What to look for when choosing a tripod

Grim Tuesday · Apr 24, 2020

Right now, I have a chintzy piece of crap Amazon Basics tripod. It's almost worse than nothing. I want to get something good for my medium format cameras (Hasselblad, Pentax 67), and be prepared if I go into large format. I'm thinking about picking up a Bogen 3036 with 3047 head for around $85. It seems like the perfect sturdy, well made tripod. But it got me thinking: damn this thing is heavy. I don't particularly mind, because I hate tripods anyways. So if I'm lugging one, it had damn well better be worth it! But I also wonder if it is possible to carry less, and be equally stable, since stability comes from structure and rigidity, not just mass (I thing?) And there are other tripods that can be got for this price, that are certainly lighter. How can I tell if they will be better or worse than the Bogen at stability?

GLS · Apr 24, 2020

If you want light weight but still with excellent stability then carbon fibre is the only choice. You will pay considerably more than $85 for a good one, but buy cheap buy twice (or perhaps even three times in your case).

ic-racer · Apr 24, 2020

3036 is great. I got mine around 1988 and it is still my main tripod. I recently replaced a locking lever and put new locknuts on all the other levers. I had to remove the front plate of the head to tighten the nut under there two days ago. Other than that it has been a great tripod. I have thought of replacing it many times but never found anything better. I use it for everything from 8x10 to 35mm.

I also noticed my zeroing bubble has faded to white and the liquid is gone. Searching for a replacement now.

I looked at carbon fiber but with adding the weight of the head, for the same size tripod the weight savings did not seem that great by proportion

Dan Fromm · Apr 24, 2020

Some years ago I was having problems getting sharp images with my Questar 700. I borrowed two others, found that mine was the best of the three. Played with my tripod, found that it had little rigidity in torsion. That's right, the platform swung around a little with all the locks as tight as could be. Had to go to NYC, spent part of an afternoon in B&H swinging from their display tripods. The only one that passed was a very expensive Gitzo. My wife told me to get it. I balked at the price, have since got a Berleback 8023 (discontinued) and an ancient Ries Model C. Both are stiff and steady enough. If I had it to do all over again I'd get a Berlebach without a center post.

craigclu · Apr 24, 2020

Pentax 67's can be a challenge. They have a strange vibration but most of the perceived vibes are caused by the mirror returning down, after the exposure. When I was trying to solve this on mine (many years back), I decided to go with an open mind and tested with a laser light beam included in a actual film frame (attached to the camera). Some unlikely head/leg combos worked extremely well and some combos that I assumed to be best, didn't actually perform as expected. A 3046 and 3047 head worked as well as anything. Oddly, the Gitzo offset ball heads (G 1576M) seemed to tune out the vibes. I hadn't expected that as the design doesn't appear to be so stable. As I've gotten older, I find I'm using medium format rangefinders for most MF work and they require a lot less in terms of pod support (took the easy way out)..

BrianShaw · Apr 24, 2020

Dan Fromm said:
The only one that passed was a very expensive Gitzo. My wife told me to get it. I balked at the price...

After making that same “mistake” many years ago, I started following my bride’s suggestions even on topics she has idea what she’s talking about!

Dennis-B · Apr 24, 2020

I own several Bogen/Manfrotto models, and they're all superb. If you can get a 3036 and 3047 head for $80, it's a great deal, if all functions work. Here's my "arsenal" for various formats:

Bogen 3036, 3047 head
Bogen 3046, 3047 head
Bogen 3251, 3047 head
Manrotto 475B, 3047 head
Bogen 3033, 3039 head (similar to 3047, but on steroids)
Gitzo G1320, Bogen 3047 head
Vivitar 1321

The Vivitar is the sleeper. These were made from the 1970's, through the 1980's, and I use it for large format, as well as the Bogens and Gitzo. The Bogen is a sleeper; it's a bit smaller than the 3036, but it will handle any camera.

