Big Frank - The Three Legged Thing...

Sometimes it is impossible to improve upon coincidence. Those of us who have seen tradies in tray-tops  bull their way past us on the highway, only to encounter a Multinova round the next bend ( Flash!) will know what I mean.

Today, when Howard announced that we had a product called Big Frank, I could not believe my luck. What an opportunity to poke fun...turns out I am better off treating it seriously - it happens to be a good piece of equipment.

You'll remember the English firm that designs tripods and then gives them marketing names that are based upon rock musicians? The Three Legged Thing company. From Stagsden, which they assure us is in England, Earth. Yes, they are that twee - perhaps living in Stagsden does it to them or perhaps they are the sort that watch too much telly. Whatever - the products they commission are actually pretty good.

As an aside, please don't think that I regard all English products with unease. Sure, no-one wants to open the bonnet of the car and see the word "Lucas" anywhere near the electrical components. Yet some of us have English hifi components that have worked flawlessly for decades, so there is light at the end of the tunnel. Just not from Lucas.

Back to the tripods. The Big Frank is a carbon fibre one and shares the same design features as the Brian and the Keith: three leg tubes, aluminium yoke, extendable center column, and removable ball head. It is the largest of the range and can carry the most weight. You should have no hesitation putting a large DSLR and large lens on it.

The quick release plate looks to be Arca-sized, but check out the rubber padding on the surface that has been worked into a logo form. I would not be surprised to find this design fillip being picked up by other Chinese manufacturers and being used as advertising on their own products.

Likewise, note the removable protector on one of the tripod legs. Essential if you are going to handle it in extremes of hot or cold.

The last picture is of the tube locks at the bottom of each leg. The knurling is of chunky rubber and is much easier to operate and to secure that those on another well-known tripod from which this one is patterned... much to the annoyance of the other design team, I shouldn't wonder. Still they can sort it out amongst themselves in the back alleys - I've seen the Kung Fu movies.

This tripod carries a 5-year warranty, so if you buy it now you will be covered all the way to the Year of the Gerbil.

Happy New Year 3 From Uncle Dick