I´ve tried the Sirui, the Flowtech 75 and the YC onion Pineta 75 and the Pineta is by far the closest to the sachtler. The handles on the sirui were really hard to lift which felt really annoying immediately. The pineta is lighter, less bulky, has more payload and is incredibly well built. I´ve tested it against the flowtech 75 and found that the smoothness when raising the legs all the way and slide them down was the pretty much same (especially when doing it from a spread out position which is a test no one shows with the Sirui and for good reason haha). The Sirui legs didn´t even fully slide out and got stuck every time, needed a little wiggle to slide all the way out. Tested all 3 as brand new models so maybe some things get better over time smoothness-wise but the Pineta 75 takes the cake overall. it`s just... that name...haha
While the YC Onion Pineta has the Flotech 75 beat on price, what does the Flotech 75 have over the YC Onion Pineta that would justify its price premium?
@@lenhister Flowtech75 have way more smoother lock system and you can feel its well built then Pineta Peak, but when you think about the price, I prefer buying Pineta Peak.
@@lenhister honestly time will tell I guess. But as far as I can tell nothing. The pineta has a smaller footprint folded and is lighter. Also has the super useful mounting points with arri locking pins at its base.
This video was extremely helpful. I've seen the ads for this Tripod and it looked incredibly promising but I was hesitant at best. Thank you again, you've earned a sub from me!
Yea I bought that nitrotech and immediately sent it back. The head is garbage, dampening is nearly non-existent imo. Maybe mine was faulty but it was God aweful. Opted for a Sachtler, super impressed because it wasn't cheap. That said, I'll probably pick up one of these Sirui tripods to keep in my kit!
Hi Dominic. Two questions: 1. Can the counterbalance be set to hold the camera in a tilted position? This is what I look for in a counterbalance, rather than any sort of bounce back. 2. Is the side mount system compatible with the standard Manfrotto 501 plates? That's what I use with my Sachleter video heads, and they are cheap and readily available.
@@robinprobyn1971 I gave this video head a try, but the counter balance was either too light or too stiff to allow holding my camera rigs (14-18 pounds) at a tilt position. It is a very well built video head, but more counter balance settings could have made the difference for my rigs. I imagine a heavier camera rig (20-25 pounds) may be fine on this video head. The fast release tie down knob is a great idea. Unfortunately, it's so large that it's awkward to access on the Flowtech legs. Sirui makes some very nice gear (much nicer than Manfrotto), and this video head is worth looking at.
@@davidp158 surprised it doesn't hold counter balance at 18 Ibs , thats fairly weighty for a 75mm bowl tripod. But yeah for the price it does look to be the best of the bunch.
Nice video! Thanks! Not a tripod expert here but, when your rig is properly balanced and counterbalanced on your sticks, shouldn't it stay static wherever you set it, instead of deflecting back to center? Thanks in advance!
Thanks. No you always want to be able to dial in the amount of spring back. Great helps in operation getting smoother tilts especially when it comes down starting and stopping of motion.
You're correct! The last thing you want when operating is fighting the tripod on a tilt because it's trying to bounce back. It's one of the reasons the O'Connor is the gold standard it has extremely granular counterbalance control, you can perfectly dial it in so the camera will hold perfectly wherever you frame up your shot. It looks like this tripod has a pretty good amount of counterbalance steps so I would imagine you could get this dialed as well.
@@NorthwestCameraCo Interesting. I have always preferred the higher end tripods because when properly balanced they don’t spring back, allowing me to smoothly operate the camera without fighting the springs and get precise, repeatable moves every time. But I suppose to each their own. :) I am glad that there is more competition- like you said, hopefully it helps to increase quality while lowering cost over time. :) Keep up the great work in producing these videos- very helpful comparisons. (I enjoyed the one you did on the Cooke SP3’s too.)
@@IntoTheLightCreative totally. I guess the big thing here is that the counter balance can be really well dialed in to your exact amount you enjoy. But thanks for watching!!!
