What are the fastest tripods to set up and fast height adjustment?
I've seen an O'Connor with only one lever for all three legs but that's about it.
Are there any fast tripods in $1000 area?

Thanks,
T

Well, I can set up my Miller DS-10 solo pretty quickly. It does have separate locks for each stage and leg, so I usually leave the legs extended and carry it over my shoulder. I have the carbon-fibre version, so it's light enough, and I can set it up one-handed by kicking the legs open with my foot. Plus it's got a nice quick-release plate and a bowl-leveller, so I can get set up in a few seconds.

Brian, actually I've had my Solo VJ CF legs for about 9 months now and those are by far the slowest legs I've ever used. Everything else is absolutely wonderful but the slow setup and adjustment time is a deal killer in live event/documentary scenarios, I find myself always shooting at the set height instead of creative or more varying heights just because the leg locks and spreaderless design. I still use my old two stage turn-lever-to-lock CF tripod in those fast setup cases but it started to wear out about a year ago.

The only tripod I like so far for quick deployment is the 35L (http://www.ocon.com/products/tripods/35l.html) but it costs about two times more than I'd like.

T

Libec 38 is very quick to set up.

Brian, actually I've had my Solo VJ CF legs for about 9 months now and those are by far the slowest legs I've ever used.

I guess it all depends on what you're used to. Compared to the Bogens and other (including ancient wooden-leg units) I've used, the Miller sticks are much quicker. I had a Bogen/Manfrotto 3063 tripod, that, on paper, should have been faster to set up, since it had a mid-level spreader, lever leg locks and a geared center column, so you could quickly adjust the height. However the lever locks would inadvertently unlock (or even worse, collapse!) at inconvenient times, it had no levelling bowl, and the geared column added so much weight that I never wanted to lug it around. A tripod's no good if you don't have it with you.

I've never tried a high-end Vinten or Sachtler that has a way to adjust all three legs simultaneously (in fact, I've never seen one!), but I suspect they'll be out of the price range.

If you really want quick, you might want to try a monopod. If you can get an angle head for it, put on a neck strap and stick the end in an old buttpack, you have a poor-man's Steady Stick.

Sachtler tripods with Speedlock is fast to deploy, one clamp for each leg(2stage tripod).

Manfrotto tripods are pretty good.