What makes Sachtler’s flowtech system a winner?
Posted on Dec 16, 2023 by Samara Husbands
Unique design features and some cutting-edge technology make the flowtech 75 MS tripod and aktiv 8T head the number one choice once more
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The combination of Sachtler’s flowtech® 75 MS with the aktiv™ 8T head is not only a proven performer in thousands of productions around the world, but it’s once again been voted as the best tripod system in the annual Pro Moviemaker Gear of the Year Awards. It’s perhaps no surprise as the incredible design features, ease of operation and total reliability have won it swathes of fans, helping the flowtech range come out on top with an award every single year since 2018, as voted for by professional filmmakers.
A huge part of the reason is that this unique combination is the best and most rapid system to set up, capturing the widest range of shots in the shortest amount of time. And it’s all without compromises – there’s no trade-off in stability for speed. It is a rock-solid tripod system that is light, has a huge range of height adjustability and a super-smooth fluid head with no nasty bounce-back. It performs every time, and is incredibly easy and convenient.
The flowtech uses very large and wide tubes that are designed not only to twist less during panning shots, but also be far more comfortable for carrying on the shoulder. This is thanks to the unique carbon-fibre manufacturing process developed by Sachtler engineers. Every flowtech tripod is made in the UK to ensure total quality and consistency.
These tripods are extensively tested beyond Sachtler’s stringent performance targets. Even the clamps were tested 1.5 million times on an endurance rig during the design phase, so you know they won’t let you down. And, of course, as the Sachtler flowtech system has been so widely accepted by filmmakers, they have also been tested in the real world by customers in environments from the desert to the Arctic!
One of the greatest features is its fast set-up. The legs are held together by a magnet, so a bit of force allows them to be pulled apart and splayed wide. Unclamp the leg brake levers placed at the very top, raise the tripod to the level you want and then just snap the locks closed again. This hugely speeds up height adjustment by removing the need to manually adjust multiple brakes at different levels. And it even eliminates the need to bend over while also supporting the weight of the camera payload.
A versatile hinge lock system allows the flowtech to be used with or without a spreader. On rough ground, taking off the spreader means the legs can be angled independently of each other and reduces the minimum height to just 26cm/10.2in, eliminating need for a baby legs tripod.
The tripod only weighs 2.9kg/6.4lb in total, but it can support a payload of up to 20kg/44.1lb. This makes it perfect for a massive variety of camera systems with all kinds of form factor.
Super-rapid set-up also applies to the head, and Sachtler’s fluid-damped aktiv 8T is designed to be mounted and levelled in record-fast time thanks to the latest SpeedSwap technology.
The head mounts to the legs using a single lever lock, rather than having to be screwed onto a large thread then locked down with a screw. The very smooth head simply clicks into place on top of the legs with a quick-release adapter. Then, using the very same lever lock, it is free to move around and be quickly levelled up. It’s also fast to take the head off and put it on top of a slider or other accessory.
It makes for the ultimate tripod system with a huge adjustment range – it’s quick and easy to carry or deploy, all while still offering incredible performance. This is the best tripod system on the market – and filmmakers worldwide agree.
Originally published in the November/December 2023 issue of Pro Moviemaker.
