Experience /w RRS tripods

framer

My RRS 34L just showed up. I let my lunch get cold while I open and played with it. Now to try it with the new D810 and my old 400 AFS II lens. So much for working the rest of the week.

framer

Golf007sd

For those of you that have wanted to get some spikes or rock claws for you RRS tripods or monopod, but felt that the price that RRS charges for all three to be a bit unreasonable, then perhaps theses might be just for you.

Versa Foot Spikes
Versa Rock Claw

Photobug

@Golf those are nice spikes and clams. Never have used spikes before due to the cost. Did use a friends tripod with claws once on rocks and I was impressed with their grip on the rock. Thanks for sharing these cost effective accessories.

Killerbob

I have the rock claws, and I would not want to be without here in Greenland! They are absolutely necessary with all the rocks, ice, and tundra we have here. They are easy to put on and off, and the only thing I would say is that ice has a tendency to get stuck in them, but it is just as easy to get rid of again.

Golf007sd

It goes without saying that I love all my RRS gear, specially my TVC-23 tripod. However, last week while shooting some sunset images, I came across another fellow photographer, and lo-and-behold, he had the RRS TP-243. Needless to say, he and I hit it right off and I had the pleasure of test driving his tripod. So you know what that means...right? I should have possession of my new mini-me tripod on the 14th.

Photobug

So now you have two problems: Nikon Acquisition Syndrome and RRS Acquisition Syndrome.

WestEndBoy

They RRS claws are well worth it and are the "standard footwear" for my tripod. I also have the spikes but have not had a calling for them yet.

Golf007sd

So know you have two problems: Nikon Acquisition Syndrome and RRS Acquisition Syndrome.

Guilty as charged. I always have my eye on eBay for good deals on Nikon lenses & RRS goodies.

Truth be told, I have always wanted to get the TP-243. Their have been numerous times where my TVC-23 has provided to be a challenge for those very low-level shots due to the area where I was trying to setup. I just never had the opportunity to get my hands on one. But that all came to an end last week within 2 minutes of mounting my D4 on it. The only thing left is to find a good deal on a TA-U-LC: Universal Leveling Base with Clamp to mount on top of it. Take way I, can mount anything on it... BH-40 or 55/w pano, macro focusing rail, my future purchase of VG-02...etc..etc. Again, RRS modularity shines.

They RRS claws are well worth it and are the "standard footwear" for my tripod. I also have the spikes but have not had a calling for them yet.

+1 I'm on the same boat. I think the spikes will do their job should I ever find myself in very strong, windy conditions where the surface is icy or the like. The odds of that happening here in SD almost zero.

Photobug

@Golf007sd: last week I started running different searches on eBay on RRS accessories. Your repeated references to good buys got me looking. (grin)

I got to see a TP-243 at a photo workshop in the Smoky Mountains in April of 2013. He had his camera so low to the ground shooting flowers on a hill side . We had one person with his camera mounted upside down on the extension, others like me with their tripod lowered as far as they would go and a few with those tripods pivot over 90 degrees to the side to get lower. It was comical.

+1 on your comment about RRS modular shines.

Golf007sd

@Photobug: I'm specially looking forward in trying the macro-rail on the TP-243

Hval

Golf007sd,

You are at it again. You keep showing me equipment that I want. Aaaargh. I have been looking for a small tripod for use in RSPB (Royal Society for Protection of Birds) hides. For those that don't know, the RSPB have a large number of reservesin the UK.
Now I am back at work full time I don't have the free time I had the past couple of months for photography. Is one reason I haven't posted anything recently.

scoobysmak

I confess I looked up the TP-243 but didn't see the specs on RRS website. Most of all the other tripods I see there have max height, min height, weight, size when folded, weight it can support and probably a few other things. I could google it but since we were talking about it, figured it might help others before they do the search on the RRS website that I did. Of course once I was there, I got sucked in for about 20 min before I came back to reality, lol.

Golf007sd

I confess I looked up the TP-243 but didn't see the specs on RRS website. Most of all the other tripods I see there have max height, min height, weight, size when folded, weight it can support and probably a few other things......

