Suitable carbon tripods?

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ant!

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Thanks, guess I should stay clear of that brand. I see a used one of them, the Winston 2.0 of their pro range, to sell for a good price (basically the price of a new Billy 2.0), but I guess I should give it a pass.
Anyone experience with the k&f concept? On paper it sounds good, but all the reviews I see look like paid marketing.
I'll check, if the leofoto seems high enough without the center column, it sounds nice!
 

DREW WILEY

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ant! Concerning any long MF telephoto, nearly any kind of ball head is just about the worst option possible. Long heavy lenses introduce significant torque and torsion issues. I don't have a P645, but a P67; and with its own 300, I need the same level of tripod support and rigidity as when shooting an 8x10 camera. Skimp in that respect, and you're just wasting your money. Of course, you could still get a lighter tripod for your other applications. And a P645 application is not quite as demanding as the P67 equivalent. But the particular Leofoto tripod you cite looks too light for any MF 300 in my opinion. It would be good if you could actually test one before purchasing it, or with guaranteed right of return if it doesn't work out. If you get any vibration or wobble at all indoors, tapping that long lens, things will only be worse outdoors in the wind.
 

Pieter12

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Thanks, guess I should stay clear of that brand. I see a used one of them, the Winston 2.0 of their pro range, to sell for a good price (basically the price of a new Billy 2.0), but I guess I should give it a pass.
Anyone experience with the k&f concept? On paper it sounds good, but all the reviews I see look like paid marketing.
I'll check, if the leofoto seems high enough without the center column, it sounds nice!

Their pro offerings might be better than the one I had. Is there a chance to see it in person?
 

bags27

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The PD Carbon is terrific for travel (although I replaced the ball head).

I know it's out of your price range, but here are two considerations.
1. It opens and closes really quickly. When traveling, time is money.
2. You're carrying a Blad. Think about treating that expensive piece of equipment with the sticks it deserves . I put my Blad on it, even when not traveling. It's just a joy to use.

I'm writing this with my tripod stowed above me in my carryon suitcase. Really easy peasy.
 

ant!

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ant! Concerning any long MF telephoto, nearly any kind of ball head is just about the worst option possible. Long heavy lenses introduce significant torque and torsion issues. I don't have a P645, but a P67; and with its own 300, I need the same level of tripod support and rigidity as when shooting an 8x10 camera. Skimp in that respect, and you're just wasting your money. Of course, you could still get a lighter tripod for your other applications. And a P645 application is not quite as demanding as the P67 equivalent. But the particular Leofoto tripod you cite looks too light for any MF 300 in my opinion. It would be good if you could actually test one before purchasing it, or with guaranteed right of return if it doesn't work out. If you get any vibration or wobble at all indoors, tapping that long lens, things will only be worse outdoors in the wind.

Yes, heavy stuff! But as said, I am not really using the long lenses (have the 300/4 and the 150-300/5.6 for Pentax 645, got them cheap with some other lenses), my main lenses are the 150/3.5 and the 75/2.8, and wider.

Anyways, what kind of ballhead, or what instead, a pan/tilt head?, would be better for those cases? or no head? Given the setup would be 3kg (with the lens being 1360 g) and this Leofoto shows a rating up to 15kg (I know, mirror slap, wind etc), this would still not be enough? Is there a general rule of thumb camera * X = min. load rating for medium format/heavier lenses? I was reading somewhere a factor of 3 is recommended, and I guess some 35mm lenses are heavier then this one?
 

ant!

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Their pro offerings might be better than the one I had. Is there a chance to see it in person?

No, it's on the other end of the country (not sure if still available anyways). I guess I can check if a shop around here carries the Winston 2.0. It's on B&H new for USD 500, with a 40kg rating (even if this is inflated, seems one of their stronger options), and only a tiny bit heaver then the Leofoto, but taller. But still leaning towards other brands after reading about them here.

Which Leofoto would be recommended, if not the LS-324C?
 

_T_

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I bought a leo 2.0 tripod from 3lt thinking that the rule you mentioned of having 3x the load capacity of what you’re going to use it for would work out. The tripod is advertised as having a 30kg load capacity but it couldn’t hold my 500g digital camera without wobbling.

I called 3 legged thing to complain and try to get my money back and they said that the 30kg rating is the weight at which the tripod fails under destructive testing, basically the weight at which it collapses and breaks. They would not give me a refund and I ended up selling that tripod.

Every other manufacturer tries to provide you some kind of number at which the tripod can be practically used to take pictures, but 3lt quotes a number at which the tripod can certainly no longer be used for anything other than garbage.

So if you’re going to put a heavy mf camera on a 3lt tripod you’re going to need to spend $800 on one of their most expensive models and it could very well be a little wobbly still.

Money which would be much better spent on any other brand. $800 can get you a damned good tripod but not so much if you go with 3lt.
 

