1-Stage vs 2-Stage Tripods

S

SamB

New member
I want to by the Cartoni Focus tripod for my HVX200. I was wondering what are some benefits in having a 2-Stage Tripod over a 1-Stage. I am fairly new to filmmaking and want to use my HVX for shooting shorts. If anybody has any input, it will be greatly respected.

BTW, I really like this site. You, the users, have already provided so much info that I have utilized. I work as a graphic artist (at the moment) and I hope to contribute my observations about the camera as much as time allows. I understand it takes time to help people like me and I just want to let you know it is definitely appreciated.
 
Don't feel bad Sam, I'm sucking up a ton of knowledge from this great bunch of people too!
I may have a handle on the technology on a few other forums but not here.
People like this usually enjoy helping others.
Just make sure you do a search before asking everything under the sun. I know that sometimes frustrates us on the other forums.
 
My personal educated guess is ... Beable to get lower, since you have shorter legs. Or allow to go higher.

But my guess is also you lose some stability. But maybe the extra buck it is better construct and make up for the additional peices.
 
2 stage tripods usually have shorter legs when folded up. So you can get lower shots with a 2 stage and they're a bit more portable. But they may not be as solid as 1 stage legs. If I wanted really low shots I would use a high hat or some short sticks. I personally don't see a huge difference between the two. I think the head is much more important in my opinion.

-Kevin
 
I just bought a Cartoni Focus at BH and they were sold out of the 2-stage so I snagged a 1-stage. It's cheaper, so no argument there. I was thinking maybe the 2-stage could go lower, so I checked the specs. 1-stage minimum height is 35.8" while 2-stage min is 33".

For me, that extra 1.5" doesn't justify the $200 price increase! I'm rather glad they were sold out now -- I would have probably just snagged the 2-stage out of habit.
 
After reading the specs prior to my post. I came to the same conclusion. I height difference really doesn't justify the price difference. I didn't wanted to regret not buying a 2-stage. But now, I do feel more comfortable with buying a 1-stage. I'm already in debt with the HXV but I'm luving ever moment of it. Thanks all for your replys!!
 
2 stage legs are more versatile. They allow for lower shots as mentioned above. But, I find them a pain to use most of the time. You have 2 locks to deal with on all 3 legs. That is not much of a hinderance if you are shooting locked down shots for long periods of time like in event videography. But, if you are doing a lot of setups in a day, it can be a real pain.

I have found that single stage sticks work best for me. Most of my shoots involve multiple setups. I can move from one height to another quickly. On the odd occasions when I need a really low shot, I grab the baby legs. It doesn't take much more time to move the head to the other sticks than it does to adjust 6 locks. And I only have to switch heads a couple of times, if at all.

And I find mid-level spreaders work better for most shoots. Floor level spreaders are great if you are shooting press conferences on a level floor, but if you are shooting just about anything else, I find mid-level to be the way to go.
 
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I have a Sachtler 2-stage and find it versatile both for the lower shots as well as for an extra couple of inches when I need the height. While it is a pain to adjust two sets of extensions, I think the versatility is worth the trade off.

Ned Soltz
 
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