ROBUS RC-5570
MONSTER TRIPOD
Performance Compared Recommendations
Six-Foot-Rockwell dwarfed by the Monster ROBUS RC-5570 Tripod. (5.6 lbs/2.5kg, 4" ~ 70" height, 25"/64cm folded length, 55 lbs/25 kg maximum load, $550). bigger or fit-to-screen. I got mine at B&H.
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July 2019 Better Pictures Robus Reviews Canon Sony Nikon Fuji LEICA Zeiss Hasselblad All Reviews
Introduction
Top Introduction Specifications
Performance Compared Recommendations
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This Robus RC-5570 is a giant and immensely sturdy tripod for men and Sasquatch who demand the biggest and sturdiest possible tripod. "5570" means it supports 55 pounds and goes 70" tall.
This beast is all about rock-solid stability for the man who shoots OTUS-grade lenses or huge long lenses that demand support — or Sasquatch who need unhumanly-tall tripods or anyone who wants to shoot from higher vantage points for a different look. For human-size photographers some of the advantages of extra-long legs are:
1.) The legs alone go all the way up, so the tripod head bolts directly to the leg section with no need for a center column and its potential for instability and flex. There is an optional 14¾″ center column which makes the maximum height 85" (7' 1" or 2.2 meters), and that's the height before you attach your head or camera!
2.) You can fold out the legs on uneven terrain and still have plenty of length to keep the rest of the tripod at full height.
3.) Human-sized photographers won't need to extend the thinnest leg section at all, leading to even more stability. I'm 6 feet tall and I only extend the thinnest leg section a couple of inches, and many women may not even need all of the next-thinest leg section.
4.) Anyone can stand on an apple box, step stool or short ladder and shoot further off the ground for different — and potentially award‑winning — points of view.
The top of this tripod is modular. As shipped there's a standard ⅜″ × 16 TPI thread to which any head can be attached:
ROBUS RC-5570. bigger or fit-to-screen.
I love hooks to hold my camera case off my shoulder and off the dirt, and this is the biggest and best hook I've seen to hold any and all of whatever else I'm carrying that day.
Each of the legs attaches 4" (10cm) away from the other legs. The huge, wide plate to which the legs attach helps stability.
If you prefer a 75mm video bowl, just pop out the ⅜″ × 16 TPI plate above and replace it with this included 75mm video bowl:
Included 75mm video bowl. bigger or fit-to-screen.
Specifications
Top Introduction Specifications
Performance Compared Recommendations
Weight
5.6 pounds (88.2 oz. or 2.5 kg).
Maximum Load
55 pounds.
25 kg.
Maximum Height
70.1" (177.8 cm).
To clarify, while I'm 6 feet (72" or 183 cm) tall and the tripod appears to be way over my head, that/s because I shot that photo from the ground looking up. In reality standing next to it the top plate is in line with my eyes. Of course by the time you add a camera and look in into that camera you've added quite a few inches again.
Minimum Height
4" (10.1cm).
Folded Length
25.4" (64.5cm).
Leg Sections
Four.
Leg Angles
Three, in addition to collapsed (straight down).
Feet
Rubber tips standard, with metal spikes and three commemorative LEM (Lunar Excursion Module) "soft-touch" footpads also included in the case:
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Included spike tips. bigger or fit-to-screen. |
Included soft feet. bigger or fit-to-screen. |
Included
RC-5570 legs with standard rubber feet:
ROBUS RC-5570 legs. bigger or fit-to-screen.
Soft case:
Included nylon soft case. bigger or fit-to-screen.
Shoulder strap.
Set of spike tips.
Set of soft feet for use inside museums, on fine furniture, on mushy ground, firm quicksand or inside historic homes.
Set of three hex keys:
Included hex keys. bigger or fit-to-screen.
Warranty
Ten years.
Serial Number
Little sticker on the bottom of the ⅜″ × 16 TPI/hook plate.
Price
$550, July 2019.
Performance
Top Introduction Specifications
Performance Compared Recommendations
Stability
It's a beast with no problem holding anything a human would want to hold.
It's rated to hold 55 pounds.
