July 28, 2015

Desmond to Release own Brand Carbon Fiber Tripods Soon

Have you seen a dens tripod forest before?
Well here is a sneak peek on a factory production floor somewhere in the Far East showing hundredths of Carbon Fiber traveler tripods with a Desmond label.

The label says "Desmond DCF-432 Carbon Fibre" !
Meaning that the first Desmond tripod sports large diameter 32mm top leg section tubes.

It seems that at Desmond want to introduce their tripod label in a market segment with very few, maybe only a couple other competitors who offer reverse folding traveler tripods of this caliber.

The extra capacity and torsional stiffness of a 32 mm tripod, offers a compact 180° folding traveler solution for even larger and heavier camera / lens combinations.

Summer for some, is time for vacation, but for others seems to be time for new designs and preparation of production to be ready for the high season coming next.

The Tripod Specification

Pre-Release Specification:
Model:DCF-432
Leg Sections:4
Material:Carbon Fiber 8X
Maximum Leg ∅:32 mm / 1.26"
Max Height (Center Column Raised):1740 mm / 68.5"
Max Height (Center Column Down):1440 mm / 56.7"
Leg Folding Mechanism:180°
Folded Length:519 mm / 20.4"
Weight:1500 gr / 3.30 lb
Max Load:25 Kg / 55.10 lb

The above specifications refer to the tripod without a ball head.

Features:
Standard 8X carbon fiber layers weaving
  • CNC machined Aluminium alloy spider.
  • 8 X Layers Carbon Fiber legs.
  • 180° Reverse folding legs.
  • One leg can be converted to a Monopod.
  • Three angle leg position with spring loaded locks.
  • Ground level shooting with short metal column.
  • Reversible center column with retractable sandbag hook.
  • Stainless Steel Spikes with Rubber caps.
  • Padded case, padded shoulder strap, tools and instruction manual included.
And don't be fooled by the price Desmond intends to market the product, it will be exceptionally low for the quality and caliber of a Carbon Fiber tripod. Trust me I know, since I have participated in the evaluation and refinement of the pre-production samples. Functionality and quality are above expectation for the price range.

Users seeking a very transportable solution capable of heavy loads should take this tripod into consideration seriously.

I hope you found the news interesting, thank you for viewing.
Photo ©2015 Desmond Photographic Distributors

Price & Availability:
The upcoming Desmond DCF-432 Traveler Tripod is expected to sell below US$ 200.00 in the US and will be available towards the end of August.

Update Aug 23, 2015
Desmond DCF-432 Carbon Fibre Traveler tripods are now available at exactly US$ 199.95 with Free Shipping in the US. The tripod is available from Amazon aw well as from eBay

Relevant Articles:

Nest NT-6294CT Carbon Fiber Traveler Tripod Review

New Nest NT-6324CT Carbon Fiber Traveler Tripod Released

Triopo GX-1328 Carbon Fiber Classic Tripod Review



13 comments :

  1. When will it be available? For quality how is it compare to Sirui? I have Gitzo GK 2580 TQR and Sirui N2204. I feel Sirui as same quality as Gitzo and feel it better than Gitzo. Since there is no high tech to hide making tripod and Gitzo does not have anything special to hide.
    The only thing my concern is the glue that will use to joint carbon fiber and the top spider aluminium section. If the glue is not lasting long, it will be problem. When gitzo start offer those 1227, 1228 carbon series some user experience that joint glue fall off and the leg is loosing from the spider joint.

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    1. As mentioned above, according to Desmond the tripods are due to hit the market towards the end of August. I shall update accordingly.
      Quite many years and a lot of progress sets us appart from the time the first 1227 tripods were introduced. Even the cheapest Chinese clones have passed into a more mature state with interesting examples of thoughtful design.
      The improved pre-production Desmond sample I have in my hands can easily stand beside far more expensive models. However, it has to prove its endurance through time.

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    2. Since you have evaluate NEST tripod before and do you think DCF-432 quality and performance comparable to Nest NT-6324CT exclude monopod leg?

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    3. They are quite close, but I'd rather reply this question after I receive a DCF-432 final production sample in a couple of weeks, so I'd request your patience.

