Carbon Fiber Tripod for Philips 7x17

[Steve Sherman]

I'm interested to hear what others would recommend for a carbon fiber tripod for the Philips 7x17 or similar camera.

[Warren Clark]

Hi Steve,

Dick Phillips uses a 1300 series Gitzo carbon fiber with his 8x16 camera which is
very similar to the 7x17. Either a 1325- 3 section or 1348 4 section legs.

I use a Gitzo 1348 or Ries J 100 with the Phillips 8x10.

Good shooting,
Warren Clark

[David A. Goldfarb]

I use a Gitzo GT5540LS leg set and Arca-Swiss B2 with my 7x17" Korona and other large cameras. The head and legs are 10 lbs. without the rapid column, 12 lbs. with. It may seem like overkill, but it's strong enough to turn the camera sideways for verticals. I have a spare plate and clamp to turn the camera 90 degrees for this purpose. I also added a second tripod socket to the bed so the RRS plate on the camera doesn't twist.

[jeroldharter]

Perhaps the larger sized Feisol would be good. I just bought one of the smaller ones to use with an Arca Swiss F-Line 4x5 and Arca Z-1 ball head. Don't have a lot of use under my belt yet but the tripod is excellent so far. Very well made and unbelievably sturdy for the weight, which is just over 2 pounds. You could get the larger ones that are 4-5 pounds and I am sure they would work well with the larger camera.

[Frank Petronio]

Gitzo makes the 5-series in CF which is thicker, heavier, and more expensive than the biggest Fiesol or any competitor. If it were me and I could afford it, that's what I would get, along with the nice Gitzo leveling ball head (15 degrees of XYZ movement). If I needed to do verticals I'd use a Sinar Pan Tilt or a Linhof or Ries type tilt-only head because they are very strong.

The other option would be one of the nice CF movie/video tripods, there are some very sturdy ones that will take a leveling ball head.

[Terence McDonagh]

I have one of the large Feisols for my Korona 8x20. If anything, it's overkill. I got the leveling head and am still getting use to it.

The Feisols are a great deal for what they are. I'd classify them as "inexpensive" but certainly not "cheap." The Gitzos have a higher level of finish (I have a 1340), but the price difference to Feisol was too much to look past. The Feisols are nicely made and very sturdy.

[kev curry]

I also use the big Feisol tripod under a Shen 10x8/300mm copal 3 and it handles it easily with plenty to spare.

[dwhistance]

I'd second Frank's suggestion. I have a 1548 with the levelling head. It's really stable and not too heavy.

David Whistance

[Jerzy Pawlowski]

I'd second Gitzo. I have no experience with 1548 but my 3541XLS is probably as stable and its extra height is very handy on slopes or boulders.

[Steve Sherman]

Thanks for all the replies.

After careful comparisons against my present Gitzo the difference is less than 2.5 lbs.

I tend to think of large expenditures in terms of plane tickets. New Years in Death Valley as won out with a bit left over for a brown bottle or two.

Again thanks for your thoughts