The Leofoto LS-284C provides unmatched performance and build quality for its price. It features quality materials in a design generates good stiffness/weight ratios. This is a recipe for the success. The LS-284C isn’t without fault, and Leofoto still needs to tighten down on quality control. Combined with the difficulty of getting support for this tripod from overseas, this may give a cautious buyer pause.
Pros:
- Good Stiffness
- Good Damping
- Strong build quality
- Low cost, excellent value
Cons:
- 22 degree leg angle
- Quality control issues
- No practical warranty support available
- Clear IP violations
- Awkward center column
Compared To:
For a more complete list, see the travel tripods ranking page.
| LeoFoto LS-284C | Leofoto LS-254C | MeFoto GlobeTrotter Carbon | Gitzo GT1545T Traveler | RRS TFC-14 | |
| Stiffness Nm/rad | 794.0 | 537.0 | 531.0 | 792.0 | 1099.0 |
| Damping Js/rad | 0.21 | 0.24 | 0.17 | 0.28 | 0.28 |
| Weight lbs (kg) | 2.469 (1.12) | 2.063 (0.936) | 2.976 (1.35) | 2.319 (1.052) | 2.332 (1.058) |
| Height in (cm) | 47.4 (120.4) | 47.1 (119.6) | 51.3 (130.3) | 51.3 (130.3) | 47.2 (119.9) |
| Price | $200 | $216 | $350 | $600 | $795 |
Leofoto LS-254C: The 254C is basically the same tripod as the 284C, but with thinner leg sections and a smaller apex. It is 32% less stiff and 14% lighter. Choose whichever suits your needs better.
MeFoto GlobeTrotter Carbon: The Leofoto is stiffer, lighter, cheaper, and only a little bit shorter. The lack of a center column makes a big difference. The Leofoto also has better build quality and better carbon fiber tubing. There are many travel tripods similar to the MeFoto, so this comparison is here to highlight what a big difference removing the center column makes.
Gitzo GT1545T: The Gitzo is lighter, taller, just as stiff, and includes a center column. We see here how much better a tripod can be when using high quality carbon tubing. Obviously though, the Gitzo is significantly more expensive.
RRS TFC-14: The RRS is nearly identical to the Leofoto in design and dimensions, and it is pretty clear that the LS-284C was modeled after TFC-14, especially given Leofoto’s tendency to blatantly rip off RRS designs. From a performance and build quality perspective though, the RRS TFC-14 simply outclasses the Leofoto. There is a big price difference between the two, but in this case the difference does buy you a better tripod.
Who is it for?
The LS-284C is for anyone looking for a compact travel tripod with good stiffness, but doesn’t want to spend the equivalent of a new lens or camera body. Make sure that the height is acceptable for you purposes, and that a traditional center column isn’t important to you. If these are acceptable compromises, you shouldn’t need to look further than this.
Where to Buy
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