Flowtech 100 Legs - Any Long Term Owner Experiences Out There?

Run&Gun said:
But you still can't do the "ped-up" live.
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Interesting that you would bring that up because part of the allure is whether it's possible to do a smooth "ped-down" as a mini jib move. I rarely incorporate jib moves anymore because they take so much time. It would be nice to have the option.
 
QuickHitRecord said:
Interesting that you would bring that up because part of the allure is whether it's possible to do a smooth "ped-down" as a mini jib move. I rarely incorporate jib moves anymore because they take so much time. It would be nice to have the option.
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Maybe some guys had a technique(or new ones were tighter), but with the one's I've used, whenever you release the column to move up or down, it had enough play that it would show up on-camera.

There are/were definitely things to like about the HotPod, but I think it just comes down to personal preferences and criteria for what you want in a tripod.
 
I figured as such. Maybe that's the next latest and greatest invention. Until then, it's good to have options. FlowTechs look good.
 
Flowtech legs slipping?

Flowtech legs slipping?

Does anyone have issues with the Flowtech 75 legs slipping? I saw one YT video review where the reviewer showed his legs would slip if he pushed down on the top of the tripod.

I have a 3 year old Sachtler FSB-6 with their previous design speed lock CF legs. I really like the compact and light design of the legs BUT they slip a lot. Once my camera even fell over (luckily no damage). I found out you can open the square box at the bottom of the tension rod and give the internal screw a turn to add tension. It helped, but one of the legs still slips. Honestly, I'm quite disappointed that this tripod hasn't lasted longer. Sachtlter won't provide an estimate for the repair, but I'm not sure I want to put $200-300 into the legs as they haven't held up well already.

I need a new set of legs, but I'm a bit concerned about investing in the Flowtech if I will be faced with the same problem that I have to fix with my current legs.
 
davidp158 said:
Does anyone have issues with the Flowtech 75 legs slipping? I saw one YT video review where the reviewer showed his legs would slip if he pushed down on the top of the tripod.

I have a 3 year old Sachtler FSB-6 with their previous design speed lock CF legs. I really like the compact and light design of the legs BUT they slip a lot. Once my camera even fell over (luckily no damage). I found out you can open the square box at the bottom of the tension rod and give the internal screw a turn to add tension. It helped, but one of the legs still slips. Honestly, I'm quite disappointed that this tripod hasn't lasted longer. Sachtlter won't provide an estimate for the repair, but I'm not sure I want to put $200-300 into the legs as they haven't held up well already.

I need a new set of legs, but I'm a bit concerned about investing in the Flowtech if I will be faced with the same problem that I have to fix with my current legs.
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I have the same problem with my Speedlock 75 legs. Also my FSB6 is leaking a bit of fluid. Dropped off the tripod and head at the Vitec/Sachtler headquarters in Shelton, CT. Was quoted a $640 repair price.
 
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I have no issues with the Flowtech 75 legs slipping. I haven't had that happen with any Sachtler legs, though I did just recently have my spreader break, a little connecting piece between the parts... Bummer. But in fairness I am pretty hard on the gear.
 
I have two sets of 100mm Sachtler CF Speedlocks, a 100mm HD set of Speedlocks and a 100mm set of Flowtechs. The only tripod that I've had an issue with leg tension/slipping is actually one of the legs on the 100mm HD set that has a 200lb+ payload capacity. It was usually taken care of by tightening up the tension in the lock/brake mechanism. Haven't had any slippage issues with the regular Speedlocks(oldest pair is ~13 years old) and no slippage problems with the 100mm Flowtechs. The Flowtechs also have a tension adjustment for the leg locks/brakes that is user adjustable.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReRTa-WXa2g
 
robotfist said:
.Has anyone owned the Flowtech sticks for a while? Are they still working the way they are intended to? Do the legs still extend smoothly without effort?
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I've had a 100mm Flowtech and 75mm Flowtech for a couple of years. Both have been trouble-free and work perfectly. No complaints. In fact, I like them so much I added another 100mm Flowtech (this time from OConnor), so now I have three Flowtechs. There's no way I'd go back to an old-fashioned tripod. I do agree with the earlier suggestion that the mid-level spreader is absolutely necessary. As for losing feet, yeah, it will happen and I didn't mind having to buy a pack of three because I figured sooner or later I'll need the other two. On the 75mm the feet were a particular problem coming off so I cable-tied them on and they can't come off now. The black cable tie isn't even visible to a casual viewer.
 