Big thing with counter balance is it becomes more and more important the heavier the load. Even when center balanced, especially if you’re running something like a vct plate that raises the camera height higher off the head, those extreme tilts can become very tough to manipulate the load back to center. That definitely helps keeps your moves smooth going each direction.
I have the manfrotto and have always been let down by it. Multiple stupid design decisions. Bummed this Sirui wasn't available when I bought the Manfrotto. Looks great!
@NorthwestCameraCo yeah I had the washer, maybe I was just tweaking on set but the handle to screw on the washer didn't fit, sorry if I didn't clarify! The 75mm bowl fits it was just hard to screw the handle with the washer ! I think kus the handle on the sirui tripod is too wide The particular dilly I have is the proaim polaris Dolly. Never really had an issue with it that with my old 75mm and handle
Were you able to set the counterbalance to a position where the Mini LF package was fully balanced and the camera stayed/hung properly in position when tilted back and forth?
Oh yea we just had the counter balance set to 7 of 7. So it’s most extreme setting and also had the drag all the way down to show much capability it had.
$1400 AUD delivered (indiegogo at release) - very happy with them for the price so far. Few niggles when I compare it to the tripods of all the ENG I assist and work with but at my stage of the journey I think it will be a great investment in my kit. Looking forward to pairing it with an equally built/value dolly system in the near future.
Um, you didn't actually compare this to the other tripods? You just talked about the Sirui in front of them. I was hoping, especially concerning the Manfrotto, you'd actually demonstrate how it handled higher payloads. Especially since you said we'd "get to that later." Except you only put a camera on the Sirui and didn't do so for the others, you just said how supposedly bad the Manfrotto was. And if I'm not mistaken, counterbalancing a camera properly on a tripod means when you let go, it should stay where it was last positioned, not drooping lower or springing up back to center. So you're not fighting against the tripod head. If anything, the only thing demonstrated with all that turning of the counterbalance knob is that the Sirui isn't all that adjustable, can't handle such payloads, or it wasn't balanced properly. Do you have another video showcasing your gripes with the Manfrotto by chance? I can't say I'm sold on the Sirui unless I were to actually see that comparison. (The Sachtler is time tested, so I sort of get the omission there, but still, would have been nice for a comparison.) Not to sound like I'm dogging on the video, but it's definitely got a more "take my word, believe what I say" vibe, especially when there was ample opportunity to demonstrate your claims.
I've had this tripod since the end of October and while it's amazing in a lot of facets, the feet are a disaster. If you're ever trying to quickly adjust height, especially going down, and often going up, they're almost guaranteed to flip over on its "toes". Having to flip over the feet with a $50-$75K camera package is ridiculous and makes this a liability. I've seriously considered going to a local Sachtler dealer and seeing if their feet will fix the problem since the Sirui is based on the same design.
@@NorthwestCameraCo Good tip, I had the same problem with mine. Mine came shipped with the spreader in place. Miraculously didn't snap the collars. I removed the spreader and threw it in the trash, it's simply not needed. Those carbon leg tubes are 40mm, the thing weighs a ton. I find them to be a placebo thing on my tripod anyway, they don't add significant rigidity and are a PITA to deploy and put away so why deal with them. I guess spreaders are a help if you have flimsy legs and are overloading a tripod, but these legs are huge and rigid so it's not needed. . It seems like a lot of buyers are expecting these to be Sachtler level, we have three sets of the Flowtech legs with the Akitiv 8 heads and those tripods and legs blow this one away. But at around 4x the cost. The Sirui legs and head are decent for the price, definitely better than Manfrotto junk. But don't expect miracles. The leg locks also don't have a detent or feedback mechanism that tells you they are actually locked. Once you use it a while, you can tell when it's locked but the angle of the leg locks seems to vary when they are "locked", there have def been complaints about that on the Sirui forum. I agree with you, it is the best "cheap" tripod on the market. It really is a beast though, too heavy for run & gunning or carrying around all day on doc shoots. I still find myself needing two or three different tripods for different situations, like air travel, run & gun, versus studio shoots with a fully rigged monster camera.
