3 legged thing

Asha

Asha

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Asha
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Has anyone tried one of these tripods?

https://www.3leggedthing.com/

I am presently searching ways of reducing the amount of weight that I have to carry to shoot 5x4 large format ( film) photography.

I've already got sorted with a lighter camera outfit however my present tripod with 3 way head weighs in at 2.6kg.

Going by what I've seen on utube etc ithis 3 legged thing appears to be a smart piece of kit.

My concern comes with the ball head ( I've never been keen on them), in particular using a 5x4 outfit on it.

I'm aware of the 30kg payload listed in the specs but what about the head….is that figure relative to the complete tripod or just the legs, leaving the head to be the weak part of the system?

Any feedback from anyone who has had a play with one of these would be appreciated.
 
Asha said:
Has anyone tried one of these tripods?

https://www.3leggedthing.com/

I am presently searching ways of reducing the amount of weight that I have to carry to shoot 5x4 large format ( film) photography.

I've already got sorted with a lighter camera outfit however my present tripod with 3 way head weighs in at 2.6kg.

Going by what I've seen on utube etc ithis 3 legged thing appears to be a smart piece of kit.

My concern comes with the ball head ( I've never been keen on them), in particular using a 5x4 outfit on it.

I'm aware of the 30kg payload listed in the specs but what about the head….is that figure relative to the complete tripod or just the legs, leaving the head to be the weak part of the system?

Any feedback from anyone who has had a play with one of these would be appreciated.
Click to expand...
:eek::rolleyes:
 
Asha said:
Has anyone tried one of these tripods?

https://www.3leggedthing.com/

I am presently searching ways of reducing the amount of weight that I have to carry to shoot 5x4 large format ( film) photography.

I've already got sorted with a lighter camera outfit however my present tripod with 3 way head weighs in at 2.6kg.

Going by what I've seen on utube etc ithis 3 legged thing appears to be a smart piece of kit.

My concern comes with the ball head ( I've never been keen on them), in particular using a 5x4 outfit on it.

I'm aware of the 30kg payload listed in the specs but what about the head….is that figure relative to the complete tripod or just the legs, leaving the head to be the weak part of the system?

Any feedback from anyone who has had a play with one of these would be appreciated.
Click to expand...
Had a look at 3leggedthing whilst at the NEC in March. They have a range of tripod models, which model were you thinking of?
 
rob-nikon said:
Had a look at 3leggedthing whilst at the NEC in March. They have a range of tripod models, which model were you thinking of?
Click to expand...

It was the "Leo" that I'd come across and saw reviews for.

I've just looked at the other models and the 'Winston" is listed as the stturdiest as well as having a max heigh approx 20cm more than the Leo although I'm only short anyway and I could get away with a 130cm max height.

As already mentioned it's the strength / support that the head offers more than anything and the practicality of a ball head witha LF outfit.
I've posted a link to the guys in F&C who shoot LF for their opinions.

Unfortuanetly I am now struggling to carry much weight thus attempting to lessen the burden on my back whislt still shooting the format that I enjoy.
 
Yup. I've used one. A "Brian". It's sat in the bottom of my wardrobe. Do you want it?
Lots of hype. Lots of ££££. Quite a lot of a let down. I heard somewhere it was a direct knock off of another tripod, but can't remember which, or who told me.
Looks very good, and in principle it should be. But there are just lots of little niggles that make it PIA to use.
Legs folding back should be good for reducing size, but mechanism is a bit hit and miss and legs go where they like.
Head had it's own mind about when and where it would lock; took it off eventually.
The carbon fibre bonding on the legs came apart on a shoot by the canal in Manchester. Lucky it didn't tip everything into the drink.
Head came unscrewed walking back to the car after a day in Yorkehire Dales - not long after I'd removed the camera.
Padded carry bag came apart after less than an hour carrying it up a Laklenad fellside.
Getting it up should be simple, but seems to take a lot of fiddling around.
Screw locks on legs always seem to want to go "the other way", and they take a lot of tightening.

No idea where you are based but you can borrow this of mine for a play, but I'm in NW England.

