GEAR GROUP TEST
SPECIFICATIONS Legs: Aluminium twin tube Leg sections: 2 Payload: 4.99kg/11lb Minimumheight: 71cm/28in Maximumheight: 161cm/63.5in Weight: 3.49kg/7.7lb
HOW IT RATES
Features: 7/10 No adjustable pan or tilt is a drag Performance: 8/10 Fluid drag is well controlled Handling: 7/10 Lack of any fluid adjustment is a real issue for users Value formoney: 8/10 A great price for a solid performer OVERALL RATING: 8/10 If youwant an affordable twin-tube tripod, look no further Pros: Traditional style and not too expensive Cons: No counterbalance, pan or tilt adjustment
LIBEC TH-Z T £396/$349 libec-global.com
Many traditional filmmakers swear by a twin-tube leg tripod with a spreader, for super-fast set-up. This is the sort of kit that’s been around for years, and continues to give great service to a large number of video shooters. The Libec TH-Z tripod system includes the TH-Z H fluid head, TH-Z T legs and a case to carry it all around in, all at a staggeringly affordable price of £396/$349. That’s a lot of kit for your money. And although the Libec kit might not offer the most high-end technical features or jewel-like build quality, it still comprises great performers that do what they’re supposed to very well indeed. The lightweight TH-Z H head features an illuminated LED bubble spirit level and sliding plate, equipped with a one- touch quick-release mechanism. It just snaps into place, then you tighten it with a locking knob. You’ll be glad of that if you’re in a hurry and just want to get the camera on and off the sticks quickly. The plate is compatible with Manfrotto and Sachtler heads, and has a sliding range of 3cm/1.2in once secured, so you can move it around a little to tweak the counterbalance. It comes with a 1/4in -20 mounting screw and an anti-twist video pin beside it. A long rosette-mount pan bar is included, and an optional second one is also supported. The system features a 75mm half-ball/ flat base fluid head, which supports up to 4.99kg/11lb but features fixed counterbalance and drag. There is no adjustment – what you get is what’s there.
Initially this comes as a bit of a shock to anyone used to adjustable pan and tilt but you soon get used to it, and it’s a decently- damped system. It’s still nice to be able to adjust the resistance for slow or fast pans, for example, but some compromises had to be made to get the kit down to this price point – and this was it. The head can be attached directly to the tripod or mounted on sliders and other support gear via the flat base, which has a 3/8in -16 mounting thread on the bottom. The tripod legs are relatively light, coming in at just 2.4kg/5.3lb, yet offering a payload of 25kg/55lb. It’s the head that is the limiting factor for payload, as is the case with most tripods. The TH-Z tripod is very rigid and avoids twisting, thanks to its leg configuration, and features a built-in telescopic mid- level spreader. The leg height is adjusted by a simple locking knob on each leg, and the spreader can be adjusted for different lengths, too, with a separate adjuster on each of the three arms of the spreader. The feet of the tripod have solid rubber covers to avoid damage to floors, and the height range for the head and tripod combined is a very respectable 71cm/28in, up to 161cm/63.5in.
ABOVE The Libec is a traditional-style video tripod with twin-tube legs and a mid-level spreader
“The TH-Z tripod is very rigid and avoids twisting, thanks to its leg configuration”
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PRO MOVIEMAKER SPRING 2020
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