The MeFoto tripods are a popular of compact travel tripods spun off from Benro. The GlobeTrotter model is the largest they make, and is reasonably compact, but the weight pushes it into the range we expect from All-Around style tripods. The short folded length is the most standout spec, especially since this is a design where the head can fold up between the legs. The head is also included, but as always, all of the test results do not include the head to provide comparison consistency. I also tested the very similar aluminum version, and found the stiffness and damping results to be overally very similar. This is disappointing, as the carbon version should perform better.
| Name | MeFoto GlobeTrotter Carbon |
|---|---|
| Class | All Around |
| Stiffness About Vertical Axis | 338 +/- 2 Nm/rad |
| Damping About Vertical Axis | 0.12 +/- 0.012 Js/rad |
| Stiffness About Radial Axis | 1241 +/- 6 Nm/rad |
| Damping About Radial Axis | 0.272 +/- 0.027 Js/rad |
| Retail Price | $350 |
| Weight | 2.98 lbs (1.35 kgs) |
| Manufacturer weight rating | 26.4 lbs |
| Maximum Height | 51.3 in (130.3 cm) |
| Minimum Height | 17.6 in (44.7 cm) |
| Max Height with Center Column | 60.3 in (153.2 cm) |
| Center Column | Yes |
| Base Diameter | 2.0 in (5.1 cm) |
| Folded Length | 16.1 in (40.9 cm) |
| Folded Circumference | 13.3 in (33.8 cm) |
| Folded Volume | 227.0 cu. in. (3.7 liters) |
| Leg Material | Carbon Fiber |
| Leg Sections | 5 |
| Primary Leg Angle | 24 deg |
| Leg Locks | Twist |
| Top Tube Diameter | 28.6 mm |
| Second Tube Diameter | 24.5 mm |
| Third Tube Diameter | 21.7 mm |
| Fourth Tube Diameter | 18.3 mm |
| Fifth Tube Diameter | 14.8 mm |
| Exchangeable Feet | Yes |
| Foot Type | Rubber |
| Bottom Hook | Yes |
The stiffness and damping data are the averages of 10 trials for each measurement. The reported error is the standard error, except in the case of the damping data. I have set the error in the damping at 10% as the standard error metric does not appropriately capture the error in fitting to the data. All of the reported specifications are measured, with the exception of the weight rating. The tripod is measured at full height, with the center column down.
Example data for oscillations about the vertical axis of the tripod:
Very nice fit. The stiffness though is quite poor for a carbon fiber tripod. Probably the penalty for having five leg sections.
Example data for oscillations about the radial axis of the tripod:
The data for the radial oscillations is often messy. Not the case here. Very good sharp resonance. Easy to measure.