Experience /w RRS tripods

WestEndBoy

Good for you Golf. I have fooled around with mine a little bit but have not had a chance to devote a lot of time to it yet. It is going to get a lot more use when I start fooling around with focus stacking.

Photobug

@WestEndBoy & Photobug: Ok amigos...I was finally able to find a good deal on the B150-B: Macro focusing rail. The days of hunting for that right focus has come to and end. Weeeeeeeeee

Congrats. Wait until you start using it and you will wonder how you got along without it.

Symphotic

I just received the 2014.Issue.1 catalog in the mail today. More and more nice stuff.

Msmoto

I received my RRS catalog and now have gone out to purchase lottery tickets…..LOL

The equipment is most likely the very best and can be possibly equaled by others, but hardly exceeded in functionality and quality. Maybe when i sell some stuff i can go for a few more RRS toys…. used, huh?

Golf007sd

I will be the first to say that: their are other good quality manufactures out their; yet none have the diversity of gear and how they each build and work with one-another. That is what separates RRS from the pack. IMHO.

And for the record, you do not need to win the lotto to get any of their gear. One can get a lot of their goods for the price of a used FX body or a nice pro-lens. Moreover, I personally, have found some reasonable deals on eBay over the past few months...if you have the patients and know what you are looking for.

In the end: to each his own. But, if an end user is going to invest $3500-$4000 (or more) on their photography equipment, then, I highly recommend they educate themselves on what to mount all that lovely gear on.

haroldp

As an example of what Golf007sd is saying, the RRS Gimbal Head includes the horizontal and Vertical supports of heir full panoramic head, about 3/4 of the cost. Add a clamp and Nodal slide and you have it all. It is also the most flexible, adjustable, and smoothest gimbal head you can buy.

.... H

Symphotic

I have had nothing but satisfaction from the use of my RRS gear, and have converted my Manfrotto to work together with RRS. It is brilliant the way it all goes together: I'm always interchanging bits from one head or one tripod to another. Also the phone support is superb. And the little tool kit they sell is perfect for a lot of other uses as well.

Maybe Msmoto and I can go in on some tickets together! I'm aching for the gimbal head.

Golf007sd

@Symphotic: I know how you feel about a gimbal head. I'm waiting for their VG-O2 to come out and then I'm all over it. I will surly need it when I get my 300 2.8...to some extent. If not the gimble head then I just might go with the FH-350.

Symphotic

.... Add a clamp and Nodal slide and you have it all. It is also the most flexible, adjustable, and smoothest gimbal head you can buy.

.... H

@haroldp: Hmm, tempting. I have a couple of clamps around here and I can probably use my focusing rail for a nodal slide. So all I really need is the base and arm, use one of my existing clamps (without the full gimbal) and if I want panoramas I can use the focusing rail? That seems to come out to "only" $590 compared to $698 plus the cost of a nodal rail. Am I missing anything?

@Golf007sd: FH-350 ! Nice! You should buy one and post a review.

framer

Just order a TVC-33S yesterday but may call them back and see if I can change it to the TVC-33L. I have been round and round on what to get for over a month. So it looks like I'm getting close. I'll post the time frame receive my order when I get it.

framer

Symphotic

Last night I looked over my bits and pieces, and I have the right clamp for the gimbal arm: I only need to get three screws. I have a job in Canada next month could justify the gimbal head as I'll have to photograph an operation at a distance over water from the shore, so I think I'll give RRS a call today.

After getting used to the modularity of their systems and appreciating that they have more than one way to achieve the same end, they do become more economical. For example, I have a leveling base and a ball head. This can be used in the same way as a ball head and a pan clamp by leveling the base rather than the ball head and panning with the ball head rather than the clamp. A focusing rail doubles as a nodal slide, and careful repositioning of a nodal slide could serve as a focusing rail at much less cost. I never had such flexibility when I was using the other system.

UPDATE: I called RRS, and the three screws I need to put my current clamp onto the pano-gimbal arm are included with the arm. Nice touch.

framer

I switched today to the TVC-34L added the tool gadget, I bet that will look cool to the TSA next time I take it on the plane. I'm sure the extra cost of the L model is worth every penny.

For the record I almost got the TVC-24 but then thought it too light for my 400 2.8 + TC's with the King Cobra head. I loved the 18 inch folded length. I then looked at Gitzo and almost pull the trigger on a GT5562LST again because of the 19 inch folded length. Then I spotted RRS had a TVC-33S instock I call and ordered it. I found out an hour later that it had already been sold and I was in the queue for one. After sleeping on it I called at noon and upgraged it to the TVC-34L. It was only around 1 inch longer than the TVC-33S folded, 2 lbs lighter than the GT5562LTS, 10 inches taller than the GT5562LTS and should fit nice in my checked luggage. I sure it will be with me forever.

Now for Christmas, yes it's after the 4th of July, I'm asking Santa/wife for a leveling base.

framer

Golf007sd

@framer: You are right, it is going to be with you for a very, very, very long time.

Now with respect to the leveling base, will you be using the KC-1 as the only head on the TVC-34L?

scoobysmak

Well like everyone else has said, after owning a few RRS items I am not disappointed with my purchase but it might have hurt the wallet. I used Manfrotto for a while and then wanted to try the ARCA swiss plates that do not work with Manfrotto's quick release system. Manfrotto came out with an ACRA swiss style mount but I found that it didn't work with the RRS L-brackets I had purchased. Needless to say this was not an acceptable and have started to convert all my Manfrotto gear to RRS.

