What tripod do you have?

Stephanie Brim · Nov 27, 2012

pcyco said:
hallo

i use a wolf wooden tripod with a inclinable column and a novoflex adapter.
Dead Link Removed
tomorrow comes the novoflex ball 4. it should work with my calumet 400

regards

thomas

Oh god I didn't need to see these.

I've been talking with my husband about whether or not to abandon the 5x7 format and go to shooting 4x5 and 8x10. I like I love 5x7 format, but I find myself having to crop more than with 4x5...so I think I need to stick with the 4x5 ratio...as much as I hate the idea of giving up 5x7.

My problem is that the Tiltall won't hold a 2D or Century Universal and that's what I'm going to look at in about 6 months time...so a tripod will be needed. I'm going to bookmark this and go back to it when the new camera happens.

EASmithV · Nov 27, 2012

Manfrotto

m1tch · Nov 27, 2012

Indeed, those wooden tripods from Germany look to be rather good value, there seems to be a used Berlebach for about the same price, I will need to check out certain used prices nearer the time perhaps in the new year as I can use the tripod for medium format and 35mm - although a tad overkill lol

DREW WILEY · Nov 27, 2012

Worst thing ever invented with respect to view camera is a ball head, esp outdoors. Given the
laws of physics and vibration, it's the weakest link to the support system. I don't use any head, just
plop the view camera right atop a nice large tripod platform, just like surveyers did for decades.
But back to the original question: I have a couple of Ries wooden tripods - the bigger one for 8x10,
and the smaller one for 4X5 and MF, as well as a couple of carbon fiber tripods for similar applications. I use wood whenever possible; but that Gitzo Mountaineer is certainly nice on long backpack trips in the mtns - I have the original. Some of the more recent ones are a little to lightwt
for even 4x5 use - had a friend break a couple of legs on one this summer - and he ended up duct
taping tree branches on to replace the missing sections! The Ries tripods are so solid I sometimes
whack poison oak or blackberry vines off the path with it. Abuse I know. I finally did get a twist
fracture in one of the legs after about twenty years of such abuse, and tried to pay for a new leg,
but Ries insisted on outright giving me a new leg even though I told them what had happened. Now
that's a seriously good warranty!

southmine · Nov 27, 2012

TheFlyingCamera said:
I have an Induro C314 - it's a carbon-fiber tripod that weighs 5lbs and is rated to handle up to 39.5 lbs.

I've been using this tripod too, and love it (4X5, MF and 35mm with large telephoto).

TheFlyingCamera said:
They're not cheap, but they're a good couple hundred less than an equivalent Gitzo.

The Induro also comes with spiked (and rubber) feet, a nice padded canvas carrying case, and a tool kit, all of which cost extra from Gitzo.

Rafal Lukawiecki · Nov 27, 2012

ROL said:
As for me, I use a Mountaineer Series Gitzo and Acratech ball head with my view camera, which is quite a bit larger than yours. My needs are stability, light weight, portability, and versatility, in that order. Once the camera is stable, it is stable, and weight can always be added to the tripod, or the legs "sandbagged" if additional stability is required. My biggest enemy is wind blowing into that sail of a bellows.

That's precisely the same set-up as mine, great for hiking, with the same issues as mentioned by ROL. I would add, that I like how easily I can covert the Acratech Arca-style ballhead into an plain one (without a QR plate), to use with a Hasselblad own quick-release plate, when, occasionally, I leave my 4x5 behind.

Chuck_P · Nov 27, 2012

Manfrotto 3221WN with a Manfrotto 3047 head

darinwc · Nov 27, 2012

I have a Manfrotto 3246 with 3047 head. The legs are sufficiently heavyweight for an 8x10 but I am not a big fan of the head design, and the hex plate doesnt seem as secure as I would like.

-I always thought a gitzo 1570 head would be perfect, but I never had the chance to try one out.

I also have a antique wooden miller tripod, probably designed for a cinema camera. Similar to this but with a flat plate and a 1/4 tripod screw. No head at all, I just raise or lower the legs for a little bit of tilt. Loosen the tripod screw for pan. I cut out a circle of cork to protect the wood of the camera from the metal the head, but I think rubber gasket material would work better. Easily handles 8x10.

