Luminous Landscape Forum
Equipment & Techniques => Cameras, Lenses and Shooting gear => Topic started by: PeterAit on November 09, 2019, 01:42:19 pm
-
I am considering a new tripod and have heard great things about the RRS line of gear. But the prices make my jaw drop. What is it about them? Is it remotely worth it? I suppose I can buy one and try it, return it if not happy. But input is welcome.
-
Hard to know where to start.
Beautifully engineered.
A joy to use.
Properly thought out.
All the L plates and quick release clamps have worked flawlessly. Unlike some ripoffs where you find you can't open the battery door with the L plate on, for example.
I've had the same quick release clamps for about a decade. I managed to bend one, sent it back and they repaired it for a reasonable price. Very happy with them.
I guess I balance the eye watering cost with the expectation that their gear will last and will "just work".
Trying not to sound like a fanboy and failing. :)
-
I have the TVC-33 tripod and have had it since 2011. Beautifully made, rock solid support and with the bh-55 ball head, it can take whatever I throw at it. I don’t have their gimbal setup, but I understand it’s great. Their l-plates are also beautifully made and fit perfectly across a range of cameras I own.
I also own a cheaper Feisol, which I do like for lighter weight carrying around and also a heavier Pro Media Gear tripod built like a tank, though in the same price range as RRS. I generally grab the RRS.
Great camera and lens support is critical and while I don’t know what number you have in mind for a great setup, RRS gear is more than worth the money. It lasts, is rugged, it provides solid support and is peace of mind when supporting 10k of equipment.
-
if your using a 35mm or apsc- mirrorless, small camera, small and/or med body size (ex Nikon 850... you know the reports show RRS tripod is rated #2 for vibration, best rating was Gitzo, best rating period is wood. Lots of factors really matter w long lenses, wind, what tripod is sitting on, mirror slap, camera strap hitting tripod from wind. Best self test with out big testing equipment get a laser tape it securely to your lens then aim it where you can see it well at night on a wall tap the tripod, fire the shutter, drop the camera strap against the tripod, raise the mirror all of these will show vibration when the laser stops moving take the image. Another way is to use LV zoomed in you can see the vibration from the wind or above mentioned. hope that helps maybe someone has a better idea.
-
I have tons of their gear. Great support, and the gear has always been 100% reliable. Steep prices but you get what you pay for. Worth every penny in my opinion.
-
I have used RRS gear for years. RRS would be my first choice for new support equipment. They are innovators not copiers. In my experience, their equipment has performed flawlessly. A-plus customer support. As Tony said, you get what you pay for.
Mike Coffey
Prescott, AZ
-
RRS, they make good stuff but perhaps a bit overpriced. Colorado Tripod Company is new company but I got one of their tripods and ball heads and it is excellent. As stable as my Gitzo for a fraction of the price. They are still a new company so struggling a bit with supply and demand, but worth it.
Alan
-
RRS, they make good stuff but perhaps a bit overpriced. Colorado Tripod Company is new company but I got one of their tripods and ball heads and it is excellent. As stable as my Gitzo for a fraction of the price. They are still a new company so struggling a bit with supply and demand, but worth it.
Alan
Alan, what size tripod did you get? They have one that is only 4 ft in height. Seems rather small unless you are mostly doing video. And do you think the spring in the leg lift catch will hold up? I have read that these often fail in most tripods with this design. But they sure look promising. I had my old Manfrotto for 20 years, but got tired of fixing it as its parts wore out.
JR
-
I ordered both Colorado tripods and one of their ball heads. I only got the smaller tripod so far, plus the ballhead. The tripod is excellent, but too small for general purpose work. I hope they finish production of their taller tripod soon.
Btw, this site is very useful for comparing tripods and heads: https://thecentercolumn.com.
-
Alan, what size tripod did you get? They have one that is only 4 ft in height. Seems rather small unless you are mostly doing video. And do you think the spring in the leg lift catch will hold up? I have read that these often fail in most tripods with this design. But they sure look promising. I had my old Manfrotto for 20 years, but got tired of fixing it as its parts wore out.
