Travel tripod for a rigged P6K

The head just screws onto the column with the 3/8ths stud and doesn’t need an intermediate plate. If you really need eye level capability the you will have to forget a ‘travel’ tripod and go full size IME as raising a center column just kills any notion of stability and the kind of high frequency motion it will induce in the image is ‘jello’ which can’t be fixed in post. Go big or go low - like I said the series 2 with one section extended is more rigid and stable than a series 5 at eye height.

Right now I'm trying to figure out if the monopod legs can be detach to expose a 3/8 screw hole.

After reaching out to Benro regarding the ability to detach the monopod legs, well the particular model I have does not allow for it.

A friend of a friend who is in Hollywood as a cam operator suggested the "3 legged thing" product line and their monopod. After some research (online mostly), the 3 legged thing Alan carbon monopod looks really good and stable. Their suppose to be indestructible. Anyway, I watch a number of videos on them and here is one to share. It's legs is removable which is what I am seeking. Size and weight, sturdiness and quality are all there. I'm not going to compare it with RRS and Gitzo because I have never tried them before - just what I read.

Here it is on B&H for $199, which is pretty reasonably priced since most 3 legged thing products are pretty pricy.

In the process of looking for the monopod and in the 3 legged thing website, I came across the 3 legged Mike tripod and Cine-A head. Man, this is very interesting as a good option for a travel tripod. Now, I'm torn as which way to go. You can check it out here:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/ ... ripod.html

It looks very flexible for video work during travel. It's expensive for a travel tripod but looks like a solid investment.

It's different, not RRS or Gitzo or Peak Design. But I think it is worth looking at and considering.

Hi Ellroy,

I know very little about Three Legged Thing products. More importantly, I haven't looked at them in person.

If you can, I'd suggest that you go to a store that has several monopods on display and check them out. The Gitzo GM4542 monopod that's in the photo that you've seen is a Gitzo Series 4 monopod. It's pretty beefy, and was chosen after looking at several others, including other Gitzos.

If you're interested in monopods with legs, you should really try to look at what Sirui, Manfrotto, etc. are offering. The leg systems are all a bit different. On YouTube, it's probably a good idea to see what wedding photographers are saying. They are a big market for these hybrid monopods.

The head just screws onto the column with the 3/8ths stud and doesn’t need an intermediate plate. If you really need eye level capability the you will have to forget a ‘travel’ tripod and go full size IME as raising a center column just kills any notion of stability and the kind of high frequency motion it will induce in the image is ‘jello’ which can’t be fixed in post. Go big or go low - like I said the series 2 with one section extended is more rigid and stable than a series 5 at eye height.

Thanks John,

Good to know that your standard ball head is working out fine without an intermediate platform. My Miller CX6, when I use it as a flat base fluid head, has a bottom diameter of 2.9". It's fine on my Series 4 monopod, but I’m not sure that I'd be comfortable entrusting it to a 1.65" top plate. Maybe using that head with a travel tripod would just be a bad idea in the first place.

I'm pretty much on the same page as you with your general approach.

Hugh Brownstone is a commercial videographer. Here he shares his thought on a few travel pods. Some of his choices are the 3LT Jay with the Airhead-Cine A and the CP38.

Hugh Brownstone is a commercial videographer. Here he shares his thought on a few travel pods.

A month after that video, Brownstone also made one featuring the Peak Design travel tripod. He says that it's the best portable tripod that he's come across. Note that he says in the bottom third at the beginning, and in the description, that Peak Design paid him for this video:

In both of the above videos, Hugh Brownstone talks about using a tripod in New York City. He's pushing reality here, and that's relevant to some of the rigs discussed in this thread. Apart from TV news crews, and film crews working in cordoned-off areas, it is rare to see someone set up a tripod on a New York street. It is illegal, and it does interfere with pedestrians. Leaving aside the NYPD, a pedestrian in a bad mood could make this a very expensive decision.

Brownstone's street-level New York footage in the two videos is in fact handheld. This includes his "tripod" footage in the second video of a busy avenue in Midtown Manhattan, which bears the note "Simulated [Tripod ] Lock-Down (Hand-Held"). His musing about setting up a tripod in the Concourse at Grand Central Station is completely divorced from reality

However, I have never been stopped using a monopod. If you use some common sense, it's also possible to use a monopod screwed into a ground tripod, and in some cases a ground tripod by itself. Brownstone also mentions vibration from street traffic. Just to be cautious, I have occasionally placed my foot between the sidewalk and the foot of my monopod.

