Good tripod for 4x5 monorail AND DSLR

[Peter De Smidt]

Yeah, most quick releases suck. The ARCA system doesn't, though, but it is pricey. I have a Gitzo Rational Series 5 head, and I like it. The long handle does tend to catch on vegetation if you're walking through brush. It's much better in this regard, than my old Bogen pan-tilt head.

Another option for shooting low is to use a clamp on the tripod leg to hold a head. Sinar used to make a clamp just for this purpose. You could also use a Super Clamp with a threaded stud. If I know I'm going to need the camera really low to the ground, I throw one in my bag. That also works for clamping the camera to a railing, ladder, or just about anything else, and they're not very expensive. The negative is that it's one more thing to carry around.

[dh003i]

I just got the Bogen 3039 tripod head for $103 on eBay including SH. I really liked the design and ability to use two screws for the Gitzo head I referred to earlier, but it's $240 at the cheapest I can find.

So I'll give the 3039 a try; people here seem to think highly of it; and it'll go well with my 4x5 and DSLR.

[jvuokko]

Not necessarily a disaster. It is a wee mite vibration-prone but manageable if the wind isn't a factor. My tripod is a 3401, a short-lived descendand of the 3021. It came with two columns, the full length one and and a short stubby one. I mount my Calumet monorail sideways when I need to get really low.

It works OK.

Sorry about very late reply to this thread... I have similar tripod (manfrotto 055 PRO, I guess that it's same as 3021 PRO).

Under my 4x5 toyo monorail the center column is the problematic part. More precicely the top plate which is made from plastic! No matter how much I tighten, the column will always move as the top plate flexes.

I wonder if Calumet is much lighter? With 4x5 wooden field camera and (heavier) MF SLR the tripod is ok, but monorail is just too much.

Here's couple of example videos that demonstrates how the tripod flexes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrTtOjIqr4Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bE4bgYEGsZw

Althought it might seem that the head flexes, it's actually the top plate. My heavier ball head have more problems with that tripod.

Now I am 90% going to Berlebach.