3 legged thing modular tripod

I've seen that 3LT have got a Kickstarter campaign for a modular tripod where you can replace the legs and canopy to create a larger sturdier or smaller travel style tripod https://3leggedthing.com/en-uk/blog...Zomvwn6v_pDG7eqsH2WDStOHz8CpIwtE5HjkgX_-BkToi

My initial thoughts are; I can't quite see the overall benefits compared to owning two separate tripods - possibly because I tend to buy mine pre owned.

However I would be interested in seeing what the wider TP community thinks. Is this an innovative idea which will catch on or the solution to a problem that doesn't really exist ?

taxboy said:

I've seen that 3LT have got a Kickstarter campaign for a modular tripod where you can replace the legs and canopy to create a larger sturdier or smaller travel style tripod https://3leggedthing.com/en-uk/blog...Zomvwn6v_pDG7eqsH2WDStOHz8CpIwtE5HjkgX_-BkToi

My initial thoughts are; I can't quite see the overall benefits compared to owning two separate tripods - possibly because I tend to buy mine pre owned.

However I would be interested in seeing what the wider TP community thinks. Is this an innovative idea which will catch on or the solution to a problem that doesn't really exist ?

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Novoflex have been making modular tripods for as long as I can remember, with multiple leg sizes, lengths and weights.

I always thought it was a good idea, as it allowed you to do things like carry a single leg extension, to make one leg super long for an uneven site, or to turn it into a monopod,

Or take the "spider" of a larger tripod and put the table top legs onto it, meaning again for very little extra weight you can have a table top tripod. Or if you are using walking poles, you can carry a single leg, and use the walking poles as your other two legs. It's an extensive system, and can take a bit of effort to get your head around it.

I can see the benefits to having a modular system, but going off their kickstarter prices I am struggling to see where the value lies financially. The additional legsets alone are almost the same price as just buying a decent second tripod and ballheads are easily transferrable and generally speaking a universal fit. The other issue I have with the 3lt sets is that the tallest one they are doing only goes up to 154cm tall, which for us tall folk just isn't enough and probably needs to be more around 165-170cm. On the whole I like the idea but I feel like they have missed the mark to an extent with what they have done

Potentially like the look of the 55mm orbit head, as it looks a bit better than the (Neewer) LT32 head, but it feels to me a modular top is going to compromise the travel tripod with the weight of the bulky tripod, half an odds on you've got the wrong bits in the car if you just pick the tripod up.
Maybe for travelling abroad it avoids having to pack two tripods, but at least for UK work I know just throw the beast in the boot its complete, or the travel tripod in the bag (it's complete), you know you've got what you need when you get there.

Jonnybrad2001 said:

Maybe for travelling abroad it avoids having to pack two tripods, but at least for UK work I know just throw the beast in the boot its complete, or the travel tripod in the bag (it's complete), you know you've got what you need when you get there.

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I have the same - a tripod for travel / walking that always has a QR head in the head and its ready to just be put in a suitcase or on my back.

And then there's a heavier one that gets flung in the boot or carried with lighting stuff,

One thing that I don't like about most tripods is that geared columns seem to be treated as something bad in the phot world -something you're likely to see on a cheap tripod. The only time I usually need or care about a centre column is when I need to adjust for height which usually means increments to get it right - even just a knob that allowed +/- a few cm once the column has been initially set.