The TVC-23 is the three leg section version of Really Right Stuff’s midsize series 2 range. As the test data below show, the tripod performs brilliantly. It completely outclasses anything else I have tested in the all-purpose tripod category. The weight is on the low end for the category, lower than many of the travel tripods even. The folded size is too large for it to be considered a travel tripod however.
| Name | RRS TVC-23 |
| Class | All Purpose |
| Yaw Stiffness | 1287 +/- 3 Nm/rad |
| Yaw Damping | 0.334 +/- 0.034 Js/rad |
| Pitch Stiffness | 3943 +/- 3 Nm/rad |
| Pitch Damping | 0.322 +/- 0.032 Js/rad |
| Retail Price | $875 |
| Weight | 3.38 lbs (1.533 kgs) |
| Manufacturer weight rating | 40 lbs |
| Maximum Height | 51.9 in (131.8 cm) |
| Minimum Height | 3.9 in (9.9 cm) |
| Center Column | No |
| Base Diameter | 2.0 in (5.1 cm) |
| Folded Length | 23.7 in (60.2 cm) |
| Folded Circumference | 12.0 in (30.5 cm) |
| Folded Volume | 272.0 cu. in. (4.5 liters) |
| Leg Material | Carbon Fiber |
| Leg Sections | 3 |
| Primary Leg Angle | 26.5 deg |
| Leg Locks | Twist |
| Top Tube Diameter | 32.8 mm |
| Second Tube Diameter | 28.6 mm |
| Third Tube Diameter | 24.5 mm |
| Exchangeable Feet | Yes |
| Foot Type | Rubber |
| Bottom Hook | Yes |
The stiffness and damping data are the averages of 10 trials for each measurement. The reported error is the standard error, except in the case of the damping data. I have set the error in the damping at 10% as the standard error metric does not appropriately capture the error in fitting to the data. All of the reported specifications are measured, with the exception of the weight rating. The tripod is measured at full height, with the center column down.
Bonus Content:
Stiffness vs Height:
Very strong performance, and typical for tripods of this type.
Stiffness vs Center Column Height:
The aluminum center column performs very well.
Example data for oscillations about the vertical axis of the tripod:
No complaints here. Very clean oscillations. Good Data, Excellent performance.
Example data for oscillations about the radial axis of the tripod:
Again, beautifully clean data. Not doubts that we are hitting the right resonance.