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The VELBON MAXi 343E isn't the world's most stable tripod, but then again it
makes no claims on that score. Its selling point is that it's a small, light,
inexpensive and relatively stable travel tripod.
The basic specifications are:
Length - 17.5 inches folded
Weight - 1.9 pounds
Height - Extends to 62 inches (with center column)
Comes with removable ball head
Spiked and rubber feet
Mostly metal construction
Carrying case included
My usual "travel" tripod is a Bogen 3001 with a 3262 ball head, but on a
recent trip this was too large and heavy at a weight of 4.65lbs. The Velbon (with
head) is only 1.9lbs, a saving of 2.75lbs in weight. The 3001 (with head removed)
is 21" long when folded, while the VELBON MAXi 343E is only 15.5" (the ballhead
adds 2"), so it's significantly shorter. The Velbon tripod will fit inside my
LowePro Trekker photo backpack, while the Bogen 3001 will not. Below you can see
the two tripods compared.
The image below shows the two tripods extended:
The two tripods are very similar in extended height.
The next shot shows both tripods with their center columns fully extended.
As you can see, the Velbon MAXi 343E tripod is actually a few inches
taller.
Finally here's a shot of an EOS 20D with a 75-300IS lens extended to 300mm.
The ballhead is small, but will hold this camera/lens combination quite
securely.
So how stable is it?
However, even fully extended it does provide useful and usable additional
stability over hand holding a lens, even a pretty long lens. I used a 75-300IS
zoom on an EOS 20D to test stability. To get sharp images with this lens without
IS being turned on, a shutter speed of around 1/500s is required. The "1/focal
length" rule of thumb for handholdability gets modified by the sensor cropping
factor of 1.6x, giving an estimated 1/480s required shutter speed.
When used on the VELBON MAXi 343E at full extension and with the center column
at full height, I found I could get sharp images at around 1/100s with IS off and
the lens zoomed out to 300mm. This increase in stability is comparable to what
you'd get by turning IS on. However, if you DO turn IS on, then you can get sharp
images down to about 1/25s. Normally you shouldn't use IS on this lens when it's
on a tripod, but that assumes a rock stable tripod. Since the VELBON MAXi 343E
isn't rock stable when fully extended, IS is still effective.
Image Samples
Below is a 100% crop from the center of the image which was shot at 1/100s
using the 75-300mm lens, set to 300mm with IS off. The camera was mounted on the
VELBON MAXi 343E with the center column fully extended.
Next, here are two shots taken at 1/25s, the shot on the left is with IS
turned on, the shot on the right is with IS turned off. It's clear that IS helps
in this case!
Finally, below is a shot taken at 300mm, with IS off and at a shutter speed of
1/6s using mirror lockup.
As you can see, at 1/6s with MLU (in the absence of wind), even with the
VELBON MAXi 343E and center column fully extended, the image is sharp.
Conclusion
Where to buy
The VELBON MAXi 343E tripod is available from several vendors who support
photo.net when purchases are made via these links:
I recently purchased a 343E and immediately replaced the ballhead with a larger size Kaiser panning ballhead and quick release plate. The tripod is now very usable for framing scenics and motion photography where absolute stability is not critical.
I purchased the Velbon MAXi 343E when it first came out having read the article about it's development in Popular Photography. From my point of view the most important things about this tripod are the size and weight. I used to rarely carry a tripod when doing casual photography. I would often see an image that I could not photograph due to lack of a proper camera support. I now carry one of these all the time and hardly notice it's there. I seldom use it fully extended. My equipment is a Nikon FM2n ususally with a Tokina 28-80 f/2.8 or a Nikon 105 f/4.0 macro so total weight the tripod supports is low.
After reading several comparisons (see links) and feedback from users in various forum, I chosed the Slik Sprint Pro GM over the Velbon Maxi 343E and several others.
I removed the ballhead (quite good, though) for a more efficient one: Novoflex Neiger 19P.
=> I am quite happy with this set-up: it just needs some L plate+platform to be first-class (for travel, that is :).
The leg locks are consistant with the rest of the tripod. Lightweight but adequate. I suppose in time they could fail. I haven't used the tripod for long enough to judge their ultimate durability.
