540 ART Road Runner Tripod Legs.

Byline: John Jackman

The Bogen/Manfrotto 540 ART Road Runner Tripod Legs are lightweight, quick-setup tripod legs ideal for news or documentary use, where easy portability and fast setup are essential. The carbon fiber legs mean that the unit is extremely lightweight at a mere 7.7 pounds.

I tested these sticks with the 516 head I reviewed, again using the 13-pound Sony DSR-300 camcorder.

Although the 540 ART legs aren't the lightest two-stage sticks available, they come very close. The 540 ART comes with a 100 mm bowl and an adapter that converts for use with a 75 mm ball. The 3141 Ball fit with the 540 ART's bowl, allowing me to use the 516 head.

The 540 ART sticks pack to about 29 inches and extend to a maximum height of 60 inches. Minimum height when set for shooting is about 16 inches. Load capacity is 33 pounds. The unit has twin spikes with removable rubber covers and detachable flat feet.

Bogen claims that the 540 ART sticks can be set up in four seconds, and that's about how long it took me after a little practice. The key to the quick setup is the ingenious leg-locking mechanism and the locking midheight spreader.

Just push on a leg lock, pull up, and pull the legs out, and the spreader instantly locks into position. When the spreader is down, the leg extensions are locked in position; pulling up the spreader unlocks the legs. I was worried at first about the durability of the bits that make up the locking system, but the components of the locking mechanism appear to be substantial. The spreader arms can be individually extended to make the legs go wider. The lowest stage of the legs are locked by the spreader, but also have small levers that allow the section to be unlocked and adjusted. The middle stage has a thumb button that provides easy adjustment of the height of each leg individually to level the unit. The carbon fiber legs are rigid and seem extremely durable.

To aid in transporting the unit, there is a folding, padded carry handle at the top of the unit that is comfortable to hold, and a stainless steel ring allows you to attach a shoulder strap for carrying.

The price, although it may seem steep to some users, is competitive with other two-stage carbon fiber tripods. The 540 ART model compares pricewise to Cartoni's $1500 L504 and the more expensive O'Connor 25L, but the comparable Cartoni and O'Connor units lack the quick-setup features of the Bogen model.

The 540 ART is really the top of Bogen's line, and is designed for those users who need strength, light weight, and fast setup. If you only need light weight in a less expensive range, then the Bogen 525 MVB aluminum legs would be a good choice at $544. If you need a stronger unit and weight is less of a factor, check out the less portable Bogen 3191, which will hold up to 44 pounds in camera and head for $520.

The 540 ART seems to be an ideal set of sticks for anyone who must do run-and-gun shooting. News and documentary work can both require this flexibility, as can wedding or event videography-or any situation where quick setup and fast mobility is needed.

When the 540 ART tripod legs are combined with a quick-release head such as the 516 model reviewed, a videographer can snap off the camera, collapse the tripod, and be off to the next setup in a matter of seconds. Another few seconds, and the camera is back on the tripod and ready to shoot.

The Rev. John Jackman is vice president of Comenius Communication, an independent television production firm located in the

Winston-Salem, NC, area. He always appreciates a good set of sticks with a nice fluid head. You can reach him online at john@dv.com.

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Score: 4 stars

Pros: Quick setup. Lightweight. Solid build.

Cons: Expensive for some users.

Bottom Line: A perfect solution for the run-and-gun shooter who needs fast setup and lightweight portability.

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Copyright [c] 2003 CMP Media LLC

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