RRS tripod question

Marsha,

I have the RRS TVC-24L Versa Series 2 Tripod, which has four section legs. This may be more height that you think you need but I have found that having that extra height is a life saver at times and allows you much more flexibility when setting up on highly uneven surfaces. If you lock and unlock the legs as the RRS people suggest the process of setting up/tearing down the tripod is very quick. My previous tripod had some very nice clamps on it but were slow and cumbersome to operate compared to how well the RRS system works.

The small section of the TVC-24L is larger than the bottom section of the Manfrotto three section carbon fiber tripod that I no longer have. I can assure you that, at least with the TVC-24L, when you set up the tripod with all legs extended to maximum it is rock solid. If you need more stability for some reason all you need to do is hang your camera bag/back pack off the hook under the tripod base and then nothing moves.

To the best of my knowledge all of the Versa Pods come with a solid hook under the top of the base plate - mine certainly did. The weight difference between the three section and the four section is minimal and the four section TVC-24L will close down I believe to at least as small as the three section unit you are looking at.

I did a lot of needless worrying about going with a four section tripod and now I would never go back. The TVC-24L may be just a bit bigger than you would like to go (the cost differences are not all that great) but I think you may find that having that extra reach will really prove useful in the long run. The TVC-24L also folds down quite small and it is easy as all get out to carry around all day long.

Don't know if this will help or hinder your decision making process but I would not cut too many corners on a good tripod, especially if you plan on using it a lot, and getting one that may be a bit bigger than you think you need could turn out to surprise you - you will gain extra weight capacity, more stability and the option of being a lot more flexible in use when out in the field. Best of luck on your decision Marsha, the RRS products are excellent and will serve you well.

Frank

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Dodging and burning are steps to take care of mistakes God made in establishing tonal relationships. ~ Ansel Adams