From time to time, many photographers have use for standard and mini tripods along with a monopod and a handheld smartphone-stabilizing rig. The Chronicle Tripod combines all four in one modular, adaptable device.
Currently the subject of a Kickstarter campaign, the Chronicle is manufactured by US photographic gear company ProMaster. It's being offered in aluminum and carbon fiber versions.
In standard-tripod mode, the angle and length of each of its legs can be individually adjusted, the latter via silicone-coated twist-lock collars. It also features bubble levels on both its ball head and yoke (aka crown or canopy), along with two threaded ports on the yoke for attaching third-party accessories. The ball head additionally incorporates a dovetail-style quick-release DSLR mount that flips forward to serve as a smartphone clamp.
The really interesting part of the Chronicle, however, is its "Flexor" center column. This unit can be quickly pulled out and separated from the rest of the tripod, and features three short fold-out legs at the bottom.
If those legs are left folded in, the Flexor can be used as a smartphone stabilizer – the user holds it with one hand on the bottom, and with the other on the silicone-coated control arm at the top. And if its legs are folded out, the Flexor becomes a tabletop or ground-level mini tripod.
Users can additionally remove the ball head from the Flexor, remove one leg from the main tripod, then join the two together to form a monopod. For added stability, they can remove the Flexor's three-leg base and swap it for the tripod leg's standard rubber foot, resulting in a wider-base monopod. A ball joint joins the leg to the base, for smoother panning and tilting.
According to its designers, the Chronicle Tripod can handle a maximum load of 22 lb (10 kg) and tips the scales at 4.7 lb (2.2 kg) in aluminum and 4.2 lb (1.9 kg) in carbon. Assuming it reaches production, a pledge of $239 will get you the former (planned retail $419) and $319 will get you the latter (retail $499).
Its features are demonstrated in the following video.
Source: Kickstarter
