Tripod - 3 section or 4 section ?

[asterixsg]

I got into a discussion with a colleague about what's better - a 3 section or a 4 section tripod.

One view was that a 3 section is better because :
1. its more stable
2. less time to open and close the tripod (ok, if only an extra minute or two...)

The other view was that the 4 section is better because :
1. its smaller in size and easier to carry
2. heck, what's couple of minutes of extra time ? with regular use, this difference is negligible.

I came back and dug through some old threads on the selection of tripod etc. All it has is a broken link

Any other views ? Pros and cons of 3 section vs 4 section tripods...

[ExplorerZ]

basically the different is just this 2...

[mtunlinn]

You have mentioned everything already. Up to you to decide only.

[ortega]

what is the purpose of a tripod?

if it does not serve it's primary purpose
then it is of no use

so it depends on your equipment and
if the tripod serves it's primary purpose
after you mount your equipment on it

[Leongfm]

I faced the same decision in Feb this year. In the end I chose a 4-section tripod because it is easier to pack for travel. To me the shorter folded length outweighs the slight loss of stability (if any) and slightly longer set up time.

[David Chin]

Generally speaker, the bigger and heavier the tripod, the more stable and rigid and vice versa, smaller and lighter tripod is weaker and also less stable. As for the number of sections making up its legs, the more sections there are, the weaker the tripod is. This is why professional tripods used in cinematography and land surveying have single length rigid legs or at the most, they have only two sections. As for what is more appropriate for you, you need to know what your requirements are.

[asterixsg]

Thanks for all your replies.

[skopio]

3 section - less troublesome to open/close
4 section - more compact

[Hacker]

Overall height for 4 sections are normally taller, suitable for people who are not vertically challenged.