For 35mm - 4x5, I have a manfrotto 055xPROb with 804RC2. I like the lever locks on this better than the twist lock on say a tiltall. Again, the quick release plate seems to be a point of instability, but I have learned to live with it.

I have had a Tiltall before ( a later version). The integrated head is better (for large format) than most other pan-tilt heads imho. There is no quick-release plate, only a 1/4 inch standard bolt. (though this requires some force to tighten enough for a heavy camera/lens) The pivots are stacked right on top of each other and completely centered. But I was having problems tightening the legs enough, or too much. The lock rings really need to be larger, or have a tab for more leverage. Perhaps the earlier versions are better in this respect.

pcyco · Nov 28, 2012

hallo

yes the wolf tripods are real value for money.

they are no highend, yoy can not get the camera 9 cm above the floor (only ca. 35-40 cm)
and its not lightweight. but it was also in the alps at 2800 meters high.

i prefer the screw-fastener and not the quicksnaps.

regards

thomas

m1tch · Nov 28, 2012

pcyco said:
hallo

yes the wolf tripods are real value for money.

they are no highend, yoy can not get the camera 9 cm above the floor (only ca. 35-40 cm)
and its not lightweight. but it was also in the alps at 2800 meters high.

i prefer the screw-fastener and not the quicksnaps.

regards

thomas

Thanks for your input, they do indeed seem like good value for money, with regards to what you said about the fastening method, I will be going with the standard screw mount rather than any of those 'quick release' or 'quicksnap' fittings, I will have the 1 main large format camera that I will be using, its not like I have a car full of large format cameras to need to quickly swap between them - its a bit odd that they are out there for large format as you can quickly get the camera mounted up to then take your time with the shot lol

Rafal Lukawiecki · Nov 28, 2012

m1tch said:
I will be going with the standard screw mount rather than any of those 'quick release' or 'quicksnap' fittings, I will have the 1 main large format camera that I will be using, its not like I have a car full of large format cameras to need to quickly swap between them - its a bit odd that they are out there for large format as you can quickly get the camera mounted up to then take your time with the shot lol

I have no doubt that your choice will work well for you, and may be stabler than that of others. I also always travel with just one camera, yet I find the QR plate on the Acratech ballhead valuable. In a day of hiking, I would set the camera up a good few times, often in tighter places, sometimes on exposed rock ledges, where rotating it, or the tripod, to screw it on, would not be as comfortable as just sliding it into the QR plate, as the camera is a slightly bulky. If I had to, I could always remove the ballhead to access the central screw, right on location, but I have never found a need to do that. Looking at my enlargements, I cannot see that the plate is causing any detrimental effects, but I understand your conditions could be different from mine.

For reference, the tripod is a 12-year old Gitzo G1227 Mk II, a 3-section, central column, carbon mountaineer, with a hook for weighing it down with my equipment backpack, which I rarely do. It is a bit beaten by now, and still works like new. The head is a recent Acratech GP. Some photographers remarked how "lightweight" my set-up looked to them—I relish that light weight every time I go hiking or climbing for a few days, long may it last... Having said that, I have been in a very few situations where a heavier set-up would have been more appropriate, but I would not have carried it there in the first place.

Klainmeister · Nov 28, 2012

TheFlyingCamera said:
I have an Induro C314 - it's a carbon-fiber tripod that weighs 5lbs and is rated to handle up to 39.5 lbs. I use it with everything from my RB67 up to my 5x12 and whole plate cameras (6.5x8.5). I've never tried my 14x17 on it because I know it will wiggle (the fault of the head, not the legs... it wiggles even on my Inka studio stand), but it will bear the weight of the 14x17. They're not cheap, but they're a good couple hundred less than an equivalent Gitzo.

Same setup here except the C114 series which I use with a M7II and a Graphic 4x5 with no issues. Total out the door with ballhead was around $350 from KEH

m1tch · Nov 28, 2012

I do wish we had KEH in the UK lol

Rafal Lukawiecki · Nov 28, 2012

You have Mr Cad

m1tch · Nov 29, 2012

Rafal Lukawiecki said:
You have Mr Cad

Awesome thanks for pointing this out, I didn't think we had anything like that in the UK

Rafal Lukawiecki · Nov 29, 2012

I'd pay them a visit, if you have a chance, as it may be easier to judge the quality of the items in person, that dealing with returns, but if you have anything specific in mind, they usually can tell you a lot on the phone. It is nowhere near as sizeable an operation as KEH, but, I suppose, US is a bigger country.

heterolysis · Nov 29, 2012

I recently purchased a Majestic with a gear head for cheap. Pretty sure it could hold me if I stood on it. I'll get back to you on that one.

