Lightweight 8x10 Tripod?
how...@zianet.com
Can anyone, from "practical experience," recommend a light weight tripod
that can fully support an 8 x 10 field camera, in the field.
I have been totting the indestructible wooden Zone VI 8 x 10 tripod for
multiple years. (Stories it can tell: being thrown at buzz tails, a
crutch for blown-out knees, etc.) Unfortunately the weight of the Zone
VI beast can seriously stretch the arms within 3 or 4 miles of travel.
My main concern for a lighter weight tripod is camera support strength
and the ability to hold up to weekly use in very rough terrain.
Cordially,
Long Arms
Anthony Howell
Silver City, NM
JIB
HTH
John
c._downs
I was very surprised to find out how lightweight of a tripod that
David Muench used for 4x5. .....Most folks would think it a 35mm only!
This "squares" with Ansel and Mike Kirk's opinion that the tripod is
susceptible to harmonic vibration as much as any other factor. If the
tripod will hold it then it might work well. Light weight support arms
, maybe a leg borrowed from one of the ultra cheap and light weight
tripods in addition to the tripod might help. I have shot a 24 inch
artar on 8x10 using extra support like this on one of the tiny Bogen
3001 tripods with an added support{ leg off of a supposed $19.00
retail that came [free] with a video camera} . Didn't work well but
with patience it worked!
The real thought here is how long of lens you will be using and how
tall the tripod needs to be.
If you need to shoot quick then you will need something sturdy if you
can take your time then hanging the camera case and other weight from
the tripod and other techniques will help to steady almost any tripod
that will support the camera. I had always used heavy tripods and
would "swear" by them but learned a great lesson watching D. Muench. I
know of no one that doubts David's sharpness.
Frank Filippone
the bag with all the stuff you need to take pictures..... hang bag from hool
to dampen the harmonics....
--
Frank Filippone
red...@earthlink.net
C. W. Dean
>
> Lightweight 8x10 Tripod? Or, is this an oxymoron?
>
> Can anyone, from "practical experience," recommend a light weight tripod
> that can fully support an 8 x 10 field camera, in the field.
>
> I have been totting the indestructible wooden Zone VI 8 x 10 tripod for
> multiple years. (Stories it can tell: being thrown at buzz tails, a
> crutch for blown-out knees, etc.) Unfortunately the weight of the Zone
> VI beast can seriously stretch the arms within 3 or 4 miles of travel.
>
> My main concern for a lighter weight tripod is camera support strength
> and the ability to hold up to weekly use in very rough terrain.
>
> Cordially,
>
> Long Arms
> Anthony Howell
> Silver City, NM
You might look at some low end wooden surveyor's tripods--used will be
cheaper. The Zone VI heavy duty model, which you have, is a high end
surveyor's tripod fitted to accept cameras. You can get a lighter
surveyor's tripod either wood or metal that is every bit as sturdy and
use it without a head to save some bulk. By design, the surveyor's
tripods can take a lot of abuse and rough terrain. If you look at old
photos of photographers with big view cameras, notice that there were no
heads. Cameras were mounted directly to the platform. If you level up
the platform then attach the camera, you can pan by loosening the
mounting bolt. Other setup movements can be done with front rise and
fall and minor leg adjustments--a little inconvenient but saves
weight. Actually, my cardiologist says to add not subtract weight to
my gear as I get older--but knees and vertebrae are a different
doctor!!!!
--
Best regards & Good Photography!
C. W. Dean
Practicing Professional Photography since 1972
Photography Samples: http://www.erols.com/cwdean/home.htm
Paul Butzi
>Lightweight 8x10 Tripod? Or, is this an oxymoron?
>
>Can anyone, from "practical experience," recommend a light weight tripod
>that can fully support an 8 x 10 field camera, in the field.
I own a Gitzo 1349, the carbon fiber 'pod that someone else suggested.
It's lighter than the 300 series Gitzo aluminum tripods, and
considerably more rigid. It's more than adequate for holding my
Linhof TK45s fully extended (to use a 450mm lens).
