64

ON

TR

IAL

65

ON

TR

IAL

3 LEGGED THING BRIAN TRIPOD X

Who’d have thought the utilitarian tripod might benefit from a bit of good old English eccentricity (not to mention inventiveness), but Brian and his three-legged mates are here to prove it. Report by Paul Burrows.

3 LEGGED THING BRIAN TRIPOD

LEG WORK

versatile and capable travel tripod in the world”, and this starts with its folding design which employs an arrangement whereby the legs fold through a full 180 degrees to lie fl ush with the centre column. This results in a much shorter package that’s easier to carry – in fact, it’ll actually fi t inside many camera bags or backpacks – without compromising the maximum height that’s achievable. Consequently, fully extended, Brian stands 2.06 metres tall (in his 2nd Gen. Evolution 2 form), but it’s also possible to go as low as 125 mm which is a remarkable height range.

All Brian’s tubes – centre column and legs – are carbon fi bre; the latter with fi ve sections and the former with three. The legs are eight-core ‘Stealth’ carbon fi bre too, which is super lightweight, but super strong (or, perhaps more importantly, exceptionally rigid). The centre column is actually ten-core tubing for even greater rigidity (extra important given the amount of extension that’s possible).

Consequently, Brian can support loads of up to eight kilograms which takes care of many D-SLR and tele lens combos. Incidentally, on the subject of using big lenses, the tripod has a novel “tri mono’ mode which is when the centre column is fully extended, but the legs stay retracted at the 55-degree angle setting. This way the tripod basically works like a monopod, but if you let go it stays standing and so, what this means in practical terms is that you don’t have to put the whole set-up down if you’re also shooting with another camera… so the camera stays safely out of the wet grass, the dust or the cow pats.

LOW SHOTSAll the leg and column sections have Gitzo-type twist-action friction locks. To get down really low, the centre column can be completely detached and then the mounting plate – with or without the ball head – is transferred to the main neck of the tripod. The widest leg angle is 80 degrees and there are two other settings at 55 degrees and 25 degrees. The locking mechanism for the leg angle adjustments has been slightly revised on the Evo 2 models, primarily to make it smoother.

The triple-section centre column has a mounting point at either end. Normally, the bottom fi tting carries a spring-loaded hook which is used to attach a sand back or other form of ballast. Of course, it’s reversible

T ripods are troublesome things. As regular readers will know,

we at Camera contend there are two items of photographic kit that will never, ever be quite right – the camera bag and the tripod. We don’t think we’re alone either because plenty of people seem to believe they can do a better job by designing their own… which is a good thing because sooner or later we might just be proved wrong.

Building a better camera bag is what spawned, for example, Think Tank Photo in the USA, and it’s frustration with tripod designs that has resulted in 3 Legged Thing. Like TTP, 3LT is run by a bunch of photographers and they’re based in a converted chicken shed on a remote farmhouse in rural Bedfordshire, England. Already you might be getting the idea that these guys (and one girl) like to do things a bit differently from the mainstream manufacturers. In fact, even the funsters at Think Tank Photo look a bit conservative in comparison. Think instead, of what might result if Think Tank Photo and Crumpler ever got together.

Apart from the desire to make tripods work better, 3LT wants to change their image completely so any black bits are only this colour because they have to be (at least until somebody can come up with a way of colouring carbonfi bre). Any metal components have anodised fi nishes in a variety of colours and, instead of model numbers, the 3LT tripods all have names. More specifi cally, they’re all named after rock stars so Brian, as featured here, pays homage to Queen’s legendary guitarist, Brian May. There’s also an Eric (Clapton, of course), a Keith (Richards) and a Frank (after Zappa). The 3LT ball heads are, appropriately, called the AirHeds and everything carries the trade-marked slogan “They Came From Stagsden!” which has given a sleepy Bedfordshire village more notoriety than it probably ever wished for.

REACHING NEW HEIGHTSBrian was the fi rst tripod designed by 3LT and it’s since been upgraded to a second-generation ‘Brian 2’, but by the time you read this, a wholesale ‘Evolution 2’ set of revisions will have been applied across the Rock Legends Range. Most of these changes are small, but they’re all designed to further enhance the fl exibility, effi ciency and usability of the 3LT tripods. 3LT describes Brian as “the most

“The legs are eight-core ‘Stealth’ carbon fibre too, which is super lightweight, but super strong...”

