Carrying a Calumet C1: how to schlepp it along?

[Captain_joe6]

So I've got a C1, which, for anyone who doesn't know, fills quite nicely the size and weight gap between a Deardorff and a Buick Sedan. I've got it mounted on a Gitzo pan/tilt head (a nice beefy one) on top of a Gitzo Studio tripod (the 5 section one that I can stand under if I need to).

Here's what I want to do: carry the camera and tripod in the field. Not for miles, mind you, but maybe a couple hundred yards every now and then. How would you suggest I do this?

My concerns are these: the mounting screw that holds camera to head is brass, and I'm worried that carrying the setup while attached would risk snapping the screw.

My other concern in carrying everything is that the camera itself is magnesium, which is obviously not the strongest metal. Would I be inviting true disaster (snapped struts or focusing rails) if I were to carry the camera and tripod over my shoulder, and assuming the screw didn't break?

Basically, the question is this: is my camera safe to carry while attached to the tripod, or would it be much, much safer and wiser to carry the tripod on my shoulder and the camera at my side?

And as a final quetion, does anyone make a quick-release plate that would work on the base of a C1? I've got a plate screwed to the tripod block of the camera, so it removes the skeletal nature of the block from the equation, so the main concern is that the head of the tripod is rouchly 4x7 inches (WxL) and the base of the camera is roughly 5x7 inches (LxW). Does anybody make a QR system that is 4" or 5" square? Doesn anybody use a QR with their C1 and if so, what kind?

Thanks for listening, all.

[Robert A. Zeichner]

A late friend of mine claimed he knew a fellow out west who was of diminutive stature and carried a C-1 affixed to a Majestic tripod and head. The claim was that he shouldered this rig and carried a rather large supply of holders in a shoulder bag. Made something like 25 exposures a day. No one could keep up with him. Having owned a couple of C-1's and being familiar with the weight of a Majestic, this seems like a pretty amazing feat. I'm thinking that carrying the camera separately would be safest. It would be lower to the ground and less likely to get damaged if you were to lose your footing. Another option might be to carry the tripod mounted camera pointing downward. You would still want to make certain that it's bolted to the head with at least two good quality screws, maybe stainless steel?

[Walter Calahan]

I use a 3-wheeled jogging baby stroller to move my 8x10 gear. They are found much cheaper used on eBay, then going to REI to buy them new.

[Merg Ross]

For what it's worth, Brett Weston carried his C1 over the shoulder, with a Baco head mounted on a Reis tripod. Seemed to work fine.

[erie patsellis]

I carry mine in a soft sided cooler, and use a big Gitzo, 5 series with a 1570M head, and the base permanently bolted to it. I've also used a rolling backpack type bag, and for the most part it worked ok, but I find the cooler works best, I can carry the camera and 5 or 6 filmholders, lenses, etc. easily.

If all else fails, the wife will carry a gym bag with filimholders and lenses, and I carry the camera and tripod, though she frequently makes sure I realize it weigh a whole lot more than her 6mp digicam...


erie

[David Karp]

I borrowed a friend's aluminum C1 for a while. I carried it in a Kelty Redwing backpack. The fit was very tight, but it did fit. I also had room for a Fuji 450 C in addition to the lens that was usually on the camera (Nikkor 300 M). I carried the filmholders in a cooler bag over my shoulder.

[Michael Kadillak]

When it comes to carrying a LF camera you need to look carefully at your tripod and head and assuming that it is stable and can take the load, see if carrying the camera on the tripod works for you. I look at this situation from a practical perspective.

If I am in an area where I know for a fact that I will be making several photographs within a reasonable distance of each other I will put the camera on the tripod and carry it over the shoulder (assuming that the terrain is not an issue) because I know that it will be more efficient than tearing down and moving from spot to spot.

If I am making a single photograph I leave it all in a backpack and set up and tear down at the point where the photograph is being made.

