Miller Solo Legs Are Brilliant

[Aaron Sharff]

I just wanted to report back after my long hunt for a new tripod. After breaking my most recent Sachtler spreader, I started out in search of a spreaderless tripod system. After a lot of great help from folks here, I finally landed on the Miller Solo legs and I wanted to report back with how they are performing:

One of the main arguments that I have heard against spreaderless legs is that they take much longer to adjust height positions, especially incrementally. It sounds like the Manfrotto 535 and most Gitzo legs don't drop on their own when they are loosened (I've never used these legs, but that's what's been reported to me). This necessitates the operator to bend down and pull the legs out one by one.

Since added adjustment time was my biggest concern with leaving the spreader world behind, I need to post that the Miller Solo legs (at least the CF copy I have) drop on their own just like any other tripod leg. They loosen and drop with a quick twist and then lock with a quick twist back. Incremental adjustments up or down are just as fast as on spreader legs, as are huge height adjustments. The only difference is that when I reach across to loosen the leg opposite me, there isn't a spreader in the way. And when I spread the legs out to shoot very low, there's no spreader to loosen. And when I fold the tripod up, there's no spreader to fold up as well.

I'm sure these legs can be criticized for other reasons. Maybe if you put a heavy camera on them there's more windup (I cannot detect any whatsoever on my 8lb rig). Maybe they're not convenient when shooting in a studio, or other controlled environment. But for anyone who needs light, uncomplicated legs that set up, adjust, go high, go low, go anywhere in between quickly, I can't imagine anything better.

[Phill Pendleton]

+1 Aaron, they are great legs. Bought the CF Solo legs years ago with my Z1 and loved them from day 1. I've been using miller legs on and off (went to sachtler for a while) since 1979, in fact still use my old timber legs for jib arms etc.

[Richard D. George]

I am glad you are pleased with your Miller legs. For the record - while the Gitzo CF legs don't fall on their own, they slide down very easily and don't rotate before tightening. A non-issue.

[Alister Chapman]

+1. Great legs when you need light weight portability that can go both very low and very high. The do suffer from more wind up than traditional dual section legs, but for the weight they are very stable.

I have a Compass 15 head too and this really is a silky smooth head.