Sizing Tripod: RRS TVC 33 vs 33S

[dodphotography]

These are expensive models, so I want to cover my bases before I make a nearly 1K investment.

I'd ideally like to shoot as close to eye level as possible. I used to shoot a lot of 4x5 on an absolute crap Gitzo that forced me to basically shoot on my knees / butt.

TVC 33 vs 33s. I am 5'7.

Camera is 15" high, Gitzo 1570 is 3.6" high.

FOR THE TVC 33

58 MAX HEIGHT
3.6 HEAD
15 CAMERA HEIGHT
76.6 TOTAL

76 TOTAL
-8 MIDDLE OF GG
68 5.6


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TVC 33S

49.75 MAX HEIGHT
3.6 HEAD
15 CAMERA HEIGHT
68.35 TOTAL

68.35 TOTAL
-8 MIDDLE OF GG
60.35 5 FEET

[Richard Johnson]

If you are on a hillside, having extra length means you can extend legs downhill for more stability. And while many photographers do shoot from whatever their eye level happens to be, that is not always where the best photo opportunity is... sometimes you need to go taller or shorter, or at least I do.

So I'd always go for the longest, tallest version even if I were a midget.

[dodphotography]

If you are on a hillside, having extra length means you can extend legs downhill for more stability. And while many photographers do shoot from whatever their eye level happens to be, that is not always where the best photo opportunity is... sometimes you need to go taller or shorter, or at least I do.

So I'd always go for the longest, tallest version even if I were a midget.

Never really thought of it that way... Made that an easy call for me!