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    4. If it is close to NEST or same as NEST quality. I will avoid it. NEST twist lock system is not good for frequent use base on one of the wildlife photographer feed back on amazon.
      http://www.amazon.com/Nest-NT-6324C-Traveller-Tripod-Section/dp/B00I4CTHR8/ref=sr_1_4?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1439829541&sr=1-4
      I believe Desmond distribute NEST.

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    5. I don't think I'd base my opinion of Nest on the single review of an Amazon commenter - and cherry pick that out of a group of positive reviews. Mark Banas at DP Review, who writes the ball head and tripod reviews there owns a Nest, and thinks highly of it. I'd go with his opinion since he's had pretty much every brand pass through his hands at some point.

      I have Manfrotto, Gitzo and Sirui tripods. My Gitzo has had problems with the leg locks, similar to the reviewer had with Nest on Amazon. Unfortunately, it happens. That's why I bought the Sirui, which has had zero issues in 2 years.

      Yes, Desmond distributes Nest. They also distribute Sunwayfoto. Neither has anything to do with this new tripod. Only the test of time will tell whether this new tripod can withstand the rigors of daily abuse.

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    6. Talking generally about quality and performance, the comparison is made on machining precision, fitting, anodizing, structural rigidity, torsional stiffness, angle and twist lock smoothness, to name a few.
      If we say two products are close in quality, this does not allow for arbitrary conclusions about the quality of one because someone gave a bad review to the other.
      Anyway, Nest twist lock system is unique in concept and very difficult to disassemble so I have some reservations about the quoted review, especially about ability of the user to pull out a leg completely breaking the white "shims". It doesn't sound right, as even if I try to do it intentionally it would be very difficult.
      For the record the DCF-432 twist locks are more classic in concept and very smooth in operation, while they allow for more tightening resulting in less flex.

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  2. I certainly put Sirui at the top of the heap for the high quality Chinese products, and at least on par with Gitzo. In fact, I sold my Gitzo some months after buying my Sirui M3204X. Having problems with the Gitzo (leg locks) didn't help my opinion of them. Sirui has certainly set the bar for mid to high end support gear.

    Desmond has also raised the bar significantly for “budget” gear, and they get better with every new product. I've always relied on Desmond for good quality clamps and plates and other support accessories. As of late they've been knocking my socks off with their new designs. The machining, fit and finish are superb, the quality of which belie their low prices. For instance, the DB-44 ball head and leveling head are absolutely fantastic. The *only* reason I bought that ball head was because it had the Desmond name on it, but it's seriously worth far more than twice its price. After recommending it to others, not a single person was less than delighted with this device.

    Desmond Photographic is serious about putting out a top notch product while keeping the price within the reach of mere mortals. This tripod has been in development for some time (thank you Sotiris!), and from what I can see will undoubtedly match and most likely exceed the standards set by companies such as Benro. To have the dedication to manufacture and sell a tripod of this specification for a price like this is remarkable, and we're all the beneficiaries.

    I for one am excited to see this remarkable tripod as well as some of the other products that Desmond has in the pipeline. Desmond has allowed me to dip my toe in many forms of photography without breaking the bank. I own and have used some of the very best there is. I’ll throw Desmond in there as well. Certainly there are very few companies with this sort of mindset – Kirk, Hejnar and Really Right Stuff – and I still have lots of fingers left to count! Desmond has filled a niche for high caliber gear at a budget price, allowing both seasoned professionals and newbies a shot at a variety of photographic styles with gear that they can grow with and keep for a lifetime.

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    1. Thank you Anthony for your comments.

      Although I was a little hesitant with Desmond products in the beginning, I started reviewing them for their innovation which was found exactly in offering an unprecedented value for money ratio for the photography support gear market.
      In time, the few compromises present in the original products were wiped off as they improved batch by batch, as you noticed.

      Desmond, by keeping overhead costs and profit margins low have succeeded to introduce low budget items with remarkable quality. I trust, this CF tripod will prove itself equal to the expectations.

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  3. As of today, the Desmond DCF-432 Traveller Carbon Fibre/Fiber Tripod is available from both Amazon and eBay. The post above is updated with the appropriate links for your convenience.

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  4. Now that you have a production (vs. pre-production) sample in hand, what is your analysis of this tripod?

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  5. Now that you have a production sample in hand, are you going to review this tripod?

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    1. The production sample is according to spec and really good. Hope to be able to conclude and publish a thorough review soon.

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