Why Ries? 

 

Since 1936, Ries  wooden tripods have been and always will be made in the USA. We take great care in the production quality of our components because we understand how a large format tripod is used. All of our parts are made right here in our factory in Washington State and we guarantee them for life.  

Ries wooden tripods have the proud distinction in history as being the benchmark in photography. The great large format masters, Ansel Adams and Cole Weston, always used Ries Products. The current legends, such as Tillman Crane and Mike Smith all swear by their Ries Products. You can even view photos of them with their Ries Wood Tripods in our gallery.

Ries Tripod has always been the choice for fine art and large format photography. Not just because of it’s elegance but because of it’s tonal response to vibration. For the same reasons that fine musical instruments are made from wood, we also make our tripods from wood to reduce vibration and help you create the perfect shot.

There are several advantages to using a Ries Tripod for photography and other applications:

  1. Stability: A tripod helps to keep your camera steady, which is especially important for long exposures or when using a telephoto lens.

  2. Versatility: Ries Tripods are designed to be easily adjustable, allowing you to position your camera at various angles and heights.

  3. Durability: Ries Tripods are made of high-quality materials, such as aluminum or carbon fiber, which makes them strong and durable.

  4. Convenience: Using a tripod allows you to set up your camera and take photos hands-free, which can be especially helpful for self-portraits or group shots.

  5. Professional look: A tripod can give your photos a more professional look and feel, as it helps to eliminate camera shake and blurry images.

Why Wood?

Vibration~ Vibration, or actually, the lack of it.  Our tripods are specifically made from “tone woods” or AKA; “tonewoods”, (look it up).  The king of all tonewoods is Eastern Hard Rock Maple for tripods.  It is hard, light weight, strong and has the best vibration damping qualities of any material available. 

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      In fact over sixty percent of all of our tripods made are actually used in testing laboratories for supporting sensitive equipment.  All because of the wood.  We do offer other tonewoods, though their damping qualities vary depending on their use and environment.

      Durability~ Wood is one of the most fatigue resistant materials on earth, simply because it used to be a tree. Trees have a structural makeup that resists constant bending and twisting from the wind for their entire life. As a result, wood has a remarkable fatigue life that exceeds steel and aluminum and rivals carbon fiber.

      All Weather~ Most of our tripods “live” outdoors in all-weather conditions with equipment mounted to them. Imagine twenty-four hours a day for years all around the world, from the Arctic to the Antarctic and from deserts to the tropics. Even in salt water. All Ries tripods are finished with a specifically designed and formulated patented finish to protect the wood in all environments. The Ries tripod is unaffected by hot, wet or cold environments. Our tripod is impervious to all the elements.
      Sustainability~ Wood is the most renewable of all industrial resources. The carbon emission in the manufacture of wood components is a fraction of that required for any metal or synthetic material. Our wood varieties come from renewable managed commercial forests. As we know, metals and carbon-based materials result in the depletion

      of non-renewable and limited resources. Ries Wood Tripods continue to stand the test of time . . .

 

The “Original” Green~ The Ries Tripod is the greenest tripod on the planet. In fact our environmental practices were started in 1964 during the first green movement. Again, Ries wooden tripods are made from sustainable, commercially grown woods and manufactured with environmentally friendly practices, strict recycling and re-purposing policies, that had their origins more than 50 years ago. We are the industry leader in “Green” manufacturing.
Versatility~ Pound for pound a Ries Wooden Tripod is stronger than any other brand. These tripods have stood the test of time with master photographers around the world.  Ries Tripod began in Hollywood, for the movie-making industry in 1936. A Ries Tripod is strong and durable and leads the industry in strength and versatility.

Photograph by Paula Chamlee of Michael Smith and his equipment. The 1st tripod from left is a J100 with J700 Extensions. The 2nd tripod is an A100-2 with A700 Extensions. 3rd tripod is an A100 Tripod . Last tripod on right is an A100ST Tripod System (Same as an A900 Tripod with A700 Extension Legs).  That’s how you take pictures!