Can’t afford this $150 tripod head? Just 3D print the Edelkrone Ortak FlexTilt

By Hillary K. Grigonis June 12, 2019

Edelkrone

Edelkrone’s FlexTilt Head 2 is a versatile tripod head with a unique hinge design, but the $150 accessory is now available for about $30 — and the cost of 3D-printing materials. On Tuesday, June 11, Edelkrone launched the new Ortak line, the start of a series of co-manufactured photography accessories that can be printed at home.

The Ortak FlexTilt Head 3D is the first product in the series, a version of the $150 FlexTilt Head 2. The tripod head uses a hinge-style design and friction for quick height adjustments, as well as adjusting the camera to more angles, such as for an overhead shot.

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The Ortak line is co-manufactured, which means that while most of the parts are 3D printed, some are still provided by Edelkrone. Photographers can buy the CNC machine aluminum parts for $30, download the 3D model and print and put together at home.

“Edelkrone wants to highlight that the 3D printers will be in every house in the near future, so with Ortak line, they aim to make the manufacturing more feasible, decrease the cost for both the customers and the company and reduce the return on investment time drastically,” the company said in a statement.

Edelkrone says that Ortak 3D-printed products will be as fully functional as the original, along with maintaining the durability and lifespan of the original as well. As a 3D-printed option, users can also customize the color and print out spare parts.

The tripod head is just the first in the Ortak line of 3D-printed products, the company says, with additional options prepared to also launch as 3D-printed alternatives.

While 3D printers can spit out anything from smartphone cases to measuring cups to cameras, 3D printing a tripod head requires putting enough faith in the materials and the 3D-printing process to mount an expensive camera at the top. Mixing the 3D printing with aluminum parts could help ease some of those worries.

Along with the tripod head, Edelkrone also designs video sliders, quick release systems, and dollies. The company hasn’t yet said which products will be part of the new Ortak 3D-printed lineup or when the series will expand.

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Hillary K. Grigonis

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Hillary never planned on becoming a photographer—and then she was handed a camera at her first writing job and she's been…

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