Tall Large Format Shooters *(Over Six Feet) : What Tripod/Head Are You Using?

[MattKing]

We could solve your problem if you will add 15 cm to my height and take the loss of the same. That would get rid of my height disadvantage and help you find your tripod. By the way I rarely have to duck my head for doorways and low ceilings. Are you interested?

I must remember to reach out to @Sirius Glass whenever I have a bunch of photos that need to be taken of stuff that is low to the ground. Up to now I've enlisted young kids to help me.

 

[abruzzi]

I really like Gitzo with the exception of the fact that older Gitzo's have their own quick release system not compatible with Arca-Swiss. For my lighter 4x5 and 6x9 view cameras I use a carbon fiber 2 series--1227. I'm 5'10" and with that tripod I have 3 leg segments, and I almost never use the third segment, so adding a foot from the third section would be ideal for someone over 6 ft. For heavier 4x5 and 5x7 I use a aluminum 3 series (G305 or something like that), or which I have 2--one has a gitzo 3 way low profile head, the other has a Sinar head. Then I have a 5 series aluminum (G500) to support the monster 8x10 (Toyo 810MII).

All of these have been bought used--the carbon fiber tripods (I have another 2 series that I use on medium format) were each $150 used, which in both cases I spent another $100 each for a head. I'd look to see if you can find something like the 1227 or 1228 (the 1228 has 4 leg sections so is a bit smaller packed up.)

 

[Sirius Glass]

I must remember to reach out to @Sirius Glass whenever I have a bunch of photos that need to be taken of stuff that is low to the ground. Up to now I've enlisted young kids to help me.

That sounds like a low blow! Why would you do that to someone who is height disadvantaged?

 

[MattKing]

That sounds like a low blow! Why would you do that to someone who is height disadvantaged?

I could never stoop to a low blow .

 

[awty]

I bend, rarely is there a shot at my eye level.
But Im thinking if I built an adjustable platform for the subject, I could bring them up to my height and wouldnt have to bend....Hmmm.

 

[KinoGrafx]

A shorter tripod and camp stool is also an option, and a very comfortable way to shoot. And might provide a more interesting perspective than eye-level.

 

[Rick A]

That sounds like a low blow! Why would you do that to someone who is height disadvantaged?

I prefer to call it vertically challenged.

 

[lecarp]

What you need is a shorter tripod with a side arm, it can hold the camera in front of you in a folding chaise lounge. Relax and wait for the perfect light.

 

[Vaughn]

Well, fortunately there are an infinite number of possible images at any height above the ground. I began photographing with a waist level finder on my Rolleiflex and found most of my images with the camera at that height (about four feet). Now most of my images are taken at about 6 feet with LF cameras.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I prefer to call it vertically challenged.

That is what I was thinking about.

 

[Vaughn]

I prefer to call it vertically challenged.

I've never felt tall at 6'4" -- as a basketball player at Center, I was having to guard guys up to 7 inches taller than I was. And when I lifted up my 5'2" girlfriend she was as tall as I was. Being 6'9" would have been nice for basketball, but not for the rest of my life!

For this 4x5 image, I just reversed the center column and hung the camera upside down and laid down on the ground. Scanned contact print. (Death Valley, somewhere in a side canyon along Artist Drive, I think.)

 

[Grafmatic]

I want to thank everybody for all the input and perspective. My camera is still on order so, I’ve got some time to make a final choice on the tripod. I have some candidates from this thread that I believe I can make work. I haven’t found anything as I like as much as that Linhof tripod but, I can’t find any information on it. Just for the heck of it I wrote Linhof to see if they could provide any information. Somewhere out there, somebody bought one, and if I can get more manufacturer information, maybe I can find one. But I think I can make something like a Tiltall (to cite one example) work.

I am happy to be here and looking forward to getting back under the cloth and learning and hopefully contributing. This seems like a really good place. Thanks for all the help.

 

[Grafmatic]

We could solve your problem if you will add 15 cm to my height and take the loss of the same. That would get rid of my height disadvantage and help you find your tripod. By the way I rarely have to duck my head for doorways and low ceilings. Are you interested?

Now why didn't I think of that?!?

 

[bdial]

To further whet your appetite for big Linhof tripods, this is my Heavy Duty Pro, in use next to a 10 or 12 foot ladder.

Sturdy and tall, but at 45 pounds, a bit much to carry very far.
I’m not familiar with one called a Record pro, they made a lighter version of this one, several others with single segment legs.

 

[GregY]

I want to thank everybody for all the input and perspective. My camera is still on order so, I’ve got some time to make a final choice on the tripod. I have some candidates from this thread that I believe I can make work. I haven’t found anything as I like as much as that Linhof tripod but, I can’t find any information on it. Just for the heck of it I wrote Linhof to see if they could provide any information. Somewhere out there, somebody bought one, and if I can get more manufacturer information, maybe I can find one. But I think I can make something like a Tiltall (to cite one example) work.

I am happy to be here and looking forward to getting back under the cloth and learning and hopefully contributing. This seems like a really good place. Thanks for all the help.

There are quite a few Linhofs on ebay...

 

[Sirius Glass]

There are quite a few Linhofs on ebay...

You will need two if you want to do stereo photography.

 

[Grafmatic]

There are quite a few Linhofs on ebay...

Believe me, I've looked. and continue to... I have written Linhof and hopefully will get some info useful in my search,

 

[Grafmatic]

You will need two if you want to do stereo photography.

I'll settle for one...

 

[Grafmatic]

It looked much like this one but this one looks smaller. I have written the seller for measurements,
I had a Bogen/Manfrotto hex QR head on mine.

