Tripod giants Satchler and Vinten join forces to create the world’s fastest-deploying tripod
At a glance:
• Quickest tripod to deploy in the world
• Just three quick-release breaks located at the top of the tripod
• Two-stage carbon fibre legs
• Maximum operating height of 157cm; minimum of 26cm
• Removable rubber feet and mid-level spreader
• Compatible with 75mm fluid heads
• Weight 2.9kg (legs only)
Watch the Flowtech 75 tripod system overview
Satchler and Vinten, both renowned names in the camera support world for more than 100 years, today bring a new tripod offering to the market –Flowtech.
This new tripod system revolves around a design that makes for what the makers call the quickest tripod to deploy in the world. This is thanks to its unique quick-release brakes located at the top of the tripod, which enable all of the legs to be deployed simultaneously and to adjust automatically to the ground’s surface.
This is a truly welcome feature – means no more banding down trying to absorb some of the tripod and camera weight when you are trying to adjust the lower clamps on the more traditional tripod designs. If you’re struggling to picture this, then I’d really suggest watching the video above, which shows just how easy this tripod looks to set up.
Flowtech offers a set of two-stage carbon-fibre tripod legs with a removable mid-level spreader, rubber feet, and a generous maximum payload capacity of 20kg. The makers claim that these legs provide exceptional torsional stiffness, ensuring that the tripod will not twist during camera panning movements. The legs also have some handy drainage holes, so if any water gets into them while out in the wilderness, it’s going to easily drain out the other end. This makes cleaning the tripod an easy job.
It has been designed so that it can be carried comfortably on the camera operator’s shoulder, with magnetic locks to ensure that the tripod legs are stable during transport – say goodbye to those pesky little latches that used to hold the legs together, the ones that also used to dig into your shoulder rather nicely.
The tripod can be operated at a maximum height of 157cm with the spreader, and up to 153cm without. For low-profile shots, it can be deployed as low as 26cm with the spreader, and 63cm without.
Both Satchler and Vinten will be adding the Flowtech system to their product lines, so you can effectively get the same tripod from both companies. However, you have the choice of either red trim on the Satchler model or an all-black finish by going with Vinten.
All in all, when a new tripod comes along you can’t help but think it’s just another tripod. I mean, what else can be new? However, in this case, it seems that both Sachtler and Vinten have created a product that genuinely looks to make camera operation on the go that much easier, which should result in a significant amount of time saved on setups. If you’re often on the move and filming in challenging environments, this tripod looks to be right up your street.
Technical overview:
• Payload: 20kg
• Tripod bowl: 75mm
• Material: Carbon fibre
• Weight (tripod only): 2.9kg
• Weight (tripod, rubber feet, and mid-level spreader): 3.5kg
Height range min/max:
• Spreaderless mode: 26-153cm
• Mid-level spreader: 63-157cm
• Transport length: 68cm
Click here to find out more about the Flowtech system