The reality doesn't live up to the hype. I am extremely disappointed with mine, as I said earlier..... "Do you want it?"
 
mickledore said:
Yup. I've used one. A "Brian". It's sat in the bottom of my wardrobe. Do you want it?
Lots of hype. Lots of ££££. Quite a lot of a let down. I heard somewhere it was a direct knock off of another tripod, but can't remember which, or who told me.
Looks very good, and in principle it should be. But there are just lots of little niggles that make it PIA to use.
Legs folding back should be good for reducing size, but mechanism is a bit hit and miss and legs go where they like.
Head had it's own mind about when and where it would lock; took it off eventually.
The carbon fibre bonding on the legs came apart on a shoot by the canal in Manchester. Lucky it didn't tip everything into the drink.
Head came unscrewed walking back to the car after a day in Yorkehire Dales - not long after I'd removed the camera.
Padded carry bag came apart after less than an hour carrying it up a Laklenad fellside.
Getting it up should be simple, but seems to take a lot of fiddling around.
Screw locks on legs always seem to want to go "the other way", and they take a lot of tightening.

No idea where you are based but you can borrow this of mine for a play, but I'm in NW England.

The reality doesn't live up to the hype. I am extremely disappointed with mine, as I said earlier..... "Do you want it?"
Click to expand...


Mmmm well that just about says it all really doesn't it?!!

If I lived in the Uk then I would take you up on the kind offer to loan it out simply to have a play and make up my own mind ( not that i disbeiieve anything that you've mentioned about your experiences with it!)
As it is I live overseas so paying out for return postage is pretty futile tbh.

This is the beauty of TP in that we can receive straight, no b*lls**t feedback about products and / or services….Many thanks for that. Certainly food for thought!
 
mickledore said:
Yup. I've used one. A "Brian". It's sat in the bottom of my wardrobe. Do you want it?
Lots of hype. Lots of ££££. Quite a lot of a let down. I heard somewhere it was a direct knock off of another tripod, but can't remember which, or who told me.
Looks very good, and in principle it should be. But there are just lots of little niggles that make it PIA to use.
Legs folding back should be good for reducing size, but mechanism is a bit hit and miss and legs go where they like.
Head had it's own mind about when and where it would lock; took it off eventually.
The carbon fibre bonding on the legs came apart on a shoot by the canal in Manchester. Lucky it didn't tip everything into the drink.
Head came unscrewed walking back to the car after a day in Yorkehire Dales - not long after I'd removed the camera.
Padded carry bag came apart after less than an hour carrying it up a Laklenad fellside.
Getting it up should be simple, but seems to take a lot of fiddling around.
Screw locks on legs always seem to want to go "the other way", and they take a lot of tightening.

No idea where you are based but you can borrow this of mine for a play, but I'm in NW England.

The reality doesn't live up to the hype. I am extremely disappointed with mine, as I said earlier..... "Do you want it?"
Click to expand...
I was looking for (and still am) a lightweight tripod option to my tripod and head combo that weighs in at 3kg. The ‘Brian’ was one I was considering but that doesn’t sound good. Surely you should be able to return it with carbon fibre bonding problem you have had.
 
Every credit to the company. When the carbon fibre bonding failed I rang them up and they sent replacement out FOC. But I got the impression that I wasn't the first to have the problem. Quality control or cost cutting issues? Doesn't really matter; for the price asked it shouldn't happen.

I can't remember if I bought mine while I still had the 5D3 set up or if I only bought it once I'd gone to Fuji. But I was never totally happy using if with the Fuji. I wasn't convinced it was reliable with the lighter weight and watched it very closely. Maybe I'm paranoid but a full frame DSLR and decent zoom type lens (24-105?) wouldn't be what I would feel comfortable using with it.
 
mickledore said:
The reality doesn't live up to the hype.
Click to expand...

This was pretty much my experience too. I had one of the punk ones. Rubber split, leg screws fell out, floppy legs that just got in the way. Have also had a student who brought one for my course and it *literally* fell apart in front of us the first time she tried to use it. Legs came out and everything. She got her money back obviously.

It *was* light as a feather though. I guess they can't lie about the weight :)

I did buy an Airhed 360 as a ball head which I used on my Manfrotto legs and used it to hold the X-T2 and 16-55 for landscape work. It was fine until I wanted to go severely off centre and then it would always drop a mm or two after tightening which wasn't too bad with the landscape stuff but was a huge PITA with the 100mm Samyang macro + X-T2. So glad to get rid of it.

Good news is that I almost made my money back on eBay when I sold it all!

(Edit to add I now have an Arca Swiss head (2nd hand from on here) on FLM legs and it takes my 6x17 as well as the RB67 at most angles without moving. And both of those are heavy cameras. Unfortunately, light it 'aint...)
 
