Satchler stolen and public apology ot Manfrotto.

Noel Evans

Noel Evans

Mod V3 New and Improved
Staff member
Sorry didnt know where to put this. So Im here. Today my beloved Sachtler was stolen. First off theft is rare in Japan. So I imagine that when the perpertrator saw Sachtler they knew what it meant. And thus my bad luck.... wont go into how it happened due to the public scolding that would ensue.

So there I am, preparing to shoot a doco. We have talent showing up in an hour, signed on a special release to us through his agent. No tripod. I was sweating.

Step into Yodobashi camera Shinjuku. Tripods here are overpriced compared to US. So damn. Im looking at the satchlers, Im looking at $3K for replacement. Oh look a Vintem Vision 6, (vision 3 was close behind in price) I heard good things. $1900 for the head alone plus $1200 for the legs wtf. How about LIBEC? they are cheaper here, I have one at home, its a good beat em up option. Legs couldnt hold a bout of gas. Gitzo? didnt feel good at all. Miller, aussie tripod yeah, holey crap what the hell is that price tag. Close to Vinten.

Finally oh yeah, theres a manfrotto 519, used a 503 a few months back piece of crap was grating on the pans (and now I admit that the unit I used was old and must have been badly cared for). Its much cheaper so I gave it a whirl. Hmm actually feels pretty good. I worked the head hard, stood up as well as the vinten. The 525 legs in the package though were pretty rubbish, I mean they really cant take much weight.

I ended up with the Vinten alloy legs (light, cheaper and support upto 55lbs), a gitzo 75mm ball and the manfrotto 519. Used it all day. Its fantastic. Thus I have to say I am converted. The 519 head from manfrotto is GREAT! Comes with two springs to adjust for counterbalance, with easy swap out. Pans as good as anything I have used for HVX, JVCHD100, XHA1. Could hold an XDcam or similar easily. Dont discount this quality head in your tripod search. Yes I have kind of been a naysayer to manfrotto in the past.
 
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I like my 503 except for that sticky start. Hard to be really smooth.
It's even worse in below zero temps! :)
 
The 503 isn't in the same classification as the 516 (which we use extensively) or certainly the 519. The 503 really is rubbish, even at the tempting price. The 501 doesn't even warrant discussion, much less consideration, when there's a $5k ++ camera up top.

I just don't know how else to say it.

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I agree with the 501 part, and was actually hoping to upgrade to a 503 soon. Thanks for bursting my bubble overland. I'm still way out of the Vinton/Miller/Sachler range.
 
Until I can get a focus controller, my tripod is pretty useless anyways. Sorry to hear about the theft though, and glad you found a new tool you like.
 
Focus = Plastic. Plastic in the worst possible places. Worst possible place #2: Where the control arms mount to the head. We destroyed two of these last summer when the flimsy plastic sawtooth simply stripped itself smooth.

Shockingly worst possible place #1: The quick release bevel channel. Amazing that Cartoni would leave the important job of securing "... the latest DV cameras weighing from 1 to 10 Kg (2,2 to 22 lbs)" to a metal wedge plate that's held in place by a plastic chamfer. On this one, we discovered that there was a perpendicular crack running up then over from the center of the wedge slot. We were using it with heavier XDCamHD 350s, which fall right at the outer edge of the Cartoni-recommended payload, so take that for what it's worth.

I'm far from a snob - I don't own a Sachtler 18+ or Vision 8 or 11. Somehow, since I've been using the cartridge-equipped 516, I haven't felt the need to spend double or triple on a head that will perform 20 - 30% better.

I've bounced our Manfrotto 516 (always when I lazily try to lean it somewhere) on two occassions and all we ended up with was an abrasion. Try that number just once with a Focus and you'll be sending the shattered lump back for replacement.

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All equipment is good until you buy it and meet someone who has better.

Sticky start? I imagine that would be an initial over-coming of inertia (in effect if, not in fact). Solution? Start the pan before the start of the pan.

Nothing wrong with the 503, if that's your price range.
 
I have the 503 and have never experienced a sticky start. I've used high-end Sachtler heads quite a bit and haven't really been that impressed with them for the price.
 
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