What is your tripod of choice?

[Eric James]

Another vote for the 1325/1329, unless you're trimming to go light. I use mine without the center column.

[ivm]

Berlebach Report series of wooden tripods. Supports 36 lbs, but I can easily lean all my weight - 170 lbs on the top of it, and it does not even flinch. Cheap compared to CF - and gorgeous to look at. Weight is 7 lbs - but look at the weight of any CF tripod that will support that kind of load.

[R Mann]

Another vote for Ries with 250 head - they just got everything right - design, fit & finish, looks, and easy to use.

[rfesk]

I sold every tripod I had and made one work (by suspending weights from the center hook when necessary) for everything from a light P&S to my 5X7. Plenty rigid just too lightweight sometimes. It is the Gitzo G1228 with the center column replaced with a Markins plate.

The Gitzo 1325 is a fine tripod and the Bogen 3021 is my favorite to put up and take down.

Thinking of converting a wooden surveyors tripod for my 4X5 and 5X7 to use when I don't need to travel far.

[bobwysiwyg]

Berlebach Report series of wooden tripods. Supports 36 lbs, but I can easily lean all my weight - 170 lbs on the top of it, and it does not even flinch. Cheap compared to CF - and gorgeous to look at. Weight is 7 lbs - but look at the weight of any CF tripod that will support that kind of load.

Gets my vote as well.

[Rick A]

I've used Tiltalls for years, the Marchioni and Leitz models, and love them. I recently purchased an Induro AKB-2(ball head) and think it may replace my Tiltall permanently. It comes with a carry case and holds up to 22lbs. They also make a carbon fiber version, I haven't tried that yet.

[Two23]

Do the carbon fibre tripods get brittle or have problems at 20 below zero or colder temperatures?

If you don't wrap the legs will a damp hand stick to the legs like with metal?

No to both questions. I shoot at night a lot, in the Dakotas & Minnesota during winter. I love the drama! It's almost always below zero (F), and often 20-40 below. No problems from my Gitzo 1325 or AcraTech head. I don't like wrapped legs, but note that I don't go around out here without decent gloves on either. That would be stupid considering our low temps and high wind speeds. (The white on the upper legs is white camo tape. Lower legs is just snow.)

Kent in SD

Shot during a blizzard, --10F

[Chris Wong]

[QUOTE=Dakotah Jackson;722823]Do the carbon fibre tripods get brittle or have problems at 20 below zero or colder temperatures?

I had trouble with my Gitzo 1325 carbon fiber tripod this winter shooting in Yosemite on two different trips where I couldn't pull out the legs to extend them when I went shooting in the early morning. The tripod had been left in the car overnight at freezing temps. I ended up using my backup aluminum Gitzo. Later on in the morning when it warmed up the legs on Gitzo 1325 came sliding out when I picked it up to check on it because I had loosened the leg locks earlier. Did the carbon fiber expand or contract to cause it to not extend?

[Ed Kelsey]

I finally gave up on my old Gitzo CF due to leg locking problems. Replaced it with a 3 series aluminum Induro for under $200. A real bargain for the price with great leg locks.

[Richard Wasserman]

Chris,

I'm thinking that maybe you had some moisture inside the legs that froze. I have used my Gitzo 1325 in temperatures from about -20F to +100F with no problems whatsoever.

Another really nice tripod is a Linhof Twin-shank. It is light-weight and very solid—it also is taller than a 1325 which can come in handy. It has struts reinforcing the legs that I sometimes put sandbags on to further stabilize it. The only downside is that it is a bit bulky folded up.