to be able to stand up on its own!
One of the advantages of its simple design is knowing that with less moving parts, the chance of a potential failure is reduced. The addition of a set of tools means you can adjust and potentially repair the tripod. I would assume that over time the legs may need re-tightening.
The legs are the screw-and-slide type (not sure what else to call them), similar to the Gitzo legs. They appear to be very smooth to slide and easy to operate. All three legs have a foam cover over the top section. It is nice to see that Feisol include covers for all three legs, as I am confused at why Manfrotto only seem to cover two of the legs. The foam is quite firm and should help when using the tripod in cold conditions. Even though carbon fiber legs do not get as cold as aluminum legs, they can still be uncomfortable in very cold conditions.
I chose the 3 section model that can be extended to 142cm when fully open. I chose 3 sections over the 4 sections due to it being slightly easier to extend and the reduced number of mechanical components that may fail (pretty weak arguments, I know!) However, the shorter closed length of the 4 section will be attractive if you regularly travel, as it can fit within most aircraft carry-on luggage.
The top of the tripod is very clean and simple, with a single threaded bolt to allow the attachment of a tripod head. An optional center column can be added, and a horizontal mounting plate is available to convert the center column to the horizontal position. This does not seem as clean as solution as providing by the newer Manfrotto tripod (where the center column converts to horizontal without removing it), but as I will not be using a center column, it did not concern me. I am not a great fan of center columns as I think they reduce the rigidity of the tripod, similar to mounting a monopod on top of the tripod. Underneath the tripod top a hook can be screwed for attachment of bags and weights to give extra stability in uneven or windy conditions.
Overall, I find the Feisol CT-3342 to be a very sturdy and light tripod. I would highly recommend that Feisol is added to your shortlist if you are looking for a new tripod. They have a wide range of carbon fiber tripods that should cover most budgets. I have also heard good reports about their range of monopods as well.
I will be bringing a more detailed review after the Feisol has been used on a few shoots.
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