Folks, I have spent a few days looking at 4 different travel size tripods - the Gitzo, the Manfrotto BeFree, the Peak Design, and the 3 Legged Thing Jay + Airhed Cine-S. All excellent tripods with their pluses and minuses. The Gitzo and Peak Design were terrific photographic travel tripods. For personal reasons and one that I have spent so much time to test it out even putting on a 14lbs Ursa Mini Pro G2 with legs all extended out, I have decided to go with the 3 Legged Thing Jay with the Airhed Cine-S video head. I will be frank that there are some annoyances with the 3 Legged Thing but I have options on working around it. I'm going off for my trip soon but I did a review and test of the 3LT Jay tripod and the Cine head - not on a DSLR like everyone on YouTube does, but on a real cinema camera - the Pocket 6K and the Ursa Mini Pro 4.6K G2, both with a heavy lens on them. This test was not to compare it with the other tripods at all, but to show its portability, flexibility, and functional capabilities particularly on capacity load and stability carrying cinema cameras - as those are what is important to me and for my need. It might take a while to get that video done since I'm just busy but when I have it ready, I will update this thread. Kudos to you all, especially to Rob and John, who shared their honest thoughts and gears... it's very much appreciated. For the time being, if anyone wants to learn more about the 3 Legged Thing Jay and the Airhed Cine heads, you can check their website (link below). I have no affiliation with 3LT and when I was testing their pod, I bought it myself. I tried the Cine-S head which was a Manfrotto 501 PL compatible plate but was disappointed that it was not at all compatible (watch my video when it's out... it is explained there). I swapped it for the Cine-A which was an Arca Swiss plate. Other than that, they worked and exhibited the same results. I won't comment about the Manfrotto BeFree other than it is a nice photographic travel tripod as well, but rather bulky for my taste. Nevertheless, if you're going for a still camera travel tripod, I will suggest either the Gitzo or the Peak Design. You might look at the other 3 Legged Thing tripods for such use but I did not check them out for the reason above therefore I can't really comment on them. For Cinema cameras, you might want to watch my test and review of the 3LT Jay in the future. If you're in a rush, I would recommend the 3LT Jay BUT with the Cine-A head and not the Cine-S. Why? Well, you will have to wait for my video. Cheers!

https://3leggedthing.com/jay

Glad you got there in the end!

Enjoy the trip. I look forward to the video.

Timely thread for me since the old Manfrotto that I tend to use as a travel tripod, just broke. One leg fell out the other day. I've been thinking about something different for quite some time. This event now let's me start thinking about what I really want. My two criteria are height and folded length. I want something that folds up short enough to fit into a roller bag. And no flip locks, I hate those on my Manfrotto. After going through this thread, I thought I was going for the Gitzo GIGT2545T which folds at 17.5 and goes up to 60.8. Then I saw the # Legged Thing Jay which folds to 16.14 and goes up to 71.4. I'm six feet so I like the idea of a tripod that's as tall as I am. On my regular trips I use a Gitzo 3541XLS that goes above my head. On other trips I don't need that as much as I need to not check a bag. Great details and ideas on this thread.

Ellory, I'll be interested in your review of the 3 Legged that you bought. My only concern is that it looks a little flimsy, though the capacity of the Bucky is stated to be 66 lbs (!)

I want something that folds up short enough to fit into a roller bag. And no flip locks, I hate those on my Manfrotto. On my regular trips I use a Gitzo 3541XLS that goes above my head. On other trips I don't need that as much as I need to not check a bag.

Hi Chris,

Great to see someone raise the subject of traveling by plane.

The outcome of my visit to B&H (see posts above) to check out travel tripods yet again is that I'm still at (a) tripod sent ahead, (b) tripod in my roller bag, (c) very solid monopod or handheld. My ground tripod, which I've only owned for a few months, is a helpful wildcard in this decision.

Obviously, lots of people have concluded otherwise, but I just didn't see enough upside to carrying around any of the travel tripods that I looked at. Every one of them is inherently unstable well before you get to their maximum height. It's just an obvious consequence of skinny legs with thin walls. The more joints (read shorter folded length) the worse it gets. All of us should have figured this out by grade 8 physics class.

I just think that anybody who is considering one of these tripods should try it out before buying. If it works for you and your camera, great.

