Advice on a Carbon Fiber Tripod for 8x10

[Jim Moore]

I have decided to get a Carbon Fiber Tripod for my Deardorff 8x10 camera.

I would like to seek advice on brand/model/etc. from the wonderful members of APUG.

Thanks in advance!

Jim

 

[Deckled Edge]

I have a carbon fiber tripod, and I have an 8x10 Deardorff, but I would never use them together. Unless you know of a brand which is much sturdier than my Gitzo, I would stick with steel or wood. The inertial moment of my Gitzo is such that it would vibrate with a large camera mounted. It is not the problem of holding the camera, it's the problem of holding the camera still. Perhaps there is some massive CF tripod out there with inertial characteristics of wood or steel, but I haven't seen one in my travels.

 

[Sean]

I recently got my well made Berlebach wooden tripod to use for my Dorff 8x10. It looks like it will be a great tripod and even comes with a ball head. All up the total weight is only like 8lbs with the head (and it was amazingly cheap compared to other wooden tripods on the market)..

 

[Jorge]

I have decided to get a Carbon Fiber Tripod for my Deardorff 8x10 camera.

I would like to seek advice on brand/model/etc. from the wonderful members of APUG.

Thanks in advance!

Jim

I have a Gitzo 1548 with the rationelle low profile head and mount my Gandolfi 8x10 (light camera) and my Korona 12x20 (heavy camera) on it. In both instances I have always gotten very sharp negatives even under windy conditions. The 1548 is not cheap, nor it is light weight for a CF tripod, but as they say, you get what you pay for. I do not hesitate to recommend it, OTOH, a Berlebach tripod seems to be a wise choice if you want to go with wood.

 

[Tom Hoskinson]

I agree with Jorge.

I just got back from the mountains with my brand new Wehman 8x10 and my trusty old CF Gitzo/Arca Swiss Ballhead/RRS QR mounting plate combo. In the wind - solid as a rock, as always. Can't say the same for my Calumet focusing cloth, however.

I never had a problem with my 5x7 Deardorff on the CF Gitzo either. In addition I've clung to the side of mountains with a much heavier camera on the Gitzo (a 16mm Bolex Rex V with Norris Animation Motor) - no problems there, either. The vibration damping properties of CF are excellent, by the way - very close to wood.

 

[Jay Packer]

Tom,

I would be interested to hear more about your experiences with and opinions of your new 8x10 Wehman.

 

[bmac]

I have a Berlebach too. It is pretty light, and the built in leveling head is a nice feature. I've for a Reis JR head attached as well. Something about CF tripod and a Dorff doesn't sound right to me

 

[Deniz]

$90 Surveyors tripod.... woohooo...

ok i am a cheap a**

 

[Tom Duffy]

I, too, have a Gitzo 1548 and love it. While it would be nice if it had spikes, I've never had a problem with instability.

 

[karl]

I have used an 8x10 Deardorff on a Gitzo 1325 with no problems in the past. I used to have an A series Ries but didn't like carrying it around.

 

[Jim Moore]

Well it's not Carbon Fiber and it's certainly not light weight, but the price was right.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3822514121&sspagename=STRK:MEWN:IT&rd=1

 

[Francesco]

Wood rules!

 

[Christian Olivet]

Wood rules!

You bet it does!

 

[Tom Hoskinson]

CARBON COMPOSITE! CARBON COMPOSITE!

 

[Ole]

CARBON COMPOSITE! CARBON COMPOSITE!

I agree. And technically speaking, wood is a carbon composite. So that's what I use