The 3LT Brian has lots of nice little features such as this bubble level located on the tripod’s neck so the levels can be leveled independently of the head. If you think the gold finish shown here is a bit much, it’s been toned down on the updated Evo 2 model.

The leg sections are made from eight-core ‘Stealth’ carbon fibre.

The legs can be set at one of three angles. The locking catch is embossed with the 3 Legged Thing logo.

Why have a separate monopod when you can simply unscrew one of your tripod’s legs? The ball head then attaches via a short extension piece (which is supplied).

The AirHed ball head is finished in metallic blue and uses the Arca Swiss system of quick-release mounting plates. The new Evo 2 version (not shown here) is slightly more compact and its load rating has been increased to a whopping 35 kilograms.

which is another option for low-level shooting and the extendable column means it’s possible to use the tripod in this confi guration with the legs extended too, giving a much larger working area. Then the top mounting point can be used for fi tting a laptop platform or a tablet bracket so the camera can be used tethered and you don’t have to struggle with its upside-down monitor screen.

Cleverly, one of the legs unscrews to become a monopod (it’s the one wearing the zippered cover so it’s easy to identify) and then the tripod’s mounting plate simply screws into the top via a 100 mm extender that’s supplied with the tripod.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE : CANON EOS 700D PANASONIC G6 NIKON COOLPIX A SE

PT/O

CT 2

013

$8.5

0 N

Z $1

0.99

PANASONIC’S RETRO-STYLED GX7

NIKON D7100 FIRST LOOK!READY TO RELEASE YOUR INNER PRO

TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY

MAKE EVERY SHOT A WINNER

D-SLR VIDEO MAKER – EVERYTHING YOU’LL EVER NEED TO KNOW100% AUSTRALIAN

SEPT

/OCT

201

3 $8

.50

NZ

$10.

99

ALSO IN THIS ISSUEALSO IN THIS ISSUEALSO IN THIS ISSUEALSO IN THIS ISSUEALSO IN THIS ISSUEALSO IN THIS ISSUEALSO IN THIS ISSUEALSO IN THIS ISSUEALSO IN THIS ISSUEALSO IN THIS ISSUEALSO IN THIS ISSUEALSO IN THIS ISSUEALSO IN THIS ISSUEALSO IN THIS ISSUEALSO IN THIS ISSUEALSO IN THIS ISSUEALSO IN THIS ISSUEALSO IN THIS ISSUEALSO IN THIS ISSUE : : CANON EOS 700D CANON EOS 700D CANON EOS 700D CANON EOS 700D CANON EOS 700D CANON EOS 700D CANON EOS 700D CANON EOS 700D CANON EOS 700D CANON EOS 700D CANON EOS 700D CANON EOS 700D PANASONIC G6 PANASONIC G6 PANASONIC G6 PANASONIC G6 PANASONIC G6 PANASONIC G6 PANASONIC G6 PANASONIC G6 PANASONIC G6 PANASONIC G6 NIKON COOLPIX A NIKON COOLPIX A NIKON COOLPIX A NIKON COOLPIX A NIKON COOLPIX A NIKON COOLPIX A NIKON COOLPIX A NIKON COOLPIX A NIKON COOLPIX A NIKON COOLPIX A NIKON COOLPIX A NIKON COOLPIX A

PANASONIC’S PANASONIC’S PANASONIC’S PANASONIC’S PANASONIC’S PANASONIC’S PANASONIC’S PANASONIC’S PANASONIC’S PANASONIC’S PANASONIC’S RETRO-STYLED GX7RETRO-STYLED GX7RETRO-STYLED GX7RETRO-STYLED GX7RETRO-STYLED GX7RETRO-STYLED GX7RETRO-STYLED GX7RETRO-STYLED GX7RETRO-STYLED GX7RETRO-STYLED GX7RETRO-STYLED GX7RETRO-STYLED GX7RETRO-STYLED GX7RETRO-STYLED GX7RETRO-STYLED GX7RETRO-STYLED GX7RETRO-STYLED GX7RETRO-STYLED GX7RETRO-STYLED GX7RETRO-STYLED GX7

