Cartoni Focus 18 SDS CF System Video Tripod

Italian broadcast-support specialist Cartoni ships the Cartoni Focus 18 SDS CF System as a complete 100 mm rig: a true-fluid head, a one-lever two-stage carbon tripod, a Smart Lock mid-level spreader, rubber feet and a padded transport bag. Freelance documentary crews, ENG shooters and television production teams get a single package that scales from a stripped-down mirrorless build right up to a fully accessorised ENG camcorder with battery, wireless receivers and on-board recorder.

At the core sits the Focus 18 fluid head with a 100 mm ball base, continuous counterbalance derived from Cartoni's patented Delta silicon-wedge mechanism, and a labyrinth modular fluid drag with independent pan and tilt modules. Tilt travel runs +/- 90° for steep-angle framing on concerts, architecture or sports action, while the Euro-style sliding plate and illuminated bubble level make centre-of-gravity balancing quick even in a dim live-event gallery. With an operating range from -40 °C to +60 °C, the head stays consistent during dawn wildlife shoots and holds its character on rooftop broadcast relays in high summer.

The SDS carbon fiber two-stage tripod uses a single-lever deployment protected by three patents, so setting up between interview locations or pack-up after a sports halftime takes seconds rather than minutes. The Smart Lock mid-level spreader opens wide without binding, letting you drop close to ground level for talking-head product shots or follow action from a low-mode rig. Pivoting rubber feet grip studio floors, concrete and rocky outdoor terrain equally well.

Rated for a payload of up to 21 kg, the Focus 18 SDS CF System comfortably carries a Sony FX9, ARRI AMIRA, Canon C500 Mk II or Panasonic EVA1 with V-mount battery, matte box, wireless video transmitter and on-camera monitor. Supplied with a soft padded transport bag, the Cartoni Focus 18 SDS CF System travels easily on airline overheads and in crew vans between assignments.