Suitable tripod for 4x5

**Greg Lockrey** · 3-May-2007, 04:57

Originally Posted by butterfly

Thanks for the replies. I will check out the Feisol. I am interested to read though about CF absorbing vibration better than Aluminium. Vibration from what though? Assuming the tipod is set up correctly on stable ground and away from traffic (i.e. the wilderness), the only thing I can think of is the little whir of the compur shutter - a million miles away from an SLR mirror slap/motordrive. Is vibration absorbtion really an issue?

I'm not disputing, just interested. How was the side by side test conducted?

I really appreciate the comments and advice.

Regards

Steve

Vibration of wind passing across the camera and vibrations of cars and trucks going down the street. And if you are real anal, the shatter of the shutter opening and closing.

To check the vibration dampening of carbon over aluminum, ride a carbon and aluminum bike and then tell me which is a smoother ride.

**Chris Fergus** · 3-May-2007, 06:14

Originally Posted by Brian Ellis

I don't know kilograms or how they convert to real (i.e. American) weights (: - ))...

Just double then add 10%... 1kg = 2.2lb

**squiress** · 4-May-2007, 05:54

I bought one of these at auction along with one of their ballheads. The legs are 32mm CF and I have been very impressed. I mount a Toyo 45AX on it and it is really very solid. I won it for $121 plus shipping. Weifeng is a Chinese manufacturing company that makes a lot of photo accessories. Only had it for a couple of months, but it has worked well so far.

http://cgi.ebay.com/WEIFENG-Pro-Carb...QQcmdZViewItem

Stew

**Rakesh Malik** · 9-May-2007, 07:27

Wow, lots of recommendations for Feisol here... and they're apparently running a special of some sort... offering some freebies and such

**Joseph O'Neil** · 9-May-2007, 08:22

How about a wood tripod? I was in much the same position as you - I have a couple of very good, and very heavy Manfrottos, but I wanted something lighter. I looked at a couple of carbon fibre tripods - just wonderful, but the price - ack!

What turned out for me to be an elegant middle ground are two Berlebach ash wood tripods I now use, and love. In fact, if somebody offered me a trade CF for my wood tripods, I woudl likely turn them down.

If you haven't seen them, take a look at the Berlebachs. Lighter than the Manfrottos, heavier than carbon fibre, but they handle vibration much better than any metal tripod. Never compared them to the CF tripods for vibration, so cannot say there.

joe