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Need a tripod recommendation. Does it exist??
I’m wondering if I’m looking for something that even exists…
We’ve made a New Year’s resolution to try to go smaller and lighter gear-wise this year. I’m pushing the big 5-0 and tired of humping around so much weight.
We’re probably going to switch cameras to the Canon C300 (when available)… the body of that camera weighs less than the battery on the camera we now use.
I’m in a tripod quandary, though.. and can’t decide what to get in a new set. For several years we’ve been using older Oconnor 35A legs… have a couple of sets of them. They aren’t pretty, but are rock solid.
The thing that has kept me using these older Oconnor sticks is that you can simultaneously raise and lower it, all three legs at once… easily. You can, of course, adjust legs individually… but by turning a ring at the top you can adjust them all at once. It’s easy even fully loaded with 25lbs of camera, as shown here…
It’s easily movable even fully loaded, and is rock solid. We regularly put a jib on it as well… which is pushing 100lbs when you add up the jib, weights, head, and camera… and is still perfectly solid.
I never realized how much I came to take that for granted, until the first time I had to use a different set of sticks rented on location once. It was driving me nuts having to adjust each leg just to make a small height change, often having to unmount the camera to do so. Do that 50 times a day, and you’re cursing.
So… does anyone know of any modern sticks that will do this? Or have a recommendation? Being able to do this is really a deal-breaker when it comes to buying a new tripod. I’d just keep using the old ones instead… but was hoping for something newer and a little less bulky.
Much thanks,
T2
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Todd Terry
Creative Director
Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc.
fantasticplastic.com
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13 Replies
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I hear you, Todd! I wish I knew of sticks to recommend that do what you want. I do find that legs with quick-release locks make it pretty easy to drop all 3 legs, but then you have to lock them individually. Still, with a light camera and light legs and head, that’s not a huge chore. One hand holds up the rig and the other snaps the locks. Pretty quick and easy even for someone a lot older than you.
Rick Wise
Cinematographer
San Francisco Bay Area
https://www.RickWiseDP.com -
Our Sachtler 8 comes close, but not exactly as good, because the legs are independent and not ganged quite like the O’Connor’s mechanism uniquely does. (Our O’Connor looks like yours but with black, not red legs. Works the same.)
Please be careful with the height changes when the camera is still on the tripod: one of our shooters lost the tip of his index finger, up to the first knuckle, when he decided to hurry and move the O’Connor a few feet with the camera still attached… and he somehow triggered it into guillotining the finger.
I’ve loved the O’Connor for the one-handed ability to deply, strike, and adjust it, all while holding the camera up out of the dirt in the other hand. Every other tripod has forced me to lay the camera down or grip it between my knees, if the ground is wet or dirty. And the way the O’Connor’s cable spreader lets it turn into a good imitation of a hi-hat is great. I wouldn’t use any other tripod if I was shooting on steep hillsides either.
But watch your fingers!
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We’ve got one of these:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/227385-REG/Sachtler_5385_14_HOT_POD_14_Carbon_Fiber.html
It’s a bit heavier than a standard set of Sachtler sticks, but all of the leg locks are released simultaneously when you lift up the spreader to a certain height. If you’re real talented, you can hold the camera with both hands, lift the spreader with your foot, lift/balance the camera, and re-lock the legs with your foot again.
-Tom
Tom Nelson
Videographer/Editor
Essex Television Group -
Thanks all…
I kinda forgot about the Hot-Pod, as I’ve never actually used one. I’m usually not much a fan of Sachtler sticks, but if that’s all that’s out there that will do this, we would definitely consider that route. I don’t like the idea of a center post, but might have to get past that.
I’m just kinda amazed that so few sticks will do this all-at-once function. I’m completely COMPLETELY spoiled by being able to do this, and didn’t realize it. I went for about 10 years without hardly ever using any sticks other than the Oconnors and frankly just started taking it for granted… until I had to use a rental Sachtler on an out-of-state location and was bitching and whining all day. The crew loved me that day.
T2
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Todd Terry
Creative Director
Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc.
fantasticplastic.com
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You will come to love the center column on the Sachtler, when it telecopes way up higher than the O’Connor could ever get you, even with the legs 90 percent drawn-in and all wobbly. The Sachtler is rock-stable at max height. I LOVE how the Sachtler lets me look over fences to get a clear shot, or over crowds to get a good view of an entrance at an event. UP PERISOPE!!!
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Thanks Mark…
I just measured mine, and yes the Sachtler with the center post up will go 4″ higher than my Oconnor with fully-extended legs. I do wish it would go a bit lower as well (the Sachtler specs say 31″)… as you said the Oconnor can basically go down to high-hat level.
Boy, I just want everything, huh…
T2
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Todd Terry
Creative Director
Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc.
fantasticplastic.com
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They each do certain things exceptionally well, each is suited more to certain jobs than others… I think the tripod that does EVERYTHING equally well hasn’t yet been built.
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If you want to lighten your load, a Sachtler Hot Pod isn’t the answer.
I’d suggest going to a trade show (NAB) and sampling what’s out there. The problem with getting recommendations on-line like this is everyone praises what they have — but most end-users aren’t really up to speed on what’s out there, or how the marketplace has changed.
I have a 20 year old Sachtler 8 III that works well — it has 3 stage CF legs which help with height issues (vs. 2-stage) — it lacks an illuminated bubble, which drives me crazy.
Good luck.
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For anyone interested, I’ve been told (by a friend who uses it), that the Oconnor 35L are the sticks to have if you want the all-in-one simultaneous leg release that I’m looking for.
They are almost exactly like the older 35A sticks that I have, except with carbon fiber legs. And no wire spreader.
Unfortunately they have been fairly recently discontinued, but you can still find them new in a couple of places. Also found several used sets.
T2
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Todd Terry
Creative Director
Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc.
fantasticplastic.com
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@ Mark Suzko
I just bought a Oconnor 35a tripod with a modified (100mm bowl) 50d head.
Could you be a bit more specific about what to watch out for finger wise?;)
Also, haven’t been able to find any sort of manual, which is not surprising considering when this was actually manufactured. I’m wondering how low I can safely take the tripod by removing the bottom spreader and relying on the middle spreader cable.
Also have you used this on location without a bottom spreader? It would seem like a easier setup with just the cable.
Thanks!possibleimpossible.com
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