Tripod for Field 4x5

[Drew Wiley]

I never use a center column. It compromises the whole triangulation stability effect of the legs themselves. Might be OK for a light field 4x5 at modest extensions,
but not for anything more serious. And I never bought into that "if it's was good enough for EW nonsense". It was good enough for him to not even know how to
drive; it was good enough for him to soak his fingers directly in pyro and mess up his health; and if most of his negatives were significantly enlarged, they'd look awful. But I do commend anything Ries.

[Drew Bedo]

Living in the Greater Houston Area must be spoinling me. In your shoes, I'd go to a major camera store (Houston Camera Exchange) with my camera and try 'em out. See which one(s) are strong enough and which one(s) you can lift and carry around—and what you canafford.

My first tripod came from a pawn shop and was a bit light for my Speed Graphic. Made it work for a bit and got something better at a swap-meet later.

Now a days I shoot with a Zone VI on a Velbon CF tripod with a magnesium ballhead. All bought used.

There is no one best tripod (or any thing else). Brand New always costs more than I want to pay.

[john borrelli]

I have a gitzo carbon fiber tripod. A few years back I bought Gitzo's long metal spikes. The price is rediculously high but you could probably find copies on Ebay for less, the point is, I use the spikes now constantly even with a smaller digital camera, even on hard surfaces. The spikes really come into their own when you can dig them into the ground but like I say, I use them on all surfaces.

[AtlantaTerry]

I have a Gitzo carbon fiber tripod. A few years back I bought Gitzo's long metal spikes. The price is ridiculously high but you could probably find copies on Ebay for less, the point is, I use the spikes now constantly even with a smaller digital camera, even on hard surfaces. The spikes really come into their own when you can dig them into the ground but like I say, I use them on all surfaces.

Also useful are the Gitzo "snow shoes" for really soft surfaces such as sand, soft dirt and (of course) snow.

And consider carrying along 3 very cheap silicone pads. These are found on eBay for use when you want to place your cell phone on the dashboard of your automobile. They cost about US $1 each. These weigh almost nothing but come in very handy when you would like to put your tripod on a very slippery surface such as a waxed floor. Of course, you can not use the spikes on someone's beautiful waxed floor so you need something to give your tripod feet "grip".

This happened to me on the set of a TV show where I was creating production stills. The set was that of a law firm and the beautiful floors were highly polished. My Gitzo tripod could not get a grip so the legs actually splayed out. Heck, I thought the legs would break away from the head! When I got back to the office, I ordered some of those cheap silicone pads.

[AtlantaTerry]

I'm surprised no one has yet mentioned using a video tripod with their large format cameras. In the past, I did. I used a Manfrotto set of video sticks and #501 fluid head. This combination makes set-up very quick.



One thing I discovered in the above setup where these cell phone snaps were taken was the Cambo with 300mm f/5.6 lens + a compendium just about exceeded the ability of the video legs to lock tight. One or two locks wanted to slip. Lesson learned. If you are going to test out a tripod, load it up with everything you might use just to see what the weight bearing limit actually is.

Due to a bad back and non-working left foot (blocked nerves), I am moving to a Chamonix 045F1 camera system in order to save weight. This thread has been useful to guide me to some light weight yet sturdy tripods I might want to evaluate.

Thanks,
Terry

[seezee]

If weight is a priority, CF Gitzo. If stability is your priority, Ries. If those are too pricey, Berlebach or Feisol. Just be aware the when you upgrade from the latter (and you will decide to upgrade), they won't seem so cheap after all.

The Tiltall is also a favorite in these forums, but I have no experience with them.

[Ari]

FLM will soon unveil a new compact tripod, the CP-Compact.
The main features will include 5-section legs and 10x carbon fibre layers; the load capacity will be 10kg.
I've used their smaller CP26 series with a Wista RF and Technika III, and the tripods always offered excellent, stable support.
Yes, it will cost more than comparably-sized tripods, but the build quality and the 10-year warranty ensures you're not upgrading your tripod every year or so.
The new tripod will first be offered via crowd-funding for a very low introductory price of $425.00 USD, delivery is expected for October.

[Leszek Vogt]

Mine is a Feisol (3371) a 3-legged type (no middle column) and carbon fiber (under 5lbs) and it's tall enough...I use it with Arca-Swiss head, which adds additional 4-5 inches. I don't always take it with me, but it's rather stout and I can shove it in my duffle bag for travel. I've had it over 4yrs now and don't intend to switch to anything else....well, I'm not convinced yet that I should :>).

Les

[dpn]

I loathe my Manfrotto 190, although it does get quite low. I trust it with a DSLR, but not with anything heavier.

I love my $50 Tiltall. I wish it got lower, but it does a great job with my heavy monorail.

[Greg]

I never use a center column. It compromises the whole triangulation stability effect of the legs themselves. Might be OK for a light field 4x5 at modest extensions, but not for anything more serious.

I find the only exception to be using the center column is with a Linhof Heavy Duty tripod. Tripod's a bear to carry around but will never let you down.