Jack of All Trades, Master of All: ProMaster's Tripod Does What Others Can't
When ProMaster’s new Chronicle tripod arrived to evaluation, I did a fast stock and located eight camera helps in my home, not counting the odd assortment of desk stands for smartphones and mics that appear to pile up like USB cables.
Whereas eight is a big quantity of tripods, it’s not unusual for photographers and videographers to finish up with a number of tripods, every serving a selected want.
As with every sponsored content material I write, I agreed to evaluation the Chronicle tripod provided that it added one thing to my camera help assortment and improved my life. Surprisingly, the ProMaster Chronicle’s distinctive design offered one thing that was lacking from my assortment, which turned out to be extra worthwhile.
I knew the Chronicle’s promoting level is that it may be shortly configured into numerous setups, however I’ve heard that earlier than. Often, corporations claiming they’ve made a flexible tripod merely give a detachable heart column for low-level taking pictures.
At first look, the Chronicle is yet-another full-sized, well-built carbon fiber tripod that may collapse right into a small and portable package deal. They are saying seems to be are deceiving, and the Chronicle turned out to be greater than meets the attention.
I deliberately skipped studying the quick-release information to present it an opportunity to impress me, which it did.
What grew to become readily obvious in my taking pictures was that the designers didn’t simply spend time designing a stable tripod to compete with different manufacturers. They created a tripod meant to remove the necessity to personal a number of specialty tripods by offering a number of features in a single design.
Over time, I’ve discovered that all-in-one gadgets are often no higher than the instruments they exchange. For instance, a Swiss Military Knife screwdriver is rarely nearly as good as an precise screwdriver, however it would get by once you’re on a shoot and understand you forgot an actual screwdriver.
The Chronicle is a uncommon system that doesn’t simply get by in a pinch; it does a greater job than many single-feature tripods I’ve used.
There’s a carbon fiber and an aluminum model of the Chronicle. At 4.19 kilos (carbon) or 4.74 kilos (aluminum) the Chronicle is already one of the lightest tripods in my assortment. Contemplating it does the job of a number of camera helps on the identical time, the load is much more spectacular.
Versatile Setup
Extending from its compact folded place right into a human-height tripod is achieved by rotating locking rings on the four-section legs. When totally prolonged, the tripod measures 59 inches tall.
As soon as the principle tripod legs are opened, the distinctive heart column is revealed; this column is the key to the Chronicle’s versatility.
The middle column is segmented with a squat metallic physique and small legs related by a screw mount. This patent-pending part is known as the Flexor.
For super-low-level taking pictures, unscrew the legs from the underside of the Flexor, pull the tripod’s leg locks outward, and decrease the legs to just about horizontal. The working peak when horizontal is simply 8.25 inches.
Pulling the Flexor column out via the highest of the tripod and gripping it by the folded legs, you should utilize it as a stabilizer. Unfold the legs, and the Flexor turns right into a tabletop tripod.
Since I reviewed the Chronicle earlier than launch, the person information wasn’t out there, however I made a decision to skip the offered fast information to be shocked by the distinctive options.
That’s how I missed that Chronicle additionally converts right into a monopod utilizing one of the tripod’s legs.
This conversion begins by eradicating the Flexor column the identical means as when utilizing it as a stabilizer or a tabletop tripod.
The small tripod toes related to the Flexor column’s backside are eliminated, revealing a screw mount. After unscrewing one of the tripod’s legs, that leg might be hooked up to the screw mount on the underside of the Flexor column.
The monopod can be utilized with the usual rubber foot on the underside of the tripod leg, or that foot might be eliminated and changed with the tabletop tripod toes for added stability.
I usually use a monopod with out toes as most monopods have both a weak joint connecting the tripod toes to the monopod, or no joint in any respect.
The Chronicle has a solid-feeling locking ball joint which permits for the most effective of each monopod worlds. Lock the ball joint to make use of the monopod in a set taking pictures perspective, or unlock it and pivot the tripod. In both case the fold-down toes present nice stability.
The Head of the Matter
The tripod head, a weak spot in lots of in any other case good tripods, is amazingly designed. The pinnacle encompasses a dovetail-connecting Arca-compatible plate with a stable launch mechanism.
I didn’t anticipate finding that the entire mount mechanism rotates 90º to permit for landscape-oriented pictures or vertical video. I used the Chronicle with a Canon 6D Mark II, the beefy 24-105mm RF lens, and the beefier 135mm RF lens.
This mix may cause tripod plates to slide, however the Chronicle tripod head holds this mixture effectively when tightened, even when rotated to the vertical place.
I additionally didn’t anticipate finding a built-in smartphone holder as half of the tripod head. The patent-pending ball head consists of an adapter that eliminates the necessity for a screw-in adapter to shoot with a cellphone. Swap from the Arca-compatible plate to a cellphone clamp with simply the twist of a knob. The tripod head additionally has a removable deal with to make it simpler to seize easy video.
So-Many-In-One
As a artistic working in pictures and videography, I typically seize a number of completely different camera helps once I head out for a job.
If I’m taking pictures panorama or actual property pictures, I often convey a tripod that may convert to low-level taking pictures or a tabletop tripod. I prefer to convey a tripod and a monopod for wildlife and sports activities.
For video work, my typical equipment features a video tripod with a video head and a tabletop tripod that I can use when doing a seated speaking head. I’ll convey a stabilizer for a vertical video or a walking-follow shot. I at all times carry a vertical tripod head, or I’ll get a smartphone tripod head, relying on whether or not I’m taking pictures with a mirrorless camera or smartphone.
I hadn’t even thought-about utilizing one tripod for my artistic wants as a result of one didn’t exist. Worse, most multi-use tripods are “jack of all trades, masters of none” designs, sacrificing construct high quality for flexibility.
The Chronicle tripod is a uncommon beast that’s designed to perform a number of duties and to carry out these duties with out compromises or shortcomings.
Pricing and Availability
The ProMaster Chronicle will be available on Kickstarter starting August 22, 2023 at 10 AM EDT.
Tremendous Early Chook Pricing will enable prospects to avoid wasting as much as 43%. Within the first 48 hours the Carbon Fiber tripod is $319 and the Aluminum tripod is $239. These discounted costs are a $180 low cost.
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