Sachtler and Vinten, part of the Vitec Group, introduced a new, carbon-fibre tripod range at IBC2018 at the RAI in Amsterdam. The flowtech100 has quick-release brakes at its base that can deploy simultaneously and adjust automatically to the ground's surface. flowtech100 accommodates all major 100 mm fluid heads and supports a payload of up to 30 kg, making it ideal for heavy-duty newsgathering and documentary filming production, according to the company.
   

Nature and wildlife photographer Thorsten Milse took the flowtech100 on a recent six-week trip to photograph the famed lemurs of Madagascar. Here’s what he had to say about its performance:

"In Madagascar, flexible, fast setup was a critical requirement for capturing the lemurs, which move really quickly in the high treetops. Not only was flowtech100 incredibly fast and easy to set up and adjust, but it allowed us to get to a really low position fast, which is really important for capturing those fleeting ground shots," Milse said. "With the lemurs, sometimes I had only a few seconds to get the shot. But I was able to approach with my camera and lens in one hand and the tripod in the other, open the legs with my foot and adjust the height, snap on the camera, and shoot."

During his trip, Milse also used the flowtech100-FSB 10 setup to shoot video footage using a Canon EOS C200 digital cinema camera. For video, he snapped on the flowtech100's mid-level spreader and enjoyed its stability. "With a 600mm lens, you need really good balance between the lens and the camera. The flowtech100 and FSB 10 were the perfect combination, offering a firm platform for my expensive gear and the stability needed for precision shooting with such a long lens," he said.

Flowtech100’s hinge-lock mechanism enables it to rise to 155 cm for high shots, or to lower to 26 cm to accommodate extremely low, ground-level shots without the need for "baby legs."

"A year ago, we made tripod history with the introduction of flowtech75, the world's fastest-deploying tripod. Based on the reviews and feedback, flowtech75 has transformed the way camera operators work — it's faster, easier, and incredibly lightweight but also rock-solid and a back-saver, just to name a few of the comments," said Barbara Jaumann, product manager Sachtler. "Now, with flowtech100, we've taken everything that's great about flowtech75 and delivered it in a tripod geared to the professional 100 mm class of users, with the ability to support the demanding payloads of hard-working field news reporters and documentarians."