I recently had the chance to test the stiffness vs height for the Really Right Stuff TVC 34L and TVC24L tripods. I previously described the models for the stiffness vs height fits and tested a number of tripods, including the RRS TVC 33 and RRS TVC 23. This presents a unique opportunity. These two sets of tripods are basically equivalent, except that the four section ‘long’ versions have an extra bottom leg section, of course causing them to become much taller. These will thus provide a unique comparison. First, here are the stiffness vs height results for the two long tripods:
These are very similar to the other RRS tripods in terms of the fitted exponents and for the TVC34L, the apex stiffness. The fitted apex stiffness for the TVC24L is quite different from the TVC-23, which came in at 9504, as opposed to the 5814 seen here. Given that the apexes for these two tripods are actually identical, this reinforces the notion that this fitted number does not actually reflect the stiffness of the apex, but instead some other undetermined aspect of the tripod. The factor is still clearly important towards getting a good fit.
Now lets overlay the data for the similar tripods:
This is awesome. In each case, the stiffness of the four section long version closely parallels the stiffness of the three section version where they overlap. The three section versions are a little bit stiffer. This is likely due to the fact that the four section version still uses some of its weakest bottom leg section when extended to the same height as the three section version. The leg sections of the four section versions are slightly shorter due to adding a section, even though the tripods have similar overall folded length.
So, if you need the height of the long version occasionally, but will most use the tripod at the same height as the three section version, fear not. The stiffness numbers are quite similar at the same height. The four section versions are slightly heavier and more expensive, and slightly less stiff. These are small trade offs though given the added versatility, and I thus expect the long versions to be very popular.
These tripods have roughly equivalent
stiffness at equivalent length, but
aren’t the leg sections roughly the
same length?
A TVC-24 vs TVC-23 would be a more
typical comparison for tripods that
match fully extended heights but have
different collapsed lengths. I
suspect the gap between 3-segment and
4-segment would widen if you compared
a pair like that.
Yes, the leg sections are roughly the same length, so this isn’t a good comparison of 3 vs 4 section equivalent tripods. In this post I just wanted to see if the tripods of nearly equal leg section behaved in a consistent manner, which they did. I hope to be able to test the TVC-24 at some point as well. So far the only data point I have on 3 vs 4 sections is the Manfrotto MT055, where the 3 section performed much better.
I don’t really understand the graphs above. In layman’s terms, what are the differences in stiffness between the
24L and the 34L? Also, does that difference equate to stability?
Thanks!
The 34L is about 40% stiffer than the 24L, and that directly relates to the stability. Stiffness is stability.
Ok. That is what I assumed, but I couldn’t tell what the number really meant! This is really interesting.
Thank you!
First of all, awesome website. Just one minor nitpick:
The comparison between TVC-23 and TVC-24L extending only 3 legs is appropriate as
they are almost identical. TVC-34L, on the other hand, should be compared to TVC-33S
instead of TVC-33. The height of TVC-34L with 3 legs extended is actually almost identical
to TVC-33S not TVC-33.
From RRS website:
TVC-23: 1st Position Maximum Height: 52.4″ / 133cm
TVC-24L: 1st Position 3/4 Segments Extended: 50.4″/ 128cm
TVC-33S: 1st Position Maximum Height: 50.4″/ 128cm
TVC-33: 1st Position Maximum Height: 58.2″/ 148cm
TVC-34L: 1st Position 3/4 Segments Extended: 51.8″/ 132cm
Of course, one can look at it a bit differently and say TVC-24L/TVC-34L are based on TVC-
23/TVC-33 by adding one extra section but made slightly shorter than what TVC-23/TVC-
33 + extra section would have been. But most likely none of the tripods have exactly the
same first 3 leg sections – L version has slightly shorter first 3 leg sections and in case of
34L closer to 33S rather than 33.
You are right, the tubes are exactly the same
between the TVC-33S and the first three
sections of TVC-34L. I have both. The TVC-
34L is just TVC-33S + a 4th section.