Bob, reading the excellent test report, I am left to wonder that the two shots of 35 mph sign done at 1/25 sec have an interplaying role of mirror vibration -- considering the shot at 1/6 sec is so clear and nice and it is with the MLU. Have I gotten it right? Thanks.
Bob, thanks for the great review. I went through two of these tripods before giving up on them, and had the same problem with both. I really wanted to like this tripod because the size/weight/price combination was nice and it worked for the camera I was using. Unfortunately, the legs just didn't hold up well.
The first one I had worked fine for a few weeks, and then suddenly one of the legs would not close all the way. Despite a lot of time trying to fix it, it turned out to be almost impossible due to the way the legs were constructed. And if you disassembled the leg it was near impossible to get it back together. Since it was almost new, the local dealer replaced it for me, but the exact thing happened to the second one within a few weeks. In addition, the second one had a leg lock which seemed to get loose very quickly.
I ended up returning it and getting a Slik 614 carbon fiber model with a small Giottos ball head. It cost a bit more (though nothing like the Gitzos), but it seems indestructible compared with the Velbon and may weigh a bit less. Maybe I was unlucky and just got two tripods from a bad lot, but unfortunatley they didn't hold up well despite relatively light use.
As I said, I haven't owned this tripod long enough to comment on its reliability and longevity. While not delicate, I think it would be wise to treat the 343e with somewhat more care than you would a tripod like the Bogen 3001. Shedding weight does reduce strength.
I'd note that the Velbon 343e does come with a lifetime warranty - though again, I haven't had need to use it yet!
I've had mine for about 2 years with no problems. I like it very much. As others have said, it allows you to take a tripod places where you probably would not take a heavier tripod. I,however, never use the center column. I am short so this is not a problem. I use it solely with 35mm gear. I would never use my Mamiya 645 with a tripod like this. With 35mm it will still "droop" a bit with macro or long telephoto lenses. All in all, I am very happy with it.
Similar to above, I tracked 343E's development on Pop Photo and eventually got one from first batch in Asia (green color, made in Japan) back in 2003 for $60 (US price was around $90 then) to replace my broken Slik Snapman Deluxe (broken leg trekking in East Malaysia.) I've taken it everywhere from Bangkok to Frankfurt, Chicago to Hilo. Highly recommended as a light travelling tripod as it fits nicely in hand-carry and sturdy enough to achieve sharp images (with proper technique) and I had even pushed it into a lightstand role in several occasions.
I bought this tripod in Bangkok in December 2003. At the time I carried an Olympus OM-1N, a 50 f1.8 and a 24 f2.8. It worked great, the whole set-up being quite light. In 2004 I got a Canon Elan 7 and a 50 f1.4 and took them with the 343E to Egypt, again, worked great.
I don't use the center column fully extended, and with the 50 mm I could get good photos of a swirling dervish in a dimmly lit hall.
My only complain with the design is that you need to slightly extend the center column when fliping the camera to take vertical shots, otherwise it hits the tripod. This is a nuissance but it can be overcome.
I haven't experienced any wear in the levers or other mal-functions, other than slight chipping of the green paint.
With a compact camera, you can do psuedo-ground pod by collapsing the 343E, lay it sideway on the ground, and manuever the head/camera to desired position. Trip shutter with self-timer and hold the tripod still.
I have seen two of these in the photo stores that were broken one leg lock did not work and one leg had pulled out of the upper portion..I also found several reports of these failing in the field. I was going to buy one after seeing them broken (quite unfixable in the field)I kept my larger Bogen 719B tripod for my digital camera.
Still using mine as of today which had practically made few round the world trips. Another one is used solely in the office. Both are working fine, rain or shine. No problem with lock levers, no problem with sliding legs, no problem with heads, no problem, period. The two I use were the original green version, bought in Bangkok, made in Japan.
Also had a leg failure after only a few uses. Velbon said that you cannot allow gravity to open the legs- the momentum of the leg weight alone will break the plastic internals. Small and light is about convenience, but if you can't do all the flip levers at once and then invert, that is just not fast & convenient. Too fragile- would not buy again.
Still using both of them on regular basis. One is used almost everyday in the office shooting products. Another doubles as lightstand quite often. We open and close them all the time by flipping the levers together and letting gravity do the its job. I have a feeling that the later production batch might not be as robust as the earlier ones.
, August 17, 2005; 12:24 A.M. 
