Are a carbon fibre tripod heavy enough to carry a gimbal?

Question

I want to buy a tripod and a gimbal head to shoot birds in flight. I want to buy the TMA37AL Mach3 Serie 3 aluminium Benro tripod or the TMA38CL Mach3 Serie 3 carbon fibre Benro tripod. And for gimbal head I consider buying the Benro GH2.

My quenstion is, is the carbon or any carbon fibre tripod heavy and steady enough to carry the magnesium gimbal head in windy conditions and such? Or is it a better option to go with the aluminium tripod? The price on the two are very close.

Gimbal head: Benro Gimbal GH2 magnesium

Tripod Aluminium: Benro Stativ TMA37AL Mach3 Serie 3 aluminium

Tripod Carbon Fibre: Benro Stativ TMA38CL Mach3 Serie 3 kolfiber

Ben

Answer 1

is the carbon or any carbon fibre tripod heavy and steady enough to carry the magnesium gimbal head in windy conditions and such? Or is it a better option to go with the aluminium tripod?

The relative weight difference between two otherwise nearly identical tripods is immaterial while you're shooting. With the weight of a gimbal, camera, presumably somewhat heavy lens, and especially the weight of your arms, the tripod weight difference will not be a factor.

Even when you're not shooting, the slight difference in weight won't really matter. If you're concerned, you should either add weight to the center column hook (many people like to use their camera bag, but in windy conditions, the bag and swing and hit the tripod legs). You can use bungee cords, ropes, bungee nets with rocks, and other methods to weigh down the tripod. I've seen people use tent stakes and bungee cords to "add weight" (downward tension), but because the cords are staked down, it doesn't come with the added downsides of free-hanging weight.

Specifically, those two tripods are both very capable, and will be plenty strong to hold a gimbal and long lens. I don't know if the aluminum TMA37AL comes with a short-center column replacement, but the TMA38CL does, and I'd certainly recommend using it. There's just no point using an extensible center column with a gimbal — the center column is single biggest contributor of vibration and instability on tripods.

Just in case you wanted more info, FStoppers favorably reviewed the TMA38CL, even compared to a 2-series Really Right Stuff tripod that was more than twice the Benro's price.

Answer 2

Both are rated for the same load (16kg). The carbon one isn't that much lighter. After that it depends on your camera or lens but a DSLR, a usable lens and a gimbal head should be under 6kg together.

Now, I wonder what kind of bird in flight you shoot with a gimbal head, especially if you worry about the wind. Framing a bird in flight requires to be very quick...

Answer 3

I am biased toward carbon fiber over aluminum.

1. Carbon fiber is relatively non-conductive versus aluminum 1 should you get caught in a lightning storm. It happens.
2. More commonly, it is easier to handle in cold temperatures without gloves because it doesn’t conduct heat well either. This makes a tripod much more pleasant to use.

Generally, any major brand tripod or head will work well at its advertised capacity.

1 carbon fiber conductivity of approximately 110 S/m versus approximately 35,000,000 S/m of pure aluminum.