In many ways, this review feels like a Back To The Future scenario. Join me as we travel back in time to 2018 then fast forward to 2026, all the while charting the evolution of geared heads by Benro.
Late January saw the arrival of Benro’s latest geared head, the GD36PT, in Glen Brittle. I knew from the get go that there was one place that I wanted to take it which had featured large in my testing of Benro’s GD3WH way back in 2018. So, fasten your seat belts and join me for a spot of time travel and a glimpse into the future to see what geared heads hold for the landscape photographer.
Five weeks of use may not sound much but it’s enough to give me an idea of just how useful the new Benro hybrid geared has proved. It may only be five weeks but the GD36PT has been used most days. In fact, it’s had a pretty adventurous month or so with quite a few mountain top trips, sunrises at dawn after night time ascents, roadside shooting on the way to the shops, beach shooting. It’s even been out for two days and a night when I slept in a small cave not far from the mountain summit.
All in all it’s been put through its paces and in what I always think of as a potentially testing environment. Living in Glen Brittle and working in the Cuillin mountains means that I have the perfect torture test literally outside my front door. Rocks and scree, super abrasive gabbro rocks. High winds and heavy rain. Harsh winters with snow and ice. Throw in our neighbouring beach with salt water and sand and you have the perfect testing ground for any outdoor kit, especially camera gear.
Until 2018 I was blissfully ignorant about geared heads, their advantages or even what they were, if I’m honest. I was contacted by Scott Bagely from Benro UK about reviewing their new flagship tripod head, the GD3WH and soon I was a geared head convert. Geared heads are all about precision and control, factors which make them loved by landscape and architecture photographers who strive for perfection in composition, level horizons and non converging verticals.
With the GD3WH, there were gear driven controls for all three dimensions. It was very satisfying and easy to use, almost addictive. Significantly lighter and cheaper than its Manfrotto counterparts it also offered Swiss Arca compatibility. In fact, it was significantly lighter than the specs issued by Benro. I was surprised when the discrepancy was revealed using or kitchen scales and Benro were, of course, delighted. Apparently, the prototype and production models were made using slightly different alloys, hence the marked weight difference all to the good.
Fast forward to 2025 and I heard good things about new heads coming out of Benro. A campaign on social media revealed a “hybrid” geared head, the GD36PT. I was immediately interested. The design looked fantastic and answered some of the downsides to the GD3WH.
Whilst the GD3WH looked and worked fantastically, it did have several negative points. My main gripe was the physical bulk, the plethora of controls making for a voluminous package. Whilst this might not matter to many photographers, for me it is crucial since my tripod and head are almost always carried on the outside of my pack. Thus, when I’m in the mountains, the GD3WH invariably caught on things, snagged on rocks, caught on vegetation. Not just a safety hazard for me but apt to cause damage to the head.
Weight was another consideration for, although the GD3WH was lighter than its competitors, it still weighed 740g. Gear for photography (and many other sports and hobbies) needs to balance cost, weight and bulk alongside usability, robustness and fitness for purpose. It’s an almost impossible juggling act but Benro have certainly refined things with the new GD36PT.
Whilst both the GD3WH and GD36PT weigh 740g, with the latter there is the opportunity to remove a spacer plate and bring things down to 660g, However, when it comes to bulk, the new head is the clear winner. The GD3WH is 10.9cm by 14.5 by13.9 whereas the GD36PT (without spacer) is only 9.5 by 9.5 by 9.5.
So, a bit lighter and significantly less bulky so, to me, it was on to a winner from the word go. Initial impressions were very favourable. It felt really well built, oozing quality and a quantum leap above its predecessor. Rugged, pretty much all metal construction not only looks good but promises long term durability.
The GD36PT has a tactile quality that just invites you to use it. It’s not measurable but the design and construction offers a feel good factor combined with usability and practicality. It feels like a precision tool and just encourages the photographer to use it.
Other commitments and a run of bad weather delayed my return to Sgurr na Stri but it was a venue I wanted to revisit before committing pen to paper (well, fingers to keyboard). The peak is only just under 500 meters in height but has an atmosphere out of all proportion to its diminutive size. Far below are Lochs Scavaig and Coruisk and beyond them are the jagged peaks of the Cuillin Ridge. It’s a bit of a honeypot location for photographers but not in winter and definitely not in winter at sunrise.
Sunrise was at a bit after 0700 and the walk in took about four hours in the dark. At one point, it rained so heavily that I almost turned back. On the summit, the winds were high, the temperatures bitingly cold. For a fleeting few seconds the light was perfect and I framed the photo roughly using the ball head then fine tuned it with the gears. Quick and easy. Job done. Photo captured. I couldn’t ask for more.
Let’s go through the design and features of the GD36PT;
Its base is an inverted ballhead which is controlled by large locking lever. A single notch allows for vertical shooting (but generally I’ll just use a “L” bracket).
Geared tilt controls let you adjust +/- 15 degrees whilst above this a single knob allows +/- 8 degrees of pitch control.
Go up another level and there is an industry standard Arca Swiss clamp to attach your camera. This can be panned through 360 degrees by releasing a smaller lever.
What’s so good with the GD36PT, I hear you ask?