NIKON D7100NIKON D7100NIKON D7100NIKON D7100NIKON D7100NIKON D7100NIKON D7100NIKON D7100NIKON D7100NIKON D7100NIKON D7100NIKON D7100NIKON D7100NIKON D7100NIKON D7100NIKON D7100NIKON D7100NIKON D7100NIKON D7100NIKON D7100NIKON D7100NIKON D7100NIKON D7100 FIRST LOOK!FIRST LOOK!FIRST LOOK!FIRST LOOK!FIRST LOOK!FIRST LOOK!FIRST LOOK!FIRST LOOK!FIRST LOOK!FIRST LOOK!FIRST LOOK!FIRST LOOK!FIRST LOOK!FIRST LOOK!FIRST LOOK!FIRST LOOK!FIRST LOOK!FIRST LOOK!FIRST LOOK!FIRST LOOK!FIRST LOOK!FIRST LOOK!READY TO RELEASE READY TO RELEASE READY TO RELEASE READY TO RELEASE READY TO RELEASE READY TO RELEASE READY TO RELEASE READY TO RELEASE READY TO RELEASE READY TO RELEASE READY TO RELEASE READY TO RELEASE READY TO RELEASE YOUR INNER PROYOUR INNER PROYOUR INNER PROYOUR INNER PROYOUR INNER PROYOUR INNER PROYOUR INNER PROYOUR INNER PROYOUR INNER PROYOUR INNER PROYOUR INNER PROYOUR INNER PROYOUR INNER PROYOUR INNER PROYOUR INNER PROYOUR INNER PROYOUR INNER PRO

TRAVEL TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTOGRAPHY

MAKE EVERY MAKE EVERY SHOT SHOT SHOT A WINNER

DUAL VALVES!300B or KT88? Full review and test of AudioSpace’s innovative amplifi er...

September/October 2013

AVHUB.COM.AU

SHOW REPORT High End Munich

ALSO

RE

VIEW

EDRE

VIEW

ED KrixPhoenix V2 Loudspeakers

PSBHD8Subwoofer

Bricasti Design M1Digital-To-Analogue Converter

A$8.

95 NZ$10.99

HF Sep13_001 Cover.indd 1 8/26/2013 2:46:54 PM

WONDROUS WAGON WHEELSWOOFER WORLD IN SSV WAGON

$8.50 /// NZ $10.99

T H E L AT E S T M O B I L E E L E C T RO N I C S T R E N D S & T E C H N I Q U E S 5#2013

LOCATION REPORT – MOTOREX 2013

ALPINE❱FUSION❱MASSIVE❱MTX AUDIO❱NAKAMICHI❱PIONEERREVIEWED

WHEELS SHOOTINGSTAR

VW IN ORION CONSTELLATION

THE HIGH-END ALPINE’S DDLINEAR & PIONEER’S AVIC

AIE513_001 Cover.indd 1 19/08/13 2:19 PM

T H E L AT E S T M O B I L E E L E C T RO N I C S T R E N D S & T E C H N I Q U E S 5#2005#205#2

– MOTOREX 2013

SHOOTINGSHOOTINGSHOOTINGSHOOTINGSHOOTINGSHOOTINGSTARSTARSTARSTAR

VW IN ORION CONSTELLATION

CHOOSE YOUR NEW TV!FULL REVIEWS OF THE BIGSCREEN BRANDS

LGPanasonicSamsung

Sony PlasmaLED-LCD4K UHD65-inch55-inch

YAMAHA’S ULTIMATE AVENTAGEEXCLUSIVE TEST OF THE A5000 PRE-POWER CANE TOA

DS

IN 3D!

AUSTRALIA’S No.1 AV GUIDE Aug/Sept 2013

ISSUE #26/5 $8.95 NZ$10.99

S&I Aug13_001 Cover.indd 1 16/08/13 2:48 PM

September/October 2013

CHOOSE YOUR NEW TV!FULL REVIEWS OF THE BIGSCREEN BRANDSFULL REVIEWS OF THE BIGSCREEN BRANDS

PanasonicSamsung

PlasmaLED-LCDLED-LCD4K UHD65-inch65-inch55-inch

CANE TOADS

CANE TOADS

CANE TOADS

IN 3D!IN 3D!IN 3D!IN 3D!

