NealB wrote:
I find it unbelievable that you trash a product on the basis of one unverifiable review. If that is the standard you use then you cannot buy anything since every product has at least one bad review on the internet and we all know if it is on the internet it is true. Since you claim you are constantly learning I suggest that you go and learn about statistical validation. Sufficient information is available for Nest products and equals the information their competition publishes for their own products. No manufacture is going to share any proprietary information with the world so donât expect to see that. If you look at tripods closely you will notice a significant amount of the components in them is what manufacturing calls Parts Bin Components which are manufactured by Tier 1 suppliers and sold to many OEMs. There are plenty people on this site that have purchased Nest products and are completely satisfied so you should also solicit their views of the product and the distributor. Since I am satisfied with my Nest Gimbal, Tripod, and the distributor I suggest that you fact check with other users to decide if my experience with Nest is just a statistical aberration or is a valid observation.
I find it unbelievable that you trash a product on... (
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I think you misunderstood what I said. I was pretty clear that I would avoid Nest products for several reasons - I couldn't find any detail whatsoever on the Nest website, and when I asked the sole importer for information he failed to provide it, providing a google search page. What I did find was a single review that complained about substandard parts failing. I don't think it is unreasonable to suggest an alternative. I do have a background in probability and statistics, and this does not apply. The sample size is far too limited and skewed, not random. I never trashed the product. I merely pointed out that I personally was unable to find detail on the product, either through a search or by direct inquiry, and on that basis I wouldn't consider one.
I don't know what you mean by an unverified review - in light of the fact that you suggest that I accept your unverified comments, and those of other users (also unverified), and then you make some reference to statisticial aberration as if you even know what that is.
These are examples of sites that provide useful information about their products without revealing "trade secrets" as you describe:
http://www.reallyrightstuff.com/http://www.gitzo.us/http://www.indurogear.com/portals/0/files/induro_tripods_instructions.pdfand
http://www.indurogear.com/http://www.benrousa.com/products/browse-by-products - not much info on their site, but a quick call to their White Plains office will provide you with detailed information
https://www.manfrotto.us/http://www.feisol.com/0823product.htmlhttp://www.sirui.eu/en/products/tripods/http://www.desphotodist.com/Tripods.html (and this is made by the same factory that makes Nest and Dolica, btw)
To mention a few. . .
Each of the above sites provide detailed information about the important features that differentiate their products from their competitors.
I am glad you and others like your purchase. However, without knowing how you use your tripod and head, what your experience level is with these products, what your quality standards are, etc etc etc - I cannot base a purchase on an impression, or suggest anyone else do the same. There's where the comparative specs come in, and to a lesser degree, anecdotal stuff.
Nest may be a great tripod, or it could be junk that will fail when you least expect it. It's hard to tell from the available literature, reviews, product description. Instead of being cute, the importer should answer all inquiries promptly and with the information requested, not with a suggestion that the inquirer go on an Easter egg hunt.
When navigating to the nest website in the google search page link, this is what I saw - hardly a complete description for a fairly expensive product, certainly not enough to make a purchasing decision. For what it's worth, the other tripod made by the same company - Desmond - does seem to have products that are at least as good, and certainly worth a look.
I will admit that eventually I did find what I was looking for on the Camera Cottage website, and they do seem to be competitive with their specs and pricing. The 404 in particular is about as much tripod as I would ever what for a long lens, as long as the legs don't come apart as they did for the poor guy in the review that I quoted.