RRS Ascend Tripod

I know it says that it’ll take a 30-lb. load, but my brain just refuses to believe that a 3.2-pound tripod would hold that much weight steadily enough for a long exposure.  There has to be a law of physics being violated there, somewhere.

Edit: nevermind…for $1500 they’re allowed to violate physics.

This must be a response to the super compact travel tripod from Peak Design.

I guess RRS think they can get a premium for compactness.  Also can you swap the integrated ballhead for your own favority ballhead?  It looks like the weakest part of the design.

That being said, these new tripod designs plus the offerings from the startup Colorado Tripod Company seem to have encouraged Gitzo to drop prices dramatically on thier whole travel tripod product line.

If I was a working photographer who was traveling, I would absolutely look at something like this just so I could avoid checking it in my baggage…but I’m not, so I won’t; that’s why I don’t usually look at compact tripods in the first place.  This being said, I too have noticed more competitive pricing in the travel lines, across the board.

I mostly photograph with my camera on my tripod.  My set up is already about 3.3 lbs.  I am using a Gitzo series 2 traveler (2.3 lbs) with Acratech GPSS ballhead (15 oz). The ballhead doubles as both gimble head and panoramic head so it is multiuse! I am carrying my around in my car or over my shoulder doing landscape photography near roads and up trails.  I have not fully amortized my current set up so I will not be upgrading.

Amortized!  That’s good.  I just go into debt and hope I get a good image, someday.

My normal field camera for serious stuff is probably eight or nine pounds with a shutter, lens, etc.  Never bothered to weigh it, but that seems about right.  Another eight or nine pounds for the tripod.  Another couple of pounds for the few extras I take.  I’m probably under 20, all told, which is why I don’t hike with it.

I have no idea if this tripod is any good or not.  People seem to love their RRS gear and they’ve established themselves as a premium product that can command a premium price.  A Ferrari and Honda Civic will both get you to the grocery store.

I’m currently using a Sirui as my travel tripod.  I’ve been really happy with it but to carry it inside my photography backpack, I need to remove the ball head.  For a >$1200 price difference I suppose I can continue to live with that.

“for $1500 they’re allowed to violate physics.”

That made me laugh

“I am using a Gitzo series 2 traveler (2.3 lbs) with Acratech GPSS ball head (15 oz).”

I’m really enamored with Acratech.  My full-sized tripod has a leveling base so I’m leaning towards their panoramic head although I may flinch and go with the GXP.

I will admit that I don’t have any complaints with my Sirui ball head on my travel-sized tripod and may just buy a larger model for my full-sized tripod for a fraction of the cost of an Acratech or RRS ball head.