First look at the impossible tripod from PotatoJet

PotatoJet partnered with SmallRig to create a tripod with a very interesting tripod, the Tribex Hydraulic Carbon Fiber Tripod. The Tribex is a fast tripod, and it’s similar in a way to the YC Onion Pineta peak and Sachtler Flowtech 75. Instead of having multiple height locks on every tripod leg, fast tripods control the height from just one lock on each leg. Except the Tribex takes the idea a step further, letting you adjust the height of all three legs from just one height lock.

The Tribex Hydraulic Carbon Fiber Tripod

The Tribex tripod uses what Smallrigs calls the “X-clutch Hydraulic Technology”. Its design lets you squeeze the clutch (which looks a bit like a bike handle) to extend or adjust the legs simultaneously for both height and angle. When you release the clutch, the tripod activates its self-locking system, which secures the legs instantly.

Each leg is made from carbon fiber and has a diameter of 29mm. In total, these legs allow the tripod to support up to 35kg of camera gear. Far more than enough for any sane filmmaker’s camera rig. The tripod’s height ranges from 27 to 168cm, which makes it useful in many different shooting scenarios. And, when you fold the tripod, it’s only 79cm long. This is short enough to fit into most standard luggage.

The Tripod kit comes with a compact fluid head with up to 5kg of counterbalance. It’s plenty for small and medium-sized movie cameras. The head also has a 360-degree pan, step-less 90 to -65 degree tilt, and a six-step counterbalance for precise control and smooth camera movements.

Price and availability

The Tribex Hydraulic Carbon Fiber Tripod will be available in early July. MSRP is not available yet, but SmallRig mentioned in our NAB 2024 interview it won’t be cheap. It’s a premium tripod made from high-quality materials, and its price tag will reflect that.

Sponsor shout-out: A huge shout-out for our #NAB2024 gear sponsors. They pick up the bill so you can get amazing free content: Nanlite, ProGrade Digital, Sennheiser, SmallRig, Ugreen, YC onion