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mickledore said:
Every credit to the company. When the carbon fibre bonding failed I rang them up and they sent replacement out FOC. But I got the impression that I wasn't the first to have the problem. Quality control or cost cutting issues? Doesn't really matter; for the price asked it shouldn't happen.

I can't remember if I bought mine while I still had the 5D3 set up or if I only bought it once I'd gone to Fuji. But I was never totally happy using if with the Fuji. I wasn't convinced it was reliable with the lighter weight and watched it very closely. Maybe I'm paranoid but a full frame DSLR and decent zoom type lens (24-105?) wouldn't be what I would feel comfortable using with it.
Click to expand...
It definitely shouldn’t happen for the price they are asking. Interesting you say about a camera size. I’m going to be using a Nikon D810 with either a 24-120 f4 or 70-200 f4 so that’s a concern especially with these lightweight traveller tripods. I have a benro traveller that’s ok but feels too light for my setup.


mickledore said:
@rob-nikon the offer of a loan still stands. I am unlikely ever to use it again.
Click to expand...
That’s a very kind offer, unfortately I’m down in the south (weirdly a couple of miles from where 3 legged thing are based). Usually I’m just passing through on the way to the lakes.
 
Harlequin565 said:
This was pretty much my experience too. I had one of the punk ones. Rubber split, leg screws fell out, floppy legs that just got in the way. Have also had a student who brought one for my course and it *literally* fell apart in front of us the first time she tried to use it. Legs came out and everything. She got her money back obviously.

It *was* light as a feather though. I guess they can't lie about the weight :)

I did buy an Airhed 360 as a ball head which I used on my Manfrotto legs and used it to hold the X-T2 and 16-55 for landscape work. It was fine until I wanted to go severely off centre and then it would always drop a mm or two after tightening which wasn't too bad with the landscape stuff but was a huge PITA with the 100mm Samyang macro + X-T2. So glad to get rid of it.

Good news is that I almost made my money back on eBay when I sold it all!

(Edit to add I now have an Arca Swiss head (2nd hand from on here) on FLM legs and it takes my 6x17 as well as the RB67 at most angles without moving. And both of those are heavy cameras. Unfortunately, light it 'aint...)
Click to expand...
Thanks Ian. Glad I'm not alone:hug:
 
Asha, I don't know if you can still find one But the featherweight Triopo RS 3 will hold most cameras/lenses. They are out of print now but my (early) one will hold pretty much anything at up to 6/7 kilos and 800mm focal length. And yes it did make that Gitzo look a bit bendy - note the deliberately out of balance setup. You will want to add a QR clamp though - a bit of DIY required.

If you want decent stability in a light tripod then have a look at the Feisol Tournament models - three leg section one is better. They are very light but do offer a fairly small folded length and are very light.
https://www.feisol.eu/product-category/shop/tripods/rapid-carbon-tripods/tournament-tripods/?lang=en

I prefer bigger tripods - but they are heavier/bulkier, it all down to your personal needs.

Just food for thought?
 

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johnf3f said:
Asha, I don't know if you can still find one But the featherweight Triopo RS 3 will hold most cameras/lenses. They are out of print now but my (early) one will hold pretty much anything at up to 6/7 kilos and 800mm focal length. And yes it did make that Gitzo look a bit bendy - note the deliberately out of balance setup. You will want to add a QR clamp though - a bit of DIY required.

If you want decent stability in a light tripod then have a look at the Feisol Tournament models - three leg section one is better. They are very light but do offer a fairly small folded length and are very light.
https://www.feisol.eu/product-category/shop/tripods/rapid-carbon-tripods/tournament-tripods/?lang=en

I prefer bigger tripods - but they are heavier/bulkier, it all down to your personal needs.

Just food for thought?
Click to expand...


I'll study those makes in more detail during the w/e;)

Thanks for the info(y) ….Tbh I've never heard of Feisol but hey i lead a sheltered life!:D
 
I have the Leo and its fine very stable well made and packs up nice n small for hiking
 
Asha said:
I'll study those makes in more detail during the w/e;)

Thanks for the info(y) ….Tbh I've never heard of Feisol but hey i lead a sheltered life!:D
Click to expand...