So, I was out of town this weekend shooting for a client with their gear(one of the few that I will). They use Sachtler heads and Gitzo tripods. I HATE Gitzo's. Yes, they're versatile, but such a pain to use. I'm also not a fan of Sachtler heads, either(and their tie-down knobs just add insult to injury and slow you down even more).

So after using their sticks all day on day-one, I decided to pack theirs back up and use one of my set's of Speedlocks/Vinten 100's that I had in my truck, for the other two days(one of my guys had my Flowtech 100's on another shoot). Using the Speedlocks was 100x times better than the Gitzo's, BUT compared to the Flowtech's, they were still a pain in the ass. I've gotten so use to the way that Flowtech's operate, that even the very good Speedlocks can't hold a candle to them, and I wished all weekend long that I had had my Flowtech's with me.
 
Thanks for the long-term reports everyone! With a bit of distanced production starting up, I'm starting to shop around for another tripod (love my old Vinten, but it's old and heavy), so it's great to hear that the Flowtech legs are working for most people... This is a useful discussion; a dvxuser win!
 
Jim Feeley said:
Thanks for the long-term reports everyone! With a bit of distanced production starting up, I'm starting to shop around for another tripod (love my old Vinten, but it's old and heavy), so it's great to hear that the Flowtech legs are working for most people... This is a useful discussion; a dvxuser win!
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I don't know if you have participated in any of the Group Buy deals that Travis Wears, on here, has run in the past, but I just received an email from him a few days ago that he is running a Group Buy on Flowtech 75 & 100 legs and Sachtler head/Flowtech packages. It's up to 25% off, based on total units sold through the group, which could be over $800 off on a set of 100's.
 
Jim Feeley said:
Thanks for the long-term reports everyone! With a bit of distanced production starting up, I'm starting to shop around for another tripod (love my old Vinten, but it's old and heavy), so it's great to hear that the Flowtech legs are working for most people... This is a useful discussion; a dvxuser win!
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if it matters Jim:

We just rented two sets of the Flowtech 75s for two of our five C200s we used for a big live stream. Did quite a bit of long lens fine moves and the legs were great! I am in love with them, just looking for an excuse to add a set to my stable.
Right now, we have two Miller Solo DVs, one carbon and one Aluminum and they are fine but for height adjustments when a fully rigged setup is up top, PITA, really takes two people to do it safely. The Flowtechs make doing that effortless.
I think we have consensus here, with possibly a few isolated incidents, that the Flowtechs are the best tripod on the market. Floor spreaders are a tool of Satan but I can live with the mid-level Flowtech spreaders, they are pretty loose and easy to deal with
when you're in a hurry. As always, if you can afford 100mm to go with a 100mm head, that's best but the 75s are good with rigs up to about 18lbs. I wish there wasnt such a huge price gap between 75mm and 100mm heads and tripods
but there are is.
 
Run&Gun said:
I don't know if you have participated in any of the Group Buy deals that Travis Wears, on here, has run in the past, but I just received an email from him a few days ago that he is running a Group Buy on Flowtech 75 & 100 legs and Sachtler head/Flowtech packages. It's up to 25% off, based on total units sold through the group, which could be over $800 off on a set of 100's.
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I'm not on his email list, do you know if he has posted this here or on RedUser?
 
i've had the flowtech legs probably the first week they came out a few years back. Honestly it is one of my favorite (maybe my favorite) pieces of gear I own. It's lightened my load and made it so much easier/faster to set up my shot. Before it was pretty difficult to go top shelf on a tripod with a heavy load solo. 100% would recommend :)
 
Eric Coughlin said:
I’m happy with mine. No issues with it getting stuck coming out. Just don’t lose a foot like I did. I called Sachtler to get a foot replacement and they said they only sell them in a set of three and not individually. Who do they think I am, Quentin Tarentino?
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What does the foot look like, I have a few from Manfrotto Art sticks kicking around. Small ball and thick rubber latch to hold it on the end of the leg.
 
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