Oconnor 35L tripod repair

J

jmcgee

New member
I have several of these. One of them has a leg that won't retract. I'm pretty sure cable is still good, there is tension when I pull lever and leg moves slightly down, but does not release.
Has anyone ever repaired one of these?

Seem like I need to open up the plastic or fiberglass assembly at bottom but not sure. Rivets seem to be holding it in.
 
Greatest tripod legs ever invented. I'd go into depression if I ever lost mine. If it was me, I'd send them into OConnor to get the job done right.
 
Is there a local(ish) tripod repair guy? Out here in the SF Bay Area, Keith at TriVision handled repairs for lots of news photogs and others, esp of Vinten and Sachtler stuff. Oh dig it, he handles Oconner, too. I don't know if he's still in business. Ya, maybe it's an easy repair, but... can you get your tripod to Oconnor or someone like Keith?

https://www.ocon.com/support/technical-support/
 
Doug Jensen said:
Greatest tripod legs ever invented. I'd go into depression if I ever lost mine. If it was me, I'd send them into OConnor to get the job done right.
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A couple of years ago I sent a Sachtler tripod to Vitec’s headquarters in Shelton CT for repair. The price they quoted me to replace a leg was ridiculous. For a few dollars more I a bought a new, non Sachtler, tripod.
 
nutmegger said:
A couple of years ago I sent a Sachtler tripod to Vitec’s headquarters in Shelton CT for repair. The price they quoted me to replace a leg was ridiculous. For a few dollars more I a bought a new, non Sachtler, tripod.
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In your case, I'm sure you made the right decision. But we are talking about a 35L and not some ordinary Sachtler ENG rig. If you had a 35L and it needed work you wouldn't be so quick to give it up. And if I needed mine serviced I'd want to be confident that the person doing the repairs had prior experience with the unique design of that model. BTW, In 2001 my 35L got shattered on the sidelines of a football game and OConnor rebuilt it for a fraction of the price that I had paid a couple of years earlier. 20 years later, it is still going strong and is still better than any other tripod ever invented. That is true ROI.
 
Doug Jensen said:
In your case, I'm sure you made the right decision. But we are talking about a 35L and not some ordinary Sachtler ENG rig. If you had a 35L and it needed work you wouldn't be so quick to give it up. And if I needed mine serviced I'd want to be confident that the person doing the repairs had prior experience with the unique design of that model. BTW, In 2001 my 35L got shattered on the sidelines of a football game and OConnor rebuilt it for a fraction of the price that I had paid a couple of years earlier. 20 years later, it is still going strong and is still better than any other tripod ever invented. That is true ROI.
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Doug, I thought your FlowTech tripod was your favorite go to tripod these days?
 
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The Flowtech tripods are the best tripods that you can buy today -- however I still consider the 35L to be a superior design and my favorite overall tripod. The Flowtechs are definitely the next best thing and nothing else sold today comes close to the 35L. However, since the 35L hasn't been manufactured for almost 20 years, I prefer to talk about, use, and recommend tripods that other people can actually get their hands on. And the best choice out there are the Flowtech tripods.

During 2021 I've mostly been shooting with my FX6 and it is a perfect match for my Flowtech75 / Aktiv8 combo, so that is the system I am putting the most miles on right now. I mostly use my Flowtech100 / Oconnor1040 combo with my Z750. My Oconnor 35L / 1030D combo goes with my F55. My Flowtech75 / FSB-10 goes with my Z280. And I have a classic Sachtler Caddy system for my FS7. And my S1H goes on a Flowtech75 / FSB-6. But the Caddy is basically already sold so I won't have it anymore after the first of the year. During certain rocket launches at KSC they all get used at the same time, thus the need for having a good selection of sticks.
 
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Doug, I'm interested to hear how you like the Oconnor 1040? There are a few reports out there but not many!

I know it's as premium an offering as they come but just curious if you think it feels like a true continuation from the 1030 head(s) or is there even a slight element of feeling like quality isn't matched?

I've never used either of the 1030s so if I tried a 1040 I'd probably be blown away but I wouldn't be able to draw any comparisons, which is why I'm keen to hear from someone who has extensively used both.
 
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Rob, my 1040 and 1030D look almost identical (except the 1030 has more battle scars) and I honestly cannot tell any significant operational differences between them. As far as I'm concerned, they are basically the same thing. Have you heard anyone saying differently? If so, I'd like to read what they are saying.
 
Thanks for the feedback.

Vitec bought OConnor well before the 1030 D/Ds fluid heads were released but I think they've more been speculative concerns that with Vitec's ever expanding empire, there are increased chances of drops in quality with some products.

You would think there'd be flawless performance at that price point but it's still worth making sure for such a serious investment.
 
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