Vinten Forests Sprout at Olympics
 

Here's a new game for all you avid Olympic sports fans.

See if you can count how many Vinten camera supports are at the various Olympic venues.

I managed to catch a half hour of the Womens Gymnastics yesterday, courtesy of my better half.

I wasn't really taking a great deal of notice of the action, because sports really aren't my thing, so let my attention drift to what was going on in the background.

The camera panned across the floor as it followed one of the competitors back to her chair, and all of a sudden I said to myself "What the f........".

Quite clearly, in the background, was a solid 20 - 30 metre wall of tripod mounted HD cameras, and stuff me if every single one I could get a good look at was on a Vinten.

Then I thought, "Nah, sheer coincidence" but, my attention grabbed, I started studying every background I could see, and sure enough, every single support I could get a decent squiz at was, indeed, a Vinten - everywhere!

Having got hooked on this rather bizarre game, I've been analysing every frame of coverage I can, and sure enough, wherever there's a tripod mounted camera that I can get a decent look at, it's on a Vinten.

Amazing. There's got to be hundreds and hundreds of them.

Even, as far as I can make out, all the big OB rigs are sitting on Vinten too.

OK, I hear you say, how do I know they're Vinten?

Because, all the standard Vinten sticks (apart from the Vb 's) with mid level spreaders, are using the SpreadLock mid level spreader, with it's unique and unmistakable top mounted light grey lock knob, can't miss it, stands out like a sore thumb, though it helps if you have seen one up close and personal, as I have, 'cause I own one.

Now, the flip side to this game is to spot a non - Vinten rig and let us know, 'cos I haven't spied one yet.

Sachtlers shouldn't be too hard to spot, their heads are quite unmistakable.

Some of the other makes could be a bit tricky.

Now, I'm not going to say this is 100% accurate, but I'm betting, based on what I've seen so far, that just about any video images you see of the Olympics, wherever its taken by a tripod mounted camera, it's on Vinten sticks and heads.

Come on, get in the game and prove me wrong.


CS

Attached, piccies of a SpreadLock spreader, just to make it a bit easier

Re: Vinten Forests Sprout at Olympics
 

I was conscious of this when watching last night, and I blame you for it. :)

Saw one Sachtler during the Mens 250km bike race, otherwise lots and lots of nice Vintens!

Re: Vinten Forests Sprout at Olympics
 

Well, the plot thickens, if you will.

I have it from an impeccable source (NOT Vinten, I have friends in LOW places, I had a lot of contacts in the video sphere when I lived in London, and a good many of them are shooting at the Olympics), close to the Olympic action, that what Nate and I have observed is a non issue.

Nearly 100% of all the camera supports being used at all the Olympic locations are Vinten, end of story.

Yep, there's an occasional "other", comprising less than 1% of the estimated 3,500 camera supports in use, every single one of the rest is Vinten.

Why?

Can't say (because I simply don't know).

Vinten aren't an official sponsor, so won't say, else they get a kicking from the IOC attack dogs, but it can't be because you can get a Vinten rig by sending in 5 Cerial Box tops and $10.

Most of the foreign shooters have opted for hired Vintens, instead of paying to ship their own apparently, the rest, well, who knows.

I rest my case, most of the video you're watching with regard to the Olympics is coming courtesy of Vinten sticks and heads.

Now, that's a biggie. Knew there was a reason I was was taken by them, seems I'm not alone.

Good game though, see how YOU fare at it.

Get you eyes peeled for a set of non Vinten supports, not easy, but you do get better with practice.


CS

Re: Vinten Forests Sprout at Olympics
 

They must've ran out of Vintens!

Re: Vinten Forests Sprout at Olympics
 

It's an English company so it's what I would expect as the home team.

Re: Vinten Forests Sprout at Olympics
 

Er, Les..................

Who's gonna be the support supplier when the Olympics are next staged in the USA?

Anyone?


CS

Re: Vinten Forests Sprout at Olympics
 

I doubt that will be before 2024. Kit may be completely different by then, - maybe the current manufacturers will not be there at all.

Meanwhile, paying visitors are not even allowed to take monopods into the Olympic Park.

Re: Vinten Forests Sprout at Olympics
 

Yep, I've heard it's pretty anal, to the point of utter stupidty.

Hey, I didn't do it, nor did Vinten, the SPONSERS have taken over the whole damn thing, and it makes your average rock concert look like a walk in the park.

Crazy, but that's what happens when you sell your soul to the Devil of BIG MONEY!
And sold, it is.

The way it's gonna be untill idiots stop buying tickets, could take a while, the world is chock ablock with them.



CS

Re: Vinten Forests Sprout at Olympics
 

Chris - Davis & Sanford appear to be American....

http://www.tiffen.com/D&S%20Newsletter2.pdf

Um...

Seriously though, I'm not so sure tripods will be very much different in 12 years' time. Vinten and Sachtler (and Miller, I think) have been around for donkeys' years, and are probably here for decades to come. Despite all the advances in electronics with cameras, good tripods are still a triumph of top-notch mechanical engineering.

Re: Vinten Forests Sprout at Olympics
 

I'm certain my point didn't imply there had to be a home team supplier in every nation they are held. Rather, when there is a supplier, especially one as old and venerable as Vinten, it makes sense they are the supplier. I expect they did everything possible and then some to get the contract.

Everyone knows that for the USA games, anything and everything except Bob Costas will be outsourced to China just like the teams uniforms were this year.

Re: Vinten Forests Sprout at Olympics
 

Just a gentle reminder to all that DVi is a digital video tech forum; please steer clear of politics and other such naturally controversial subjects.

Re: Vinten Forests Sprout at Olympics
 

I watched a bit of the beach volleyball and didn't notice any tripods at all.

Odd, because I was actually wondering about support as well.

Re: Vinten Forests Sprout at Olympics
 

Something was niggling after I wrote that, then it occured to me - OCONNER, of course.

Colin, hmm, support for what, exactly (do remember this is a family channel!).


CS

Re: Vinten Forests Sprout at Olympics
 

Perhaps you missed the 40' Jib serving as the master shot!

There are some really cool things moving about on the bottom of the swimming pools too if you look for them....

Re: Vinten Forests Sprout at Olympics
 

One of the coolest setups is the dive cam that drops at the same pace as the divers.