Oben CQL-13
One-Touch Locks & Unlocks all 5-sections from 14" to Full Height: World's Best Ultralight Carbon-Fiber Tripod.
Introduction New Good Bad Missing
Specifications Compared User's Guide
Oben CQL-13 with included Ball Head & Arca plate (24.2 oz./685g with head & plate as shown, 14"/37cm long collapsed, 5" ~ 52" high, $150). bigger. I got mine at B&H.
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Introduction top
Introduction New Good Bad Missing
Specifications Compared User's Guide
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I've been using tripods for over 50 years, and this is by far the most brilliant tripod I've ever used because all five sections of each leg lock and unlock with just one twist of a rubber foot!
Just a single twist locks or unlocks all sections of each leg of the Oben CQL-13 Tripod & Head. bigger.
It's the first and only tripod that lets me lock and unlock all five sections of each leg with just a gentle, two-fingered twist of the rubber nubbin at the end of each leg! Just twist and pull out all the sections as far as you want them, then twist the other way to lock; its the same knob! DONE!
This is a major step forward in tripod design. This amazing thing sets up and strikes many times faster than any other tripod, which in the real world means everything.
I have yet to use this in dirt, sand or mud, however the locking twist-knob is bonded to the bottom leg section, meaning it ought to work fine with the bottom 8 inches (20 cm) of the leg submerged into anything, so long as you clean it off before collapsing it back into itself.
It's all very smooth and precise, which is unusually good for a Chinese-made tripod. I'm curious how well it will hold up over time. It seems sturdy, certainly sturdier than other tripods this light.
Even without this brilliant innovation, I've never seen a tripod this light (24.2 oz./685g with head and plate) and short (14.5"/368mm collapsed)…
Oben CQL-13 Tripod & Head. bigger.
…that extends to essentially full height (52" or 131cm) to the top of its Arca plate:
Oben CQL-13 Tripod & Head with Nikon FM and NIKKOR AI 55mm f/1.2 "Starshine." bigger.
It's the perfect height for most people to see a camera's top panel. I'm 6 feet/183cm tall and I'd want another 11 inches (28cm) to have the finder at my eye level, but then I couldn't see the top of the camera.
It goes this tall without having to add sections, as we do with the Oben CTT-1000L.
Be careful: even heavier tripods have blown-over on me and destroyed cameras, so I avoid walking away from this unless it's calm.
Finally, a tiny, full-featured and essentially full-sized tripod that easily fits inside my Think Tank Airport Commuter or EDC Backpack!
The legs pivot and lock at different angles the usual way, and for getting very low it includes a stub to replace the center column:
Included short stub. It also comes with two 4mm and one 3mm Allen key for maintenance (not needed for the stub). bigger.
Oben CQL-13 at lowest setting. bigger.
Reverse the stub or regular center column to shoot upside-down. bigger.
Here's the included ball head. The legs and head use the universal ⅜″ × 16 TPI thread for compatibility with other heads or legs:
There is a hex-headed setscrew in the orange metal plate on the top of the center column to lock the head, if you like.
It has a spring-loaded hook at the bottom of the center column (unscrew it to remove the column):
Hook on bottom of center column. bigger.
Here's the included padded case:
Included padded case. bigger.
New intro top
One-Touch to lock or unlock all five sections of each leg.
I can't recall seeing any other tripod this light and short that goes this tall. The miraculous locking system lets it have five sections to allow compact size with a decent maximum height, and it's super easy and practical to use in the field.
Good intro top
One twist locks or unlocks all five sections of each leg. Bravo!
Count clicks as you unlock to allow extending just that many sections.
Short when collapsed, and extends to full height since each leg has five sections and we have a center column.
Y-shaped center column completely disappears inside the legs when folded!
Super-easy and smooth center-column lock.
Ball head lock lever may be repositioned simply by pulling it out.
Inexpensive; this sort of innovation used to cost much, much more.
Base-plate set-screw to lock the head to the tripod.
Precisely made. It feels as nice as my French-made Gitzos used to. It's not gritty or rough as Chinese carbon-fiber tripods used to feel when erecting or collapsing the leg sections.
I'll say it again; I'm amazed at how smooth and precise and sturdy is this tripod, especially considering how it has five thin segments all collapsed inside each other.
Nice case included.
Tools included in the case.
Five year USA warranty.
Bad intro top
The ball-head lock lever turns the wrong way, counterclockwise, to lock. Weird.
Missing intro top
I wish it went a little higher, otherwise it's got everything.
