Really Right Stuff TVC-34L Versa Series 3 Tripod... best ever.

[Frank Petronio]

I feel a bit like a poser with this but it's been a good year and I treated myself. It's the Really Right Stuff TVC-34L Versa Series 3 Tripod and it is easily the finest camera tripod I've ever used. It's their largest model and, while eschew their quick releases and ball heads, they make might fine tripod that is just about perfect for 4x5. I've owned the Gitzo 3540XLS, which was also excellent, but this runs circles around it quality-wise (and it should at the price it costs).

Anyway, I don't mean to be a show-off but if you can afford it, it's worth it. I don't think you'll make better photos because of it (you will have less vibration) but it's simply a really nice thing to own. It's also American-made, which is really nice to see since it's a top quality product. Kudos to Really Right Stuff for "doing it right".

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[darr]

Thanks for the quick review Frank. I have been eying those RRS tripods, but have to get rid of my Gitzos first.
I am happy to hear you have had a good year and treated yourself--you deserve it!

[Greg Miller]

... while eschew their quick releases and ball heads, ...

At the risk of hijacking your thread, I'm curious to know what you don't like about these. I love mine!

[Frank Petronio]

I don't have a lot of cameras so I never really felt it was too much of a hassle to screw the head directly to the camera, especially with the nicer heads with beefy camera screws (like the Linhof or Sinar heads I like). It also is one less connection between the camera and tripod.

I used to use the Arca-Swiss B1 when I did Nikon/Kodachrome corporate photography and they were fine, I preferred them to the 3-way heads with the handles that get bent in transit. I even used an 8x10 Arca on a B1 and it was fine, so long as I was careful. The RRS bullhead and dovetails are beautifully made - better than Arca or any of the copycats - and very secure so if I did do a lot of small format tripod work then I'd seriously consider them. Nowadays I just figure that small cameras are for the hand and big cameras go on tripods....

If you have a lot of gear and outfit all with plates and such it could really add up, none of it is cheap!