Travel Tripod for Leica M

[cmo]

A man with two clocks never knows what time it is... I have three tripods:

- A chinese Benro monopod, I never use it, a mispurchase (Benros are chinese plagiarisms of Gitzo, and I don't buy chinese products in general)

- A great wooden Berlebach tripod, medium-sized, which is my main tripod because it is so damn good at dampening vibrations (with long telephoto lenses the difference is visible in the prints), ca. 2.8kg

- A quite massive Gitzo Gilux Professional with a geared Manfrotto head, very tall, very good for architecture, easily carries an 8x10", ca. 4kg

Even the monopod is somewhat oversized for some purposes...

My first tripod was one of those indestructible Velbon aluminium tripods, heavy as a tank, but stable enough for all average equipments. I tried a Velbon carbon tripod and gave it back to my dealer because I can hold my camera with my hands and get sharper images than with such a shaky freak...

What I don't have is a small, lightweight tripod that is stable enough for a classic Leica M equipment with three lenses, (max. 135mm). If Berlebach had one I would buy it unseen...

What do you think are the best choices? I read these suggestions by now:

- Gitzo Traveller 1531 or 1541 - small, expensive, 1 kilo, carbon, max load 8kg
- Gitzo GT1550T - similar, but extremely compact, even more expensive...
- Giotto GTMT8240B - not that compact, max load 2kg, much cheaper

 

[Ian David]

I use a Gitzo G1197 with Acratech Ultimate ballhead - very light combo, but sturdy enough to carry even up to a LF field camera when travelling. It is three section, but if you wanted something more compact (but more fiddly) you could get a 4-section.

Ian

 

[DanielStone]

gitzo traveler. how high/low do you need it to go?

watch ebay for used ones. I can't afford one, but I'd sell my tiltall if I got one in a heartbeat.

manfrotto makes some nice stuff too. traveling size to boot. leica m kit ain't that heavy....

-Dan

<edit>

here's one.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...n_Imaging_190XB_190XB_Tripod_Legs_Black_.html

sticks only, no head. spend another $60 or so and get a nice little one for your M

 

[cmo]

gitzo traveler. how high/low do you need it to go?

It should be at least 1 meter high without using the center column, max. 50cm long when folded, max. 1 kg.

watch ebay for used ones.

Unfortunately many do that...

manfrotto makes some nice stuff too. traveling size to boot. leica m kit ain't that heavy....

-Dan

<edit>

here's one.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...n_Imaging_190XB_190XB_Tripod_Legs_Black_.html

sticks only, no head. spend another $60 or so and get a nice little one for your M

Well, it is a lot bigger and heavier...

 

[Larry.Manuel]

Manfrotto 7322YSHB

see my posts: (there was a url link here which no longer exists) [#8] and

(there was a url link here which no longer exists) [also post #8].

This tripod is working out very well for me.