Benro Mach3 £213/$260
The Mach3 is a stickler for tradition
The idea behind the Mach3 is to keep it simple, combining conventional features with high-grade materials. The legs don’t swing up for compact storage, which is a fundamental difference from the Benro Travel Angel, also on test. The Mach3 TMA28AHD2A kit comes with a three-way head, but a TMA28AB2 kit is also available, with Benro’s B2 ball head.
Although very traditional, the Mach3 isn’t devoid of clever tricks. One of the legs can be unscrewed and used with the centre column as a monopod. Extras include interchangeable rubber pads and metal spikes for the feet, and again, it’s supplied in a smart padded soft case.
As with heads in all but the Manfrotto kits on test, the Benro comes with an Arca-Swiss compatible quick-release plate. It’s a lengthy one in this case, providing a particularly good platform for both camera bodies and the mounting feet of big telephoto lenses.
Performance
Thanks to having four, rather than three, leg sections, the Mach3 folds down to a compact 60cm, despite lacking swing-up legs. The triple-angle facility for the legs is quick and easy to operate – a secondary short column enables low-level shooting. Stability is great, even at the maximum operating height of 167cm. Accurate levelling is made possible by a bubble level on the tripod legs and three levels on the head.