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SIRUI BCT 2203 VIDEO TRIPOD KIT £1270/$1300 mtfservices.com
When it’s time to get really serious about your filmmaking, only a top- quality carbon-fibre tripod with a broadcast-quality head will do. With adjustable counterbalance for even the largest camera, adjustable drag, a spreader for fast set-up and a silky-smooth pan and tilt head, this is the kit that marks you out as a serious filmmaker. And, usually, one that has spent an awful lot of cash. It’s quite possible to spend upwards of five grand on one of these types of tripods from a big- name tripod maker, and even more affordable brands are still very pricey. But now you can get a top-quality pro tripod for £1270/$1300 in the form of the Sirui BCT 2203 carbon-fibre kit, which comes with the 75mm BCH 20 ball head. It comes in a carrying case, has two pan handles if you’re a fan of broadcast-style working, and even comes with a mid-level and ground- level spreader. While it’s not exactly cheap, it is a lot of high-end kit at a value price. The three-section legs mean set-up is really quick. Just unfasten the leg clamps at the top and extend the tripod to the height you want, and close them up again. Then reach under the head to level everything off and you’re good to go. There is an illuminated spirit level on the base and a second top level on the head. It has metal spiked feet to dig into dirt, and these are covered with rubber platform feet to avoid damage to smooth surfaces. The head is a quality bit of kit, too. There is three-step drag adjustment, or friction can be removed for a resistance-free motion. And there is no bounce-back at the end of a pan. To get the camera balanced right, there is a relatively long camera
SPECIFICATIONS
Head fitting: 75mmball Counterbalance: 7 steps Drag control: 3 levels plus zero Tilt angle: +90° / -90° Leg sections: 3 carbon fibre Height range: 435-1600mm/ 17.1-63in Maximumpayload: 10kg/22lb Spreader type: Mid and ground level Folded height: 450mm/17.7in Weight: 6.7kg/14.8lb
plate and a seven-step adjustable counterbalance, which is easy to use. The camera platform has calibration marks and a dual-lock system to prevent the camera from accidentally coming off the head during adjustment. However, the plate has to be carefully slid in from the rear rather than dropped on from the top, which is a bit more fiddly. All the control knobs are obvious and simple touse, evenwhenwearinggloves. And the head has 1/4in-20 and 3/8in-16 holes as accessory mounting points. This tripod kit is at the top end of the range from Sirui and performs very well. The carbon-fibre legs cut weight and dampen down vibration, the set-up is fast and easy, the locks are solid and the head is easy to adjust for just about any size of camera. The pan and tilt is very smooth with no bounce-back, and the
whole kit is not too heavy. This tripod shows Sirui is a brand that’s really going places and is targeting serious filmmaking professionals. AD RATING: 9/10 Great value kit for users of larger cameras Pros: Easy to adjust and set up quickly Cons: Slide-in camera plate can be a tad fiddly PROMOVIEMAKER
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PRO MOVIEMAKER SUMMER 2020
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