The Side Kick from Studio Titan America is an incredibly innovative solution that supports multiple cameras, lights, mics, and accessories. The Sachtler Flowtech 75 is an industry-standard tripod for videographers, cinematographers and filmmakers worldwide for good reasons. Still, this new take on camera supports deserves a look and has earned its spot (and more) in my portable interview kit. I highly recommend it to all my photographer and filmmaker friends.
Buy the Studio Titan America Side Kick:
+ 1 Pistol Grip Kit
+ 2 Pistol Grip Kit
+ Full Option Kit
Buy the Sachtler Flowtech 75 Tripod:
+ Flowtech 75 Tripod Legs only
+ Flowtech Tripod with Activ 6 Side-Loading Head
+ Flowtech Dolly
DISCLOSURE
Before we get into it, full disclosure: I’m not calling this a review as I’m the one who reached out to Studio Titan America about the Side Kick. I had been researching faster alternatives to traditional tripods to raise and lower on a central column – pretty much looking for a poor-man’s bazooka – and came across the Side Kick. I was sent this product without charge, but without strings attached too. So, as always, I’ll be sharing my honest thoughts – good and bad – and giving you the details so you can make your own informed decision. As always, you’ll find links and updates in the description.**
WHAT IS IT?
Studio Titan’s Innovative Pistol Grip allows for quick vertical movements with minimal need for leveling
The Studio Titan America Side Kick is a portable wheeled tripod replacement that allows faster height adjustments and unique expandability.
WHY IT MATTERS
Studio Titan’s Sidekick boasts Fast and Simple Tool-less Assembly: no tools or screws to lose
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The innovative pistol grip allows quick height adjustments without re-levelling your tripod head.
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The wheeled base is better than a tripod since it takes the load off your back when moving your camera.
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optional accessories allows you to expand the usefulness of the Side Kick to accommodate additional cameras, lights, mic booms, computers and more.
WHO IT’S FOR
Adding counterweight to a Mic Boom on a Studio Titan Sidekick Pistol Grip
Besides bazookas used on Hollywood sets, I’ve only seen column-based camera supports used in photo studios. But this style of camera support isn’t just for photographers; I can see a use case for this kit for videographers, cinematographers and filmmakers of all levels.
WHY SHOULD YOU TRUST ME?
My Studio Titan Sidekick Two camera interview setup with slider and boom mic
I’m a self-professed gear nerd and professional commercial and documentary filmmaking with over 22 years of experience. I’ve purchased camera and gear supports ranging from gimbals, Steadicams, Sachtler FlowTech tripods, to travel tripods in search of the best tool for the job.**
OVERVIEW OF THE Side Kick by Studio Titan America
Build Quality
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steel column & wheeled base
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rubber wheels with metal locks
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pistol grip is made of metal with metal tightening screws with plastic knobs
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travel bag: well made with multiple internal zippered compartments, tie downs and thick shoulder strap.
Pros
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Portable: the Studio Titan America Side Kick comes in a very well-made travel bag with zipper compartments for each column section and fastening straps for the wheeled base. Of note: the Side Kick is shorter than the Sachtler when bagged for transport, making it easy to stash in your car. Weighing in at 20lb, the Side Kick stand is light for its flexible payload and you feel strong, the bag is up to the task of carrying a lot of additional pistol grips and accessories (as seen in the video)
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Strong: rated for 44lbs, the Side Kick feels solid and inspires confidence.
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Easy and fast tool-less assembly: the central column screws together in three sections without the need of allen keys or screws (Yay for no little tools and screws to lose!), with the bottom section being attached permanently to the wheeled base. Note that you don’t need to use all columns; you can use the base as-is for low shooting and add columns as height is required. You can even purchase additional central columns if you want even more height.
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Superfast height adjustments: pistol grip design minimizes the need to re-level your camera after adjusting the height (unlike every other tripod I’ve ever used)
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Less load on your arms & back: you only need to lift the weight of each pistol grip’s load when adjusting height – not the entire setup. This small but significant difference from other tripod systems shouldn’t be overlooked, as you don’t have to bear the weight of the entire stand every time you adjust height or move the stand around.
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The system’s modular nature grows with your needs, allowing you to add additional pistol grips and accessories, including extension arms, accessory trays and computer platforms as desired.