The best way to get all the spec on RRS products is to download their on-line catalog. Here is the specs of the TP-243:

Minimum height: 1.9” (48mm).
Max height: 16.9" (43cm)
Rated load capacity: 50lbs (23kg) (but it can handle much more than that)
Folded Length: 12.4" (31.5cm)
Weight: 2.6lb (1.2kg)

Photobug

@Photobug: I'm specially looking forward in trying the macro-rail on the TP-243

That would make a nice combination. I can just image you on your chest/belly working with your camera and macro lens. )

Photobug

For those considering buying a RSS tripod, ball head, macro tool, or other equipment, they have a number of videos that provides an excellent overview of their product. Here is the direct link to the videos:

Really Right Stuff Video Gallery

Photobug

Thanks Golf for the fix.

Photobug

This forum started back in June and after reading every message....now I have a problem...RRS Acquisition Fever. Who's to blame....too many to name! :-))

I got the new RRS catalog last month and finally picked it up a few nights ago and read it in 3 evenings before going to bed. Spent time online last night looking at ball heads. It sure looks like my Markins Q-20 Ball Head is headed toward eBay and a RRS BH-55 LR (lever release) is going to wind up on my Gitzo tripod.

WestEndBoy

If you buy the BH-55 you will be tempted to conclude that you are holding the finest engineering created by man.

Perhaps I exaggerate, a little...........

Golf007sd

The BH-55 is fantastic. Now having said that...forget about getting it with the LR...get the BH-55 PC-LR. This way you will be setup for pano's as well.

As for me, here is my latest setup. This is the TP-243 /w the TA-U-LC: Universal Leveling Base /w Clamp and given that I have place the Round Dovetail Plate on BH-55 PC-LR, I can easily mount it on and off my TPC-23 as easy as pie. This setup, allows me to just have one ballhead, regardless of which tripod I want to use. Moreover, I can mount any bodies right on then Leveling base...or any kind of ARCA-Swiss device. This configuration has come in handy many times on our gatherings; where other photographer care to try out RRS equipment...(a.k.a Adamz, Admin, just to name a few...for some reason these guys never bring their tripods...hmm I wonder why that is :P)

Msmoto

It must be time for my Induro commercial isn't it? )

Photobug

@Msmoto: Will the Induro tripod go this low? The TP-243 sits right above the ground. Agree it's a low cost option to RRS to bad it doesn't have the flexibility and modular systems that RRS has.

The BH-55 is fantastic. Now having said that...forget about getting it with the LR...get the BH-55 PC-LR. This way you will be setup for pano's as well.

Golf I did look at the BH-55 PC-LR. Agree it's the only way to go for pano shots.

Great pictures of your new TP-243 & the BH-55 PC-LR. You know what they say...pictures are worth a thousand words. It's so impressive how close that tripod gets to the ground.

The TH-DVTL-55 head plates on the bottom of a tripod head and a Pano-Gimbal head sure makes it easy to swap heads. You got to love the RRS modular system approach.

I really like the pictures, for those who don't know much about RRS tripods and their system, these pictures should help them a lot.

EiTaro

Dear Golf007sd I don't get the benefit of having BH-55 PC-LR instead of BH-55 LR. A have the latter and I'm able to take pano shots by rotaning the whole head by the engraved pan base. What is the added value of PC-LR?

Golf007sd

@EiTaro: The advantage of having PC-LR is having perfect leveling base and the speed in taking each shot once you have found your No-Parallax Points. By rotating the ballhead itself, their is a high probability having parallax, thus requiring lots of cropping more of your shot at the end, which yields reducing your overall image size and resolution. Your software will also have hard time stitching your shots if at all.

Sidebar: When taking panorama shots, it is always best to shot by having your camera mounted on your ballhead vertically (portrait mode). This allows for the maximum amount of hight and resolution during the final stitching process in post. This also require more shots to be taken than when in landscape mode. For each shot I would recommend about a 35=40% overlap of each shot. This is where the PC-LR shines. You loosen the detected nob and click, click, click and click. Their are many times, that speed is key factor in getting everything just right...specially if their is cloud formations and changing light you are trying to capture. Here are a few quick videos that illustrate my points.

Lastly, have a look at page 5 where I provided my finding in my setup.

EiTaro

@Golf007sd I understand what you mean. Probably these are not issues for me because I usually shoot panoramas of landscapes (practically at infinity) with the 70-200 on portait mode. The fact that I attach the lens and not the camera on the ballhead as well the distance of the subject eliminates the possibities for parallax. I have calculated the degrees of ballhead rotation for each focal lenght and stiching is rarely an issue.

Golf007sd

@EiTaro: Then you are good to go...cheers