ISSUE #26/5 $8.95 NZ$10.99NZ$10.99 Head On FestivalA L L T H E B E S T F R O M T H I S Y E A R ’ S

Getting To Grips With Nikon’s AF 800mm Supertelephoto

$7.95 NZ$9.90 Volume 69 Number 6

Studio Flash Power Packs

WHAT’S AVAILABLE IN

PP Aug13_001 Cover.indd 1 8/9/2013 1:35:58 PM

66

ON

TR

IAL

“A big plus is that 3LT uses the Arca Swiss mounting system for the quick-release plate rather than yet another proprietary arrangement...”

action and the ball itself – has been improved, although to be honest, we didn’t fi nd much wrong with the previous design. However, it also has a smoother panning action and there’s a new arrangement of three bubble levels so there really is no excuse for tilted horizons.

At present the 3LT tripods are designed in England and manufactured in China, although the company is looking at the logistics (and costs) of building Brian and his mates at home. This is still probably a bit down the track because getting set up, launching and then subsequently upgrading its entire product line (twice!) in the matter of just two years has demanded all available resources, both human and fi nancial.

However, now the word is getting out and 3 Legged Things are starting to stride across the globe – recently arriving in Australia – and attracting a growing number of users who like the combination of different styling, exceptional functionality and the clear evidence of a human (and humorous) touch.

THE VERDICTPerfection is an elusive goal in tripod design and 3LT Brian isn’t quite there yet, but there’s really little to fault in terms of the sheer usefulness derived from the combination of its fl exibility when extended and compact dimensions when folded. Some real thought – by real people who actually shoot in the fi eld – has gone into the numerous clever little features which make this tripod work exceedingly well.

We conducted most of our testing with the second-generation Brian 2 and the above conclusion applies as much to it as to the ‘new and improved’ Evo 2 version. One arrived just as this issue was about to close so we were able to have a brief play and try out the various updates. They add a bit more polish to a couple of areas, but Australian distributor PROtog has a few examples of the previous model still available at the bargain ‘run out’ price of $425 so don’t be afraid to snap one up if you want to join the 3LT gang right away (visit www.protog.com.au). There’s a very generous fi ve year warranty.

It’s hard to get your head around the idea of a tripod having a personality, but somehow 3LT’s Brian does have a curiously endearing quality… don’t be surprised if you see the headline ‘Photographer Marries Tripod!’ in the not too distant future.

On the Brian all the metal components – or ‘furniture’ in tripod parlance – are machined magnesium alloy components with an anodised fi nish in bronze (replacing the gold colour seen on the version illustrated here) while the AirHed is in a fetching electric blue. A big plus is that 3LT uses the Arca Swiss mounting system for the quick-release plate rather than yet another proprietary arrangement which, for many photographers, demands an investment in three, four or more extra plates. Additionally, the plate is compatible with the BlackRapid strap system, although the required connector is an optional extra as are the spikes that can replace the standard rubber feet. However, Brian does come in his own smart-looking, tube-style carry case which has a zippered compartment inside its lid to hold a set of Allen keys, the column extension for the monopod and perhaps a spare camera plate.

The mounting bracket has a spirit level on its side (two on the Evo 2 version) and a second within the top which is obviously concealed when the camera or lens is fi tted, but by then it shouldn’t be needed anyway. There’s another bubble level on the main neck of the tripod which is a very good idea because sometimes it’s this part of the tripod that needs to be levelled fi rst and then everything else follows.

TAKING OVER THE WORLDThe AirHed gets the Evo 2 makeover as well so it’s actually smaller and lighter than before, but its maximum loading goes up to a massive 35 kilograms (should you want to use it with a beefi er set of legs). The operation of the locking knobs – for both the panning

At the 80-degree leg setting, the Brian can be set extremely low. With the centre column detached and the ball head screwed into the neck, the shooting height is just 125 mm.

A second spirit level is provided on the side and this has been updated to a double level on the Evo 2 version.

The ‘counterfold’ legs give an extremely compact package for carrying or storage. Brian comes with a tube-type carry case, but he may well fit straight inside your camera bag or backpack.

Brian nestling in his very comfy padded tube-type carry case which is supplied with a shoulder strap and has a compartment inside the lid to carry the adjusters and monopod extension tube.