I used to have one of the old Tiltalls (not sure on the specifics), and it was great. But the screws were getting stripped and I left it behind when I moved. Thought about buying a new one, but you can get good deals on used tripods these days if you look... I guess most people don't need one when they can just crank their ISO to 6400.

Mike Wilde · Nov 29, 2012

cold weather aluminum tripod legs advice

E. von Hoegh said:
A Marchioni Tiltall - I have no solution for the cold weather problem, beyond a decent pair of gloves.

I have one of these. The bakelite knob handles on the head fell off/split in really cold weather on mine. - so I carefully hack-sawed a slot in the end of shaft end and crimped a steel washers into this slot to give me something mittens on or off to get some purchase on when adjusting these locking shafts.

I also have added 3/4" black closed cell foam pipe insulation onto the top leg section on all three legs. I find once I am set up I get tempted to take my mitts off, to manipulate the camera. Then I forget I have no mitts on and grab a leg to rough adjust the set up, and can feel all of the heat being sucked out of my skin on the aluminum without this foam insulation.

pcyco · Nov 30, 2012

m1tch said:
Thanks for your input, they do indeed seem like good value for money, with regards to what you said about the fastening method, I will be going with the standard screw mount rather than any of those 'quick release' or 'quicksnap' fittings, I will have the 1 main large format camera that I will be using, its not like I have a car full of large format cameras to need to quickly swap between them - its a bit odd that they are out there for large format as you can quickly get the camera mounted up to then take your time with the shot lol

hallo

i dont mean the fastening of the camera.
i mean the fasteningmethod of the legs.
the standard one is with screw clamping the other one is FAST-CLAMP leg lock
but the fastclamp is a bit tricky with the humidity.

for fastening the camera at the tripod i would recommend a good "fast" system it is easier than always rotating the screw

i have this one novoflex q-mount (bombproof)

http://www.novoflex.com/de/produkte/stativ--und-haltesysteme/schnellkupplungen/qmount/

i also hve only one camera (calumet 400) but it is really very comfortable using a quicklock.

regards

thomas

Ole · Dec 2, 2012

One little Gitzo, and a huge Stabil wooden tripod - with a huge ballhead on it. I happen to like ball heads, if they are big and sturdy enough.
Oh yes - and an original Gandolfi tripod for indoor use.

agman · Dec 3, 2012

Vanguard IV

Vanguard IV... works fine for me.

Neil Poulsen · Jan 2, 2013

I have a Monfratto 475 tripod with, what they now call, a 229 head. In earlier years, it was known as the 3039 head. Great combination, but they've creeped up in price. The thing I like about this tripod is that each leg can be adjusted independently. Or, they can all be adjusted together. This makes it really good for landscape photography.

As for the tripod, it will hold an 8x10 Deardorff very nicely. Much above that, like the heavy Calumet 8x10 C1 or C3 (or whatever), and it's not quite sturdy enough. They would work; but, the tripod is not quite sturdy enough.

werra · Jan 2, 2013

Hm, for 4x5 and 5x7 Speed I use Velbon Sherpa 630 with PH-250B head.
For 5x7 Ansco and 8x10 I use some old Soviet aluminium videocamera tripod with low-profile Gitzo P.L.5 (?) head. A bit heavy contraption but works great, the only drawback being a bit too high minimum height.

munz6869 · Jan 2, 2013

I have an aluminium Manfrotto 090 (it fits in a suitcase) with an Arca Swizz Z2 ballhead - the tripod has nice foam bits on two of the legs which is nice in cold weather and makes slinging the camera over your shoulder a bit less hurtful. The ballhead (I love 'em) is my favourite one yet = solid.

Marc!

RalphLambrecht · Jan 2, 2013

a sherpa,yeah that's what i'm missing!

What tripod do you have?

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