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Price: incredible value compared to video industry standard tripod prices
19lbs Portable: Studio Titan’s Sidekick two-pistol grip kit includes the wheels, three-section columns, two pistol grips and bag
Cons
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wheels make this a flat-surface option only; although, because of its convenience, I would build this outdoors on “fairly” level ground when possible (though I wouldn’t recommend rolling it around).
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wheels have play even when locked – makes smooth tilt/pan moves tricky. There is a parked configuration where the central column is lowered to add stability. In this configuration, the wheels will naturally align towards the center column, reducing a bit of play. It’s worth noting that my Sachtler Flowtech wheels also have some play when locked, though slightly less.
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The pistol grip trigger is loose at rest, allowing for a knocking sound when manually panning or tilting attached cameras. A traditional tripod might be a better option for camera operators who need to pan and tilt during recording and live broadcasts.
WISHLIST
In an ideal world, they would offer a pro version with beefier wheels. Heck, if I’m dreaming, I’d also love to see a pneumatic wheel version that could roll outdoors on uneven terrain, perhaps with some optional vibration-dampening video platforms. This system is so convenient that I would go out of my way to use it.
The Competition
Studio Titan America distributes the South Korean family-owned business Studio Titan. I believe the father and son team of engineers behind Studio Titan were the first to offer this pistol grip style of quick height adjustment on a central column. More recently, there have been Chinese knockoffs offering similar designs. I’ve never tried the competition, so I can’t say whether they are better or worse. But I’ve never shied away from spending money for the best solution for myself and my clients, and camera supports are definitely something you shouldn’t skimp on. When the stand is holding literally tens of thousands of dollars in gear, I’d rather buy from the industry leader than save a couple of bucks on a knockoff.
Tips and Tricks
Studio Titan Sidekick in Parked Mode
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Get at least the kit with two pistol grips. I have four pistol grips and can see how another one could come in handy to hold multiple monitors.
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add a weight to the base in the parked position to add stability and remove micro-jitters
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The accessory tray wasn’t something I thought I needed until I used it. No more fumbling around, wondering where I left a battery or colour meter; it’s a great place to catch all those little knickknacks we use on every shoot.
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use common sense and don’t push from the top when rolling. Test your setups and never overload individual pistol grips and you’ll be fine.
The Bottom Line
Contents of my Studio Titan Sidekick Travel Bag
The portable Side Kick from Studio Titan America is a small crew and one-man band’s dream of a system. If all it had going for it was the central column and pistol grip that allowed for superfast, vertical height adjustments, I would already highly recommend it. When you consider the alternatives found in Hollywood, like ultra expensive and bulky bazookas, the Side Kick shines brighter still. Its modular nature allows you to grow the system with your needs, and can replace multiple tripods, light stands and boom arms in a minimal footprint on wheels. Did I mention saving your back and making you more efficient at every shoot it’s used on?
A traditional tripod might be better for you if you’re a camera operator who needs to pan or tilt while recording. But the Side Kick shines for everything else, and I can confidently recommend it to all my photographer and filmmaking friends.
So, do I regret buying the Sachtler Flowtech tripod kit? Kind of, but not really. I’m the kind of guy who has to learn by trial and error for myself. And with all the buzz in the industry about how the flow tech was so great, it’s nice to know firsthand its strengths and weaknesses. Studio Titan America’s Side Kick is so useful not just for the studio, and I can see it becoming a staple on every set and shoot for both stills and video.
Recommended Accessories:
+ BestMic Boom Pole Holder: lighter and more portable than other options, I love Neewer’s new take on the mic boom support
+ Best portable mic boom: Insta 360 selfie stick: ultra-portable, and extending almost 10ft, this selfie stick isn’t the strongest option, but the best option when traveling and using small indooor boom mics
Acratech leveling base
+ Best leveling tripod head: Acratech leveling base: less than a pound and able to carry more than its rated 25lbs, this little guy doesn’t require grease making it easy to clean and is the best I’ve used
+ Best budget fluid Video Tripod Head: iFootage Komodo K5S: I’ve had a lot of regrets in purchasing promising video tripod heads, but this one performs better than the competition at twice the price. Though it can’t compare to the Activ 6 that costs over a thousand more, it’s so good I bought three.
