Travel tripods have become one of the most competitive categories in photography gear. Nearly every manufacturer now offers some variation of a compact carbon fiber travel tripod aimed at photographers, videographers, and increasingly, hybrid content creators. That also means standing out in this space has become increasingly difficult.

Last year, I picked up the Benro CyanBird travel tripod during an in-store sales event at Dodd Camera and later reviewed it both here on ThruMyLens.org and on the ThruMyLens YouTube channel. While the CyanBird itself has been on the market for a couple of years, Benro recently released a new model called the Blackbird. Interested to see what had changed — and whether the new tripod was truly an upgrade — I reached out to Benro, who kindly provided the Blackbird used in this review.  NOTE:  Benro had not editorial input to this review, nor did they see it prior to publication.

PREMIUM LOOK AND FEEL

When I first unboxed the Benro Blackbird, my immediate impression was that Benro had refined and elevated the already attractive design language established by the CyanBird. The blue accent elements on the Blackbird appear slightly deeper and darker in tone, giving the tripod a more premium and sophisticated appearance overall. In addition, many of the hardware elements that were silver on the CyanBird have now been replaced with either black or blue components on the Blackbird, resulting in a cleaner and more cohesive aesthetic.

Benro also made several thoughtful material upgrades. The removable center column is now carbon fiber, better matching the tripod legs themselves, while the weight hook — designed for suspending sandbags or additional weight to improve stability in windy conditions — is now anodized blue to match the other accent elements throughout the tripod.  None of these changes dramatically alter the functionality of the tripod, but collectively they give the Blackbird a noticeably more refined and premium look and feel. Simply put, it feels like a more polished evolution of the CyanBird design I already enjoyed using.

One of the things I most appreciate about the Benro CyanBird is how exceptionally light weight it is.  As I’ll later discuss, the ball head on the Blackbird has been significantly redesigned, providing a much higher weight capacity but thankfully the total weight of the tripod did not significantly increase.  The total weight of the Blackbird is just 2.3 lbs. vs. 2.2 lbs. for the CyanBird.  That’s a incredibly light for a tripod that can expand to a height of about 60” (with the center column raised).

UPGRADED BALL HEAD

Like the CyanBird, the Blackbird is available in two difference head configurations – a more basic, photography first configuration, and one that’s intended to benefit hybrid creators.  In the case of the Blackbird, the version with the N00P is a classic photography first ball head design that’s available for just $279.95.  The version of the Blackbird that Benro sent me however was the new G36PT Inverted Ball head design – described as the “pro version” of the Blackbird that’s clearly aimed a hybrid creators.

I’ve spent time with Benro’s FS30 ball head that came with my CyanBird, and the G36PT feels noticeably more confidence inspiring overall. The locking mechanism is firmer, smoother, and more secure, with less of the slight “creep” or uncertainty that lightweight travel heads can sometimes exhibit when mounted with heavier cameras and lenses.

Benro rates the G36PT ball head for an impressive 24.46-pound payload capacity, making it far better suited for today’s increasingly sophisticated hybrid creator rigs. Modern mirrorless setups often extend far beyond simply a camera and lens combination, incorporating cages, external microphones, monitors, wireless audio systems, compact lighting, and other accessories. The G36PT feels much more capable of handling these more complex setups while still maintaining the portability expected from a travel tripod.  The G36PT also features a panning base with adjustable friction and resistance, allowing creators to better control the smoothness of their pans and movements — extremely useful for video work and hybrid shooting scenarios.

One particularly interesting feature, again clearly geared toward today’s hybrid creators, is the included Arca-compatible mounting plate. At first glance, it appears to be a standard quick-release plate, but it actually expands into a spring-loaded smartphone holder. Whether you use a smartphone as your primary video recording device or simply want to capture some quick B-roll clips for your project, the Blackbird with the G36PT has you covered.  The phone clamp is surprisingly well executed. It expands smoothly with good spring resistance and securely accommodates multiple phone sizes. Better still, it doesn’t feel gimmicky or tacked on. When folded closed, the plate looks clean and professional. Opened up, it becomes a genuinely useful creator tool for vertical or horizontal video, behind-the-scenes content, reels, social media clips, or travel vlogging.

SAME GREAT FUNCTIONALITY

Outside of the cosmetic changes, and the capabilities and new functionality of the new G36PT ball head on the Benro Blackbird, the functionality of the tripod legs is largely unchanged from my Benro CyanBird.  Four traditional flip-locks release the four tripod leg segments to adjust the tripod height. Release all the flip locks on all three sides and the legs will drop open to full extension easily when fast deployment is required.  Like many tripods, you can get close to the desired height by extending the required number of segments on each leg, then fine adjust the height by raising or lowering the center column height adjustment for the ideal position.

The Blackbird also functions similarly to the CyanBird with the capability of getting extremely low to the ground.  The hook at the end of the carbon fiber center column unscrews to reveal a tool that can be used to remove the carbon fiber section from the center column.  From there the legs can be splayed out allowing the tripod head to sit nearly at ground level.

THE INCLUDED CARRY CASE

The included carrying case also deserves mention. Many tripod bags feel like an afterthought, but the Blackbird’s case feels intentionally designed for travel and mobile creators. The tripod sits securely in the roll up case, and it includes organizational compartments and straps that make it practical for transportation rather than merely functioning as packaging.  This is one of the few tripod cases for which I’d be OK if I had to check my tripod at the airport while packed in this case.

FINAL THOUGHTS

At a price of $399.95, the Blackbird is a premium product, while still competitive with other leading offerings in this segment that can run $500.00 or even $600.00 (I’m looking at you Peak Design).  As much as I’ve loved using my CyanBird (and will continue to do so), the Blackbird is an evolution of a great design and a much more compelling offering depending on your use case.  Hybrid creators should definitely take note.