Timo Boll ZLF or Photino?

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I'm deciding between the Timo Boll ZLF or the Photino blade but I need a little advice. I will be getting either Tenergy 64 or Tenergy 05 with these blades.

My playing style is mostly all round yet I prefer loops mid-distance from table. Basically and an even compromise between speed and spin. Overall Offensive player.

If you could help me by just answering these questions.

1. Which blade do you prefer?
2. Which blade is better for mid-distance looping?
3. Which blade is faster?
4. Which blade creates more spin?
5. And any other information you can give me about these blades.

Thanks!:D zoom_b-timo-boll-zlf.jpg butterfly-photino.jpg
 
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Hey PandaMike.

1. I'd prefer the ZLF because I prefer his series of all the Butterfly blades.
2. I'd say they are equal for mid-distance looping. The Photino seems to be on average a bit heavier so this may have a small effect on it, but judging from their plys they seem to be almost identical.
3. Seeing as the Photino is slightly heavier I would say it would have to tend to be a little faster. This however would be really hard to tell in a match. I doubt you'd notice the difference.
4. The Boll series would most likely create better spin, but it is again so small you would not notice. Spin is 90% technique and 10% equipment. Seeing as the two blades are so close to each other I'd go with which ever is cheaper.
5. If you are an all around player and you prefer loops from mid-distance I wouldn't suggest Tenergy 64. I'd stick with 05.

In general I don't prefer any jap/euro rubbers on the forehand. They typically have high throws and less control. Seeing as you forehand is stronger 90% of the time than a backhand I prefer Chinese rubbers. To balance it out you want the faster rubbers on your backhand to help you with instigating the attack.
 
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Photino is well designed blade for the professional players, now a day most of the players are looking to follow photino, at the same time ZLF is also fantastic choice which helps us in creating spin, since it holds ball for longer period, which is the only difference among this blades, You can select any of them as per your needs.
 
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Photino is a typical thick hinoki carbon 3W+2 construction with zylon substituted for the carbon, and Boll ZLF is a typical thin 5+2 OFF blade with zylon for composite and koto outers. The Photino is going to be a lot faster. You can think of it as a soft/slow version of the fastest OFF+ type blades. As for suitability for mid distance looping and spin creation, I don't think these are really directly related to the blade, maybe a little, but it also has to do with your play style. If you play a typical european style where you flip/lift backspin services to quickly work the rally into mid position counterlooping (Kreanga, Saive, etc), I think Photino will be more suitable. Boll ZLC is a lot slower but should still be fast enough for a mid distance game if you are currently using a Boll OFF-. If your game involves pushes with heavy backspin and slow but super spinny opening loops Photino will still be good but you can also consider Boll ZLF in that case. Rubbers will affect things a lot too. In general, the faster rubbers you use, the more you can consider Boll ZLF.
 
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1. Which blade do you prefer? Photino.
2. Which blade is better for mid-distance looping? ZLF imo.
3. Which blade is faster? Photino, by a very small fraction though.
4. Which blade creates more spin? Photino
5. And any other information you can give me about these blades.
I reckon if you have the money, go get Photino because it is a very nice blade. The biggest attraction for me was that it was made with Hinoki wood, which gives a VERY nice touch and feel to the blade. Trust me, you won't be disappointed.
 
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I'm deciding between the Timo Boll ZLF or the Photino blade but I need a little advice. I will be getting either Tenergy 64 or Tenergy 05 with these blades.

My playing style is mostly all round yet I prefer loops mid-distance from table. Basically and an even compromise between speed and spin. Overall Offensive player.

If you could help me by just answering these questions.

1. Which blade do you prefer?
2. Which blade is better for mid-distance looping?
3. Which blade is faster?
4. Which blade creates more spin?
5. And any other information you can give me about these blades.

Thanks!:DView attachment 741 View attachment 742

What is your reason for getting a new blade?
 
says Spin and more spin.
says Spin and more spin.
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Dec 2010
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Okay, so, I love Hinoki but I did not love the Photino. I have hit with both of the blades mentioned. With the Photino the combination of Hinoki with Zylon felt too mushy to me. It is a little faster than the Timo Boll ZLF but the Timo Boll ZLF feels better. However, both of these blades are fine close to the table and as you move a little further away from the table they feel like they are missing something and it feels like your strokes lose considerable power.

I would go with the Inner Force ZLF which has a little more power and speed than either of these but it has great spin and control becuase of the Zylon and the Limba outer ply. For some reason, this blade, which has 5 plies of wood and 2 plies of Zylon has a great balance between speed, dwell time and control.

On the face of things the Photino, the Timo Boll ZLF and the Inner Force ZLF look like they should be very similar but the Inner Force ZLF felt sooooo much better in so many ways that I was actually surprised. I was also surprised at how much I did not like the Photino because I love, Love LOVE Hinoki. But, thinking about it, Zylon makes the blade soft and Hinoki is soft. That might be like putting soft rubbers on a soft blade. :) I did like the Timo Boll ZLF but was surprised when I stepped back and it lost so much power. Close to the table it felt like it had more than enough power and speed. Four feet back it started feeling weak. And farther back it felt almost like the way a Stiga Allround Classic sort of feels like it dies farther away from the table. Photino did this as well but not as much as the Timo Boll ZLF.

But the Inner Force ZLF does not have this, it has speed, a lot of control and you can generate a lot of spin, close to the table or far back.
 
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