Last Updated on 03/19/2013 by Chris Gampat
The Induro Hi-Hat is a new tripod for photographers and videographers alike, capable of supporting a great deal of weight and getting real low to the ground. I have been looking for a tripod such as this that would enable me to get extremely low angle shots without always having to lay on the ground to get them. Induro offered to send me the new LFB75 Hi-Hat and Kupo Vision Arm to see what I thought about it. Continue on past the break for my review.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Exceptionally stable
- Allows your camera to get very low to the ground
- Turns any flat base tripod head into a leveling base with included 75mm half-ball
Cons
- A little expensive (though in my opinion it is worth its cost)
- Gets cosmetic scuffs easily and rubber oxidizes quickly
- Doesn’t fit easily in a bag due to overall width (which I find ironic)
Tech Specs
Taken from Adorama
Leg Sections | 2 |
Max Height Legs Not Extended | 9.2″ / 23.36cm |
Max Height Legs Extended | 11.4″ / 28.9cm |
Min Height Legs Not Extended | 3.8″ / 9.65cm |
Min Height Legs Extended | 4.2″ / 10.6cm |
Folded, Feet Rotated In | 10.2″ / 25.9cm |
75mm Bowl, Installed Height | 0.9″ / 2.28cm |
Top Plate (HB75) Diameter | 3.2″ / 8.12cm |
Top Plate (HB75) Mount | 3/8″ Male Thread |
Maximum Load | 165lbs / |
Tripod Footprint – Legs Not Extended | Diameter: 13.2″ / 33.5cm |
Foot Size | 2×2.2″ (50x57mm) Ovoid Shape; 1.1″ (28mm) High |
Bolt Holes | 0.4×0.5″ / 1.01×1.27cm Use up to M10 or 3/8″ Screw |
Bolt Hole Reinforcement Area | 0.6×0.7″ / 1.52×1.77cm |
Distance Reinforcement To Base Of Foot | 0.5″ / 1.27cm |
Accessory Mounts | 3 each: 3/8″ Thread with 1/4″ Thread Adapter and Screw |
Weight | 3.2lbs / 1.45kg Half-Bowl Adapter (HB75): 0.6lbs / 0.27kg Tripod (LFB75) Only: 2.6lbs / 1.17kg |
Ergonomics
The Induro Hi-hat is constructed of high quality aluminum and leaves very little to be desired in the way of build quality. The legs extend two inches if required by twisting the rubberized locks and pulling the leg downward.
This will give you a little extra height or allow you to be completely level on uneven surfaces.
You can even lower the legs to just about touch the ground which allows you to get an extremely low perspective and a very unique angle. Short of laying on the ground, you won’t get a lower view.
In addition to being able to get low to the ground, you can also utilize the leveling base for uneven surfaces. The model I’m using has a 75mm base, but they also make a 100mm base for larger tripod heads. In the image above you can see the Manfrotto 502HD head attached. Notice that it fits perfectly on the 75mm baseplate.
On top of the leveling base is a spirit level which is always handy for confirming that you’re level on your chosen surface. (Notice, I’m not! haha)
You’ll notice that there are three separate screws along the baseplate. These serve as attachment points for accessories such as the Kupo Vision Arm so you can mount things like LCD monitors or external microphones (see opening image for an example of how I use the arm).
Lastly if you take a look at the feet of the tripod, they are a ball & socket rubber foot which is easy to position at multiple angles depending on the angle of the leg and the surface it is on.
Build Quality
As I mentioned previously, the tripod is made of very sturdy aluminum with rubberized components for the feet and the twist locks. With such a small tripod I think it was easy for Induro to produce an extremely stable set of legs. I noticed that after removing my tripod heads from the top plate there were some scuffs already, and the rubber on the leg locks has oxidized a bit. These are, however, purely cosmetic things and I am still confident that the legs will hold up just fine under heavy use. I had given some thought about choosing aluminum for the legs vs carbon fiber, but I quickly realized that you do indeed want a little bit of weight for stability, particularly if you plan on using a fluid head and doing camera movements while recording. This dual role means they have to make some design compromises to appeal to both markets. In that respect, I think Induro was successful. Another thing that impressed me was the 5 year warranty they provide, which can be upped to an additional 5 years if you register the product online. This is a vast improvement over most manufacturers typical 1 year warranty. 10 years of support is fantastic in my opinion, and it shows that Induro will stand by the products they produce.
Ease Of Use
Honestly, most tripods are (or should!) be incredibly easy to set up. If they’re not, then there is obviously something wrong. Which is why I’m happy to report that the Induro LFB75 legs are dead-simple to setup thanks to large and easy to manipulate leg locks, a fast leveling base, and the overall size of the legs. All of these factors lead to a compact and quick to setup tripod for low angle work. Sounds like they got it right to me. In addition to the tripod, Induro (whose parent company is the MAC Group) also sent along the Kupo Vision Arm that you see in the photos above. This handy little extension allows you to use an additional small device off the side of the tripod; as you can see in the photo, I have been using it to hold my audio recorder, but you could also use it easily to hold an LCD monitor or even a small secondary camera like a GoPro or something. It’s a useful feature to have available to you.
Conclusions
The Induro Hi-Hat (LFB75) arrived to me at a time I was really wishing I had access to a low angle set of legs for some specific shots during a video production. Naturally I immediately appreciated its ability to get my camera low to the ground on a stable platform without having to put it on the ground itself. The more I used it, the more I began to appreciate the quality of these short sticks. The build quality is miles ahead of cheap-o tripods and I find it to be closer to certain higher-end brands. The age-old adage goes ” you get what you pay for” and in this case you really do. For your $249 you get an exceptionally well-made, purpose-built specialty tripod. I have been very happy with the stability of the tripod during my shoots and I have felt very confident in using these legs whenever the need for a low angle arises when I just don’t feel like laying in the dirt. I am happy to recommend this tripod to both still photographers and filmmakers looking for a way to shoot low angles or on table-tops without having to rig up some makeshift thing to get the shot. Well done, Induro. Well done.
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