It’s the world’s first fully motorized tripod, according to edelkrone, and it probably is the “most motorized” tripod we’ve seen to date, but the Benro Theta was announced before, although it’s “less motorized” and is more geared towards photographers. The Benro Theta, Benro claims, comes “with many extras to help photographers get the shot quickly and without difficulty. From rapid leg deployment and automatic leveling, to remote camera control, automatic exposure adjustment, and livestreaming – Theta is designed to elevate your photographic journey.”
The Tripod X from edelkrone is more ambitious. It’s not just the price, as it costs $2,599 against the $599 suggested for the Benro Theta, it’s the whole system. The Tripod X offers automated height and level adjustments, and it can effortlessly raise and lower even the heaviest setup loads including all of edelkrone motion control systems.
With its powerful motors, Tripod X can lift up to 44 lb (20 kg). Aware of the sound problems present in the Benro Theta initially, edelkrone notes that the “Tripod X does produce some operational sound (60 db)” and suggests that “for a quieter experience, you have the flexibility to lower the speed of Tripod X.”
The company says that “with Tripod X, you can wave goodbye to the various discomforts traditionally associated with tripod adjustments – from the nagging knee bends to the tedious toe-tip stretches. Experience a new era of ease and speed in camera setup, where your well-being is as prioritized as your shot.”
Lightweight at just 9 kg and featuring a quiet operation mode, the tripod is, according to edelkrone, “ideal for any filming environment” as its “user-friendly design ensures a quick setup and effortless adjustments, making it the perfect tool for videographers seeking convenience and quality in their work.”
It’s possible to deploy the tripod on uneven ground. With one touch, it levels itself, providing, edelkrone claims “an exceptional ease of use” as “the smart sensors embedded within Tripod X constantly monitor and adapt, ensuring that your setup remains perfectly level without requiring your intervention. Tripod X can do this all by itself, without the need of pairing with the edelkrone App.”
With the Tripod X it’s possible to effortlessly create smooth transitions between 2 different poses and get dynamic motion time-lapses. Connect your camera to the trigger port on Tripod X using a shutter trigger cable (sold separately), and you’re ready to capture. You can, edelkrone adds, “achieve very unique motion paths that can not be achieved with any other motion control device.”
The tripod comes with a simple interface. Use left and right buttons to set your speed. Use up or down buttons to move your tripod vertically. Press center to trigger an auto-leveling. From the menu button access the Motion Timelapse and many more features to come. The tripod can do this all by itself, without the need of pairing with the edelkrone App, but remote control is coming to the app, designed to control all edelkrone devices seamlessly and wirelessly from both Apple and Android devices.
Camera Heads from edelkrone are all compatible with the tripod. FlexTILT models deliver manual camera angle positioning on a very slim form factor. HeadONE and HeadPLUS deliver industry leading ultra precise, silent motorized pan and tilt control. One word of caution from the company: Tripod X is not designed to provide movement to the camera during shooting. The automatic features of Tripod X are intended for use while setting up your plans.
Powered solely by a 12v 3.0Ah power tool battery, Tripod X delivers, according to edelkrone, weeks of usage on a single charge. Battery and charger are included. The price, as noted above, is $2,599.