just bought a new tripod for my XL1s...
Libec's T58 sticks & H35 head.

i could not be happier. very steady on all surfaces and no sticking (or whatever the termonology is) on lock release. the quick release is indeed that, quick. it secures down solidly and definately, so i am not worried at all when i mount the camera.

there is no control for the tension on pans, but i don't care, because Libec has set the tension so high (read: stiff) that i can get super slow pans easily. (i have no need for a fast pan, i'm not shooting "NYPD Blue" over here.)

set-up and tear-down is super fast with this rig. and the case is simple and stylish.

the finish is a cool grey, looks very pro.

the sticks are solid, dual on top and tri on lower once extended.

nice sized claw ball built into the head makes leveling easy.

no slide plate, but not needed for the XL1s due to the strong tension of the head.


i could not find a review of this exact set-up already posted so i thought i would share. 5 stars.

You got it where and for how much if you don't mind sharing.

purchased in kansas city from S&S Video (very reputable)

price was somewhere between $500-$600

Thank you. Please keep us informed as you use the tripod a while. Is it a true fluid head do you know?

yes, the head is a true fluid head.

however, you cannot control the strength of the pan, and, it's hella slow, actually too slow for many usual needs.

for this reason, i am revising my above post with this statement:

the sticks are moderately stable, and the head lacks the ability to adjust the pan tension. this, in itself, makes the entire rig usless.
buy something else. avoid Libec.

Wow! The honeymoon is bearly over, and already, divorce proceedings are underway!

I know this thread is a year old, but I just came back from tripod shopping, and was very impressed with the exact same Libec T58/H35 combo (found this thread doing a search).

I had previously thought that Libec was low-end and hadn't even considered it, but was surprised at how well built it was (or seemed to be?)

It doesn't have any drag controls, but it was very smooth when panning zooms. I spent many years honing my jedi-like panning abilities, and found the Vision 3 annoyingly restrictive (especially the return-to-level -- who forgets to lock-off the tripod?) Maybe I just need practice with it?

I had my heart (and budget) set on a Vinten Vision 3 (or Sachtler DV6), but the Libec is half the weight -- which is important because I'll be doing a lot of schlepping and air travel. As well, I just don't need all of the features of the Vision 3. I do however need smooth pans -- which the Libec delivered. However the low price (1/3rd of the Vision 3) raises alarms. The Vinten Pro5 was a little cheaper than the Libec, but didn't feel as good (I understand the reason for the Manfrotto rumours.)

What did you find particularly distasteful about the Vinten? was it the difficulty is performing even pans?

Do they have any reliability issues? Did it get sticky?

Anyone else have any experience with this combo?