Specifications top
Introduction New Good Bad Missing
Specifications Compared User's Guide
I got my CQL-13 Tripod at B&H.
Legs specifications top
8× Carbon Fiber.
Three locking angles: 21º, 52º and 82º.
One twist unlocks or locks all the sections
Hint: Count clicks as you twist to unlock just that many sections.
Ball Head specifications top
Tilts 40º in every direction, or 90º down into the slot.
Pull-out the lock lever to reposition it; let it pop back in to re-engage.
Sizes, actual measured specifications top
Closed
14.5 inches (368 mm) long to top of Arca plate.
14.0 inches (355 mm) long with ball head flipped over.
12.0" (305mm) without head.
Open
Center Column Extended: 51.8 inches (1,314 mm) maximum to top of Arca plate; 49.1 inches (1,250 mm) to top of base plate without head.
Center Column Collapsed: 42.5" (1,080 mm) to top of Arca Plate; 40.1" (1,020 mm) to top of base plate without head.
Short stub with legs spread: 5 inches (127mm) minimum.
Weights specifications top
Actual Measured
24.162 oz./685.0g with head & plate as shown
Head & plate alone: 5.800 oz. (164.45g).
Legs alone: 18.3625 oz. (520.55g)
Rated
24.0 oz. (680g) with head & plate.
As shipped in box: 33.3 oz (943g).
Box dimensions: 16.9 x 3.6 x 3.2 inches.
Load Capacity specifications top
Rated 13 pounds (5.9 kg).
Temperature specifications top
-22º to 140º F (-5º to +60º C).
Included specifications top
Carbon fiber legs, aluminum center column and base plate, ball head and Arca plate.
Short plastic stub to replace aluminum center column.
Two 4mm and one 3mm Allen key.
Instructions and hang tag.
Announced specifications top
Early 2024.
Warranty specifications top
Five years, U. S. A.
Price, U. S. A. specifications top
September & October 2024
August 2024
July 2024
Compared top
Introduction New Good Bad Missing
Specifications Compared User's Guide
I got my CQL-13 Tripod at B&H.
I don't know of any other tripod whose legs unlock or lock all sections with a single control that actually works.
I also don't know of any tripod that's this light and collapses so short, goes so high and is rated to hold 13 pounds.
I have always lusted after the innovative Peak Design Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod from a few years ago, and this new Oben eclipses it for weight, portability and ease of setup:
Closed Length |
14.5" 37 cm |
15" 38 cm |
15.5" 39 cm |
15.5" 39 cm |
Leg locks |
One knob per leg |
One collar for every leg segment |
Four flippers per leg |
Four flippers per leg |
Maximum Height |
51.8" 131 cm |
54″ (only with ridiculous three-segment extension column) 137 cm (only with ridiculous three-segment extension column) |
60" 152 cm |
60" 152 cm |
Load Capacity |
13 lb. 5.9 kg |
11 lb. 5 kg |
20 lb. 9.1 kg |
20 lb. 9.1 kg |
Weight with included head |
24.2 oz. 685g
|
20.5 oz. 581g |
44.8 oz. 1,270g
|
54.3 oz. 1,540g
|
Price, USA, 7-8/2024 |
||||
Price, USA, 8/2024 |
The Peak Design Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod is a taller, sturdier tripod, but man, I'm not going to mess with all those flippers and it weighs twice as much — not really what I want to throw in my bag at all times as an afterthought.
User's Guide top
Introduction New Good Bad Missing
Specifications Compared User's Guide
I got my CQL-13 Tripod at B&H.
See Oben's User's Guide.
Recommendations top
Introduction New Good Bad Missing
Specifications Compared User's Guide
I got my CQL-13 Tripod at B&H.
This is the easiest-to-use tripod I've ever used. I hope this design becomes common for all tripods.
This is a very well made light tripod. It's about 90% the size of what a full-sized tripod would be.
It's perfect for leaving in a camera bag or stashing in a trunk for any time you need a tripod. I rarely use tripods, so I love this little gem.
If I'm doing something serious that requires a more husky tripod I'll lug my larger ones, but they weigh many times more and take longer to setup and strike.
Even larger, heavier tripods can blow over in the wind. Avoid leaving a camera on this and walking away if it's starting to blow. Consider hanging your backpack from the hook on the bottom of the center column.
This CQL-13 is a hoot to use since it sets up and strikes so much more quickly than anything else.
I'm impressed that it has a five-year warranty. It's super precise and smooth right now while it's new, and I'm curious to see how well it holds up after a few years of use.
This all-content, junk-free website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to approved sources when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. Thanks for helping me help you! Ken.
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