JR
I got the smaller one which I find to perfect in size. I almost never need a tripod that puts the camera higher than my head, I am 6ft and when I used my Gitzo I almost never extended one of the sections. So to me the smaller Colorado one is perfect. I use their aluminum ball head with it, I really like it, rigid and stable and light weight. I am not worried about the spring, but then I have not had it wear out yet.
Alan
-
I currently have two tripods from Feisol and one from Gitzo and I sold my RRS TVC-34L as the Feisol CT-3472 that replaced it is better in every way. The RRS is a well crafted tripod but the design is basic and hardly worth paying 50% more to own. The Feisol has interchangeable plates with a standard one with a hook underneath and another that provides a quick leveling function and a third that incorporates a center column. I can have a regular tripod or a quick level one or one with a center column in seconds. The center column is larger in diameter and much stiffer than any other that I have used. And the Feisol comes with a very good carry case. With RRS all I got was a cardboard box.
-
I had a bad experience with a RRS B55 tripod head. Briefly, I was using it in Nepal with a 500mm lens. I was tightening the head down so that is was steady, and I could photograph a Crested Serpent Eagle perched in a nearby tree...the head never completely tightened down...and then broke apart in my hands. Luckily I caught the camera/lens before they hit the ground. The ball head had been working fine up to that point, and I had owned it for about a year.
When I returned to the USA I contacted RRS - they knew about the problem with some of their ball heads. Apparently there is a type of glue used inside the ball that can decay (or fail) so that the ball head comes apart. Who knew there was glue in a ball head? I learned something...But my question to them was that if RRS knew there was a problem with some of their ball heads (well the glue in some of their ball heads) - why not let folks know what serial numbers or what year(s) of ball heads might be affected? I almost lost a $5k lens...
The long and short of it was that yes RRS could repair it if I returned it paying postage both ways. I could not find my purchase receipt/bill of sale - even though this was a RRS caused problem, they had me pay for everything...
I went on the internet looking to see if others had the same problem. I found one other person - this was several (five?) years ago. So I am happy that the problem is not widespread, but RRS could do better outreach to its customer base on this...
In the course of my research of the glue/ball head problem, I ran into some troubling info about RRS that I have discussed here and on other venues. While they were based in California, their owner(s) Mr. Joe and his wife were financial supporters of a Proposition in California to deny equal rights to all members of the community, namely members of the gay community. The Proposition on the ballot they supported financially would have prevented legal recognition of same sex marriage. Thankfully that Proposition was defeated...but I still wonder why be against rights for people? We've come a long way as a society on this matter - great. But I have yet to see RRS management or their owners make a statement that they have changed their stand on the matter. As a result I refuse to purchase RRS items, preferring instead other manufacturers from Kirk to Arcratech to Hejnar...
Ultimately I can use any equipment well so long as it does not fail or is not too terribly made.
Robert DeCandido PhD
NYC
-
RRS recently moved to Utah, supposedly because they could have a larger factory for less money. Apparently RRS is also in the firearms accessories business: here is a link to a sniper website that addresses the move: http://forum.snipershide.com/threads/really-right-stuff-moving.6872487/. I think I need to take a shower after reading the comments on that site.
-
RRS recently moved to Utah, supposedly because they could have a larger factory for less money. Apparently RRS is also in the firearms accessories business: here is a link to a sniper website that addresses the move: http://forum.snipershide.com/threads/really-right-stuff-moving.6872487/. I think I need to take a shower after reading the comments on that site.
And your point is?
Rand
-
And your point is?
Rand
I got the point
-
RRS recently moved to Utah, supposedly because they could have a larger factory for less money. Apparently RRS is also in the firearms accessories business: here is a link to a sniper website that addresses the move: http://forum.snipershide.com/threads/really-right-stuff-moving.6872487/.
All the more reason to buy RRS.
-
liking my Gitzos....(although love the RRS mounting plates).
-
All the more reason to buy RRS.
All the more reason not to. If they aimed their gun-related stuff to hunters, OK. But a sniper is a person who kills people from a distance. So someone will use RRS gear to conduct a mass killing. Whoopie. RRS is off my list.
