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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Best EPIC tripod option

J

Jason Macalpine

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Hey guys, I am just about to pull the trigger on a new tripod set up for the epic. I do a lot of field work and want to stay as light as possible but also need something sturdy. I am running the whole quick release platform setup with the long dovettail and 15mm rods. Any links and reviews would be a big help guys.

Jase
 
Oconnor 1030 is a very attractive option, but not terribly light weight. I used a Sachtler 18P this week with the Scarlet and was happy with the performance was well. I personally have the O'Connor 515 Ultimate DVS head which I love! Its an older head that isn't made anymore, but its like a mini 2575 in its design. You can pick them up for a bout $3K without legs. I have not had good luck with the very popular FocusHD heads or the Manfrotto heads, but people seem to really like them. Worth a look, but if you have the scratch... go with O'Connor. They are battle field tested and very rugged. Hope that helps. Good luck!
 
We have the Sachtler Speed Lock CF 2 stage tripod (http://goo.gl/sjpnt). Carbon fiber, very light (but slightly fragile). We have the bottom spreader, which I hate, Would highly recommend the mid-level spreader pictured.

For a head, we use the Sachtler Video 20 fluid head, (http://goo.gl/GrhlF) good for up 55lbs. I don't think I'd want to test that, though. We've had our epic with the 18-85 RED zoom and associated accessories and it seems to feel that its getting to the edge of its capacity.

This setup is a carryover from our older panasonic HPX-2000 and AF-100 rigs, so its what we had, and it seems to work OK. We are looking at getting the next size head, for capacity.

matt
 
The new O'Connor 1030D looks amazing. I've 1030 heads in the past and as with all O'Connors they blow the equivalent Sachtlers away in terms of smoothness and having stepless settings is invaluable. The big improvement on the new 1030 is that it has a counterbalance crank and a readout of your current counterbalance setting, just like on the bigger O'Connors - on the older 1030 it was guesswork and a fiddly mechanism.
Steve
 
Well, if you want the best and most stable...I can recommend Ronford Baker Atlas 30. I use it for long lenses. Price to match. Also, you may need a donkey to carry it....but, it is the smoothest and steadiest head I have ever used. In fact, I use it most of the time :)
 

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Personal preference of course, but I used to have the Atlas 30, and it is excellent, but I much preferred the O'Connor 2060. The Atlas was very smooth and built like only Ronford know how, but I had a bit of a problem when tilting up above 45 degrees to film for example birds in the trees. I found that the counterbalance struggled and it felt a little stiff as if the counterbalance was fighting against your movements.
Just my thoughts though, and it is still an excellent head and the company itself is the best to deal with.
Steve
 
ha ha ha, Thanks Steve. Never noticed this on my Atlas 30 because....I always filmed my subjects on the ground or water. Never tried shooting birds high up :)

You may well be right!

I tried O'Connor 2060 at the time and on the same rig and sadly (because I had to spend much more on the Ronford) I found the Ronford to be smoother and resisting unwanted vibrations better than the O'Connor....ended up with the Ronford....oh, well....both are pretty good heads.
 
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