Near ground level photography with monorails?

[jvuokko]

Easy with 4x5 field, but when it comes to monorail cameras, 4x5 and 8x10 what is the best solution when mobility is also needed at least couple of miles in the woods/trails/offroad.


Would the Berlebach Mini-Tripod do the job or does it just collapse or fall when heavy monorail camera is attached...

Or RRS Ground Pod and there's also Gitzo GT3320BS

Other solutions? One is big wooden plate with ball head attached.. Not very portable thought..

[Peter De Smidt]

One thing I've done is to use something like a Manfrotto Super Clamp. See: http://www.amazon.com/Bogen-Manfrott.../dp/B00009R6BK

If you add a 3/16ths stud, you can attach the clamp near the bottom of a tripod leg and screw a tripod head onto the stud. This is also useful for attaching a camera on railings, ladders... If you have a Sinar, they made a clamp with a round rail coming out that could be used in the same way.

[Jack Dahlgren]

Easy with 4x5 field, but when it comes to monorail cameras, 4x5 and 8x10 what is the best solution when mobility is also needed at least couple of miles in the woods/trails/offroad.


Would the Berlebach Mini-Tripod do the job or does it just collapse or fall when heavy monorail camera is attached...

Or RRS Ground Pod and there's also Gitzo GT3320BS

Other solutions? One is big wooden plate with ball head attached.. Not very portable thought..

How about reversing the center column on the tripod and hanging the camera upsidedown?

[Jim Noel]

A good old Otto wooden tripod, or a Ries will allow you to spread the legs so that the camera is less than a foot from the ground.

[Steve M Hostetter]

Put a 3/8" screw countersunk through the center of a 12"x12"x1/2" piece of plywood.. Then attach the head to that screw.

[Heroique]

...A Ries will allow you to spread the legs so that the camera is less than a foot from the ground.

And the Ries “backpacker” tripods (like the J-600) offer a convenient way to go low.

Each removable leg is actually in two pieces that screw together.

So when I do macro, or need to be close to the ground, I’ll remove each leg, unscrew it, set aside the top portion, reinsert the lower portion, and tighten down. This way, it becomes a short & strong tripod. This gets me down low – w/o the potential bounciness that comes from a regular tripod’s long legs being spread too far apart. Plus, the short legs need less ground area if you’re in a tight spot.

You mentioned “mobility for two miles” – sometimes, I’ll leave behind each leg’s middle portion to reduce weight. Of course, this increases the chance that I’ll discover a super shot along the way that requires them!

[sultanofcognac]

How about reversing the center column on the tripod and hanging the camera upsidedown?

Exactly what I do and it works perfectly.

[jvuokko]

One thing I've done is to use something like a Manfrotto Super Clamp. See: http://www.amazon.com/Bogen-Manfrott.../dp/B00009R6BK

If you add a 3/16ths stud, you can attach the clamp near the bottom of a tripod leg and screw a tripod head onto the stud. This is also useful for attaching a camera on railings, ladders... If you have a Sinar, they made a clamp with a round rail coming out that could be used in the same way.

Will the clamp really hold a heavy camera? Toyo 8x10 weights about 20lbs without lens and long monorail.

[jvuokko]

Exactly what I do and it works perfectly.

My current tripod does not have center column


Perhaps the wood plate (plywood) is the best option. Cheap it is, but not very easy to carry.

[Bob Salomon]

Would the Berlebach Mini-Tripod do the job or does it just collapse or fall when heavy monorail camera is attached...

Easily support anything up to 17.6 pounds.

2- SEC. WOOD MINI TRIPOD W/LEVELING BALL 1/4” thread for head. 3 Position Cam Adjustable Legs, Max. Ht. 15”, Min. Ht. 4”, Folded 11”, Wt. 2 lb., Cap. 17.6 lb.

It is also available without the leveling ball feature.

The Novoflex BB Ball tabletop tripod can also easily support a monorail.