@@NorthwestCameraCo amazing, thanks for the heads up. So this is a solution you guys are already using with this tripod? If so, which product is it? All I'm finding on their site is a small footprint foot for a dolly or spreader style. A link would be appreciated and I'll probably buy it today since this tripod has so much potential.
there is really no comprehension in quality to a Manfrotto Triüod. I have a sirui carbon tripod for 15 years or so and abused it like nothing else of my stuff, and it is still like band new. My Manfrotto stuff has fallen apart so often. I would just buy well-selected stuff from Manfrotto.
You are the first to actually compare this head against a Sachtler Video head. You have earned my sub.
Nice review.. BUT why are you attacking the tilt 'drag' knob while mentioning it as the COUNTER BALANCE?.. That knob is on the rear.
I´ve tried the Sirui, the Flowtech 75 and the YC onion Pineta 75 and the Pineta is by far the closest to the sachtler. The handles on the sirui were really hard to lift which felt really annoying immediately. The pineta is lighter, less bulky, has more payload and is incredibly well built. I´ve tested it against the flowtech 75 and found that the smoothness when raising the legs all the way and slide them down was the pretty much same (especially when doing it from a spread out position which is a test no one shows with the Sirui and for good reason haha). The Sirui legs didn´t even fully slide out and got stuck every time, needed a little wiggle to slide all the way out. Tested all 3 as brand new models so maybe some things get better over time smoothness-wise but the Pineta 75 takes the cake overall. it`s just... that name...haha
Is there a video on RUclips comparing these tripods?
While the YC Onion Pineta has the Flotech 75 beat on price, what does the Flotech 75 have over the YC Onion Pineta that would justify its price premium?
@@lenhister Flowtech75 have way more smoother lock system and you can feel its well built then Pineta Peak, but when you think about the price, I prefer buying Pineta Peak.
@@lenhister honestly time will tell I guess. But as far as I can tell nothing. The pineta has a smaller footprint folded and is lighter. Also has the super useful mounting points with arri locking pins at its base.
thank you for this
love this channel. Keep it going.
Using these legs in combination with an Activ6 Sachler head and love it. Highly recommend.
This video was extremely helpful. I've seen the ads for this Tripod and it looked incredibly promising but I was hesitant at best. Thank you again, you've earned a sub from me!
I own the Sirui with a Sachtler head. The Sirui tripod is heavy and, as others mention, the feet tend to flip. Otherwise it’s pretty good.
The blue matches the blue on the arri build, nice!
Yea I bought that nitrotech and immediately sent it back. The head is garbage, dampening is nearly non-existent imo. Maybe mine was faulty but it was God aweful. Opted for a Sachtler, super impressed because it wasn't cheap. That said, I'll probably pick up one of these Sirui tripods to keep in my kit!
Hi Dominic. Two questions:
1. Can the counterbalance be set to hold the camera in a tilted position? This is what I look for in a counterbalance, rather than any sort of bounce back.
2. Is the side mount system compatible with the standard Manfrotto 501 plates? That's what I use with my Sachleter video heads, and they are cheap and readily available.
Thats what the counter balance setting is for , as you say , to hold the camera in any tilt angle , not to "bounce back " sort of makes you wonder ..
@@robinprobyn1971 I gave this video head a try, but the counter balance was either too light or too stiff to allow holding my camera rigs (14-18 pounds) at a tilt position. It is a very well built video head, but more counter balance settings could have made the difference for my rigs. I imagine a heavier camera rig (20-25 pounds) may be fine on this video head.
The fast release tie down knob is a great idea. Unfortunately, it's so large that it's awkward to access on the Flowtech legs.
Sirui makes some very nice gear (much nicer than Manfrotto), and this video head is worth looking at.
@@davidp158 surprised it doesn't hold counter balance at 18 Ibs , thats fairly weighty for a 75mm bowl tripod. But yeah for the price it does look to be the best of the bunch.
Thanks, I was looking at that! Very informative.
