Miller Solo DV

V

Victor Nhat Nguyen

Well-known member
I'm thinking of getting the Miller Solo DV leg. They come in Carbon Fiber and Aluminum. I heard that CF is suppose to be much lighter but when I look on B&H, there is only 1 pound of difference in weight.

I'm leaning toward Aluminum because it cost $250 less than CF. What do you guys think?
 
It makes quite a difference.

Also these legs - mainly I dont like them as they are hard to accurately change height and creat fine compositions.

Conversely they seem good on mountains and for filming scenery.

Id try before you buy..

S
 
I have the 3-stage carbon fibre version. I'd recommend them. With the Solo sticks you're paying for superior versatility (greater maximum height, lower minimum height, and the capacityto position them just about anywhere, on any surface.

This versatility comes at the cost of speed in adjusting the legs though, so you get one or the other - speed or options.

Because of that I think it's best to opt for the better 3-stage solo legs - if you're chosing flexibility over speed, you want to get as much flexibility as you can.
 
Glad there's a thread on this, hope you don't mind the minor threadjack:

Having just gotten my sachtler ace today, I was blown away by the head, especially for the price, but the legs are just pathetic, the spreader is flimsier than a plastic ruler and without it the legs are even looser, as I suspected I'm going to have to get some new legs soon enough, I've narrowed it down to 3 possibilities:

Manfrotto 535 (advantages being that it's 2300g)(£420)
Miller solo DV (advantages being leg locks, and having retractable spikes(I shoot snowsports a lot), disadvantages being the weight (2900g)(£314)
Miller solo DV CF (advantages being leg locks, retractable spikes, lower weight (~2500g) disadvantage being they cost a lot more)(£460)


I'm wondering if anybody has used any or all of them, and would care to weigh in?

Thanks
 
ive got a pair of solo vj legs. these are insanely versatile. can get your camera up @ 7' (camera lens mounted on head) and very low to the ground with the legs doing the splits. also is very versatile on uneven surfaces. the carbon fiber are super lightweight and the twist tighteners tighten confidently. have to agree that they can be slower to deal with but for me its worth the slight slowdown at times.

i also have a standard set of vinten sticks that came with the vision blue head that are very stiff and solid as well but much heavier.

david
 
I have the Miller Compass 15, with their Solo Carbon Fibre 3 stage legs. They're made in Sydney about 20mins from me, I got the factory tour, very impressive.
I too was surprised the CF version is only a bit lighter than their aluminium, but as Miller says, they're more stable especially when fully extended.

They also said many ppl overtighten the Solo twist locks, just 1/2 extra turn does it, and you can drop one leg for a monopod. Since I got the 15, they released their Compass 12, almost the same specs but cheaper .. I'd look at that.

Cheers.
 
Owning both satchler 'trad' legs and soloCF legs I know thes Solo can go low and high but to make a fine adjustment from say 4foot8 to maybe 5foot3 they are absolutely awful.

They are great for filming the wilderness - but, IMO, for interviews, eyelines and other sensitive compositions - a real struggle

Simple answer is to own both - the legs are quite cheap :)

S
 
morgan_moore said:
Owning both satchler 'trad' legs and soloCF legs I know thes Solo can go low and high but to make a fine adjustment from say 4foot8 to maybe 5foot3 they are absolutely awful.

S
Click to expand...

A lot has to do with the weight of the camera. The Compass range has excellent quick release plates and we take the camera off before raising
or lowering the Solo near its full extension, it's quicker .. and safer.

Cheers.
 
Take the camera off, put it down in the mud/snow/blood raise the sticks to an unknown height which is the right height for your composition then replace the camera. Perfect.
 
morgan_moore said:
Take the camera off, put it down in the mud/snow/blood raise the sticks to an unknown height which is the right height for your composition then replace the camera. Perfect.
Click to expand...

I'm still using photography tripod. What I really like is the ability to adjust the height through center column. In the past I have a bowl level adapter but that just added too much weight.
 
I've got from Miller Sprinter II 2-Stage Carbon Tripod with ground spreader, really great legs! Also like the handle on them, it is really comfortable for moving, if it isn't in a bag.
 
I use a Manfrotto 028 tripod (no longer in production it seems) that has a center column crank.

I don't think the cranking is smooth enough to use it while recording but if you stop and want to reposition higher/lower I find it convenient.

Tripod weighs in at around 10 lbs and I like that. The tripod head is a 501HV and it's sort of ok but it you put the friction too tight it's hard to get it started and if you put it too loose, then it tends to move when you don't want it to move.

I find it very difficult to move to a target frame through a smooth arc whilst zooming in/out.

I am trying to get a second tripod handle based on a belief that two hands would allow smoother motion. I would like to find handles that are longer than the standard ones that come with the tripod.

If none of this works, then I may have to go to a very expensive alternative
 
kwkeirstead said:
I find it very difficult to move to a target frame through a smooth arc whilst zooming in/out.

I am trying to get a second tripod handle based on a belief that two hands would allow smoother motion. I would like to find handles that are longer than the standard ones that come with the tripod.

If none of this works, then I may have to go to a very expensive alternative
Click to expand...

Well the old saying goes ... camera bodies come and go, but a good tripod can last a lifetime :)

Another tip from Miller .. for faster tripod set-ups, after you establish your comfortable regular working height on level ground,
mark the legs with a semi-permanent marker and try it for a few shoots. When you're happy with that, remark them with a permanent marker.

Cheers.
 
I have two sets of carbon fiber Solo DV legs as well as the aluminum legs that came with my Sachtler DV-6SB head. I find the Miller sticks superior in every way -- they're lighter, steadier, more weather and rough ground friendly, and, for me at least, faster to set up, level and adjust height. Personally, I find the twist locks and absence of a spreader make it much easier to adjust. I do see the risk of overtightening the leg collets, and am careful about that myself, but worry that someone else will break one sometime when I'm not watching closely. One other minor critique is that although the legs have several convenient click stops for the outward angle -- this is how it works without a spreader -- the two primary ones are either "too narrow" or "too wide" to feel just exactly comfortable to me. (I usually go with the default "too narrow" position, but wish they went out a few more degrees.) However, the ability to go very, very low by widening them out all the way is a huge plus.

I do think a Sachtler Ace head might look a little lost on these things, and maybe there are smaller and lighter sticks that would be a better match for it. My two sets normally carry a Sachtler DV-6SB (similar to the current FSB-8) and a Vinten Vision Blue head, which are both good efficient setups.

- Greg
 
The telescopic arm works fine - it gives you an extra chance to smoothen the movement (apply friction, then adjust the length. I decided to keep both arms on the tripod. Seems to me two hands give more control than one.
 
Allan Black said:
Another tip from Miller .. for faster tripod set-ups, after you establish your comfortable regular working height on level ground,
mark the legs with a semi-permanent marker and try it for a few shoots. When you're happy..
Cheers.
Click to expand...

I think "regular working height" shows a fundamental mid understanding of the art of framing and lens placement. The human brain does not suffer from parallax error. To me an ideal composition the lens will perfectly horizontal. This is why shift lenses are so popular in "serious" image making and the height of placement of the lens so critical. I guess the ability to "boom" is one of the elements that make shooting from a fisher style dolly so popular for "serious" cinematography.

Of course most shooting is about compromise - mixing what you can get with what you want ideally and few of us will be shooting with a 1/4 ton $100k grip package.

In reality I find solo legs just a little too compromised - indoor close up and for interviews because of the complexity of a change in height. Others will compromise at different points.
 
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