Budget Lightweight Tripod for Intrepid

JADoss23 · Jun 29, 2018

I'm waiting on an Intrepid 4x5 and was curious about different tripods that would work well for hiking and travel. I currentely have a Star-D Tripod which is nice but a little bulky and heavy. Was curious if there were any better alternatives that aren't extremely expensive. Don't mind used just don't know a ton about tripods and a little overwhelming. thanks

Eric Rose · Jun 29, 2018

Unfortunately tripods are meant to give us stability and this usually comes with weight. There are some good light weight tripods out there but if you want to get all the sharpness your 4x5 will give you, you either need a sturdy tripod or a lighter one with some weight hung from it when using it. Either way the total weight is the same but hanging a backpack may make it easier to deal with.

When I'm hiking that is the solution I use. Almost all of my friends that have bought carbon fibre tripods loved them but the tightners (technical term haha) all crapped out on them and they went back to non-carbon units. Maybe they have gotten better over time. I'm sure this thread will get derailed into a pro/con carbon fibre discussion. Sorry.

Alan9940 · Jun 29, 2018

The trouble with tripods is that, generally, the better = more expensive. The old standby of aluminum alloy or wood are typically the least expensive, but, also, the heaviest. Carbon fiber is the lightest, but, also, typically more expensive. Basically, when it comes to tripods you get what you pay for. That said, I've used Induro carbon fiber legs for many, many years and have nothing to complain about. And, the Induro carbon fiber legs are IMO reasonably priced.

choiliefan · Jun 29, 2018

A Tiltall is a decent tripod which I like better than a similar Manfrotto.
Course the Manfrotto has the lever leg locks rather than the screw collars.
Tiltall has that nice head built in though.
Decisions....

Trail Images · Jun 29, 2018

I bought a Feisol 3301 CF unit years ago and mounted a Induro BHL3S Ballhead on it and have never thought of changing the combination to date. I will admit the Ballhead was changed last year for a bit of creep I had with a previous brand. No creep from the Induro unit. Tripod used weekly for several years now alternating with either a Wista DXIII 4x5 or a Mamiya RB67 ProSD. I'm sure there are much heaver and strong units out there but I had no need for anything beyond this setup.

chris77 · Jun 29, 2018

whats your budget?

graciemansion · Jun 29, 2018

I have a light, portable, Sirui tripod that I love. It's aluminum (the carbon fiber one is probably lighter still) but I've mostly used it with 35mm and my mirrorless camera. I wouldn't trust a large format camera on it. I think for a camera like that you're just going to have to compromise a bit with a heavier tripod.

shutterfinger · Jun 29, 2018

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Berlebach-...095567?hash=item1edaa2688f:g:rM8AAOSwU-1aknd0
there's a $600+ version also.

Peter Schrager · Jun 29, 2018

I've used $125 tripods for everything up to whole plate...the intrepid is light enough to work with those and they come with a head and quick mount plate...
I've had them all..cheaper is better

shutterfinger · Jun 30, 2018

Peter Schrager said:
I've had them all..cheaper is better

Are you going to stick with that when the cheap tripod dumps your camera and it will cost more to fix the camera than to replace it?

I have a $60 Induro and it does not go outside, the Berlebach Report and Zone VI do.

chris77 · Jun 30, 2018

slik pro 580 dx
never look back, and doesnt break the bank.
perfectly balanced!

bdial · Jun 30, 2018

Check ebay for Thalhammer tripods, they are nicely made, relatively light, sturdy, and tend to be inexpensive. They work well for light to medium weight cameras.
I inherited mine, but I'd buy another tomorrow if it somehow broke irreparably.

They are wooden legged tripods with construction similar to movie camera tripods.

Alan Gales · Jun 30, 2018

The Angry Photographer likes Sirui.

I've never used a Sirui but have heard a lot of good things about them. Old Tiltalls are also great for the price. Heavier than Carbon Fiber though. My daughter stole my Leitz Tiltall.

Go on YouTube and look at reviews of any tripods you may be interested in. On YouTube you can see what they look like and their features.

Alan Gales · Jun 30, 2018

You could pony up the money and buy your last tripod first.

FLM are really nice. Ari is the North American distributer. He is also a forum member. I've met Ari and he is a great guy.

http://www.flmcanada.com/contact.html

If you prefer wood over carbon fiber then you really can't beat a Ries. I own two of them.

https://www.riestripod.com

FLM and Ries are definitely not budget though!

John Koehrer · Jun 30, 2018

Lots of people have used Tiltalls for 4X5 including St. Ansel. There's a pic of him atop his car/camera platform
in an old printing of one of his bibles.

Shameless plug: I've got one in the classifieds.

Ste_S · Jun 30, 2018

Not 4x5, but I've been using a Manfrotto Compact Action with the weighty Mamiya C330 medium format TLR. It's dirt cheap and light and I've had zero issues with it so far

Poisson Du Jour · Jun 30, 2018

I have used a spindly Gitzo GT0931 with a 2.7kg EOS 1N for 20 years, and never had a problem to speak of. The head must be given equal if not greater consideration after the tripod proper, as this is where stability, convenience and versatility will be gained or lost. The Gitzo was more than $400 but it's replacement almost twice-and-a-bit now. You get what you pay for, and that should be very, very long life and reliable service.

Manfrotto, Gitzo, Benro are established, reliable brands. I would stay well away from Chinese-made tripods.

jscott · Jul 1, 2018

Another vote for the Berlebach Report for my Intrepid 8x10. The camera can be like a sail and you want a good sturdy support under it.
It always seems like the wind is blowing quite hard wherever I want to do landscape photography. Keeping the camera from falling over is first priority (not a light tripod).
Plus, the wood vibe goes along with LF better for me than uzi black commando synthetic alloy gear.

btaylor · Jul 1, 2018

I have and like my Berlebach Report very much. It holds my Calumet C1 just fine (I have the leveling top on mine so often don’t need a head). It is not a lot of fun to carry around much. A bit heavy but mostly awkward to carry because it doesn’t fold up very small. That said, I have a lot of tripods and the one I grab most often is the Berlebach

btaylor · Jul 1, 2018

I picked up a smaller tripod for hiking longer distances than I would with the Berlebach, an Oben 3500 series from B&H. It is an inexpensive aluminum tripod, came with a decent ball head and will easily support a lightweight 4x5, I used it with a Tachihara.

Dismayed · Jul 1, 2018

chris77 said:
slik pro 580 dx
never look back, and doesnt break the bank.
perfectly balanced!

The Slik 580DX is undersized for large format. Best to go with the Slik 780 DX for a budget option.

Budget Lightweight Tripod for Intrepid

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