Tripod Carry Weights

[David A. Goldfarb]

In response to Dirk's question, I see the manufacturer's load capacity rating as a way of comparing tripods made by the same manufacturer for this purpose. For instance, if you're doing bird photography with a 35mm camera and a 600mm lens, it's going to be within load capacity of a Ser. 3 Gitzo, but bird photographers will often lug a Ser. 5 Gitzo or something similar for this purpose, because they need all the stability they can get with long lenses that magnify shutter vibration.

Of course there is the separate issue of tripods that have the same resonant frequency as the camera, which can happen in spite of high load capacity, and that just needs to be determined by testing.

I'd also concur with those who say the head is as important as the legset, if not more so.

[Bob Salomon]

Bob, you would be the best person to address this observation/question, then. I own two Berlebach tripods. Love them both, so there is no questioning quality here. One is a 2024 and the other a 3032. I equipped both of them with Gitzo R3 heads (didn't like the ball movement as my only option). Both tripods are rated at 12Kg. So that makes them identical, right?

The 2024 is seriously shaky with my Toyo 810M, whereas the 3032 handles it without a quiver. If the ratings are absolute, where is the discrepancy? The 2024 should handle the 810M with equal ease if the ratings are to be believed.

Michael,

I have just finished going through the latest Berlebach catalog and the latest factory price list and there is no 2024 listed. So I can't comment on it as I have no specs for it.

The latest 2xxx series from Berlebach are:

2002, 2012, 2022, 2022P (pneumatic center column), 2032, 2032P, 2042, 2042P and 2052/520 which is only sold with the Berlebach 520 head.

[Terry Hull]

Bob-Does the tripod carry weight then mean how much it can hold without falling over? Do all manufacturers apply any sort of standard or does each one have its own methods?

[photographs42]

I recently purchased a Carbon Fiber tripod and one thing I noticed immediately is the considerable difference in weight distribution. My 5x7 with a lens and tripod head weighs around 17 to 18 lbs and the tripod, while totally adequate to handle that much dead weight, weighs around 2 lbs. It seams solid but even the act of pulling the bail to insert a film holder can cause it to tip. It’s kind of like a Cattail reed. The center of gravity is very close to the camera.
Jerome

[alec4444]

I recently purchased a Carbon Fiber tripod and one thing I noticed immediately is the considerable difference in weight distribution. My 5x7 with a lens and tripod head weighs around 17 to 18 lbs and the tripod, while totally adequate to handle that much dead weight, weighs around 2 lbs. It seams solid but even the act of pulling the bail to insert a film holder can cause it to tip. It’s kind of like a Cattail reed. The center of gravity is very close to the camera.
Jerome

That's an interesting observation, thanks for sharing. I'm wondering about that with my 5x7 and the carbon induro tripod I got for it. Less worried about tipping per se than the legs sliding around on the ground and changing the position of the camera. I'm giving it a go this weekend; I'll see how it works out. Perhaps the Ries A100 isn't overkill after all!

(though really, I'm pretty sure it is. LOL)

--A

[Chris Strobel]

Perhaps the Ries A100 isn't overkill after all!

(though really, I'm pretty sure it is. LOL)

--A

Yes it is overkill, and overkill is goooood

[Scott Davis]

Alec-

I know you were paying far more attention to my Canham than to my tripod, but it's a little Bogen/Manfrotto carbon-fiber number (3443 I think). It's fine stability-wise and size-wise for the Canham. I just have to make sure I don't kick the thing while stepping back to insert the film holder. But I'd have the same problem with it on a Ries A-100, just bigger bruises from where the tripod kicked back.

[Bob Salomon]

Bob-Does the tripod carry weight then mean how much it can hold without falling over? Do all manufacturers apply any sort of standard or does each one have its own methods?

I can't speak for other manufacturers. Our specs are what the tripod can support without the tripod collapsing, wobble, wiggle, collapsing, etc. Our specifications include the weight supported with the column either up or down.

The one exception is the Linhof ProfiPort tripod which is designed to fit into a brief case but to open to 62". It has two center columns that can be screwed together to reach the maximum height. The specs clearly state that it supports up to a 9 lb camera with up to a 135mm lens. But when the column is down it supports lenses over 400mm.

Tripods don't fall over by themselves. They fall over if improper technique is used. The lens should always be pointed so that it is over the front leg of the tripod. Not between two legs. The tripod should be counterweighted with a sand bag, a water bag, a plastic bag with a rock/s, by the camera bag, etc. whenever you are on an unsteady surface or the tripod is set-up in an unbalanced position. Cameras should not be manhandled when set up. Film holders need to be properly inserted and not forced in to or roughly pulled out of the backs. Cameras should be allowed to settle down after a dark slide is pulled or a lens is adjusted to fully dampen out all vibrations from handling. Cable release should have a droop in them so to dampen vibrations from the pushing of the plunger. A straight, tight release transmits more vibration then a loose release (tight and loose refer to the release itself - not how tightly it is screwed into the shutter).

To see if your tripod/camera/lens combination you can do what Leica magazine did for their test earlier this year. They mounted a laser pointer to the camera and pointed at a piece of graph paper. Then tapped the leg and watched (photographed) the movement of the pointer on the graph paper. You can also walk near the tripod and see what movement is transmitted. Do it with column up and down. Or you can take a small shot glass and fill it half full with water and place it on top of the tripod and watch how the water moves when you lightly tap the leg. And how long does it take for the water to stop moving.

But it is extremely rare for any professional quality tripod from any manufacturer to "fall over" when proper technique is used. In fact it is probably impossible.

[Terry Hull]

Thanks to all of you for the input. Its seems to be as much art and technique as science!

[Chris Strobel]

The lens should always be pointed so that it is over the front leg of the tripod. Not between two legs.

Kinda hard to do shooting those tide pools at Pt. Lobos