My Manfrotto gear is still good but slowly converting all of it to RRS since the RRS gear is more interchangeable. By the time I am done I will only have a Manfrotto tripod and monopod as backups.

haroldp

If you want to use a variety of arca style plates with RRS heads, I suggest that you get the RRS screw type clamps rather than the lever, since they have a wider range of adjustment. RRS lever clamps work perfectly with all RRS plates, which are very precise, and with most (but not all) non-RRS arca style plates.

.... H

Msmoto

Actually, when I sell a few things, like a second house, I might just purchase an RRS tripod, or monopod. The one piece I have the macro focusing rail is just a very nice quality piece of goods. And, the ARCA Swiss clamp on the RRS heads is the best I have seen, not duplicated by anyone I know of.

Hval

Well,

I couldn't wait any longer. Am getting a wee bit frustrated with CamRanger and said "bugger it". I have ordered a number of products from RRS. What a lovely bunch of people to deal with by email, and by telephone.

Told my wife what I had done. She nearly hit me with a frying pan. She said you need a new car and we need new double glazing yet you buy a lens and tripod stuff. Oh well. That Porsche will have to wait: sigh. Can't work out - BMW 3 series or Golf GTI. BMW 3 series looks the better bet. I intend to keep it for about ten years, same as car I have (a Honda).

Any way, enough of being side tracked. What did I buy?

TA-U-LB: Universal Leveling Base with Platform
LCF-10 for Nikon AF-S VR & VR-II 70-200mm f/2.8 - a couple of these
L97L: Multi-use fore-aft plate with flange
BH-55 PCLR: Full-sized ballhead with PC-LR clamp
BD800-L: L-Plate for D800/800E
B150-B: Macro focusing rail

I haven't bothered with an L plate for my D300 or D200 nor any other of my cameras. I gave my Panasonic M4/3 stuff to my eldest sister, and looks like I may give a niece my D200 and or D300 plus a few kit lenses/ DX lenses (but not my Nikon 18-200mm which I love, and funnily enough, my wife loves). When the D300 replacement comes out I shall buy that (a few months after release when the price drops dramatically in the UK). I did ask RRS for a D9300 L plate. They don't gave any. :-)

I did look at getting a RRS tripod. I thought that staying alive to be able to use what I bought was probably the better solution.

You have to remember that the UK customs charges 3.something% customs, 20% sales tax (VAT) and a vastly expensive delivery cost. As I really, really wanted my new toys I have asked for a fast pony to deliver it. The delay will be here where I have to wait for notice of having to pay customs duty and all the other stuff.

I look forward to using this equipment. In ten years time, if I fall in love with it, it may end up on display with my all time favourite piece of kit, a Wild T2 (upright image) - a tool that I have used globally, in deserts, mines, towns, tunnels, jungles, mountain tops etc. That is saying something about my expectations.

WestEndBoy

You are going to love it HVAL. You did the most important stuff first.

You should have bought a plane ticket to LA however and rented a car to San Luis Obispo. A very nice drive. Heck! Fly to San Francisco and drive south through Monterey and the Big Sure. You might have broken even on the duty and taxes. Well not quite perhaps.......

Hval

WestEndBoy,

I was tempted, sooooo tempted. My wife would definitely have killed me if I did that. Who would I have left all the gear to? You? Msmoto?

WestEndBoy

She would have got a fabulous trip out of it.

Hval

Nope, we would have spent too much time at 1 Infinite Loop with me explaining the design concept and engineering problems.

framer

Well,


Told my wife what I had done. She nearly hit me with a frying pan. She said you need a new car and we need new double glazing yet you buy a lens and tripod stuff. Oh well. That Porsche will have to wait: sigh. Can't work out - BMW 3 series or Golf GTI. BMW 3 series looks the better bet. I intend to keep it for about ten years, same as car I have (a Honda).

Love it :x I just spend two weekend building a custom new island in the kitchen because I told the wife I was buying that new D810. I failed to mention the TVC-33L I I have ordered. The kitchen is really looking nice over the last three years...

framer

Photobug

Well,

Love it :x I just spend two weekend building a custom new island in the kitchen because I told the wife I was buying that new D810. I failed to mention the TVC-33L I I have ordered. The kitchen is really looking nice over the last three years...
framer

This sounds like a great compromise. Good for you.

haroldp

RRS is the best and lasts forever. I have been using the RRS gimbal head with RRS long lens support on an RRS levelling base (on a Gitzo series 3 3 leg with baseplate) to support a 400/2.8 with tcc20 eIII .

Solidity and smoothness are impeccable, handling that monster lens was 1 finger easy, and results outstanding.

At current levels of pro equipment (since sensors got north of 10 mpx), I believe the factors affecting IQ in order of importance are now:

Camera Support
Lens Choice
Camera Body
- Sensor size probably matters the most, except when shooting moving subject like BIF where autofocus capability move to the fore.

(Skill in use is presumed because it is clearly more important than any other factor.)

These item become obsolete in the inverse order of their importance, and camera bodies / sensors get the most discussion time.

Support equipment costs the least, has the most impact, and lasts the longest, and we seem to begrudge it, which I do not understand.

The RRS gimbal head also doubles as 2/3 rds of their nodal panorama head which is nice.

Does anybody know if the l plates for the D800 will fit the 810 ?

Regards ... H

Golf007sd

@haroldp: I called RRS last week and they told me that their current L-Plates for the D800/D800e will fit the D810.