-
Top notch company, great workmanship. I don’t care a whit about the politics of the RRS owner. And RRS customer service over the years has been outstanding in my experience. Recently a gasket on one of the twist knobs came off. They shipped a replacement knob to Iceland free of cost.
-
I have three of the BH55 Ball heads, two sets of legs and various L pates.
These are the best ball heads. Had a Foba ball many years ago that was just as costly and it always jammed, particularly in the cold. Have seen other various top brands do the same along with many stories to the same effect.
My BH55's have never jammed and stay smooth. About 7 years ago I had one on a RRS pod fall off a cliff while hiking in Utah, (no camera attached), and when I retrieved it at the bottom it continued to function as new to this day as well as the pod itself. The finish is buffed but no change in its smooth action.
Like a fine vehicle, the pods in particular may need some maintenance such as cleaning the bushings and new lubrication to keep things smooth. They are often stuck into water, mud, sand, you name it.
Stories of problems with RRS products seem rare.
It is costly and thus not for every ones budget. But I spent as much on lesser pods in total before acquiring my first one so you can definitely argue it is a better long term purchase. A good pod is not like a smart phone or lap top that seems to need replacement and updating on a frequent basis.
-
OK I will chime in again: RRS is overpriced; overhyped; and seems to be worshiped by some (many) on obscure photo listservs. But really, a ballhead is a ballhead and most anyone can make even a lousy one work in one's favor...so long as it does not break in use!
I find the rrs owner's politics, at least as practiced in California, reprehensible - how can any person spend money to limit the rights of a group of people simply because of sexual orientation? What year is this?
And yes their ballhead came apart in my hands - almost ruining a 500mm Canon lens that I fortunately caught before it hit the ground. They were nice enough to acknowledge there was a problem with some of their heads when I pressed them via phone...they were not nice enough to apologize; offer to cover shipping expenses either way...or fix the problem sans charge - a problem they knew about but failed to alert their loyal customer base about...Remember it was their product that failed in normal use!
I never had a problem with a ballhead before my BH-55 experience...and given the owner of the company's politics, I refuse to buy RRS...Yes I vote with my feet and my money.
Really Right Stuff needs the negative feedback more than the good stuff...that way they can make a change for the better.
By the way, greetings from New Zealand...and my Gitzo carbon fiber tripod and Kirk (small) ballhead are doing great! I can go back to lighter tripods/heads with the new mirrorless cameras (Sony A9 and A7R4) and lighter long lenses as well.
Robert DeCandido MS PhD
NYC
-
I inherited a RRS ball head on a Gitzo Carbon Fibre tripod from a friend of mine. It’s a lovely head but to be honest I think I prefer using my Sirui. I like the look of the RRS but in use it’s just another ball head. I have Manfrotto, Gitzo, Kirk and Sirui ball heads. They all work and don’t give any trouble. They endure hard commercial work and travel and hiking. Can’t comment on RRS tripods, never used one. Currently I use Manfrotto, Gitzo, Sirui and Benro. My current favorite is the Benro which weirdly is very reasonably priced. Oh I also have a Rollei tripod and head.
Perhaps I should get rid of a few tripods now that I think about it.
-
All the more reason not to. If they aimed their gun-related stuff to hunters, OK. But a sniper is a person who kills people from a distance. So someone will use RRS gear to conduct a mass killing. Whoopie. RRS is off my list.
So, if say... you make knife sharpeners and your target customer is executive chefs in fancy restaurants, but they become popular with “slashers” and there are posts on the “Slashers.com” web site touting how good these knife sharpeners are.... well, you “should” get the point, but I’ll bet money you don’t.
Rand
-
So, if say... you make knife sharpeners and your target customer is executive chefs in fancy restaurants, but they become popular with “slashers” and there are posts on the “Slashers.com” web site touting how good these knife sharpeners are.... well, you “should” get the point, but I’ll bet money you don’t.
Rand
One is real and one is fantasy. I am SO sick of the perverted obsession with guns. I will be less likely to buy from RRS in the future.