Nice. Thanks
Nice video! Thanks! Not a tripod expert here but, when your rig is properly balanced and counterbalanced on your sticks, shouldn't it stay static wherever you set it, instead of deflecting back to center? Thanks in advance!
Thanks. No you always want to be able to dial in the amount of spring back. Great helps in operation getting smoother tilts especially when it comes down starting and stopping of motion.
You're correct! The last thing you want when operating is fighting the tripod on a tilt because it's trying to bounce back. It's one of the reasons the O'Connor is the gold standard it has extremely granular counterbalance control, you can perfectly dial it in so the camera will hold perfectly wherever you frame up your shot. It looks like this tripod has a pretty good amount of counterbalance steps so I would imagine you could get this dialed as well.
@@NorthwestCameraCo Interesting. I have always preferred the higher end tripods because when properly balanced they don’t spring back, allowing me to smoothly operate the camera without fighting the springs and get precise, repeatable moves every time. But I suppose to each their own. :)
I am glad that there is more competition- like you said, hopefully it helps to increase quality while lowering cost over time. :)
Keep up the great work in producing these videos- very helpful comparisons. (I enjoyed the one you did on the Cooke SP3’s too.)
@@IntoTheLightCreative totally. I guess the big thing here is that the counter balance can be really well dialed in to your exact amount you enjoy. But thanks for watching!!!
Big thing with counter balance is it becomes more and more important the heavier the load. Even when center balanced, especially if you’re running something like a vct plate that raises the camera height higher off the head, those extreme tilts can become very tough to manipulate the load back to center. That definitely helps keeps your moves smooth going each direction.
I have the manfrotto and have always been let down by it. Multiple stupid design decisions. Bummed this Sirui wasn't available when I bought the Manfrotto. Looks great!
Sirui is not it, try Teris! Those are more designed for video vs a stills tripod w video features.
I love the tripod but one thing I quickly realized is the 75mm bowl they gave didn't fit on my Dana Dolly to tighten it
I’ll test this on our Dana dolly kit. You have the washer for it? Most bowl tiedowns need a washer for them to work.
@NorthwestCameraCo yeah I had the washer, maybe I was just tweaking on set but the handle to screw on the washer didn't fit, sorry if I didn't clarify! The 75mm bowl fits it was just hard to screw the handle with the washer ! I think kus the handle on the sirui tripod is too wide The particular dilly I have is the proaim polaris Dolly. Never really had an issue with it that with my old 75mm and handle
What about the Smallrig Free Blazer? It would be the direct competitor by costing 400€
How small is the tripod with the head removed and just the legs from top to bottom of legs?
it turns out that the main revolutionary product is svh15? You can just buy it separately, right? Or are there nuances?
Yes. The head is the real gem here. The legs are also great. But the head truly performs well for the price. It is available separately I believe
Do you know if the Sirui SVH15 75mm head will fit on Flowtech 75 legs? Thanks!
Were you able to set the counterbalance to a position where the Mini LF package was fully balanced and the camera stayed/hung properly in position when tilted back and forth?
Oh yea we just had the counter balance set to 7 of 7. So it’s most extreme setting and also had the drag all the way down to show much capability it had.
I see I haven't leveled up enough. $5000 budget is for a cheap tripod? Damnnnn lol
We have an O’Conner head and legs we paid 24k for new. It’s bonkers.
That's insane. lol@@NorthwestCameraCo
The SVH15 not available anymore?
Sirui claims they are coming out with a better version in the next month or so.
$1400 AUD delivered (indiegogo at release) - very happy with them for the price so far. Few niggles when I compare it to the tripods of all the ENG I assist and work with but at my stage of the journey I think it will be a great investment in my kit. Looking forward to pairing it with an equally built/value dolly system in the near future.
i was catfished by the word cheap in the title
Where can you buy this? Thanks!
Wow, that is a bargain. This is the same company who released those 4/3 anamorphics?
Yes it is
Um, you didn't actually compare this to the other tripods? You just talked about the Sirui in front of them. I was hoping, especially concerning the Manfrotto, you'd actually demonstrate how it handled higher payloads. Especially since you said we'd "get to that later." Except you only put a camera on the Sirui and didn't do so for the others, you just said how supposedly bad the Manfrotto was.
