What's a good tripod for a Rolleiflex?

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GKC

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My interest is in night photography but I need something light weight, quick to set up, and is compact for street hiking besides being sturdy enough for a TLR.
Any suggestions?
Either new or used is fine.
 

mshchem

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A set of nice used light Bogen/Manfrotto legs, something 20 years old and a 3047 head. You can find pristine copies on Ebay cheap. If you want to spend 300 bucks on a ball head really right stuff medium size head.
 

grat

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I'm a fan of Slik tripods, and for lightweight, I've used a Slik Sprint Pro for awhile. The "Slik Sprint Pro III" is out now, and appears to be a substantial upgrade. 2.2 lbs, max load 4.4 pounds, collapsed is 18.5", max height is 62.9.

It's not a "immovable" tripod-- it's meant to be light, easy to carry, and easy to set up. It easily holds my Yashica 12.
 

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Since Rollei weighs next to nothing there is a bunch of very good offerings these days depending on budget. You can go nuts and get a Gitzo, or come lower with Manfrotto, or swallow pride and get Chinese offerings (mostly from factories making same stuff for branded lines). Key point is max height required. Sirui brand is actually quite pricy, has built some sort of cult following recently, but I see little difference if any from run off a mill offerings.

So I'll skip Gitzo here. To name a couple below. Twist locks have come a long way and so far I have as good feelings about Manfrotto's twists as I always had about Gitzo's. But they became good enough to try any off-brands too. There are always choices with flip locks, if you don't buy into twists.

As for head, ball heads are so good these days, a 3-way to me is for more specific applications with heavy cameras, mostly LF size (not that larger ball heads won't hold even 15 kg load). Manfrotto below is a carbon version which makes up the price, there is an aluminium version, as there is for most other types. There is not a lot of weight difference in current offerings (for same overall size) between aluminium and carbon versions, still each has its pros and cons ... and price).

K&F Concept

Sirui

Manfrotto BeeFree Carbon
 

Deleted member 88956

I'm a fan of Slik tripods, and for lightweight, I've used a Slik Sprint Pro for awhile. The "Slik Sprint Pro III" is out now, and appears to be a substantial upgrade. 2.2 lbs, max load 4.4 pounds, collapsed is 18.5", max height is 62.9.

It's not a "immovable" tripod-- it's meant to be light, easy to carry, and easy to set up. It easily holds my Yashica 12.

I also have the Sprint and what I will say is that it feels solid, but gets a bit flimsy when fully extended. It's a great little tripod, but leg size alone does not emanate confidence. Since its price is where a lot of even carbon offerings are these days, its sole advantage is overall size, with a load of competition though in same area of bulk. New version has a better ball head compared to first, but this is not a head that can compete with market offerings at its price.
 

MattKing

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I would be sure to get a combination that works well with a quick release plate.
With a square format camera, you might not need more than a levelling head, which would reduce bulk and weight.
 

Vaughn

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If you use a waist level finder then you don't need much height -- I got a little off-brand CF with a ballhead (Photo Clam?) that weights 2 lbs 10 oz that works just fine.
 

grat

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I also have the Sprint and what I will say is that it feels solid, but gets a bit flimsy when fully extended. It's a great little tripod, but leg size alone does not emanate confidence. Since its price is where a lot of even carbon offerings are these days, its sole advantage is overall size, with a load of competition though in same area of bulk. New version has a better ball head compared to first, but this is not a head that can compete with market offerings at its price.

There's a carbon fiber tripod for less than $100 USD? Really?

I agree about the legs being a bit on the flimsy side-- that is one thing it looks like they've beefed up on the Pro III model-- but even so, I don't have to use the lower set of legs with the Yashica, since it's a top-down focusing arrangement.

I'm certainly not claiming it's the ultimate travel tripod-- but it is light and quick to use. :smile:
 

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Also, since you're specifically after night time, hence long exposures, tripod's vibration dampening ability is critical. That's where I think something like Slik Sprint may fail. I would go after one with larger diameter legs.

@Vaughn Is obviously right about WLF typically used with TLR requiring far lesser working height off a tripod. This would still make me go after an overall longer tripod as it would require extension well below its max, further helping vibration dampening.
 

MattKing

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With long exposures in mind, a tripod that offers a hook on the bottom of the column for hanging a steadying weight would be worth considering.
 

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There's a carbon fiber tripod for less than $100 USD? Really?

I agree about the legs being a bit on the flimsy side-- that is one thing it looks like they've beefed up on the Pro III model-- but even so, I don't have to use the lower set of legs with the Yashica, since it's a top-down focusing arrangement.

I'm certainly not claiming it's the ultimate travel tripod-- but it is light and quick to use. :smile:
No issues there, and yes you can find a new carbon for about a $100 (mine cost $105 I think and it's great too, although I was not all that comfortable getting it until it came that is, price may have been part of some Amazon 10% off voucher, got it about a year ago).
 

grat

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No issues there, and yes you can find a new carbon for about a $100 (mine cost $105 I think and it's great too, although I was not all that comfortable getting it until it came that is, price may have been part of some Amazon 10% off voucher, got it about a year ago).

Ah. I'm guessing one of the neewer / geekoto types. Yeah, I've got two of their aluminum ones with the ball-joint in the middle of the center column. I have two, because the leg segments are kept in place with fairly cheap plastic, and my first one showed up defective (I slid the legs out with a bit of panache, and one bottom segment just sailed out of the tripod.....). They (K&F Concept) replaced it no questions, and told me to keep the old one. A bit of gorilla glue later, and I had two working tripods.

