Oben AC-2361 Tripod with BE-126 Ball Head

Written by Photography

I’ve owned the Sunpak 4300 Pro B Tripod for about 3 years. Sadly I managed to break it on my last shoot. I figured it was time to upgrade to a new tripod altogether. After visiting the PDN Photo Expo I came across some tripods which caught my eye.

I went over to B&H today after work and picked up the Oben AC-2361 tripod with BE-126 ball head. I did some research before picking up the kit and decided I will return it if I find a better deal. I spent about 30 minutes in B&H trying to figure out if this was a good buy. After looking at other brands within a similar price range I was convinced.

The most attractive features were the sturdy and simple design, adjustable leg locks, and the ball head. Since this is not a high-end model I was careful to make sure certain things weren’t left out. Particularly, I wanted to make sure the legs locks were adjustable (incase they become loose), and the tripod was solid. One big disadvantage of this model as compared to others is its construction. It’s made of aluminum alloy rather than carbon fiber. This means it is about twice as heavy as a top of the line tripod, but also half as expensive. The tripod itself has a 17.6lb load capacity. It goes to a maximum height of 66 inches and weighs exactly 5lbs. The ball head supports 26.4lbs and weights 1lb. This means the entire setup weighs 6lbs. This shouldn’t be a problem while I am shooting, but might be a nuisance while I carry the tripod arround. Overall I am very happy with the unit and can’t wait to begin using it.

Unfortunately, it seems I have purchased a defective model. I noticed that one of the leg guards was loose after I finished photographing the unit. I am quite sure I didn’t pull it apart since I tried to force the other two out and they would not budge. I plan on exchanging the tripod legs tomorrow for a new set. Let’s hope those are intact.

Update: I successfully exchanged the tripod on the next day hassle free!