What I love;
1. It’s a geared head with all the precision and control one associates with a geared head.
2. Swift and easy to use. Much quicker to use than a conventional geared head.
3. The duality of the hybrid system which fuses the best attributes of a ball head with the advantages of a geared head. The ball head allows for the rapid heavy lifting, the major adjustments. The gears allow for precise adjustment to finalise framing to precision.
4. Compact size. On winter days, I will be carrying not only camera gear but ice axe, crampons, survival gear and for overnight trips will also be taking a stove, food, sleeping bag, bivi bag etc. Weight and, more especially, bulk soon mounts up and space will be at a premium in my pack.
5. The belt and braces approach of the pull and twist safety lock which actually attaches your camera to the head. Quick and easy to use, it includes a welcome level of redundancy so you can’t accidentally release your camera in a potentially expensive mistake.
6. Unlike much camera or outdoor gear, the GD36PT seems to have been designed by people who actually use it; designed by photographers for photographers rather than designed by abstract technicians who think they know what photographers want (but don’t actually).
The end result is a very practical bit of kit. It’s sturdy and stable even in mega high winds. The ergonomics are ideal, each control located to perfection. Different sized/shaped controls enable them to be used without looking down from the viewfinder and chunky knurling makes for a good grip. The controls are all easily used in winter even when wearing gloves.
Everything is really exact and precise, no slippage or backlash from any of the controls. It all seems to have been built to a thoroughbred standard.
In many ways, the GD36PT combines the best attributes of my two favourite heads of all time, the Benro GD3WH and the Arca Swiss Monoball PO+. The physical bulk of the GD3WH with controls jutting out ready to snag on any rock or tree, put me off a bit but I loved the whole geared head concept.
The Arca Swiss Monoball had many plus points such as being very lightweight and very compact. But, in the end, it lacked the precision of a geared head. I loved its minimal weight and footprint but really yearned for the precision of a geared head. I’d bought the Arca Swiss cheaply secondhand and was intrigued to learn that there was a hybrid version with a geared upper section. However, the price of over £900 put it firmly out of reach. Also, it made for quite a tall head and I wasn’t sure how that would work out in inclement weather.
Fast forward to late 2025 and Benro began showcasing its GD36PT on social media and I was intrigued. It looked to showcase the best bits of my two favourite of all time tripod heads. It was nicely compact, looked to be superbly well built, had the speed of a ball head and the precision of a geared head.
My initial thoughts when the GD36PT arrived were that its design and build was more akin to Swiss Arca standards than the previous Benro geared head. Not that there was anything shoddy about the GD3WH, it was just that the GD36PT seemed a level above. The new Benro is a bit bigger than the Arca Swiss Monoball I currently own but (presumably) smaller than the Arca Swiss with the geared addition.
However, there are a couple of elephants in the room with the Benro GD36PT, namely cost and weight. With a RRP of £330 it ain’t cheap but a quick search of the internet reveals prices below £270. Still a fair chunk of cash but a bargain price compared to the £900 plus pounds of the Arca Swiss equivalent.
On the weight front, only you can decide what is too much. For many landscape and architecture photographers who don’t need to carry their kit too far then the weight shouldn’t be a problem. For the more adventurous landscape photographers who travel great distances off road or up mountains then every gram may count so you’ll have to weigh up (pun intended) the pros of precision and stability against the mass of the head.
For me, it was an easy decision. In winter mountain photography, I’m pretty much resigned to carrying a hefty pack so a few grams here or there aren’t too important especially if they make my life easier, facilitate my photography. Suffice to say, I’ve used this new head exclusively for the last five weeks even when lighter options have been available. Not only do I have the Arca Swiss but another couple of lighter Benro heads which are awaiting review. So, I was spoilt for choice but simply found the GD36PT a pure joy to use.
I think Benro are onto a real winner with the hybrid geared head concept. The implementation is nigh on perfect (subject to cost and weight considerations, your mileage may vary).
Five weeks of testing may sound too short but it has been ultra intensive and I imagine could well replicate a year or more of use by most people. The pretty much all metal construction looks and feels good but also looks built to last. It is a sign of Benro’s belief in its products that it offers a three year warranty on its products which can be extended to five years by registering on line.
I’ve used a whole range of different Benro products since 2018 and never had any problems but it’s good to know they are backed by such a comprehensive warranty. I’m not one to baby my photographic gear and see it as tools to be used not kit to be cossetted and protected. Now into my ninth year of using Benro kit and not ever having had any problems.
Is it the perfect head for landscape photography? At the moment, I’d say it’s as good as it gets, better than most alternatives but there is always room for evolutionary improvement. Here’s a couple of things I’d like to see altered;
1. As with all my kit, I’d like it to be lighter.
2. There is a bubble level but it is hidden under the camera so maybe it could be located elsewhere.
3. It’s an expensive bit of kit and it’d be nice if it came with a protective pouch. Whilst most of the gears are hidden away inside, there is one opening and it would be a shame if dirt/grit was to get inside and mess things up. As such, when not in use, I cover it with a generic neoprene pouch which protects from the ingress of dirt and against knocks and bangs.
Check out the Benro website for product details and photos.
https://uk.benroeu.com/benro-gd36pt-3-way-geared-head/
Geared heads won’t be for everyone but they are definitely worth a look see and the Benro GD36PT should be high up on anyone’s wish list. The hybrid nature, combining a ball and geared head may not be entirely new but Benro have certainly implemented it to a tier one standard.
