For better or worse, my DNA is full of engineer genes. This means, I'm constantly coming up with more crazy or fun ideas for new stuff than I could ever execute on. I love the MYOG (Make Your Own Gear) movement, but just don't have time to spend on it.
Here's my latest brain-fart:
I've been keeping my eye open for a while now for a true Ultralight Tripod. Would it really be possible to have a sub-pound tripod that could accompany a digital SLR in the field without feeling like I've regressed to the old way?
So far… nothing. Carbon fibre is the most promising, but they are still 2lb+ tripods. Generally the photo community says that anything lighter weight is too flimsy or unstable.
So what if one added some weight in the field to pull the center of gravity down and anchor the tri-pod in place?
Here's the idea: a tripod with a threaded pipe connector at the base. You whip out your flimsy tripod, whip out a platypus – fill it with 4lbs of water (or sand) and screw it to the bottom. Voila. Now all I need to do is find a light flimsy tripod.
Target weight: 10 oz, available sometime in the future.
Have you priced the carbon fiber tripods? Gasp…….starting at over $300 for the smallest ones and it goes up sharply. We bought a new microphone for our video camera instead. The CF tripod will get bought…next month! I about fainted once we got out of Glaziers in Seattle…the business checking account took a nice hit. Still, those tripods are nice.
…and the one you’ve pictured the Miller DV Solo ;)…
All in all many tripods come with a hook to hang various stuff for counterbalancing the tripod. But I’ve found that many of the cheap and not that cheap ones will fail because of the non locking leg locks – the faster and cheaper the locking mechanism the sooner it will fail under “counterweight” you’ve mentioned. Those slower ones like the ones one must turn to lock tend to be the best compromise.
Sure the big brother of that same Mockup Miller withstands anything I throw on mine but then this is a $1000 tripod intended for pro video! applications and in the 3kg/200cm net category.
Man, maybe you can find CF tripod with twist-locks, reasonable height and sub 11oz on the “bay” for cheap, those Chinese are doing off-production “C” quality brand runs for cheap…
Cheers,
T
Ok seriously… it works with a platypus water bladder?
Rodney – think of the (photoshoped) picture as an “artists vision”… it doesn’t *actually* exist.
However, as Tõnis point out – some tripods do have hooks for this very notion. So perhaps like all good ideas – it’s already been done before 😉