Someday I will have to go lighter weight, and carbon fiber is most likely the way I will go.
Until then, I will stick to my Ries (A series, pod and head) for the 8x10 and 11x14. No carbon fiber tripod would have survived what I have put the Ries through. I am most often off-trail and my Ries is often used as a climbing assist tool...probably much to the shock of the manufacturer that their product is used in such a manner! And of course I have taken falls amongst the rocks and such and the pod (and I) have survived.
Here is a snap of me and my Ries -- my boys and had I just hiked up from the valley floor (Yosemite) up to an unnamed waterfall that I wanted to check out again. The other photo is me with my small tripod for my Rollei and for my Gowland PocketView 4x5. It is an old Gitzo Reporter Performance. Over-kill for the Rollei and even for the 4x5 (which weights 2.5 pounds with the lens), but since I am 6'4" I appreciate the height. And it came in handy when I was crossing Redwood Creek many times backpacking with the 4x5 over last Thanksgiving.
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks