Really Right Stuff TVC-24L Versa Series 2 Mk2 Carbon Fiber Tripod (Long)

This review is partly for the tripod but also for the RRS customer service. I am a long time RRS customer with thousands of .. worth of their products. When buying this tripod I struggled with justifying spending .1k on a tripod but in the end justified it on the basis that it would be the last tripod I would ever need to buy. Unfortunately that has not turned out to be the case. Whilst hiking with the tripod strapped to my backpack it seems that one of the twist grips on the legs must have worked its way loose and the lower 2 sections of one of the legs fell out and were lost. Contacted RRS customer about getting replacements and, with shipping, was quoted .280 (just for 2 sections of one leg !). To my mind the leg sections falling right out was an equipment failure but was more concerned about getting my tripod back in action than arguing about this. Received the replacement parts and they did not fit (seems they were for a different tripod model). Returned those and still waiting for correct parts to be sent. This process has all been delayed by the difficulty in getting through to customer support - pretty much impossible to get directly through to speak to anyone and there is a several day delay in them returning voicemail or email messages, it appears they are dreadfully understaffed. I am now coming up to close to a month with my tripod out of action and have resorted to buying a replacement (FLM model with very similar specs but less than half the price of the RRS one, although doesn't feel quite as well made).

RRS are very proud of their products, and they should be. This is a fantastic tripod, very stable, tall (I'm 6'-1) and worth the premium you pay for RRS stuff

- Moderate folded length - No center column - Plenty tall - Solid and smooth construction Exactly what I need in an everyday tripod that will last a long time.

There's a saying that goes, Buy Nice or Buy Twice and it couldn't be more true for tripods. Before owning this product, I had a Manfrotto MK290XTA3-3WUS 290 Xtra Aluminum Tripod. After 4 months of usage, I decided to upgrade to an RRS TQC-14 MK1 because the Manfrotto was a huge pain to use in the field. The tripod was too heavy and barely supported any weight. The Pan and Tilt head was very cumbersome to use and restricted some compositions that are easier to setup with a ballhead. Fast forward to the RRS TQC-14 MK1 which lasted about a year and six months before I upgraded again. I found the TQC-14 MK1 to be one of the best travel tripods on the market. It was so light that you would sometimes forget that you were carrying a tripod but built extremely sturdy. You could also extend the center column to get more height. So you might be wondering why I decided to upgrade from the TQC-14 MK1 to the TVC-24L MK2. There isn't much of a weight difference between the two but a significant difference in sturdiness, height and some new functionality in the MK2 version. As you step up through each RRS tripod, the carbon fiber tubes get thicker. Extending the center column on a tripod doesn't provide as much stability as having a taller tripod. Especially if you have a heavy camera or are shooting in windy conditions. This thing is taller than me when fully extended and I am 6ft. The Mark 2 versions of the tripod (RRS redesigned all their tripods in 2019), have better sealing around the twist locks. If you shoot on the beach or submerge your tripod in water, you will get sand and dirt in the grits of the twist locks. It was a huge pain to take apart and clean the tripod on the MK1 version. You have to do it after every shooting otherwise the particles will grind against the twist locks and cause issues down the road. The Mark 2 version has better sealing around the twist locks making it much more difficult for sand and dirt to get into them. Since switching to the MK2, I haven't had to take apart the tripod to clean the locks. This has to be the best tripod in the world period. Light enough for travel (and on the plane) but sturdy enough to hold up against anything you throw at it. High enough that you can shoot over crowds but low enough that it can touch the ground. It's the only one I own now and take it everywhere I go. If you could only buy one tripod in the world, this would be it. It's literally the best money can buy. The only reason to go with a higher series from RRS is if you carry glass bigger than a 70-200 f2.8 or 100-400 f4.5-5.6. I found that the TVC-24L was stable enough to handle the 70-200 and 100-400 without any issues. Hope this review helps if you are wondering whether the price is worth it.

This has taken my photos to a new level and I thought my old tripod was good enough. I could not be leave the difference in sharpness of my photos. Well build, American made great product.

I wanted a tripod that would put the camera view finder at eye height (I'm 6'1) with some extra length to accommodate uneven ground, without having to rely on a center column. With that said, I also acquired the Quick Center Column to allow easier, quicker fine-tuning of height adjustments as well as to get even more height for shooting over obstacles, for example prairie grasses and wetland reeds which are rather high this time of year. I am not the kind of person who parks the car, pulls out the tripod, and sets it up. I wanted a tripod that was reasonably light weight for carrying for miles by hand or on a pack, yet was sturdy, stable, and durable. I spent considerable time researching and looking at tripods before I made this purchase. Most were too short by several inches or barely made it even close to eye height when fully extended, with no latitude for uneven surfaces, or required the center column to be extended 5 inches or more. Others were heavier by some margin, or were several inches longer when folded. The biggest complaint I read or heard was cost, but that seemed to be mostly coming from other brand ambassadors. And upon close examination the quality of the lesser priced tripods was clearly lacking, even in photos. When I considered my criteria, most tripods were quickly eliminated. Those that came close, were mostly in the same price range. I've now used it several times in the field, and I'm pleased and quite satisfied with its quality, construction, and its simple, quick, and smooth operation. It has proven very solid and stable, even in very windy conditions.