It seems to be the season for releasing new tripods and we caught up with Sachtler at NAB 2024 in Las Vegas to have a look at the new Ace Mk II, which is available in a range of configurations.
The Ace XL Mk II is available as a head only or as a system, while the Ace M Mk II is exclusive to systems. The lightweight tripods feature three 3/8” mounting points on the tripod bowl for the included carry handle and other accessories. The Ace Mk II heads are also compatible with the flowtech75 legs.
While there are a few small improvements, it is more of a refresh of the previous version than anything else.
Sachtler Ace XL Mark II Fluid Head (75mm Bowl)
Key features
- 17.6 lb Load Capacity
- 4.1″ Sliding Plate Range
- 9-Step + 0 Counterbalance
- 3-Step + 0 Pan/Tilt Drag
- +90° to -75° Tilt Range
- 75mm Bowl Diameter
The Sachtler Ace XL Mark II Fluid Head was designed to facilitate smooth pan and tilt movements and it features a 17.6 lb / 7.98 kg load capacity. The fluid head can be secured to 75mm bowl mount tripods.
It has 9 + 0 steps of counterbalance and 3 + 0 steps of pan/tilt drag adjustment and a total tilt range of +90° to -75°. 9 steps of counterbalance is one more than the previous version
You can mount your camera using the slide-in balancing plate with a 1/4″-20 screw and locating pin. With a sliding range of 4.1″, this head can adapt to any rig configuration. Additional features include a detachable pan bar and an illuminated bubble level. An integrated flat head base allows the Ace XL Mark II to be mounted onto a slider.
The Sachtler Ace XL Mark II Fluid Head (75mm Bowl) is available to pre-order for $655.50 USD.
The Sachtler 75/2 Mark II Carbon Fiber Tripod System with Ace XL Head & Ground Spreader (or mid-spreader) is also available to pre-order for $1,520 USD.
Below you can see how that price compares to some of the other 75mm fluid head tripod systems on the market.
| PRICE | |
| Sachtler 75/2 Mark II Carbon Fiber Tripod System with Ace XL Head | $1,520 USD |
| SmallRig AD-Pro 8 Professional Fluid Head Tripod Kit | $799 USD |
| Ulanzi VideoFast Heavy-Duty Carbon Fiber Tripod/Video System | $499 USD |
| Sachtler Ace XL Tripod System with CF Legs & Mid-Level Spreader (75mm Bowl) | $1,399.99 USD |
| Sachtler Ace M System Black Edition with T ripod & Mid-Level Spreader (75mm Bowl) | $749.99 USD |
| Sachtler System FSB 6 MK II Sideload and 75/2 Aluminum Tripod Legs | $2,163 USD |
| Sachtler aktiv6 flowtech75 MS Tripod System | $2,840 USD |
| Miller CX2 2500 Solo-Q 75 2-Stage Carbon Fiber Tripod System (75mm) | $2,286.63 USD |
| Cartoni Focus 8 Fluid Head with Red Lock Tripod System | $1,278.33 USD |
| Manfrotto 608 Nitrotech Fluid Head & Aluminum Twin Leg Tripod with Mid-Spreader Kit | $1,139.50 USD |
| iFootage Gazelle TC9-Fastbowl Tripod with Komodo K7 Fluid Head Bundle | $649 USD |
| E-Image EG08A2 2-Stage Aluminum Tripod System with GH08 Fluid Head (75mm) | $769.99 USD |
| Benro A673TM Dual-Tube Aluminum Tripod & S8Pro Head | $599.95 USD |
| Camgear DV6P Fluid Head & T75/CF2 Carbon Fiber Tripod with Mid-Level Spreader System | $1,325 USD |
| Magnus REX VT-6000 2-Stage Video Tripod with Fluid Head | $499 USD |
| miliboo MTT609B Professional Tripod & Fluid Head with Ground Spreader (Carbon Fiber) | $639 USD |
| Sirui BCT-2203 Carbon Fiber Tripod & BCH-20 Video Head Bundle | $1,099 USD |
You can also get the Sachtler Flowtech 75 GS Carbon Fiber Tripod System with Ace XL Mark II Fluid Head for $2,299 USD.
Sachtler 75/2 Mark II Aluminum Tripod System with Ace XL Mk II Head & Mid-Level (or ground) Spreader
Key features
- Ace XL Fluid Head
- Two-Stage Aluminum Tripod
- 17.6 lb Load Capacity
- 9-Step + 0 Counterbalance
- 3-Step + 0 Pan/Tilt Drag
- Mid-Level (or ground) Spreader, Rubber Feet
The 75/2 Mark II Aluminum Tripod System with Ace XL Head & Mid-Level Spreader from Sachtler pairs the Ace XL Mk LL fluid head and the aluminum 75/2 tripod legs with a mid-level (or ground) spreader.
This kit offers a 17.6 lb load capacity for midsized camera rigs, as well as a balancing camera plate, 9-step + 0 counterbalance, and 3-step + 0 pan/tilt drag. Carry the system with the included handle and bag for easy transport to the set.
The Sachtler 75/2 Mark II Aluminum Tripod System with Ace XL Mk II Head & Mid-Level (or ground) Spreader is available for $1,197 USD.
The xSachtler 75/2 Mark II Carbon Fiber Tripod System with Ace XL Head & Ground Spreader (or mid-level) is available to pre-order for $1,520 USD.