It's not a bad tripod, but the inverted folding pattern makes it a bit bulkier than I'd like. I actually bought it as a replacement for the sprint (I have the original one, with the ball-head with no quick-release plate), and it definitely does a better job of holding larger cameras. But I just don't like twist-locks. I realize that puts me in a minority, but I much prefer a flip-lock.
 

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Ah. I'm guessing one of the neewer / geekoto types. Yeah, I've got two of their aluminum ones with the ball-joint in the middle of the center column. I have two, because the leg segments are kept in place with fairly cheap plastic, and my first one showed up defective (I slid the legs out with a bit of panache, and one bottom segment just sailed out of the tripod.....). They (K&F Concept) replaced it no questions, and told me to keep the old one. A bit of gorilla glue later, and I had two working tripods.

It's not a bad tripod, but the inverted folding pattern makes it a bit bulkier than I'd like. I actually bought it as a replacement for the sprint (I have the original one, with the ball-head with no quick-release plate), and it definitely does a better job of holding larger cameras. But I just don't like twist-locks. I realize that puts me in a minority, but I much prefer a flip-lock.
I don't think you're in minority on twist locks. I'm not a complete convert either. It was actually a Manfrotto first offering in twist locks (on a carbon legs at that) that made me re-think how good they can be. Main problem is dirt getting in the way, but quality twists have pretty good sealing and that is also becoming rather common now (as in everything, technology trickles down to cheaper offerings eventually).

I agree Sprint is a tiny, easy to stick in carry-on, tripod that is sturdier its size (especially leg diameter) would lead one to believe.
 

Deleted member 88956

Regarding vibration dampening let me add that when critical, as in long time exposures, one thing anyone can do is alter legs' length and level off with head. So each leg has different length helping eradicate most harmonics, especially important in windy conditions or shooting where traffic can induce vibrations.

Adding weight always helps, but not always it is practical.
 

bernard_L

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one thing anyone can do is alter legs' length and level off with head. So each leg has different length helping eradicate most harmonics, especially important in windy conditions or shooting where traffic can induce vibrations.
Is that based on quantitative experiments?
Or on detailed numerical structural analysis, like FEM modal analysis?
Or just the top of your hat?
The tripod with altered leg lengths will have just as many eigenmodes, and slightly different eigenfrequencies. Shortening all legs by a significant amount will increase stiffness and raise the lowest eigenfrequencies, which is a Good Thing.
 

Deleted member 88956

Is that based on quantitative experiments?
Or on detailed numerical structural analysis, like FEM modal analysis?
Or just the top of your hat?
The tripod with altered leg lengths will have just as many eigenmodes, and slightly different eigenfrequencies. Shortening all legs by a significant amount will increase stiffness and raise the lowest eigenfrequencies, which is a Good Thing.
Nothing to test for, a known fact of random rather than equal lengths will indeed dampen vibrations exacerbated by harmonics. There are other sources that induce vibrations, this is only about dealing with harmonics. And as I said, in an environment where gusty winds or passing traffic can shake a set up, harmonics, if present, will make them last longer.

Let me just add, that while odd number of supports, like in case of tripod plays into the same direction, altering leg lengths will never hurt, even if there is no direct evidence it does. And by altering leg lengths one may simply change the length of sections, so in the end all legs are equal but sections differ.
 
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Vaughn

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It is a Rollei on a tripod, not the space capsule on top of the Saturn rocket.

No long lenses, darkcloths, film holders or other significant weight. Just about anything will hold up a Rollei steady enough for very long exposures.
 

BrianShaw

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When not doing long exposures, a really nice solution for a Rollei TLR is a lightweight monopod and a Rolleifix.
 

Vaughn

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When not doing long exposures, a really nice solution for a Rollei TLR is a lightweight monopod and a Rolleifix.
When I am actively photographing, the Rollei is on the pod as I walk. The pod is so light that I also use it as a mono pod if there is not room to spread the legs
 

BrianShaw

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That works too! Plus, it could alleviate a problem I had once at Heathrow airport where the monopod was mistaken for a radio antenna, which they found ”suspicious” and equally “suspicious” was my explanation that it was a camera support. The cops understood a tripod with 3-legs but the thought of only 1-leg was incomprehensible. A demonstration led convinced them... somewhat.
 

Paul Howell

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I have a Bolex tripod, made for a movie camera, so short as compared to most still film camera tripod, works for my Yashica 124 and D with waist level finders. Mine is different model but very close.

s-l1600.jpg
 

mgb74

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A set of nice used light Bogen/Manfrotto legs, something 20 years old and a 3047 head. You can find pristine copies on Ebay cheap. If you want to spend 300 bucks on a ball head really right stuff medium size head.

What he said, though I think the basic 3025 head is adequate. I think you'd find that a pan/tilt head is actually easier to manage than a ball head. And, unless you're using the hood in "sport finder" mode, you don't need much height.

I would be sure to get a combination that works well with a quick release plate.
With a square format camera, you might not need more than a leveling head, which would reduce bulk and weight.

There are also quick release attachments to add to the tripod head.
 

Sirius Glass

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I suggest carbon fiber tripods which are as strong as steel but are lighter to carry. Strong legs so that the wind does not make them vibrate. I do not like ball heads since they can let the camera flop around and get damaged. Quick release attachments are a great plus.
 
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