The Ries Tripods business status thread

[J.B. Harlin]

We have recently discovered that Ries Tripods has been sold and is now in full operation under new owners. I know there is another thread about their Intuit commercial, but here is more info on what they are up to. I have had several e-mail exchanges with the new owners and they are great people doing really good things for the photography community. Hopefully their business endeavors will be a great success. . . a lot of that depends on us, their customers.

http://jbhphoto.com/blog/index.php/2...ds-new-owners/

[C_Remington]

So, there are NOT new owners??

"...the new owners are in reality those that have operated the company for the last 16 years."

Huh?? Completely confusing.

[Daniel Stone]

Owners are different than operators in this case.

Operators can be thought of as a manager. A shop foreman, etc... Owner="big boss"

Sounds like there was a buyout from old owners, and former management now has the reigns and 'ownership'.

-Dan

[gleaf]

I like my experiences with their service.

[C_Remington]

Sounds like semantics. I doubt anyone would have known the difference if it wasn't brought up. Plus I've heard of owner/operators too. I think it's still vague.

Owners are different than operators in this case.

Operators can be thought of as a manager. A shop foreman, etc... Owner="big boss"

Sounds like there was a buyout from old owners, and former management now has the reigns and 'ownership'.

-Dan

[Jac@stafford.net]

Sounds like semantics. I doubt anyone would have known the difference if it wasn't brought up.

In the future there will probably be questions regarding differences because some products are going to change.

[David Lindquist]

We have recently discovered that Ries Tripods has been sold and is now in full operation under new owners. I know there is another thread about their Intuit commercial, but here is more info on what they are up to. I have had several e-mail exchanges with the new owners and they are great people doing really good things for the photography community. Hopefully their business endeavors will be a great success. . . a lot of that depends on us, their customers.

http://jbhphoto.com/blog/index.php/2...ds-new-owners/

Thank you very much for posting this. Very interesting. I wanna do the factory tour!
David

[Dhanner]

I recently bought a Ries head and Ries tripod/head kit and the experience has left a lot to be desired. It took many many weeks, e-mails, and then a call to get them. The first head looked like it was cobbled together as I order the black knobs but received one black and one bronze, but hey a partial upgrade I guess. It was wrapped in bubble wrap put in a box and shipped, no packaging, paperwork or anything. It had spots of oil here an there on it and some chips off the paint plus it didn't even have their name anywhere on it. Looked more like a used one or a prototype.

Now the tripod kit, it had bad (almost no) threads on the camera screw and the tripod head screw. I sent those back for replacement and it took at least 3 weeks with e-mails and a call before he sent me anything. Keep in mind I was told he would ship out replacements the day he received them back. When I received the replacements, the knob on the tripod screw (for the tripod head) was sloppily pressed on crooked and the brass retaining hardware on both of the screws replaced was improperly machined and wouldn't even screw on at all. I have sent photos, more e-mails, and called but no one answered to try and get replacement brass retaining hardware. That's been a few days ago and nothing since.

I really like the idea and look of these tripods but it seems to me that the quality is not non-existent and since I've pretty much been "ghosted" now I'm wondering if they are basically in the process of closing their doors now.

Anybody else here try to deal with them recently?

[Keith Pitman]

Buy a used one. The older ones were great.

[Dhanner]

Buy a used one. The older ones were great.

I surely would if I hadn’t already so much invested in the new one.


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