For eye level you are much better off using a monopod and IS or just handholding and using IS. The better 'travel tripods' are rock solid used low down at below waist level and as Rob says it's just a simple matter physics/engineering. The best test you can do is to set the camera EVF to 1:1 pixel focus and then gently tap the tripod while observing the image then look for the amount of movement and how long it takes to stop. Be warned though that even large single tube tripods like my Gitzo 5 series or even my Flowtec 75 can look pretty bad with this test at eye level and hence why twin tube leg designs are preferred for filming at eye level.

I should have been more clear, for eye level, I'm talking about still photography. Which is generally either a Hasselblad 500 CM or a Sony A7RIV. Three years ago, I borrowed a friend's Gitzo 2545 and took it to New York City and used it to support a borrowed Chamonix Saber 4x5. This was not an eye level tripod, but seemed stable enough for shooting stills. My takeaway was that the tripod seemed a little bulky for trotting around the town with. I was thinking that with a taller tripod, for video, I would not be using it that high. I found that my local camera shop has 3 Legged products so I'm going to go check them out. My BMPCC doesn't have IS so there's no relying on that. I'll borrow my friends 2545 and do some filming tests to see how that pans out.

Ellory, I'll be interested in your review of the 3 Legged that you bought. My only concern is that it looks a little flimsy, though the capacity of the Bucky is stated to be 66 lbs (!)

I just returned from my travel and still getting settle. Before I left I started testing the 3LT Jay with the Manfrotto 501 standard video head and started recording the test. Then I stopped because I got so busy. I found the tripod to be stable enough, even with a 14lbs URSA G2 on it. I did test it at low, mid, and all extended out. In a nutshell, I am very pleased and excited about the tripod, its weight and size, and flexibility. I was not thrilled with the Manfrotto standard video plate model as I will NOT call it standard Manfrotto plate due to its narrower width so I returned it and exchanged it with the Arca Swiss model. It arrived while I was out of town so I will test out the Arca plate model and hopefully if I don't get pulled in multiple directions, I can get the test/review video done very soon, like next week.

There's discussion earlier in this thread about Really Right Stuff's TFA-32G ground tripod. On May 1, 2020, RRS announced on its Facebook page that it was being discontinued. In response to questions on its Facebook page, it said that the tripod is not profitable.

The TFA-32G was only a few months old, itself an update of a previous version (TP-243) that RRS sold for years. In a post above, Rakesh Malik says of the original "The RRS Ground pod is a TANK."

Despite the Facebook announcement, both RRS and some retailers (e.g. B&H and Adorama) still have the TFA-32G in stock.

In the same Facebook discussion, RRS said that it is working on a travel tripod. That was 4 1/2 months ago, so presumably the travel tripod will be available in the near future. See second screen capture below.

Screenshot 2020-09-20 at 12.44.40.jpg (80.03 KiB) Viewed 3708 times

Screenshot 2020-09-20 at 13.18.31.jpg (48.24 KiB) Viewed 3698 times

Thanks for the update. It's funny because last week I looked to see what RRS had in terms of a travel tripod and they had nothing. Now we have this. Great, I'll definitely be interested to see what they bring to the table.

There's discussion earlier in this thread about Really Right Stuff's TFA-32G ground tripod. On May 1, 2020, RRS announced on its Facebook page that it was being discontinued. In response to questions on its Facebook page, it said that the tripod is not profitable.

The TFA-32G was only a few months old, itself an update of a previous version (TP-243) that RRS sold for years. In a post above, Rakesh Malik says of the original "The RRS Ground pod is a TANK."

Despite the Facebook announcement, both RRS and some retailers (e.g. B&H and Adorama) still have the TFA-32G in stock.

Can you discuss the differences between the TFA and the TVC? How is the cheaper one not profitable?

There's discussion earlier in this thread about Really Right Stuff's TFA-32G ground tripod. On May 1, 2020, RRS announced on its Facebook page that it was being discontinued. In response to questions on its Facebook page, it said that the tripod is not profitable.

The TFA-32G was only a few months old, itself an update of a previous version (TP-243) that RRS sold for years. In a post above, Rakesh Malik says of the original "The RRS Ground pod is a TANK."

Despite the Facebook announcement, both RRS and some retailers (e.g. B&H and Adorama) still have the TFA-32G in stock.

Can you discuss the differences between the TFA and the TVC? How is the cheaper one not profitable?

