Jessops tripod bargain? (1 Viewer)

Did you read the other thread Steve? Steve Babbs had the tripod with the broken clip replaced and is very happy with it.

Steve Babbs said:

Jessops replaced mine today, due to a cracked leg clamp (it still actually worked), apart from my worry about it happening again, I love this tripod. Very light and, considering the weight, very stable.

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stuart C smith said:

i have just picked up a jessops major carbon fibre tripod in new condition from a well known internet auction site - for just £60.00. i am well pleased and see no problems that i think cannot be resolved i.e. leg clamps they just need fine tuning for the correct tension and seem strong enough

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Seems like those who are using them like them.

And just in case anyone is confused the Jessops tripod is made from magnesium (spider) and carbon fiber. Perhaps in the same Chinese factory as the Velbons.

Each to his own.

Kevin Purcell said:

Did you read the other thread Steve? Steve Babbs had the tripod with the broken clip replaced and is very happy with it.





Seems like those who are using them like them.

And just in case anyone is confused the Jessops tripod is made from magnesium (spider) and carbon fiber. Perhaps in the same Chinese factory as the Velbons.

Each to his own.

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Yes Kevin, I did see that too. I didn't count exactly, but from a relatively small sample at least 3 people have had problems with them from new/almost new. That doesn't bode very well for long term reliability imho. I wonder if the £20 price hike is to cover the high cost of replacements under warranty? (sorry, just being naughty)

But, you pays your money and you takes your chances.... Perhaps these are just an unlucky minority?

If some are happy with the Jessops tripod then good luck to them, but it takes just one leg clip to break for it to be consigned to the scrap heap for good. I wonder how readily spares are available for them. Manfrotto spares are readily available on the net, and Feisol too have an excellent reputation for shipping spares out to customers free of charge, when needed.

I saw a quote recently somewhere on BF, think it was from a Finnish poster, but it seems to hold true in many situations, like here:

'A poor man can't afford to buy cheap rubbish'

Interesting as I count four users of the product on this thread, two had early failures that were promptly replaced under warranty, but all four are are happy with the tripod as is.

One other "reported failure" is FOAF report. Not from a user but from someone who heard something about them.

You have an opinion but you've not used the product. We all have opinions but the opinions of those that have used the product have rather more weight. That was my point.

Fiesol and Manfrotto (and Benro) all make great tripods but they're also much more expensive than this one. I expect you'll see more inexpensive CF tripods from China in the near future. You probably won't like those either.

As I said each to their own opinions.

or do as i did.

I should point out that the cracked clamp did still do the job as good as the others, but it was rather worrying. Also I've got through a lot of tripods in my time. Including a Manfrotto that I ended up throwing away because it played up so much. If I thought £200 or £300 was going to get me a CF tripod for life, I'd pay it, without hesitation.

Well, I had mine for about six weeks (maybe more) and yesterday it fell apart.

Specifically the three screws that are a part of the (?) tightener-ring below the head came out (I found the last one very loosely in place - the other two having already gone!).

I bought mine online from Jessops. It's been used about once a week with a 80mm scope on it (maybe a little too heavy for the head to cope with?). I've had no other problems with it - stability, leg clamps, etc all OK.

Phoned Jessops who said that the 30-day policy for replacement was expired, but I kept up my complaint until they agreed for me to take it back to a local store for a replacement (a soon as they post my proof of purchase to me!) - which is nice.

So: do I get a replacement of the same model; spend extra for a better tripod; buy a head that will go on the legs that will have a better performance?

That's my quandary. I think the legs are fine & love the lightweight design - I'm not a frequent scope user - but, as others have said, don't want to throw money away trying to save money....

Any advice gratefully accepted,

H

Have a look on ebay,I picked up a good used Manfrotto tripod on there for not a lot of money.An older tripod yes but guarenteed to out last the Jessops ones by years.

Steve.

Thanks, Steve, might just do that.

Mine is going strong and I love it. Head crap but keep it somewhere, as one of the tightening screws fits where the central column tightening screw goes. Useful if you lose this, as I did.

See upthread re. Velbon +530 which has now replaced my broken Jessops. Jessops have kindly agreed to a 'cash' refund.