Berlebach Report 9033 tripod?

MurrayMinchin · Dec 17, 2010

Anybody have a Berlebach Report 9033 tripod?

http://www.berlebach.de/?bereich=details&id=293&sprache=english

My Zone VI "lightweight" tripod is a fat 14 pounds, and I'm getting too old and feeble to haul it through the bush all day.

I have a Wista 4x5 field camera and realize the 9033 is a wee bit on the overkill side, but it has quite a few things I like. At 6.5 pounds it'll be close to half the weight of my Zone VI even with a pan-tilt head. It compacts down to 30" so I can strap it to my pack if I need both hands for scrambling or when snowshoeing. It has a levelling base which will help big time for horizontal panning to take multi image sequences of scenes...a long term project of mine. At 61" it should put the middle of the focusing screen at eye level at maximum height, and give more tripod to work with when photographing down slope. It's no nonsense, no coddling needed, jam it in the muck without a second thought, time proven technology. Won't need to sell a kidney.

Do you like yours? Do you have the 8033, and if so, would you go for a 9033 for the extra height even though it adds a bit more weight?

Murray

rmann · Dec 17, 2010

I found the leg adjustments to be enough of an issue that I would want the two section leg over a three section - even if it were a little longer when folded. I also much prefer the individual leg angle set up of the "uni" series over the presets of the report series - so much so that I sold my Berlebach and got a used Ries. I did like the built in leveling feature on the Berlebach and wish my Ries had it. When I was using it I found the 15 degrees of adjustment enough for landscape work, I carried a head around and found that I rarely needed to use it. If I were buying now, I would pay the extra and get the smallest tripod from the Uni series with two leg sections.

Laurent · Dec 17, 2010

I do.

I use it with the 45 Tachihara, and agree it's a bit overkill for it. In fact, I find it more overkill when carrying it than when the camera sits on it , in which case the match is very good. I'm very happy of the leveling base, which allows me to use it without a tilt-head, I simply added a Manfrotto lightweight pan "head" (nothing more than a second screw which I can unscrew a bit to pan the camera, but it works fine ) so that I do not have to touch the levelling base when I want to pan just a bit.

Depending on what I'm doing, I nowadays use a carbon Velbon (initially acquired for the Rolleiflex) when I want light weight, or when I need to strap the tripod on the bag, as the 9033 is a bit tall to carry that way on my Nature trekker (still doable, but requires rigid strapping and not the ridiculous bungee cords the bag provides).

I had a #055 Manfrotto, and finally got rid of it as it was WAY overkill for the Tachihara.

seoirse · Dec 17, 2010

Hello Murray,

I use the Report 3032 tripod and really like it.

It's so easy to set up and you don't have to have a separate head if you don't want to as the levelling cup does a nice job and can move 30 degs in all directions. I carry mine on a padded strap 'rifle style'.

You can see my opinion of it on the Berlebach website here (scroll down to bottom):

http://www.berlebach.de/?bereich=details&id=289&sprache=english

daleeman · Dec 17, 2010

I have desired to purchase the 8043 Berlebach because it shrinks down to 28.3 inches and to my knowledge the current US Airline industry luggage max sizes are 30" or 31" long before oversized charges apply. I have a drop bed rolling duffle from LL Bean. http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/32162?feat=904-GN1

My current Indurro carbon tripod just fits in the bottom and the head in the bottom too, then my clothes and stuff goes in the top section. Camera eq goes carry on. Gets me to the site I want to hike out too.

I image I should be happy with the Indurro, but it has been back for service once already and will go back again in 2011 becasue the keyed sleeve in the riser column continues to strip the key and the post turns CC or CCW instead of being locked up. 5 year warranty, but it will go back a second time in 3 years, so I have been thinking about the 8043 model.

Lee

Justin Cormack · Dec 17, 2010

I have the 9003 and I am very happy with it. Wondering about getting one that goes smaller for travelling though in addition.

photo8x10 · Dec 17, 2010

I use it on my 8x10 Lotus and works perfectlly.... a good choice.

MurrayMinchin · Dec 17, 2010

Thanks for the thumbs up replies.

Regarding the "leg preset" issue...as I understand it the leg angles are controlled by a wheel which has a 'white line' setting for 20 degrees, a 'red line' setting for 45 degrees, but in the 'black in between' setting aren't the legs free to move to any angle independent of each other?

Murray

rmann · Dec 17, 2010

MurrayMinchin said:
Thanks for the thumbs up replies.

Regarding the "leg preset" issue...as I understand it the leg angles are controlled by a wheel which has a 'white line' setting for 20 degrees, a 'red line' setting for 45 degrees, but in the 'black in between' setting aren't the legs free to move to any angle independent of each other?

Murray

Yes, but they don't lock at that angle - that is why I prefer the set up of the Uni series where you can lock the leg angle in any position you want with a handle at the top of the leg - this is also why a decided to buy a Ries which has the same set up. On ground that is not level I really like to be able to place the leg where I want it, not where the preset forces me to. Also, most of the time 20 degrees is too narrow and 45 is too wide.