Hi Chris,

I’m talking about the aluminum tripod (TFA-32G), which is a different design from the carbon fiber tripod (TVC-32G). They are not aluminum and carbon fiber versions of the same thing. For example, the carbon fiber tripod will take a half bowl, but the aluminum one has a fixed flat plate. The legs work completely differently. Weight, maximum and minimum height and folded length are also different.

The price of the TFA-32G and its predecessor, the TP-243, is the same, US$395. The new version is a few ounces lighter and has a reversible 1/4” and 3/8” stud. The original TP-243 was only 3/8”.

There’s a comparison chart here, although it doesn’t note the stud difference: https://shuttermuse.com/really-right-st ... d-tfa-32g/

That article on the new tripod is dated March 1 and RRS announced that it was discontinuing it on May 1. Meanwhile, on September 20 it’s in stock at RRS, B&H and Adorama. For how long is anyone's guess. It may be available for awhile yet. I think that the aluminium tripod is a pretty niche product, of particular interest to landscape and wildlife photographers shooting in areas where water, sand, dirt and general muck are an issue. While I have the carbon fibre tripod, I'm interested in this one for those reasons and because I think that it would also work well for me in an urban setting.

Thanks, that helps. To me, other than material differences, it looked like they were both just...short.

Thanks, that helps. To me, other than material differences, it looked like they were both just...short.

In summary, the aluminium tripod goes higher, goes lower and folds shorter. It's also quite a bit lighter.

I'm almost finish with my test and review of the 3LT travel video tripod. Sorry, I've been just so busy... which is a good thing I guess. Here are a few screenshots I took from the video just in case you're eager to see what I am testing this pod load capacity with.


Edit: I've taken down the screenshots because the video is out. See my entry a few post down.

I'm almost finish with my test and review of the 3LT travel video tripod. ... Here are a few screenshots I took from the video ...

Looking forward to the review.

Here is my review of the 3 Legged Thing Tripod for use with cine cams. I'm not a YouTuber so I just shot and edit it quickly to provide my views of it and for informational purposes for those looking into travel tripods or this particular brand. Enjoy!

Looks like a good bit of kit!

Here is my review of the 3 Legged Thing Tripod for use with cine cams. I'm not a YouTuber so I just shot and edit it quickly to provide my views of it and for informational purposes for those looking into travel tripods or this particular brand. Enjoy!

Congratulations on your first YouTube video. It will be very helpful for people who are looking for a travel tripod.

Congratulations on your first YouTube video. It will be very helpful for people who are looking for a travel tripod.

Thanks Rob. I like the versatility and portability of it.

Looks like a good bit of kit!

It is. I was surprise too. I heard back from 3LT support and that they are going to now make the standard video plate and in will be available for purchase in a couple of months. But the problem is still there. It will become a proprietary plate because it is smaller in width compared to the 501 PL. That means using a 3rd party 501 PL plate will still not fit.

Anyhow, the Swiss ARCA is just as good, or better than 501 PL when it comes to standard plates. They can be purchase from any reliable photo/video store.

Ellory,
Thank you so much for that video. That tripod looks incredible, particularly since it will also work as a monopod. I have a clunker tripod for many purposes, but have been looking for something like this for travel and outdoors. I am not sure if I can fit this into my budget, but it is so versitile that it seems like you get multiple items in one. I need something for a Pocket 4K. I was looking at a Manfrotto monopod with fluid base and 500 series fluid tilt head that is quite affordable with a current B&H coupon. You have given me a lot to think about with this video.
Thanks,
Virgil

Ellory,
Thank you so much for that video. That tripod looks incredible, particularly since it will also work as a monopod. I have a clunker tripod for many purposes, but have been looking for something like this for travel and outdoors. I am not sure if I can fit this into my budget, but it is so versitile that it seems like you get multiple items in one. I need something for a Pocket 4K. I was looking at a Manfrotto monopod with fluid base and 500 series fluid tilt head that is quite affordable with a current B&H coupon. You have given me a lot to think about with this video.
Thanks,
Virgil

Thanks Virgil. I have a Benro monopod with the S6 fluid head and I enjoyed using it with the Pocket 6K.
However since I owned the 3Legged Thing, I haven't used it for a long while now. I've been bringing the 3LT with me when I'm traveling or on long walks. It's pretty versatile. It is expensive but I think worth the little investment.