On the occasion of celebrating its 50th anniversary the heritage brand Sachtler, a Vitec Group-Camera Dynamics brand is planning a photographic documentary of its products’ history and an in-house company museum. Sachtler is currently looking for the oldest Sachtler tripod heads still in use or stored away in a cellar or garage.

In 1958 the company’s founder Wendelin Sachtler (1923-1979) developed his first tripod head. This so-called gyro head was gyro-stabilised, similar to a marine compass. In 1967 the next step for the persevering inventor and his then partner Heinrich Wolf was to develop the first fluid heads with lubrication grease damping, which in 1974 were manufactured with adjustable damping.

“We already are in possession of numerous rarities originating from the beginnings of the company, however, the anniversary year is a welcome opportunity for us to document and expand this collection as well as to get down to planning a museum”, says Marketing Assistant Sandra Rademacher. The company is mainly interested in tripod heads and tripods from the 1960s and 70s from Sachtler and Sachtler & Wolf, respectively.

Campaign for universities and schools
Additionally, in this anniversary year Sachtler is going to start a campaign for media faculties in universities and schools: each school can submit their oldest tripod head - the three oldest heads can be exchanged for a current fluid head model.

Sachtler invites owners of such rarities to contact Sandra Rademacher at sandra.rademacher@vitecgroup.com or +49 89 321-58-125 by 31 August 2008 the latest. (Please also state the serial number of your unit).

For further information visit: www.sachtler.com

 
Further information about 50 years of "ideas in motion"