Home · Register · Join Upload & Sell

Moderated by: Fred Miranda

New fredmiranda.com Mobile Site

New Feature: SMS Notification alert

New Feature: Buy & Sell Watchlist

FM Forums | General Gear-talk | Join Upload & Sell

Archive 2022 · Interesting new tripod attachment - Atoll on Kickstarter

eyal
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Interesting new tripod attachment - Atoll on Kickstarter

Caveats out of the way - this is a Kickstarter campaign
Saw on several photo sites/blogs I follow and they DO get kickbacks from driving traffic
Below link is free of any affiliate code (got to it myself without clicking links)

That being said, I am intrigued by this new (?) take on camera-tripod attachment.

Allows variable angles (meh) but without having the extra bulk of an L plate. The upside down/close to ground is interesting though.

Also and, correct me if I'm wrong, would the collar serve to slightly decrease dust entry to the sensor with lens changes?

Only issues I can think of is stability vs larger machined L plate.

Also, for my Sony, further cramping area where fingers rest on grip.

Thoughts on this?

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/silencecorner/atoll

Update:
Going through comments and looks like they have link to Google docs so going to try to embed photos not easily noted on site:

Place for adding PD QR - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PYZmjecqKLcfMG1ao4plZw0b-9A_v3HD/preview
[still can't embed]

Also another helpful answer - ATOLL is mainly designed for landscape photography. It is recommended to use it with a wide-angle to standard lens within 1kg for the best experience. If you use a long lens over 200mm or more than 1kg, it is recommended to use it with the original tripod collar for the most stable operating experience. Because ATOLL is mounted on the camera, can't balance the camera optimally like a tripod ring with long lenses.

Edited on Jun 17, 2022 at 12:21 PM · View previous versions

Jun 17, 2022 at 12:01 PM

j4nu
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Interesting new tripod attachment - Atoll on Kickstarter

Nice, would be handy when doing Fred's decentering test

...

Jun 17, 2022 at 12:14 PM

eyal
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Interesting new tripod attachment - Atoll on Kickstarter

j4nu wrote:
Nice, would be handy when doing Fred's decentering test

...

That's kind of hilarious

Jun 17, 2022 at 12:16 PM

jeffbuzz
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Interesting new tripod attachment - Atoll on Kickstarter

That may be the most useful kickstarter gizmo I've seen in a long time. Certainly has the potential to solve a real problem with lenses that have no built-in collar. What concerns me is the apparent lack of sufficient clamping on the camera body. The applied forces are similar to using a nodal slide. There will be extreme twisting forces at the camera body interface. The gizmo seems to have only very basic friction mounting to the camera with no anti-rotation flanges I could see. Perhaps they exist but I just can't see in the photos or videos. My feeling is you'll have rotation at the camera to gizmo interface.

Edited on Jun 17, 2022 at 01:00 PM · View previous versions

Jun 17, 2022 at 12:43 PM

eyal
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Interesting new tripod attachment - Atoll on Kickstarter

jeffbuzz wrote:
That may be the most useful kickstarter gizmos I've seen in a long time. Certainly has the potential to solve a real problem with lenses that have no built-in collar. What concerns me is the apparent lack of sufficient clamping on the camera body. The applied forces are similar to using a nodal slide. There will be extreme twisting forces at the camera body interface. The gizmo seems to have only very basic friction mounting to the camera with no anti-rotation flanges I could see. Perhaps they exist but I just can't see in the photos or videos. My feeling...Show more →

It looks like you might be able to have the 'lip' sit flush with the camera and cut down on that?

See Google drive link from comments - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CSLLH5Uxe_wJvv1BSFvgBoxnamQh9uvQ/view?usp=sharing

Jun 17, 2022 at 12:59 PM

Alan Parker
Online
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Interesting new tripod attachment - Atoll on Kickstarter

Looks fantastic to me, but I could see limited application for most people since it does fit in a rather awkward spot. I do like the idea of it being compatible with the PD Capture Clip. The overall look is rather striking, I have to say!
Maybe a version 2 of it, in black, might be an option in the future

Edited on Jun 17, 2022 at 01:08 PM · View previous versions

Jun 17, 2022 at 01:06 PM

jeffbuzz
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Interesting new tripod attachment - Atoll on Kickstarter

eyal wrote:
It looks like you might be able to have the 'lip' sit flush with the camera and cut down on that?

See Google drive link from comments - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CSLLH5Uxe_wJvv1BSFvgBoxnamQh9uvQ/view?usp=sharing

Yes, I think front vertical face of the device can be pushed against the camera body. However, the bolt is in a slot rather than a fixed hole. So the bolt could slide back allowing a gap and possibly rotation. Same as any generic plate or L-bracket fitting. A lip of sorts will help. But a dedicated mount interface specific to a camera is needed to guarantee no rotation.

I do like the idea of this gizmo. It may work well for lenses that are light enough not to torque the mount plate enough to cause the bolt to slip in the slot. Probably good enough for small primes and f/4 zooms. Fat primes and f/2.8 zooms will likely twist.

