Can you reinvent something as fundamental as the tripod? Sachtler and Vinten think you can. At IBC, the two companies are demonstrating Flowtech, a new technology that uses a system of brakes and levers to allow operators to extend a tripod’s three legs simultaneously, and without bending over to make adjustments.
The Flowtech 75 tripod is built with two-stage carbon-fiber legs with magnetic locks to keep the legs stable when not in use. A set of “quick-release brakes” at the top of the tripod allow a user to hold the tripod and drop the legs to the ground simultaneously. The legs are said to adjust automatically, meaning it’s not necessary to adjust each leg manually.
The tripod can be set as low as 10 inches from the ground or as high as 62 inches, depending on whether or not a removable midlevel spreader is attached. The companies said the tripod has been designed to prevent any twisting during pans, and has been tested in extreme environments to ensure longevity in field use.
Flowtech 75 tripod
Sachtler and Vinten are looking to start a revolution with this design, but that depends, of course, on how operators take to the device’s unique set-up procedure. If you’re in Amsterdam this week, you can try it out for yourself at the Vitec Group’s stand, 12.E65.
