Wolf Tripods from Germany

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Hi All,
I'm thinking about importing Wolf tripods from Germany in the near future for sale here in the US and wanted to get a feel if there is much interest or need in the LF community for a less expensive wooden tripod (than Ries) with lever type quick release leg locks. Thanks in advance for your input! Best, Emile/www.deleon-ulf.com.

[Capocheny]

E,

If the price point is good... there's always going to be demand by some segment of the community.

In order to get a fair assessment of whether folks here will buy them or not, IMHO, it would likely be useful for you to post further information on them here. A website describing them would definitely be a useful place to start.

Cheers

[Geert]

Emile et al,

there's a thread I recently started in the Mamut Forum (http://www.mamutphoto.com/forum/index.php?topic=319.0) with link to the Wolf tripod website.

Greetings,
Geert

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In case anyone wants a closer look at the Wolf tripods their website is www.wooden-tripods.com . Emile.

[Dan Fromm]

Emile, Wolf's tripods seem to be very similar to Berlebach's. The last time I went shopping for a tripod, the delivered price of a Berlebach was lower than the delivered price of the equivalent Wolf. So much for Wolf. BTW, the ones shown on Wolf's site have screw-type locks, not levers.

At the right prices, Wolf tripods would be, like Berlebachs, very attractive. At the wrong prices, very ugly. FWIW, when I did buy I got a Berlebach 8023G from Finger Lakes at a camera show, show special price $125.

Best,

Dan

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Dan,
I don't think your facts are quite correct regarding the prices of these tripods. If you look on their respective websites you will see that the Wolf tripod is actually lower in price than the Berlebach, for example Wolf's Model 8012 standard which is pretty much the same pod as Berlebachs model 2002 is 121 Euro vs. Berlebach's 132 Euro with standard screw leg locks for each brand. With the upgraded fast clamp hardware (not available on the Berlebach) the Wolf pod is about 15% more than the regular standard price. The prices for the fast clamp hardware are not listed on the Wolf website yet. Even though the Wolf pod is 139 Euro w/upgraded fast clamp hardware I think this still might be a great deal. I often wish my Ries had this type of hardware. Best regards, Emile.

[Dan Fromm]

Emile, the difference is that Berlebachs are sold by cheap chiselers like B&H and Finger Lakes, who discount them. At present Wolfs are available from the factory, who won't discount. And sending them across the Atlantic one at a time by mail is expensive too.

Best,

Dan

[David A. Goldfarb]

I've seen one Wolf tripod and thought it was quite nicely made and very reasonably priced. I thought it was comparable to Berlebach, but not as good as Ries. I would have bought it, but this particular model didn't have enough height for my use.

[Ted Harris]

Emile, the difference is that Berlebachs are sold by cheap chiselers like B&H and Finger Lakes, who discount them. At present Wolfs are available from the factory, who won't discount. And sending them across the Atlantic one at a time by mail is expensive too.

Best,

Dan
Dan,

Why the characterization of B&H and Finger Lakes as "cheap chislers?"

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The Wolf tripod w/Ball head is $214.00 direct from the factory. The same model Berlebach from B&H is $219.95. There is not any discount from B&H. The extra cost for Wolf is in shipping 1 pod from Germany. If many are shipped at the same time the shipping cost from Germany becomes manageable and much less per tripod. But for a wooden tripod with the option of quick release leg clamps, I would think Wolf is a more attractive tripod option than Berlabach which is the reason I started this thread. Any interest here folks? If there is a serious interest and I could order 12 or more tripods for LF customers here in the US I could beat the prices by B&H by at least 10%, maybe more. Any takers? Best regards. Emile/www.deleon-ulf.com.

[Michael Graves]

I've never seen the Wolf, but I did see a Berlebach and I liked it. If the Wolf was to be imported into the US, it would probably have to be priced lower than the Berlebach, or it would have to be shown to somehow be a superior product in order to compete against an established brand. I can't tell anything from the pictures on Wolf's site; but the tripod heads they're selling as accessories don't look to be as nice as the Berlebach.

[Chris Strobel]

I second that.I've spent thousands at B&H and have been very pleased


Dan,

Why the characterization of B&H and Finger Lakes as "cheap chislers?"

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From what I've heard t hrough the grapevine Wolf and Berlebach are pretty much the exact same thing. This is because the man who now owns Wolf tripods used to be a part of the Berlabach company. When Germany was reunified the original company was split up and now you have 2 German wooden tripod manufacturers, Wolf and Berlebach. Emile.

[alec4444]

The tripod itself looks nice. The only thing I can say from the photo is that the head seems a bit small for LF. That fact weighed heavily in my decision to use Ries over Berlebach for the 11x14 I bought.

--A

[Robert Skeoch]

I thought the wolfe tripods were made in China for a former employee of Berlebach. Not that it would matter if the tripod was great.
-rob

[Dan Fromm]

Dan,

Why the characterization of B&H and Finger Lakes as "cheap chislers?"Ted, it was a misplaced funny. I have great respect for both firms, get a kick out of Leon, and expect to go on buying happily from both.

Emile, what matters to the buyer is not the price FOB the factory but the delivered price. B&H's delivered price is far below Berlebach's. You'll have to compete with B&H, Finger Lakes, and other US dealers, not with the Berlebach factory. Its wonderful that Berlebach sells direct to end users, since US dealers don't carry all of the attachments, but for the tripods themself the factory can't compete in the US with its US dealers.

Cheers,

Dan

[Charles Hohenstein]

Are any of the Wolf or Berlebach tripods adequate for 11x14, or is Ries definitely the way to go for ULF?

[alec4444]

See my comment above on the tripod head size. I'm sure the actual tripod (Wolf, Berlebach, etc) would support the weight an 11x14 camera, but there's something about a small head that makes me worry the camera base (if wooden) would get a permanent indentation or may crack if tilted. Maybe, maybe not, but I didn't think it was worth the risk.

--A

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Why not put a Ries J-250 double tilt head on the Wolf.Save a ton of cash that way. BTW anyone who wants a Ries tripod or head I'm thinking of doing a 10% off sale soon. Best regards, Emile/www.deleon-ulf.com.