Two friends of mine have the Feisol Tournament tripods, one is a 3 leg section and the other the 4 section..I am not saying that they are the greatest thing since sliced bread - but they are very rigid for their weight. My Gitzo 1550T is a little heavier but less rigid + it doesn't damp down vibration quite as well. The Feisol Tournament tripods are a sort of mini "Systematic" tripod this is what gives them better rigidity and lighter weight - but no center column. A little less convenient - but better overall in my experience.

Happy tripod hunting!
 
Hmm I have just had a read of this thread and am now unsure what to do especially with the comments from @mickledore :(
At present I have a Velbon Sherpa 250r which is at about its max usage spec wise for my D500 and 200-500 5.6
I had been recommended the Brian by 2 different friends but i am now questioning it.
which would leave me back at square 1 so to speak deciding on a tripod.
 
Ganton Gunner said:
Hmm I have just had a read of this thread and am now unsure what to do especially with the comments from @mickledore :(
At present I have a Velbon Sherpa 250r which is at about its max usage spec wise for my D500 and 200-500 5.6
I had been recommended the Brian by 2 different friends but i am now questioning it.
which would leave me back at square 1 so to speak deciding on a tripod.
Click to expand...

Well as you might have guessed I'm not best friends with mine. I accept that it may be me who is wrong. But it just doesn't suit my style and IMHO for a travel tripod which almost by definition should be quick and easy to use, I find it frustrating to use.

Mine is used, so not new, but isn't trashed or abused. If anyone is interested in buying it I'm ready to listen. The offer of a loan - providing your feedback is decent, and you pay postage - remains.
 
hi asha, I use a SIRUI T-2205X and find it great. punches well above its weight, really like it . mind you I also have a benbo1 and that is really stable-but it weighs a ton
 
I remember reading Frank's tales of woe with his Brian but I have to say I really like mine. But I know they have updated the range a lot in recent years so I don't know if my model is an identical model. It does seem that there have been QC issues in the past. But my Brian has taken a serious hammering and looks pretty good still. I do take it apart to clean from time to time as I would with any tripod. I liked my Brian enough to opt for a Winston earlier this year. Really enjoy using that and it too has had a lot of use and still works like new. Had a great service from 3LT when I lost a foot from it too. I probably sound like a 3LT ambassador here but I'm just surpirsed by the negativity here. I've used a few different brands in the past, Giottos, Manfrotto and Gitzo mainly and yet it's 3LT that I've settled with for now. Although Gitzo are clearly better, they just cost a lot!

All that said, I'd second what @Graham W mentioned. I occasionally use an MF camera on a ballhead and I find it pretty damn awkward. It's not ideal.
 
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mickledore said:
Well as you might have guessed I'm not best friends with mine. I accept that it may be me who is wrong. But it just doesn't suit my style and IMHO for a travel tripod which almost by definition should be quick and easy to use, I find it frustrating to use.

Mine is used, so not new, but isn't trashed or abused. If anyone is interested in buying it I'm ready to listen. The offer of a loan - providing your feedback is decent, and you pay postage - remains.
Click to expand...

I am not sure that my feedback would warrant the very kind offer of a loan so I would be interested in a possible purchase.
 
@Ganton Gunner
Well there are some photos here.
Its used but not trashed. Cosmetic marks from use. The original head is **** so that's gone.
Has a removable centre column and at present this has been removed. Central spigot is reversible to remove need for adaptors on your head.
One slight scratch on one section of a leg, and some marks on hinge/locking section on top of legs, probably from putting down on rough ground.
Major problem is the handle on the bag. It's poor design/manufacture. Didn't survive a low level walk up a Lakeland fell. Bag and shoulder strap are OK.

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/gallery/albums/3lt.2747/

Have to deal formally in classified section. New price seems to be around £250. Will accept half that, posted.

Your call.
 
mickledore said:
@Ganton Gunner
Well there are some photos here.
Its used but not trashed. Cosmetic marks from use. The original head is **** so that's gone.
Has a removable centre column and at present this has been removed. Central spigot is reversible to remove need for adaptors on your head.
One slight scratch on one section of a leg, and some marks on hinge/locking section on top of legs, probably from putting down on rough ground.
Major problem is the handle on the bag. It's poor design/manufacture. Didn't survive a low level walk up a Lakeland fell. Bag and shoulder strap are OK.

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/gallery/albums/3lt.2747/

Have to deal formally in classified section. New price seems to be around £250. Will accept half that, posted.

Your call.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the offer but I will pass as by the time I buy another head etc it will boost the price up too much that I may as well buy a new one.
Again thank you for the offer and taking the time to respond.
 
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