And if I'm not mistaken, counterbalancing a camera properly on a tripod means when you let go, it should stay where it was last positioned, not drooping lower or springing up back to center. So you're not fighting against the tripod head. If anything, the only thing demonstrated with all that turning of the counterbalance knob is that the Sirui isn't all that adjustable, can't handle such payloads, or it wasn't balanced properly. Do you have another video showcasing your gripes with the Manfrotto by chance? I can't say I'm sold on the Sirui unless I were to actually see that comparison. (The Sachtler is time tested, so I sort of get the omission there, but still, would have been nice for a comparison.) Not to sound like I'm dogging on the video, but it's definitely got a more "take my word, believe what I say" vibe, especially when there was ample opportunity to demonstrate your claims.
How’s this compare with the YC Onion Pineta Peak?
Do you have a link to buy this tripod? I can't find it. I live in Canada. Thanks.
www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1792372-REG/sirui_svt75_pro_svh15_svt75_rapid_system_one_step.html
if it doesnt have a sachler style drop-in quick release, I don't want it. the manfroto plate is trash
I've had this tripod since the end of October and while it's amazing in a lot of facets, the feet are a disaster. If you're ever trying to quickly adjust height, especially going down, and often going up, they're almost guaranteed to flip over on its "toes". Having to flip over the feet with a $50-$75K camera package is ridiculous and makes this a liability. I've seriously considered going to a local Sachtler dealer and seeing if their feet will fix the problem since the Sirui is based on the same design.
This is totally something we forgot to mention. Proaim makes some rubber feet that are compatible that solve that issue
@@NorthwestCameraCo Good tip, I had the same problem with mine. Mine came shipped with the spreader in place. Miraculously didn't snap the collars. I removed the spreader and threw it in the trash, it's simply not needed. Those carbon leg tubes are 40mm, the thing weighs a ton. I find them to be a placebo thing on my tripod anyway, they don't add significant rigidity and are a PITA to deploy and put away so why deal with them. I guess spreaders are a help if you have flimsy legs and are overloading a tripod, but these legs are huge and rigid so it's not needed. .
It seems like a lot of buyers are expecting these to be Sachtler level, we have three sets of the Flowtech legs with the Akitiv 8 heads and those tripods and legs blow this one away. But at around 4x the cost. The Sirui legs and head are decent for the price, definitely better than Manfrotto junk. But don't expect miracles. The leg locks also don't have a detent or feedback mechanism that tells you they are actually locked. Once you use it a while, you can tell when it's locked but the angle of the leg locks seems to vary when they are "locked", there have def been complaints about that on the Sirui forum. I agree with you, it is the best "cheap" tripod on the market. It really is a beast though, too heavy for run & gunning or carrying around all day on doc shoots. I still find myself needing two or three different tripods for different situations, like air travel, run & gun, versus studio shoots with a fully rigged monster camera.
@@NorthwestCameraCo amazing, thanks for the heads up. So this is a solution you guys are already using with this tripod? If so, which product is it? All I'm finding on their site is a small footprint foot for a dolly or spreader style. A link would be appreciated and I'll probably buy it today since this tripod has so much potential.
Will send over a link and images Monday when back in the shop.
@@NorthwestCameraCo Thank you!
there is really no comprehension in quality to a Manfrotto Triüod. I have a sirui carbon tripod for 15 years or so and abused it like nothing else of my stuff, and it is still like band new. My Manfrotto stuff has fallen apart so often. I would just buy well-selected stuff from Manfrotto.
if my camera kit is 25k+ sactheler flowtech 75 is worth the investment no matter what. 🕵️
I actually think lenses are sexy. I don’t know what you’re talking about.
We are on the same page here.
I don’t think “cheap” is the word you’re looking for lmfao.
Too much hands man. It's like Talladega Nights.
Teris make better tripods than both, and they are basically a direct ripoff of sachler..
1) is not cheap
2) is too big and heavy still