Hakuba 503504 Mx tripod

[Donald Miller]

I am considering purchasing another tripod prior to my upcoming trip to Italy. My reason for doing this is that my Zone VI will not collapse enough to include in my other baggage and separate baggage charges for just the tripod go quite a long way toward justifying the purchase. Has anyone here had any experience with either the 503 or 504 mx models made by Hakuba?

I need something that can solidly hold my 5X7 Wisner. It shows that these will support 15 lbs and my Deardorff 8X10 weighs less than that.

 

[darinwc]

I would strongly suggest against a cheapo tripod.
The cheapo manufacturers are prone to exaggeration.
Also you have to figure that you want a tripod with a solid head for LF. The heads on the inexpensive tripods are crap. LF cameras are more prone to wind vibrations. And you want it to stay in the exact position you lock it into when you insert the film holder and pull out the darkslide/polaroid envolope/etc..

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Are you sure you'll end up with an excess baggage charge? If you carry your camera and film on board and check a normal sized suitcase and a tripod case, you should still be within baggage limits. I often put quite a few things in my tripod case other than the tripod as well.

 

[Donald Miller]

Well I got to see the tripod in question today and it just isn't up to what I need. I also saw a Gitzo carbon fiber ($650) and it seemed pretty whimsical too. So at the moment I am not settled on what I am going to do.

David, yep I will have two bags checked for clothing etc (3-6 month stay). I will carry on a bag with holders, film and and other stuff along with my lap top...that takes care of the carry on limits.

The 5X7, three lenses, filters, and meter go into a Halliburton as excess baggage and that still leaves the tripod as another excess bag.

I may find a way to modify the Zone VI tripod to shave a couple of inches off the legs and with disassembly I may be able to shove it into one of the checked bags (not the Halliburton, however).

I thought that the carbon fiber tripods were the way to go because of their collapsed length...but it doesn't seem so now.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

I usually put my empty holders in the checked baggage, carry on my laptop, film and camera equipment, fit some clothing into the tripod case, and can still get away with just one suitcase and the tripod case in checked baggage, even for an extended stay of a couple of months.

I probably travel with less clothing than you do, and I don't mind buying a few things on the road. Last summer I had some writing to do, for instance, so I needed a printer and just bought a $50 inkjet and gave it away when I was done. It was cheaper and better than a portable printer or an excess baggage charge. If I end up with more than I can carry back, I ship stuff home, which is less complicated than shipping stuff to the destination.

 

[Donald Miller]

Thanks David, I will keep that in mind. I wish that I could carry the camera and lenses on but the Halliburton is oversize for carry on baggage. I carried it on back in the 80's but now the rules have changed.

 

[John Koehrer]

Would it be practical to buy a Berlebach ot Wolf tripod when you get to europe and ship it home at the end of your stay?

 

[pgomena]

Another alternative would be to ship your tripod ahead by FedEx or UPS. Then you don't have to hassle with it in the airport at either end.

Peter Gomena