There's a lot of chatter out there about aluminum tripods transmitting vibration. This is not a reason not to buy aluminum. The "vibration" problem can be easily resolved by using pipe insulation on the upper leg extensions; it also insulates during the cold. You can also get square plates for supporting MF cameras. There are also adapters available to be able to use Arca-Swiss plates in the hex plate slot.

There's nothing wrong with CF, but you'll spend a boatload of cash for stability. However, you can gain stability by using weights (camera bag) under the center column.

Pieter12 · Apr 24, 2020

If you want to get geeky about this, check out https://thecentercolumn.com

Ariston · Apr 24, 2020

Those old bogens are great. I have two I got from a thrift shop and an estate sale. I didn't know tripods could be so sturdy.

They are heavy, though. What I do is use the bogens when I can, and use a cheap lightweight one when I will be hiking longer distances. The cheap ones will usually still hold a medium format camera.

KenS · Apr 24, 2020

Since the only 'exposures' I now make are with either my Linhof 4x5 monorail or my 'de-greyed' 8x10 B&J 'woodie'.
I much prefer a 'solid' wooden tripod over a 'lighter' one made with metal. Yes it is a LOT 'bulkier/heavier' to humph around... but it once 'set up' NOT 'shake/vibrate' in the lightest of winds. My "Zone Vl" 'woodie' has metal 'spikes
on the bottom of each 'leg' that allows my 'booted-foot' to set it into the ground. Well worth the $$ 'investment' those many years ago.
I have a friend that HAD to use the legs of his wooden tripod as firewood 'in the dark' as a "Here I am" in emergency after a fall.. he had 'cracked one bone and severely dislocated another in his ankle' and had to rely on an 'Emergency Rescue team' to get him to the hospital.

Ken

jp498 · Apr 24, 2020

The 3047 head is very heavy.
Light and inexpensive might be a non-star Tiltall tripod. Simple built in head. I love them but don't use them as I shoot at the beach a lot and don't want to ruin the legs with sand and saltwater in the twist locks. I bought a Benro tripod for my daughter's DSLR and that's surprisingly good too for not much over $100 without a head.

I use a Ries Jr. (J series) in it's place as wood and brass have been used for thousands of years around sand and salt water successfully. To keep it compact and light-ish I use a 3025 head.

wiltw · Apr 24, 2020

I have a Bogen 3036 since the 1990s, and while I have taken it outside, it is seldom done...just plain too heavy! I used it with a monorail 4x5 that weighs about 12 lbs. for studio work, and love it for its rigidity and max heights.

I love the lever locks on Manfrotto tripods. I had a Bogen 3221 for medium format or 135 shooting, but after Gitzo altered its leg design with the G-locks and the anti-leg-rotation, I switched to a Gitzo 2-series tripod for its rigidity and lower weight for improved portability in the field.

And important characteristic of a tripod, IMHO, that gets overlooked is it ability to quickly dampen vibration, including dampening of wind-induced vibration/motion.

Pieter12 · Apr 24, 2020

Grim Tuesday said:
Right now, I have a chintzy piece of crap Amazon Basics tripod. It's almost worse than nothing. I want to get something good for my medium format cameras (Hasselblad, Pentax 67), and be prepared if I go into large format. I'm thinking about picking up a Bogen 3036 with 3047 head for around $85. It seems like the perfect sturdy, well made tripod. But it got me thinking: damn this thing is heavy. I don't particularly mind, because I hate tripods anyways. So if I'm lugging one, it had damn well better be worth it! But I also wonder if it is possible to carry less, and be equally stable, since stability comes from structure and rigidity, not just mass (I thing?) And there are other tripods that can be got for this price, that are certainly lighter. How can I tell if they will be better or worse than the Bogen at stability?

The Bogen (or Manfrotto, now) you mentioned is an excellent tripod and $85 is a killer price with a head if they are in good condition. However it is probably overkill for medium format, more suited to a 4x5 studio camera. The downside to such a heavy (10# without head, I believe) tripod is you end up not using it outside the studio--so it doesn't matter how sturdy it is. If you work mostly on location, you might have to bite the bullet and invest in a decent CF tripod. Just be prepared to pay 3X or more.