DREW WILEY

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ant! - In terms of bigger cameras or especially long teles, I always go "headless". My father taught me with his old brass transit and set of maple hardwood legs; and surveyors were expected to align things far more accurately than photographers, using leg adjustments only. But with smaller cameras, including my P67 with up to a 200 mm tele, I do use an old solid Gitzo pan-tilt head atop their first CF tripod, which has about the same mass as that Leofoto one you cited.

The 300EDIF tele is in a whole different weight and size category. But it comes with la lens collar mount, which not only balances the whole set at the midpoint of its weight, but allows the camera to be easily rotated vertical or horizontal, or anywhere in between. Therefore any intermediate tripod head would be entirely redundant, as well as the weak link in the entire system in terms of stability. And for the 300 EDIF with its lens collar, I can even get sufficient stability using my lighter weight Ries wooden tripod, or my bigger carbon fiber one - a Feisol CT3472 (about 6 lbs), which I have modified to platform-only attachment.

Incidentally, Feisol offers an optional "half-ball" device for this model and a few others, which seats in a scooped-out bowl in the top, and is far more stable than any full ball head reliant on a stem (the vibration weak link). I don't have one of those; but they look like a logical alternative to regular tripod heads unless one needs to point the camera straight down. I can do that, if necessary, with a simple tapped angle brace instead, at a fraction the weight and cost of any typical head.

Remember, so-called weight ratings for tripods are "dead-weight" only, just like a ladder. A class 1 rated later might hold up to a 250 lb man, but sure might not do so safely or securely, as hundred of serious accidents prove every year! Even a math dummy like me learned how to calculate torque vectors in Physics class. And a long lens is just like a torque wrench or "cheater bar", and greatly increases the stress on tripod stability. Plus those advertised weight rating are basically BS anyway when it comes to real-world applications.

As far as shutter vibration goes, even with my P67 that's not an issue. The infamous mirror slap certainly is; but that's what the mirror-lock-up feature is for. But since at 1/60th or above speeds, the shutter completes it action before the mirror hits, it's only below that speed it's a potential risk, and that lockup is potentially needed. The P645 should be quite a bit gentler in that respect;
but NOT if you have a wimpy tripod!
 

ant!

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@drew: thanks for this explanation, this makes sense. Using no ball head or a half-ball/leveling plate, leofoto sells also different models of those as I just saw, makes sense in case I use the long lenses. I have actually the manual focus 300/4, which is a bit lighter than the AF version (I have a split focus screen in my 645n) and has no collar, but people in the Pentax forum mention a fitting aftermarket one.
 

DREW WILEY

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I strongly recommend a collar mount. But my older P67 Takumar 300 lacks the collar mount, so I need a substantially more solid tripod for it, namely, my bigger heavier Ries maple tripod. But either of my 300's can be shot sniper-style at higher shutter speeds, like atop a fence post or car roof using a jacket or other cushion, without tripod. The worst thing of all is an under-built tripod with a bobble, wobble, ball-head.

If it weren't for the fact I'm so well accustomed to going headless, I'd buy one of those half-ball accessories myself.
 

250swb

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Call me lazy, or just enjoying its lightness, but after getting my Gitzo Mountaineer 1532 I've left my heavier tripods to gather dust when it comes to medium format. I suppose technically it may be classed as too light for a Bronica or a Hasselblad, but it's very ridged and only starts to feel too light if a prism finder is fitted and the column extended to eye level. Otherwise I think it's fine for a typical medium format SLR with a waist level finder as the legs aren't fully extended and far from being top heavy. My other MF tripod is a Manfrotto carbon 055 using a heavy Manfrotto QR head, and I do like the snap lock legs, but in the past two years I've not regretted leaving it at home once. I think perhaps my way of working builds on this because when I set the camera up I like to carry it on the tripod even for longish walks, and finding the lightest usable tripod makes this easier. I'm not a big fan of everything constantly going in and out of camera bags.
 

jeffreyg

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I had this made at a machine shop to attach a Hasselblad with a 350mm as well as with a 2x to my Bogen tripod. The lens didn’t have an attachment collar. With this I can center the weight over the tripod.
IMG_1102.jpeg
 
OP
OP

Twotone

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Thanks for everyone's advice!

I ended up picking up a Gitzo 2531 Explorer off MPB for a reasonable price. It's in excellent condition and has the standard warranty with it too!
 

GLS

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I've used a Gitzo 3 series for years with no complaints.

I use an Arca Swiss Z1 ballhead with it, for all cameras, and have had no issues re: stability with long lenses. This includes with a 250mm Superachromat on my Hasselblad, where any technical defects are glaringly obvious because the optical performance is so high. I haven't once seen any vibration-induced impact on those frames, even when viewed with a 20x loupe.
 
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dave olson

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Stay away from the Chinese junk. I've used Gitzo for several decades, a series three tripod, a large three-way, a flat three-way and a ball head, all with quick-release plates. I 've used them with heavy Canon L series lenses, as well as 6x4.5, Hasselblad 503CW, and the Pentax 6x7 with a 300 mounted. I've never had a problem in the field.
 
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