The TALLEST tripod

[Andrew ren]

not the tallest, but its plenty for my 2.5-year old boy.

[David R Munson]

FWIW, when I was in Yodobashi last week, I saw a notably tall CF Slik tripod that was also notably light. Alas, I did not note the model number.

[deadpan]

not the tallest, but its plenty for my 2.5-year old boy.

Max Height and Model please (of the tripod not the 2 yr old)

[David A. Goldfarb]

The Majestic with the extension legs (they're all essentially the same model, with the option of different center columns that attach to the head in different ways, it seems--maybe there were more variations in their long history) is probably at least 10 feet (I recall I couldn't extend it all the way in my apartment at the time, which had 8-foot ceilings, plus it has a telescoping rapid column inside a geared column, good for another four feet at least. If you need the column, I'd think about strapping the column to a ladder to stabilize it. If you're traveling, I suspect it wouldn't be hard to rent a tall ladder somewhere.

[Andrew ren]

here is a side-by-side with a gitzo GT3531LSV. it's around 80in tall, ries J series with custom-made red oak extension legs.

[deadpan]

Thanks Andrew,
much appreciated.

here is a side-by-side with a gitzo GT3531LSV. it's around 80in tall, ries J series with custom-made red oak extension legs.

[anglophone1]

Didn't someone post some ideas using deer hunting ladders?

[Uri A]

OK, at the risk of controversy, I will just go out there and say that simple physics/geometry would suggest that mounting a camera on any tall ladder will not be stable: tripods rely on the idea of covering a LARGE amount of space with their legs, whilst ladders are compact (at least in the second dimension).

not true?!!

[David R Munson]

I'd say it depends a lot on the quality of the ladder and the conditions involved.

[rdenney]

I'd say it depends a lot on the quality of the ladder and the conditions involved.

Not just the quality. Ladders are designed to be strong, not so much to be stiff. There is no diagonal bracing or triangulation, except for the possibility of some small angle braces in the corners of the bottom rung. Some ladders have a few more of those angle braces. But those braces don't include enough of the diagonal to provide real stiffness for the application being discussed. Thus, ladders are stiff enough longitudinally because they are angled in that direction, but not in the lateral direction where they are only lightly braced. Even very strong step-ladder designs sway side-to-side rather easily.

But it would not be too difficult to add that diagonal bracing. Given that ladders are strong, it's possible to use guy wires to stiffen them laterally. That adds to the vertical load, but they are strong enough to handle it. So, sink a couple of screw-stakes into the ground about half or two-thirds the height of the ladder to each side, and run a steel cable from the top of the latter to the stake. A turnbuckle could be used to provide tension. Steel cable is reasonably stiff and easily available. Rope is not stiff enough, in my view. I see this as requiring some effort to set up, but in return will provide reasonable stiffness with lightweight and compact (in storage) additions to a ladder.

Rick "noting that the guys are quite stiff, even in compression, as long as their tensile stress is higher than their compressive stress" Denney