MattKing · Apr 24, 2020

For clarity, historically Bogen was the US distributor of Manfrotto tripods, and re-branded them with the Bogen name.
As a result, it is possible to have two versions of the same tripod, differing only with respect to the name on the label.
Here in Canada we see a fair bit of both, because Canadians do a fair bit of shopping on the other side of the border.
Or at least in normal times we do.

TheFlyingCamera · Apr 24, 2020

That 'pod is a beast - it will certainly hold anything you want to throw on top of it. I used to have one for studio use with medium and large format, but I still found it burdensome to use. If your budget won't allow significantly more than the $85, get that tripod and use it for what it's worth. But if you can stretch up to say $250, then you can get a carbon-fiber leg set that will handle medium format nicely, and small/light 4x5 (think Crown Graphic or a compact wooden field camera).

chris77 · Apr 24, 2020

SLIK (from Japan)
Best tripod i ever had. Amazing customer support as well. Use it even for my 5x7 inch folding.
Its lightweight and very stable

Sirius Glass · Apr 24, 2020

Weight - the weight of tripod increase as a cube [x3] of the distance walked so look at carbon fiber tripods.
Opinion - I find that ball heads are not stable enough or control able enough for MF and LF cameras.
Strong legs that will not vibrate in the wind.
Strap attachments so that you can carry it on your back.
Look at the lesser known brands for almost as good at a lower price, such as Induro https://indurogear.com/

btaylor · Apr 25, 2020

I picked up an Induro recently, it came with a ball head too. Aluminum, lightweight. The head is surprisingly good. Supports my RZ67 good enough. Not ideal, but lightweight and not bulky, and not expensive. I used it recently because my son had borrowed my wood Berlebach. That is my usual go-to tripod, no center post. Supports a Hasselblad or a Calumet C1 8x10. My big Bogen (don’t remember the model) was the first really solid tripod I bought and it still works great 40 years later but it is a beast I don’t like dragging out of the studio. I have a big Ries, beautifully crafted, but the Berlebach is the one that gets pulled out the most.

scheimfluger_77 · Apr 25, 2020

Dennis-B said:
I own several Bogen/Manfrotto models, and they're all superb. If you can get a 3036 and 3047 head for $80, it's a great deal, if all functions work. Here's my "arsenal" for various formats:

Bogen 3036, 3047 head

Bogen 3046, 3047 head

Bogen 3251, 3047 head

Manrotto 475B, 3047 head

Bogen 3033, 3039 head (similar to 3047, but on steroids)

Gitzo G1320, Bogen 3047 head

Vivitar 1321

The Vivitar is the sleeper. These were made from the 1970's, through the 1980's, and I use it for large format, as well as the Bogens and Gitzo. The Bogen is a sleeper; it's a bit smaller than the 3036, but it will handle any camera.

There's a lot of chatter out there about aluminum tripods transmitting vibration. This is not a reason not to buy aluminum. The "vibration" problem can be easily resolved by using pipe insulation on the upper leg extensions; it also insulates during the cold. You can also get square plates for supporting MF cameras. There are also adapters available to be able to use Arca-Swiss plates in the hex plate slot.

There's nothing wrong with CF, but you'll spend a boatload of cash for stability. However, you can gain stability by using weights (camera bag) under the center column.

I second the recommend on the Vivitar. The one I have is older than my marriage (43 years). I used it exclusively for a Crown Graphic and Mamiya C330 w/prism finder. I think it would support any 4x5 with ease, probably a 5x7 as well. Mine is so worn out though that all the pins in the attachment points are loose so the tripod has quite a bit of movement in it.

craigclu · Apr 25, 2020

I got an Oben CF a few years back and it's been great. At that time, it was a house brand for B&H and was basically rebranded Induro gear, if memory serves correctly. I see they still stock them but nowhere near the model selection of the time that I got mine. I notice that they have a CF leg set rated for 39.6 pounds on a $200 discount promotion. The reviews make it seem that it needs some working in to cinch up the center post securely but generally good reviews. I've enjoyed mine (very similar model) and trust it completely (and I'm a bit of a nut job for stability).