-
Peter,
Thank you for the timely topic, as I'm also considering a new tripod purchase and have narrowed it down to RSS and Robus Supports. I'm leaning toward Robus RC-5570 Vantage Series 3 at this point as the specs are pretty much identical as the RSS version, but several $$$ less expensive and they get outstanding reviews. The down side is they do not have any heads, so I'll have to purchase a ball head from another vendor. I'm looking at RSS and Kirkphoto which is also American made and again, great reviews and $$$ less expensive. They have L brackets that allow access to battery and remote release compartments as well. I'd just love to get my hands on it before I purchase.
My hang up is I'm so used to a center column and am in quandary about the need for a center column or not. I understand the pros and cons or having or not having one, and if I've got a 70" set of legs, is there really a need for it. I've been using a center column since 1985, so the thought of having to move the legs for an inch or so adjustment frankly scares me. But hey, sometimes you just have to jump in and believe in what your doing.
Kevin
-
So, if say... you make knife sharpeners and your target customer is executive chefs in fancy restaurants, but they become popular with “slashers” and there are posts on the “Slashers.com” web site touting how good these knife sharpeners are.... well, you “should” get the point, but I’ll bet money you don’t.
Actually, the correct comparison is if you made knives for chefs and found that "slashers" had an interest in them and then went about providing specially designed knives that would appeal to "slashers" but not be useful for chefs. RRS makes chassis specific rifle mounts which would not apply to the type of "shooting" that photographers do: https://soar.reallyrightstuff.com/soar-plates/chassis-specific
That said, I own a number of RRS L-plates, a couple of ball heads and have never had any problems with them. In spite of their politics I plan to continue buying from them. Now if they started making products that specifically targeted school shooters looking to maximize their number of kills...
On the other hand, I will never do business with Hobby Lobby or Chick-Fil-A.
-
So, if say... you make knife sharpeners and your target customer is executive chefs in fancy restaurants, but they become popular with “slashers” and there are posts on the “Slashers.com” web site touting how good these knife sharpeners are.... well, you “should” get the point, but I’ll bet money you don’t.
Rand
It's a non-point. No one has ever committed mass murder with a knife.
-
If I see one more irrelevant political post in this thread, I will shut it down. Discuss RRS's politics, if you really must, in the Coffee Corner.
Jeremy
-
The Gitzo systematic 5 series tripods are the best, IMO. I wouldn't use anything else. Really Right Stuff, at times, seems like they're out of business. Their products go out of stock for 6 months at a time sometimes. It's very strange. With Gitzo, you have a complete system that is always available.
I have an RRS BH55 that is 11 or 12 (or 13?) years old, and it still works the same as it did the very first day I received it. I can't imagine it "breaking." However, it is JUST a ball head. It's nothing special.
I tend to use my Manfrotto 229 pan/tilt head nowadays, but the best ball heads in the world are the FLM ball heads. I have the 48 and 58 variety, with Kirk clamps permanently attached with red Loctite on big 3/8 inch studs. If you've never used an FLM ball head, you need to try one before you even consider a BH55.
The FLM 48 is much smaller than the BH55, including the ball, but if you just turn the lock knob a few turns to the right, you can tell the FLM is many many times stronger than the BH55. You also have smoother control with the FLM, where the BH55 is "sticky" instead of smooth.
The FLM 58 is in another dimension. But even the best ball head in the world is still just a ball head. I now prefer pan/tilt heads and am looking towards a geared head.
If you were just asking about tripod legs, I apologize for my rant about ball heads. Good luck!
-
It's a non-point. No one has ever committed mass murder with a knife.
Don’t want to get this thread closed for stupidity, but you are “history deficient” even recent history deficient. Ever hear of the Rwanda genocide? Besides which, the logic of this response is seriously flawed.
Sorry J., I just could not let this affront to simple logic stand, as is. I promise to not even look at this thread further or respond. Don’t nuke the thread on my account.
Rand
-
Sorry J., I just could not let this affront to simple logic stand, as is. I promise to not even look at this thread further or respond. Don’t nuke the thread on my account.
I'll allow it; but no replies in this thread.
Jeremy
-
[inflammatory post deleted and thread locked by moderator]