I would think it would be fine for 8x10 unless you use very long
lenses.
I suspect (but don't know) that the Reis J series is lighter than the
Zone VI 8x10 tripod, and would also be adequate.
Both are built to withstand ongoing hard use.
-Paul
--
Articles on B&W photography, camera and equipment reviews, and photographs at:
http://www.asymptote.com/butzi (updated 3/2/00)
(Latest change - review of lenses for Leica M cameras)
John Sparks
>>Lightweight 8x10 Tripod? Or, is this an oxymoron?
>>
>>Can anyone, from "practical experience," recommend a light weight tripod
>>that can fully support an 8 x 10 field camera, in the field.
>I own a Gitzo 1349, the carbon fiber 'pod that someone else suggested.
>It's lighter than the 300 series Gitzo aluminum tripods, and
>considerably more rigid. It's more than adequate for holding my
>Linhof TK45s fully extended (to use a 450mm lens).
I also have a Gitzo carbon fiber, can't remember the number but it's in
the 13XX series. Mine has 4 leg sections and a flat plate instead of
center column. There is also a 3 leg section tripod in the same series
that came out after I bought mine that should be even more stable though
it doesn't extend quite as high or fold as small. I wouldn't trust the
center column with an 8x10 and think you would be better off with the
flat plate.
I've used mine quite a bit with an 8x10 Canham camera with lenses up to
600mm without any problems, except once in high winds when the
camera/tripod started to blow over. Luckily I was close enough to grab
it before it hit the ground. I don't think heavy tripod would have been
much better, it was very windy.
Choice of tripod head is also an issue, I'm using a Bogen 3039 which
works well, but weights almost as much as the legs. I've tried lighter
heads, but haven't found one that works (the camera starts tilting by
itself with a lot of extension). An Arca Swiss ball head might be
sturdy enough, I haven't tried one. I've been told that a Linhof pan
tilt head that weighs about 2 lbs would work fine, but it costs more
than the carbon fiber legs so I haven't investigated it. John Sexton
was using it at a workshop I attended (with 4x5 and lenses to 500mm).
John Sparks
Donn Cave
noticed any problem at all, which means it's probably overkill.
(Head is a Bogen 3036 - had to replace the 3047, which wasn't
strong enough.) But my satisfaction or lack thereof with a
tripod probably says more about me than the tripod. What you
really need is data, though I guess there is none.
Donn
Ted Harris
selection. First, an 8x10 can weigh as little as 3-4 pounds or it can weigh
over 20 pounds. Most will fall in the teh pound range. Given those parameters
decide what is a reasonable amount of weight. There are several pods in the 8
pound range that will suffice. Carbon fiber is lighter (much) but has its own
problems.
Ted
Ted Harris
Resource Strategy
Henniker, New Hampshire
Eric Woodbury
weight and travelling. If it is windy or I'm close to the car I use Bolex
Pallaird (available used for about $100). It is very good and not very
heavy. Many friends have Reis, but they are uncomfortable to carry over the
shoulder. I also have a wooden tripod of the same design as the bolex. It
is a cinema tripod and is still available from a company in Hollywood, but I
don't remember the name. It holds 810 no problem and doesn't weigh much for
such a strong set of legs.
The way to test a tripod is not so much vibration or loading, but torsion.
Set it up and try to twist it, especially with the camera on it. Does it
oscillate in this way?
Do you photograph in the wind?
E
how...@zianet.com wrote:
> Lightweight 8x10 Tripod? Or, is this an oxymoron?
>
> Can anyone, from "practical experience," recommend a light weight tripod
> that can fully support an 8 x 10 field camera, in the field.