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/864598-REG/oben_ct_2491_4_section_carbon_fiber.html

Dennis-B · Apr 25, 2020

scheimfluger_77 said:
I second the recommend on the Vivitar. The one I have is older than my marriage (43 years). I used it exclusively for a Crown Graphic and Mamiya C330 w/prism finder. I think it would support any 4x5 with ease, probably a 5x7 as well. Mine is so worn out though that all the pins in the attachment points are loose so the tripod has quite a bit of movement in it.

I read somewhere that if you could find a good machinist, those pins can be replaced/peened, to tighten things up a bit. Same goes for the tightening knobs. I know it would be a bit expensive, but maybe worth it. I just got mine this past winter at a used camera shop. Mine is very tight, and appears not to have been used a lot. All knobs and pins are tight. Mine looks like it has sat around for a long time not used.

Dennis-B · Apr 25, 2020

chris77 said:
SLIK (from Japan)
Best tripod i ever had. Amazing customer support as well. Use it even for my 5x7 inch folding.
Its lightweight and very stable

I left out my SLIK, but it's an old one, a forerunner to the Master Classic. Mine has a strictly pan-only head, but I've removed it, and adapted a Manfrotto 3047 to it. I took a Bogen head mounting plate, and then ground the hex end down so it would fit the tube. I got some slow-set epoxy, and now I can put any 3/8" diameter head on it. I also tapped in a piece of copper tubing on each leg, then put in a set of Bogen spiked feet. I added some pipe wrap on the top of the legs, and voila, added life to a great tripod!

abruzzi · Apr 25, 2020

just a small comment about heads: I have found that for 35mm and medium format, I prefer a ball head. That makes it easy to readjust position, because the camera isn't too heavy, and usually has somewhere to grab when the ball is loose and position the camera. On the large format, which rarely has a good place to grab, and is usually heavier, I prefer a 3 way head because I can adjust one axis at a time. I suspect this is also because of the inverted ground glass, its harder to frame when all axis' can move. When only one move at a time, its easier to interact with the reversal.

Bill Burk · Apr 25, 2020

BrianShaw said:
After making that same “mistake” many years ago, I started following my bride’s suggestions even on topics she has idea what she’s talking about!

Yes when my bride told me it was OK to get that studio Linhof in the window, I was happy to oblige. It’s good for home use and those Edward Weston field days

CMoore · Apr 25, 2020

Grim Tuesday said:
Right now, I have a chintzy piece of crap Amazon Basics tripod. It's almost worse than nothing. I want to get something good for my medium format cameras (Hasselblad, Pentax 67), and be prepared if I go into large format. I'm thinking about picking up a Bogen 3036 with 3047 head for around $85. It seems like the perfect sturdy, well made tripod. But it got me thinking: damn this thing is heavy. I don't particularly mind, because I hate tripods anyways. So if I'm lugging one, it had damn well better be worth it! But I also wonder if it is possible to carry less, and be equally stable, since stability comes from structure and rigidity, not just mass (I thing?) And there are other tripods that can be got for this price, that are certainly lighter. How can I tell if they will be better or worse than the Bogen at stability?

Is the tripod that you have, really that bad for its intended use.?

If you are walking or moving a lot, i think other members have already said..... Carbon Fiber. and they are very expensive.
Then again, if you are also going to be into Large Format. does the weight of the tripod really matter.?

What to look for when choosing a tripod

Grim Tuesday

GLS

ic-racer

Dan Fromm

craigclu

BrianShaw

Dennis-B

Pieter12

Ariston

KenS

jp498

wiltw

Pieter12

MattKing

Moderator

TheFlyingCamera

Membership Council

chris77

Sirius Glass

btaylor

scheimfluger_77

craigclu

Dennis-B

Dennis-B

abruzzi

Bill Burk

CMoore

What to look for when choosing a tripod

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