Miller Tripods, the company that invented the fluid head for motion picture cameras back in 1946, has announced that it is closing down.

In an open letter published in the Guild of Television Camera Professionals, Mark and Diane Clementson announced that September 25 will be the final day of trading for the Australia-based company.

“This decision marks the conclusion of an extraordinary journey that began in Sydney in the mid-1940s and grew into a globally recognized Australian success story,” Mark and Diane write.

“While we look forward to retirement, we do so with immense pride in what Miller has contributed to the film and television industry worldwide.”

Officially known as Miller Camera Support Equipment, the company’s story is a remarkable one: Australian engineer Bob Miller invented the world’s first fluid tripod head in 1946. Prior to that, camera operators had to deal with bulky gear-driven assemblies that made panning shots difficult and diagonal moves virtually impossible.

“Miller fluid heads revolutionized the film and television industry by giving operators the freedom to shoot far more creatively, reducing production time and achieving shots that were previously unobtainable,” Miller Tripods says on its website.

Bob Miller got a U.S. patent in 1949 and founded the company in 1954. Its headquarters and manufacturing have remained close to Sydney ever since. It has service facilities in London and New York. PetaPixel names Miller as the best for tripod heads when it comes to video in its guide to tripod heads.

“As we bring this chapter to a close, we are incredibly grateful for the support, loyalty, and friendships we have built over the past seven decades. Serving our customers and working alongside our distributors, suppliers, partners, and employees has been both a privilege and a pleasure,” says Mark and Diane.

“We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who has been part of the Miller journey. Your trust, support, and belief in our products have enabled us to build a business and a legacy that far exceeded anything Bob Miller could have imagined when he first developed the fluid action head nearly 80 years ago.”

News Shooter reports that it understands Mark and Diane had looked for a buyer for Miller Tripods but without success.