Vintage LINHOF Tripod W. Germany | eBay

This is a vintage Linhof tripod it has some cosmetic wear. Other than that, it is fully functional and looks and feels awesome.

www.ebay.com

 

[Besk]

To further whet your appetite for big Linhof tripods, this is my Heavy Duty Pro, in use next to a 10 or 12 foot ladder.

View attachment 394258

Sturdy and tall, but at 45 pounds, a bit much to carry very far.
I’m not familiar with one called a Record pro, they made a lighter version of this one, several others with single segment legs.

I was thinking about purchasing a tall tripod for special circumstances and but decided to mount a head on one of the aluminum step ladders I own. (Of course would come off the ladder and use a cable release from the ground.)

 

[Grafmatic]

This looks very much like it but at $495 headless, theres a lot of competition, including from brand-new units with warranties... I was hoping to not spend more for the tripod than for the camera, but. hey, Linhof...
My search may seem ridiculous but I have had bad experiences with certain tripods, like the Majestic I bought from Zone VI before they made their own. It weighed as much as the engine in my VW Bus... Got rid of that one quick. I want something I won't regret from the first time I put the camera on it...

LINHOF Rekord-Profil-Stativ P Lightweight Tripod 25"-75" West Germany Works Well | eBay

Up for sale is a rare find linhof tripod. I used it for Horseman L57/ Linhof Technika 45 with 150mm / 210mm lenses. -Pros: Very sturdy and easy to pull out the legs and set up.

www.ebay.com

MAN, I miss camera stores.... You could walk in and actually see & handle stuff... I gotta get my hands on a Linhof catalog

 

[Focomatter]

I have a Linhof tripod that looks like the one above for $500 but only has two leg sections and is just under 1 meter tall without the column - I just now set it up to measure that. I have two Linhofs that are taller one is a very old one like shown in post 39 but has wooden tubes in the upper section and does not have the hollow column and leg struts and thus has infinitely variable leg angles. The other one has double channel type upper leg (Linhof calls them Profil in German) sections like to the heavy duty model and tubular ones for the lower section (a two leg section tripod). I just set it up - it is about chest high without the column but with a tripod head (Linhof analogue to the Sinar pan tilt head) and a Sinar rail clamp (left on it) it is tall enough. The advantage of these two tripods is that with just two sections they are very fast to set up. The wooden one works well when it is cold as wood does not stick to skin like metal (I am in Alaska). It is my go to tripod for certain winter shots like the aurora one that I am using for my avatar on this web site. I also have the right angle gizmo that I used as a tripod head for this shot (camera pointed straight up).

 

[Grafmatic]

I am pretty sure that the tripod shown above in #46 is the one I had, rather than the Rekord Giant I thought it was. I would buy it except that it has a lot of obvious wear but is priced at what I would expect to pay for a ‘minty’ unit. You can buy a lot of tripod for $500, and get a warranty to boot and not have to go shopping for head. By the way, the leg braces can be popped loose at the center column and to allow legs to be spread at independent angles. Handy.

The following Bogen is priced attractively, is in fairly good cosmetic condition, and is missing only the hex plate, which is all over eBay for $15 or less. Pretty sure this is the same one I had. (I went through a fair number of tripods back in the day). Weight capacity is rated at 13 pounds and I would have about half of that at most. The price is right too, under $100. That leaves over enough to buy a lens. If anybody thinks I’m crazy for getting this tripod, feel free to tell me so.

Manfrotto Bogen Professional Tripod 3021 + Manfrotto 3047 Head W/OUT Release Pla | eBay

Manfrotto Bogen Professional Tripod 3021 + Manfrotto 3047 Head. No release plate for the head. by copy machine.

www.ebay.com

 

[blee1996]

Manfrotto Bogen 3021 is an excellent medium-size tripod (actually I have two, one aluminum and one Carbon Fiber). But it might not be tall enough for you, especially without extending the center column.

Do you have chance to buy locally from craigslist or Facebook marketplace? I got the best tripods deals locally, since it is not very practical to ship them.

 

[Grafmatic]

yeah, the 3021 There is a Craigslist page for the area but I have heard bad things… in fact, the last time I tried to sell something on craigslist, the guy wanted me to meet him on some downtown street corner at 10 o’clock at night…

On

One thing that is frustrating about this, is the inability to get reliable information. I saw a feeBayblisting for a Gitzo 340, headless, which said the maximum extension was 76 inches. When you add the height of a head and a large format camera, that’s plenty. However, I looked up another store site and it had the 340 without the head listed as 59 inches. That’s a pretty big discrepancy. Which one is correct? Really hard to say without seeing the tripod. I saw one tripod listed, where the guy that actually put a tape measure up against it so you could see all the dimensions. I wish anybody selling a tripod would do that.

Here is the page I found on the 3021. Do these measurements sound correct?

Bogen 3021 Tripod Specifications

From the page:

• When completely collapsed, the Bogen 3021 measures 25.75 inches in length and can easily fit in a large backpack or carry-on luggage. When assembled it has a minimum height of 10.5 inches from the feet to the head mount. With legs and center column fully extended the tripod has a maximum height of 70.5 inches, more than enough for a tall photographer to comfortably shoot for an extended period of time. None of these dimensions include the height that a head or camera would add.

Even Linhof couldn’t help me, or they just didn’t want to go on an Easter egg hunt that they wouldn’t make any money on, and I don’t blame them really,but they did inform me about a Linhof user group on Facebook, which I will check into. I downloaded all the pictures from the post number 46 so I can put them into a Facebook post. I’m almost positive that is the same tripod, but, as I said earlier, it isn’t in condition to be worth what he’s asking for it or even close.