Wehman 8x10 - Lightest, Smallest Tripod Possible

[jeroldharter]

Wow, you really went light. Looks like you opted for no head and just screw it on the center column? Do you have to spin the camera or does the screw spin?

[thomashobbs]

Jerold,

Screwing the camera directly on the tripod was an oversight on my part. I forgot about the whole "head" thing. I traveled to the US and realized I had no tripod head to use. Screwing it on the tripod sans-head was a bit of an improvisation but it worked. Leveling the tripod, however, was absolute hell, as you might imagine. Trying to calculate which of the 3 legs to lower or raise was a real pain.

FYI, I still haven't really found a suitable head. Ball heads are just impossible to level. Quick Release heads are also trouble because the surface area is too small to properly support the area of the camera. I'm still using this bulky, heavy Slik head. I'm still searching for that magic unicorn of a head; mid-sized, light-weigh, and large plate area. And yes, I want a pony with that!

cheers!
Thomas

[jeroldharter]

Well I have settled on this Gitzo head and by now I have some well earned experience with it:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc..._Way_Head.html

I have always used quick release mechanisms with ball heads so I was worried I would hate fiddling with the screw mount and pan tilt mechanism. In fact, it is easier than trying to line up the quick release plate - or about the same. Someone advised me to flip the head so that the screw is horizontal. Holding the Wehman vertically by the strap makes it very easy (and easily visible) to line up the screw with its socket. Plus, the thing is rock solid. I could probably sleep on top of it (but I would not try). On paper it is heavier than I would like but it balances well with my larger Feisol tripod. The handles easily unscrew for compactness when travelling. Not quite silky smooth operation but quite smooth and overall I am very happy with it.

[Rick Moore]

This is the same head I use. I also mount my Canham 8x10 in exactly the same manner in which you describe. This head on a decent set of legs (Gitzo 1410 in my case) provides a very steady platform for an 8x10 field camera.

[Rory_5244]

Gee, I've been going along merrily using an AS B1 ballhead under my 8x10. I sometimes look at the Ries J250 but I'm too poor to buy and see if it will work better and I'll never be able to re-sell it in my country if it doesn't work out (digital-only people here.) I dunno.

[jeroldharter]

Gee, I've been going along merrily using an AS B1 ballhead under my 8x10. I sometimes look at the Ries J250 but I'm too poor to buy and see if it will work better and I'll never be able to re-sell it in my country if it doesn't work out (digital-only people here.) I dunno.

I have an Arca Swiss Z1 ball head for 4x5. It works great with my Arca Swiss camera. But I thought that the 8x10 outmatched it so I looked for an alternative. The Arca head will easily support the camera weight but the small camera platform is the problem, especially with relatively light legs. The Gitzo has a relatively huge platform and even two screws if you want to use both.

[Rory_5244]

Thanks Jerold. I will have a close look.

[Steve M Hostetter]

G1325,,, no center collumn!