What is the worst piece of large format gear?

[John Kasaian]

What is the absolutely worst piece of large format gear you've come across, and why?

[windpointphoto]

Just about everyone who works in a camera store.

[Frank Petronio]

The nut behind the loupe

[RJ Hicks]

A darkcloth, any darkcloth. What a pain in the wind.

[Bill_1856]

The Linhof Technika Compur #2. To open the shutter it has to be set on "T", but it's nearly impossible to see it or do it with lensboard in place, and then setting the speed is another pain.

[John_4185]

Your question can be answered by contrast.

The worst category of hardware is the tripod head, with the first-worst for LF being the ball-head, followed by every alternative except the Reis Double Tilt Head which, IMHO, is the most elegant and functional design ever made. I could add only a couple minor modification ideas, and they haven't been trialed to a proof.

Second on my gripe list is the tripod itself which is remade over and over in every bad design under the sun, including the so-called State of the Art composite legs which are largely a recasting of bad ideas in lighter materials. All tripods suck, with the Benbo being a travesty that serves as a monument of idiotic design (rather, an adaptation from a machinegun mount which was supposed to be imprecise.)

I could go on, but nobody would read on.

[Jim Rhoades]

Well, I only use it for very small, light L/F gear. I have a French made carbon fiber tripod that I have re-glued three joints so far. I would never take a long trip without sandpaper and epoxy. Oh yeah and an extra tripod. My Ries makes L/F worth living.

[Isaac Crawford]

I can't count how many bruises I've gotten from those %&#%$ wooden boxes that hold monorail cameras. There isn't a way to carry them that won't bash your leg and make you lean over to one side. My Tenba air case solves one of those problems at least...

Isaac

[tim atherton]

"All tripods suck, with the Benbo being a travesty that serves as a monument of idiotic design (rather, an adaptation from a machinegun mount which was supposed to be imprecise.) "

my old GPMG in the sustained fire role on the great grandson o the Vickers mount was used for targets up to 1800m - and was certainlymeant to be accurate at 1000m

I routinely use my 8x10 on a Benbo (one of the very early HD models - must be 25 years old or so now) - no problem

[Donald Brewster]

Leonard, Frank and RJ have come up with great ones. Mine isn't nearly as clever, but I'd have to say the Linhof wide-angle attachment.