Jun 17, 2022 at 01:07 PM

eyal
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Interesting new tripod attachment - Atoll on Kickstarter

jeffbuzz wrote:
Yes, I think front vertical face of the device can be pushed against the camera body. However, the bolt is in a slot rather than a fixed hole. So the bolt could slide back allowing a gap and possibly rotation. Same as any generic plate or L-bracket fitting. A lip of sorts will help. But a dedicated mount interface specific to a camera is needed to guarantee no rotation.

I do like the idea of this gizmo. It may work well for lenses that are light enough not to torque the mount plate enough to cause the bolt to slip in...Show more →

Took me a bit but now see what you mean and agree that having the ability to slide can be a problem.

And black would be nicer...

Jun 17, 2022 at 01:41 PM

EB-1
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Interesting new tripod attachment - Atoll on Kickstarter

It is a very limited use item due to the way is attaches to the camera and limted clearance for larger lenses.
I'm sticking to the L bracket and nodal slide.

EBH

Jun 17, 2022 at 02:20 PM

Norm Shapiro
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Interesting new tripod attachment - Atoll on Kickstarter

Interesting idea. But I’ve bought several Kickstarter projects over the years and have learned several things: 1-almost all of them, if completed, take much longer than they think they will, 2-many never get made, 3-some of them preform poorly and getting support or refunds is not easy, 4-projects from established companies like Shimoda come out in time and offer good prices.

Jun 17, 2022 at 03:20 PM

ramesesthe2nd
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Interesting new tripod attachment - Atoll on Kickstarter

My thoughts: It is a solution looking for a problem to solve.

Jun 17, 2022 at 03:28 PM

bobby350z
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Interesting new tripod attachment - Atoll on Kickstarter

I will stick with my L bracket. When I need to move the camera like shown, I am using a TSE lens with a Rogeti frame.

https://rogeti.com/products/tse-frame

Only issue for me is that I can't use tilt along with the shift.

Jun 18, 2022 at 03:44 PM

runamuck
Offline
• • • • • •
[X]

p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Interesting new tripod attachment - Atoll on Kickstarter

This offers more explanation and a demonstration. Hope it helps. https://www.dpreview.com/news/8487488165/kickstarter-atoll-tripod-collar-makes-camera-angle-adjustment-a-breeze-no-matter-your-gear

Jun 18, 2022 at 04:12 PM

eyal
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Interesting new tripod attachment - Atoll on Kickstarter

One other possible issue is how this works with a long lens that has its own tripod foot - does the 'foot' of the Atoll interfere with the foot of the long lens? Do you rotate the front of the Atoll to make room?

In smaller print near the bottom, they do call out the a7r3 and some others to note that fingers will be more cramped around the grip when using this.

Jun 18, 2022 at 07:45 PM

Frogfish
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Interesting new tripod attachment - Atoll on Kickstarter

I'm not sure that saving a maximum of 4-5 seconds over an L plate (the real speed difference because you still have to line up your shot, Kordan saying it takes milliseconds is BS) is any advantage to the vast majority of photographers (maybe sports shooters)?

With my L plates I can easily rotate the camera in that amount of time. Additionally the L plate is exactly a 90 degree rotation whereas with this you will need to spend a couple of seconds aligning using your cameras leveling meter.

e.g.
Loosen screw / rotate and line up shot (min. 2-3 secs) and tighten screw.
vs.
Loosen L plate / rotate / tighten L plate.

Additionally if you use your L plate for any other attachments then that advantage has gone and Daniel Kordan (effectively) saying you no longer need to find the nodal point is inaccurate too.

And then there's the fact (as yet unproven but logical) that anything with moving parts is likely going to break down vs. the ultra-reliable and almost unbreakable L plate.

I think I agree with the guy above who said a solution looking for a problem but I'm sure that at US$80 there will be plenty of people willing to give it a try.

Jun 18, 2022 at 11:15 PM

aCuria
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Interesting new tripod attachment - Atoll on Kickstarter

Could be interesting if you tripod head cannot support rotations (video head)

But it doesn’t look super sturdy

Other people have good points about L plates having the same function

And if you have a lens collar you can just use that to rotate the lens

Jun 18, 2022 at 11:50 PM

schlotz
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Interesting new tripod attachment - Atoll on Kickstarter

The video was not too clear in regards to disconnecting a lens from the camera body. Not a lot of room there to get you finger to the release button to begin with. Add the adapter and it seems that space gets smaller.

Jun 19, 2022 at 09:35 AM

sjms
Online
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Interesting new tripod attachment - Atoll on Kickstarter

if you go to the KS site they give some pretty good detail on their perceived good side and what they say are the limitations.

Jun 19, 2022 at 12:07 PM

EB-1
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Interesting new tripod attachment - Atoll on Kickstarter

✱You will find it inconvenient to change lenses if your lens is attached with a tripod collar.

Say no more.

EBH

Jun 19, 2022 at 02:25 PM


FM Forums \| General Gear-talk \| Join Upload & Sell

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.