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Manfrotto and Gitzo team up with UNI to create a new international standard for tripod load capacity

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Load capacity on tripods (and monopods, heads, etc) has, until now, been a bit like guide numbers on speedlights. Numbers that seem to state the obvious, but are quite easy to fudge and make equipment appear more capable than it actually is when compared to its competitors. Manfrotto and Gitzo weren’t happy with this, so they’ve developed a new measuring protocol to offer full transparency to customers.

The reference practices for testing has been published by the UNI (recognised internationally by CEN and ISO). Manfrotto and Gitzo say they are both compliant with the testing procedures and have collaborated with the UNI and industry experts to create the new standard for testing payload across all photo and video products for the industry.

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Edelkrone’s re-engineered FlexTILT v3 tripod head comes with a new $99 price tag

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Edelkrone has launched the newest v3 iteration of its FlexTILT tripod head, the FlexTILT v3. I say tripod head, but it’s not limited to a tripod. You can stick it on a slider, a motion control head or even just set it straight down on a surface. The new version replaces the FlexTILT 2, released in 2016 – and made 3D Printable in 2019.

As a result of the apparent popularity of the FlexTILT v2, Edelkrone says the new v3 offers all the same features of the previous version but has been re-engineered to reduce the cost by quite a significant amount. They say it also offers more versatility for mounting the camera for vertical shots.

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Gitzo’s new Ball Head Series 4 can handle a payload of up to 30kg

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Sometimes, you need to stick a big heavy load on your tripod. Perhaps you’re out shooting sports or wildlife with that big 500mm f/4 lens, or maybe you just want to be really sure that it can handle pretty much anything you might ever want to throw on it. Well, Gitzo has responded to this need with their new Ball Head Series 4, capable of handling payloads up to a whopping 30kg.

Designed primarily to work with Gitzo’s Systematic Series 3, 4 and 5 tripods, and despite its hefty load capacity, Gitzo’s new heavy-duty ball head weighs in at just 0.9kg and takes a standard Arca Swiss compatible tripod plate. It offers friction control for precise movement and operates in extreme conditions as low as -30°C or as high as 70°C.

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Check out this smart tripod head that raised almost $2 million on Kickstarter

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Benro has launched Polaris, a quite remarkable tripod head. It’s electronic and smart, allowing you to shoot timelapse, track stars, focus stack, and much, much more. It seems so awesome that the backers have already pledged nearly $2 million, and the campaign isn’t even over yet. So, let’s see what’s so special about this revolutionary product.

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Sachtler’s new aktiv fluid video tripod head series is built for speed and easy setup

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Sachtler has announced its new “aktiv” series of fluid video heads. Designed to replace their popular FSB model heads, the aktiv line is focused on speed and easy operation. There are four models in the new lineup, which are the aktiv6, aktiv8, aktiv8T and the aktiv10. They all share the same design principles but vary in load capacity, weight and size.

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Novoflex release the world’s first “reversible” tripod ball heads

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Novoflex have just announced some new ClassicBall ball heads and they look pretty interesting. Why are they interesting to me? Well, they’re reversible. This means that you don’t have to shots that go off-level when you pan. Great for video and landscape shooters.

The new ClassicBall comes in three sizes for different load capacities. They have a tension adjuster, as well as a greaseless design, which should make maintenance a doddle. They have three 90° notches in them instead of the typical single slot. Although, they’re not exactly cheap.

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This is why fluid head video tripods are useful for photography

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I switched over to mostly using fluid head video tripods for stills photography about 8 years ago. I still have a couple of Manfrottos with ball heads. I also use ball heads with sliders. But, my go-to is a Libec video tripod with a fluid bowl head. They just make life so much easier, especially on location.

It seems I’m not the only one who prefers to work with video tripods for photography, either. In this video, photographer Hudson Henry talks about why he likes to use fluid heads for photography. The advantages he lists are some of the reasons why I also like to use them. If you’re shooting a lot of video anyway, it definitely makes a lot of sense to make the switch, even for stills.

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Father and son have created a gravity-defying, balanced-motion tripod head

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A father-son duo Charles and Jake Riddel have designed and produced a new tripod head, which should be an improvement when compared to the ones already existing in the market. They named it Hitch Hiker, and it should provide you with smooth and precise control and more accurate photo composition, along with some other benefits.

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