Sachtler FSB 10 ENG 2 MCF - 1043M System

The 1043M is Sachtler's System FSB 10 Mk II ENG CF MS: the FSB 10 Mk II fluid head on two-stage carbon fibre ENG 2 CF legs with a 100/150 mm mid-level spreader. The head takes 0 to 12 kg on a 100 mm bowl, which is the working range of a shouldered FS7 or C500 once you have hung a matte box, a wireless receiver, and a V-mount off it. Fifteen counterbalance steps and seven steps of drag on each axis let you dial the head to the exact rig rather than settling for the nearest setting, and the illuminated PrismBubble reads from the top or the side of the head when you are levelling in the dark.

The Sideload plate S drops the camera on from the side and gives 12 cm of travel to find the balance point, which matters when a long lens moves the center of gravity forward. Carbon legs keep the whole system at 6.7 kg while the mid-level spreader holds its footing on uneven ground; set up it stands 66 to 168 cm and folds to 89 cm. The head is rated from -40 to 60 degrees C, so cold does not thicken the fluid. Shipping in the padded ENG bag: FSB 10 Mk II fluid head, ENG 2 CF tripod, mid-level spreader 100/150, and rubber feet.