CO

I received an email from the company that produces Breakthrough filters. They're now starting the Colorado Tripod Company. They will produce the first Titanium ballheads. They will also produce tripods with carbon fiber produced in Japan. Carbon fiber produced in Japan is supposed to be of a higher quality than Chinese carbon fiber. I wonder how the Titanium heads will perform. They start mass production in January. Here is a link.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/coloradotripod/the-worlds-first-titanium-tripod-system?ref=3wdxsy

User ID

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If the world needed, even slightly needed,
Ti tripod heads, there would already BE a
few on the market. It's not a new material.

But then ... it's those "Breakthru" folks, so
what else wouldja expect ?

.

swartfort Loc: Evansville, IN

I'm sure this type of thinking was prevalent in 2007 when someone brought out the idea of a "smart" phone. If the world had even slightly needed a "smart" phone, I'm sure that it would have been invented decades ago...

Gee, I am sure that there were nay sayers about digital photography also. Have you ever noticed that small minded people NEVER invent/create/market/improve, they just mock those who do and then often complain that others are making big $$$ at their "expense"...... sheesh

Cdouthitt Loc: Traverse City, MI

Looks a lot like my Acratech.

blackest Loc: Ireland

Titanium is really light especially compared to steel.
looking at the kickstarter their head weighs 12 oz compared with 17 oz for AL or Mg heads. The weight difference is about the same as a big mac, less than a can of coke. It's not that much weight and costs $500 instead of $100.

The real weight saving is in carbon fibre legs v aluminium. A pretty good weight saving is to buy a short tripod, harder to find than you would expect. Personally I'd like a short tripod and maybe a pair of knee pads.

Bipod

I've been joking about titanium tripods for years. Now it's actually happened.

I have to confess: I use titanium cookware for backpacking. That's because I carry it 10 miles
than put it over a fire. Plus it sits out in the rain sometimes. (Also, I bought it cheap used!)

The main advantages of titanium over aluminum:
* much better high-temperature strength
* higher strength-to-density ratio
* greater resistance to corrosion

Because of its high cost, titanuum shows up in high-performance fighter aircraft and on the leading edge
of he wings and stabilizers of supersonic aircraft (which become red hot at supesonic speeds).

But photographic tripods aren't exposed to high temperatures , nor are they left out in the weather to corrode.
And the difference in strength between titanium and a good aluminum-alloy may or may not be significant.

Why not have a tripod made out of fiberglass covered with $100 bills? That would impress everybody!

The truth is that the more a tripod weighs, the better it works. Inertia damps vigration. And less rigid materials
--such as, wood or fiberglass--damp vibration better than metals (e.g., bells and tuning forks).

But consumer preferences are all about status and 'keeping up with the Jones". Manfacturers know this,
so they market titanium toothpicks and so forth.. They know just how to push the consumer's buttons.

It's a vicious circle.

User ID

You ignore my remark that Ti is NOT a new material.
It goes without saying that, of the many designs for
tripod heads, none are mechanically new ideas. So,
there is nothing new in a Ti tripod head. OTOH, the
examples you site in your knee jerk reply are about
technologies that were, at the time, new innovations.
IOW your argument is just a straw man that you can
slay with a paper sword. Battle on, brave knight !

.

swartfort Loc: Evansville, IN

You are so right, I took the time to actually look at the design. They are making the new heads (there are two patent pending models) in both Ti and aluminum. So, titanium is not new, the designs are. Easy to just shoot from the hip when you think you know it all.

You certainly believe you have slayed the straw knight, but you clearly didn't even bother to look at the product, but rather just shot it down.... Innovators innovate in many ways both large and small, but they often just find ways to do things smarter than those who just simply disqualify an idea on the surface without really understanding what it is. I take it you are NOT an innovator!!!

Battle on, but feel free to arm yourself with knowledge of a product before you speak with authority!!!

Bipod

I love it when UserID has these conversations with himself.
How many sock puppets do you now operate on UHH, UserID?
Plese leave some account names for new members.

Seting aside all the abuse, and getting back to facts:

Titanium has been around since the birth of the universe.
So no, it is not "new".

But so far as I know, Ti tripod heads have only become
available in recent years.

If that is incorrect -- which is possible -- then I'd love to ehar about
a titanium tripod head from some years ago.

Facts please. Oh, and one of you is more than enough!