A pro DSLR like a Nikon D5 (3.1 pounds) or Canon 1DX II (3.3 pounds) and a huge Nikon 600mm f/4E FL VR (8.4 pounds) or Canon EF 600/4 L IS III USM (6.7 pounds) weigh a total of 10 or 11.5 pounds. Add a huge geared head like the Manfrotto 3275 410 Geared Head I use (2.7 pounds) and we're still only talking only one-quarter of this tripod's weight rating — and I often use tripods at well over their support ratings so I can carry a lighter tripod.
I still used my world's first 1995 Gitzo G1227 carbon fibre before I got this ROBUS to hold my 15-pound 400mm f/2.8 AF-I with my 6-pound body and head combo (21 pounds total), and my G1227 was only rated to hold 17.6 pounds! It was wobbly, but worked fine. This ROBUS beast supports anything with ease — and without the wobble.
Ergonomics & Usage
The legs are non-rotating, meaning just turn the locks and you're done; you don't have to hold the other half of the leg as I did with my original 1995 Gitzo G1227 carbon fibre.
Operation of this brand-new ROBUS' leg locks and leg extensions isn't quite as smooth yet as my very well-worn and nearly 25-year-old Gitzo, but I wouldn't expect it to be. We'll see how it feels after a few years of daily use which should smooth it out.
Legs are tensioned to swivel in and out perfectly as delivered, and tools are included to adjust.
The top waist or spider that holds the legs is very wide to be extra-sturdy, but be careful as it's so big that it might interfere with some head motion if a head adjustment causes some part of the head or camera to descend below the bottom of the head's mounting plate. For instance, my 410 Geared Head hangs-up a little if I try to pitch the camera up more than about 10.º
Three sets of feet are included, but you have to screw these in manually to change them; you don't just spin or remove the rubber tips to expose metal spikes. This saves you from accidentally scratching wooden floors, but you will want to use a hex wrench in the hole in the metal spikes or soft pivoting feet to tighten or remove them.
Two of the legs have long-life solid rubber pads for grip and insulation while carrying. They're not thick foam like the hot-water-pipe-insulation we used to use in the old days.
There is a clever system at the top where you have to push and then turn a small lever to loosen or tighten it to remove and attach any of the included ⅜″ × 16 TPI plate, 75mm video bowl or the optional 14¾″ center column.
Compared
Top Introduction Specifications
Performance Compared Recommendations
Robus makes a smaller version of this, the RC-5558, as well as two bigger and tougher ones, the RC-8860 and RC-8880.
I threw in the similarly rated Gitzo GT4543LS as well, which does the same thing for more money.
Shorter version |
Expensive alternative |
Tested here |
Tougher version |
Taller and tougher |
|
| Max Height | 58½″ |
62" |
70" |
64" |
80½″ |
| Max Load | 55 lbs 25 kg |
55 lbs 25 kg |
55 lbs 25 kg |
77 lbs 35 kg |
77 lbs 35 kg |
| Tripod Weight | 5.2 lbs |
5.25 lbs |
5.6 lbs |
6.3 lbs |
6.6 lbs |
| Collapsed length | 22½″ |
24" |
25½″ |
24½″ |
28½″ |
| Warranty | 10 years |
6 months |
10 years |
10 years |
10 years |
| Warranty if registered | Registration not required |
10 years |
Registration not required |
Registration not required |
Registration not required |
| Warranty customer service number | (212) 594-2353 |
(480) 940-1103 |
(212) 594-2353 |
(212) 594-2353 |
(212) 594-2353 |
| Warranty provided by | Manufacturer |
Third party |
Manufacturer |
Manufacturer |
Manufacturer |
| Warranty provided by | |||||
| Price, 7/2019 |
Recommendations
Top Introduction Specifications
Performance Compared Recommendations
This is for the man who demands a serious tripod either for the utmost in stability and sharpness, or to stand out in a tripod farm, say at Delicate Arch, where everyone has a tripod. This monster is also for Sasquatch and gorillas and other super-Human sized beings, or people standing on apple boxes, step stools or short ladders to shoot from higher up for different points of view.
Of course the RC-5570 is just the legs; you'll need a tripod head in order to attach a camera.
You people know who you are. I use this in or around my studio. In the field I prefer wimpier tripods and a cable release or a mirrorless camera or mirror-lockup instead of hauling a monster like this; I try to carry as little as possible in the field as my work is about what's in the picture and not how sharp it is, but for men and women who deserve the best and won't cut corners on sharpness, here you go!
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