You need to see what works for you as each of us work in a wide range of terrain and conditions and have vastly different personal preferences when it comes to getting the job done.

Cheers!

[Captain_joe6]

I'm liking what I'm getting so far, but can anybody speak to the specific physical capabilities screws and the magnesium body and so on? Provided I can get the base of the camera securely attached to the head, which shouldn't be a problem once I get my hands on a couple of half-inch screws and a drill press, does anybody think I should be concerned about the strength of the magnesium itself? The tripod block attaches to the main of the camera via some pretty small rails cast into the body, should I be worried about those breaking at all?

I don't know what the numbers were then, but basically I'm dealing with a Gitzo G1504 Mk2 tripod with a Gitzo G1570M head, but in the neighborhood of about 15 years old. Makes my old Majestic feel like carbon-fiber.

Any word on the QR stuff?

[Turner Reich]

Get rid of the brass screw and replace it with steel, carry the camera on the tripod, if you can pick it up, on your shoulder.

[D. Bryant]

does anybody think I should be concerned about the strength of the magnesium itself? The tripod block attaches to the main of the camera via some pretty small rails cast into the body, should I be worried about those breaking at all?


Any word on the QR stuff?

No. And No.

If you have a flat plate mounted to the tripod block the Bogen hex QR plates will work just fine. You are obsessing needlessly, IMO. The C1 is plenty tuff. Carrying it mounted to a tripod does produce a lot of torque on the mount so I wouldn't carry it long distances like that. A Kelty backback or Lowe Pro Super Trekker will work.

Don Bryant

[Michael Kadillak]

I recently picked up a black C1 and after looking at the base plate here is what I would suggest (that I am considering as well) to take this variable out of the equation.

Have a wooden base plate built to the same proportions of the existing camera base that would be capable of linking up simultaneously with the 3/8" and the 1/4" screw on the bottom of the camera. On the other side of the wooden plate I would have a 3/8" female threaded insert placed to accept a 3/8" tripod head mount or a 3/8" quick release plate.

I feel that the weak link in this system is not the structural integrity of the camera base, but the threads in the camera base plate that could either be worn or possibly cross threaded and damaged. By engaging both threaded options concurrently and leaving this plate on the camera this variable is taken out of the equation because it spreads the support stress over a larger area.

PM me if this has any interest to you as I want to have one of these made for mine as well. Just my $0.02.

[Sal Santamaura]

...Does anybody make a QR system that is 4" or 5" square?...Kirk Enterprises used to make a PZ-39 arca-type plate that was in the vicinity of 4 inches square. It isn't on their Web site and hasn't been for a long time. Call to see if they still offer it.

[erie patsellis]

I recently picked up a black C1 and after looking at the base plate here is what I would suggest (that I am considering as well) to take this variable out of the equation.

Have a wooden base plate built to the same proportions of the existing camera base that would be capable of linking up simultaneously with the 3/8" and the 1/4" screw on the bottom of the camera. On the other side of the wooden plate I would have a 3/8" female threaded insert placed to accept a 3/8" tripod head mount or a 3/8" quick release plate.

I feel that the weak link in this system is not the structural integrity of the camera base, but the threads in the camera base plate that could either be worn or possibly cross threaded and damaged. By engaging both threaded options concurrently and leaving this plate on the camera this variable is taken out of the equation because it spreads the support stress over a larger area.

PM me if this has any interest to you as I want to have one of these made for mine as well. Just my $0.02.

Michael,
I had thought along those same lines, but with a 1/8" aluminum plate riveted to the base, and a 3/8" bolt permanently fastening the base to the tripod head, I don't see any reason, I can't move the combination as is without hurting myself. A better approach would be to make 2 small pieces of aluminum, 3/4" x 1 1/2" with a profile milled out to fit on top of the ribs in front and in back of the existing hole, tapped to 3/8-18, drill 2 holes in the existing base and utilize 3 bolts to fasten.

erie