IMO - getting the right tripod for my working style is worth a few extra $$ and a few extra pounds for that matter.

Curt · Dec 18, 2010

Hole mole, I did a write up on the 8023, in depth, and it's.....well.... not here!!!!!!!!!!

I have a Report 8023 and I like it a lot, it has the Bogen 3047 head on it right now but it can take about any head. The legs can be spread to any angle with the wheel in on location. It can hold my Seneca 8x10 and everything on down. It's best with the Kodak 2D 5x7 and any lens plus extension. I'm not sure you need a larger one but that's up to you. The quality is superb and the wood is excellent and there is no sticking in freezing weather or the very hot Southwest in summer.

Curt

MurrayMinchin · Dec 18, 2010

Thanks for getting back to me rmann,

My Zone VI doesn't have locks on how far the legs spread and it isn't an issue. With the Zone VI you can tighten the bolts at the top of the tripods legs to create more friction, which prevents the legs from spreading easily. Can't you do the same thing with a Berlebach? I never set up my gear on tiles or other smooth artificial surfaces, just out in nature where the tripod legs have something to bite into, so I can't see this being a problem.

I don't foresee using the preset angles at all.

Tripods are like boats in that there's no one perfect design, just the one with the least amount of compromises for the kind of work you do. So far (my quest to find THE ONE isn't over) the 9033 seems to be leading the pack.

Murray

Curt · Dec 18, 2010

There are two castle nuts that can be tightened for more or less resistance. I suppose one could be replaced with a wing nut. I'll have to look at the 9033, what does it have that you like?

Curt

Curt · Dec 18, 2010

Tripod Report 8023

Mounting head with centre column and Fastening screw. Centre column gives additional convenient height adjustment. These centre columns are made from precision-drawn light-metal tubing and are built i [...]
- Weight: 2,80 kg = 6,17 lb.
- Transportation length: 69 cm = 27 inch
- Minimum height: 52 cm = 20 inch
- Maximum height: 176 cm = 69 inch
- Load capacity: 10,00 kg = 22,05 lb.
- Vibration damping: good

Tripod Report 9033

Mounting head with ball/socket and built-in spirit level, maintenance-free ball seated in high-grade plastic, spring mounted fastening screw. This tripod version is equipped with an additional levelli [...]
- Weight: 2,90 kg = 6,39 lb.
- Transportation length: 77 cm = 30 inch
- Minimum height: 9 cm = 4 inch
- Maximum height: 154 cm = 61 inch
- Load capacity: 8,00 kg = 17,64 lb.
- Vibration damping: good

I'm looking at the height and load.

MurrayMinchin · Dec 18, 2010

Hi Curt,

What does it have that I like?

It weighs 6.39 pounds, is 30 inches when folded up (so I can strap it to my pack when scrambling or snowshoeing), goes to 61" (which will put the middle of the ground glass at eye level), gets close to ground level, has a levelling base for the tripods head instead of a centre column, and is affordable. Them's the biggies for me.

Murray

MurrayMinchin · Dec 18, 2010

Thanks for the comparison info. I use a Wista 4x5 field camera, so a capacity of 17 pounds is overkill

Murray

Curt · Dec 20, 2010

Both the 8023 and the 9033 are over 17 pounds load, on is 8 and one is 10 kg, I see that the 9033 has an integral head which might be good and it would be shorter than mine with a head mounted on it. I can change the head though, I have a Manfrotto 410 head that works very well and I like using it. It seems perfectly matched to the tripod. The Bogen 3047 head is on most of the time with field cameras.

You brought up questions I hadn't thought of regarding carbon fiber tripods, let us know which model tripod you get.

MurrayMinchin · Dec 20, 2010

I'm planning on putting a lightweight pan-tilt head on it. The levelling base I'll use to get a wicked quick level surface for taking multi image sequences, a project I've been working on for a long time...no more time consuming micro adjusting tripod legs anymore. Haven't really started looking for the head yet.

I did take my old 7 pound Tiltall for a walk in the bush yesterday strapped to my packsack just to get a sense of how the 9033 would feel. I made sure it was 30" long, and it worked out just fine. It was well below my head so it didn't get hung up in branches, and it didn't hit my legs at all either. It also wasn't heavy enough to feel like someone was trying to pull my pack backwards.

The other contender is a carbon fibre Gitzo 1325 which weighs 4.45 pounds, plus I'd want the levelling base which adds 1.32 pounds, for a total of 5.77 pounds. The Berlebach 9033 with a levelling base weighs 6.5 pounds, less than a pound more, and at around $320.00 costs almost one third what the Gitzo with the levelling head does.

Berlebach nudges into the lead

Murray

daleeman · May 23, 2011

I just picked up a 8043 and put a quick release plate on it: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/318567-REG/Giottos_MH621_M621_Quick_Release_Assembly.html
This I found is the same plate as what is on my other Induro tripod (back in for rebuild again :confused. I have a Cullman ball head on it and they all use same QR plates. With the 30% tilt on this center column I doubt I will put a ball head on it.

Any one want to buy a newly rebuilt Induru C313?

Lee

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