>
Doug Paramore
no problem. It was a problem on one trip...that was the trip to take it
out to the shed and stand it in a corner. So far the weight has not
gone through the shed floor, but I keep an eye on it. Actually, most
any of the larger tripods will support an 8x10. I have used a Majestic
with the geared head and also an old aluminum tripod with 1-1/2 inch
diameter legs and both work fine. I have gotten too old to haul the
Zone XI around, and I don't think it is needed for 99.9 percent of my
photography. If it is windy enough to require that tripod, I will stay
home. I think too many time we LF folks like to haul around heavy
tripods just so folks will think we are suffering for our art. Oh, well.
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how...@zianet.com
You have given me food for thought, although there seems no complete solution,
is there ever? I would like to spend 1k and buy the large Gitzo Mountaineer and
try it out. It's just a question of lumping out sums of money and pray to God
that what you bought will do what you expect it to do.
The thing that scares me with alum or carbon legs is the way they collapse
inside each other. How will they hold up to fine dirt and grit over a period of
time, much less from muddy water from crossing a river. A 3001 Bogen I use with
35mm can be a pain-in-the-butt at times. —Any comments on leg sections and lots
of dirt?—
My photography evolves around photographing petroglyphs in southern NM. Some of
this work is close to 1:1 and positioning the camera in a downward +45° angle
using a 355 G-Clarion. Or on cliff faces where there is minimal area to
position a tripod, one leg is fully extended and wedged in a crack off the
cliff ledge where I become an acrobat doing a dance to focus and not fall off.
— Short tripods are out. For the 1:1 reason I am not including any mid load
capacity tripods. And, I don't want the extra monopod support under the front
bed, one slip....AND!!! This may work for a flat Kansas terrain, but not here.
As for wind, sometimes I am caught on site when the wind comes up and go ahead
to photograph. Windy shots can make acceptable contact prints although they do
not enlarge well. I think this is referred to this as the "8 x 10 Kite Effect."
If you desire, you can check out some of my work at:
<http://www.howellgraphics.com/ancientmarks.html>
After viewing the site don't pass judgment on me. "If you are selling prints
for 3k why even ask, go buy the Gitzo?" I am like most everybody else, I don't
sell that much. The last print I sold was a trade with the dentist for dental
care. Sound familiar? Oh well, there's the book that will be coming out in 3 or
4 years. Maybe that will pay for the kids college.
Cordially,
Paul Butzi
>I would like to thank all of those who replied.
>
>You have given me food for thought, although there seems no complete solution,
>is there ever? I would like to spend 1k and buy the large Gitzo Mountaineer and
>try it out. It's just a question of lumping out sums of money and pray to God
>that what you bought will do what you expect it to do.
I know that feeling, and I feel your pain.
>
>The thing that scares me with alum or carbon legs is the way they collapse
>inside each other. How will they hold up to fine dirt and grit over a period of
>time, much less from muddy water from crossing a river. A 3001 Bogen I use with
>35mm can be a pain-in-the-butt at times. —Any comments on leg sections and lots
>of dirt?—
Yes. I own three tripods: a Bogen 3221, a Gitzo 1349, and a Ries
J-600.
All three have been used in exactly the situations you describe - on
sand, and immersed in muddy water. Of the three, the ONLY one that
has suffered from this treatment is the Bogen. The Gitzo CF does not
seem to entrap dirt. The legs are manufactured to such tight
tolerances that you must telescope the legs slowly to allow the air
to escape, or the leg 'bounces' back. The Bogen jammed several
times from grit. The Gitzo has been in more hostile places and
has not jammed once.
The tripod that I find LEAST annoying is the Gitzo, hands down.
The Ries is being sold as I type. The Bogen is not far behind.
I'll take the money from the sales and buy a backup Gitzo to
replace them both. (Ok, I'll take the money from the sales,
throw in some more, and buy anothe Gitzo).
Fujinon
carbon fiber tripods have some disadvantages. What are they? Second, has
anyone used one of the fiberglass surveying tripods for photography?
Peter De Smidt
Ted Harris
1)With the wrong kind of damage the fibers can unravel ... although I have
never heard of it actually happening it is possible.
2)No doubt about their rigidity but ehy are so lightweight that some weighting
may be required in windy situations.
there may be others but those are the two that come to mind first.