The Benro T600EX tripod is one of the most popular well-priced tripods on the market. It’s available on Shopee and also from retail stores like the Juan Gadget store. I recently picked up one, and have been using it when shooting videos for YouTube. So below are my thoughts on the unit.
The Tripod Market
Tripods were originally used for high-end photography with SLR cameras, and later DSLR cameras for long-exposure shots, where hand-shake needed to be avoided. The tripod serves as a steady, balanced, base for the camera. With the emergence of amateur vlogging, tripods are also used avidly now for shooting every day/home video.
The Benro T600EX serves as an entry-level model. It covers all the basics and often comes bundled with a mobile phone adapter, to allow for a mobile phone to be fixed to the Tripod.
The Package
I purchased this online from Shopee and the store it was being dispatched from was the Juan Gadget store. I received the Benro box in bubble-wrapped packaging. Once open, the Tripod was pre-packed inside the carry case. The document insert, receipt, and free mobile-adapter were also inside the box.
Package contents include:
- Tripod
- Carry Case
- Instruction Document
- Mobile Phone Adapter (free)
Design and Aesthetics
The build is pretty decent and is a combination of black/dark-grey plastic and aluminum. Weight at 1.25kgs is a good balance between light enough to carry around, and weighted enough to stand well. But it’s not heavy/solid, so in very windy scenarios it may not be ideal.
As for the legs, it’s got three stages, and the two stages have plastic clamping locks. Additionally, there is a winding style lever that can be used to further elevate the top. With everything extended, it can reach a maximum height of 56 inches.
The mount atop is made for a DSLR, but with the included mobile phone adapter can be used for a mobile phone as well.
The top of the tripod has a handle for manual control and can be tilted both up and down, as well as left and right. The knobs can be used to tighten and lock movement as required.
Value and Competition
The T600EX covers all the basics for P1,450. You could step up to the T800EX which is 0.25kgs heavier, and thus sturdier. Similarly, you can also opt for the T660EX or T880EX if you need additional height, which is achieved by mean of four stages of legs. All of the mentioned models are a few P100 apart from each other in terms of pricing, and all support a max load of 3kgs.
If you’re looking for something different, brands like M-Max and Yunteng have budget offerings at under P1,000. Build quality and finish may be questionable though.
Or if you need different functionality like flexible tripods that can be attached to odd surfaces, the Gorilla or Octopus tripods can be had for under P1,000.
At the high-end, with a better build quality and features like a revolving head, allowing for 360-degree angles, there are tripods available for between P3,000 and P6,000.
Closing Words
For an entry-level model that covers all the basics and has decently good build quality, the Benro T600EX is ideal. Also, if you’re new to tripods, or needs something for simple YouTube videos, it’ll serve you very well.
- Model: Benro T600EX
- Price: P1,450
- Verdict: A competent tripod at a good price point
