Feisol tripod for a tall fellow

[Terence McDonagh]

I'm looking for a new travel tripod that packs as small as is practical. I am 6'-2" tall, and prefer not to curve my spine any more than it already is.

I currently use an aluminum 3-section leg set that just doesn't raise high enough for use with my LF or Mamiya. And my heavier tripod just doesn't get inspire me to travel with it. I've been leery of 4-section tripod legs, but I think the time has come for me to get one.

From largest to smallest, I use a Deardorff 5x7 with lenses up to a shutterless 19" Apo Artar, a Toyo 45CF with light lenses, a Hasselblad with a 150mm CF lens and a tele-extender, and a Mamiya 7II. I use a medium sized ball head, which I might also be looking to replace with a Kirk or RRS in the near future.

I've been looking at the Feisol options. The 3442 seems pretty good for all but the 5x7 with the heaviest lens. However, the 3441 seems to get rave reviews for light 4x5 cameras, but seems like it might be too short for a 6'-2" fellow without raising the center column.

Are there any tall 3441 users that could say whether it works with a medium sized tripod head without making you continuously hunch over? Or should I suck it up, and get the tripod with the longer legs.

[Walter Calahan]

You have so many more options than me.

Try being 6'7" and find a light weight travel tripod!

I always have a curved spine.

[Terence McDonagh]

Given the legroom the airlines provide these days, I'm impressed you travel at all. Brings a tear to my eye just thinking about it.

[Bjorn Nilsson]

I got a 3401 which I mainly use for my Hasselblad with a PM 45deg finder. I normally don't extend the tripod fully (saving a couple of inches). I have the tripod fully extended (with the center column at the bottom) as I write this, and I do have to stand a little bit on my toes to see properly through the finder. As I'm almost 6'-2" (187cm), I take it we're about the same length.
Now, the tripods you mention are both slightly higher than my 3401 (without a center column). I do have a center column on mine and also a Feisol CB50 ballhead, which is "medium sized".
Given that we are the same height and that I use a Feisol which is slighly smaller than the ones you are looking at, my advice is: Go for it.
Also, you seem to have gotten spot on about the capabilities. I feel very confident putting the Hasselblad on it. (Also with 2x150mm.) I don't own any leightweight 4x5", but I recon that would be allright. (I use a Sinar for the big negs, for which I got me a 3371 in the same order. I'm very happy with that tripod too. Nice and light, which saves me a some "huffs and puffs" as I log the camera and tripod along to various locations.)

//Björn

[Jan Pedersen]

Don't know if it is going to be much help but i use the 3441 with a bogen manfrotto 410 head for 8x10 and it is a perfect set-up. But, i'm only 5.5, i do however not use the last set of legs if on even surface. I don't have the center column but using one would bring the head up another inch or two.
It's a great tripod.

[Capocheny]

Hello Terence,

You might want to contact Kerry Thalmann as he's the distributor (and a member of this forum) for his recommendations. Here's his contact info:

Kerry Thalmann
Really Big Cameras
http://www.reallybigcameras.com

Good luck.

Cheers

[Aahx]

I just received a few weeks ago the new CT-3472 model. I am 6' and I can get the mounting base up close to my neck/jaw/mouth level (I don't remember exactly, though I can check tonight after work). This is before mounting a head on it. So with a head add 3" to 5" inches on that. With center column it one would raise it up another 2” to 3” if my memory serves me correctly. Again.. I will check tonight with a tape measure and let you know in Inches what the exact measurements are. That will be about 7 to 8 hours from this post.

Edit: Oh.. just to add.. Kerry is great for communication with his coustomers. Thats who I got the tripod through.

[Aahx]

Here we go... I took a picture with my Gitzo head on it and the measurment to the floor at maxium height.

http://my.photodump.com/Aahx/Feisol-2472-max-height-T.jpg (http://www.photodump.com/Aahx/Feisol-2472-max-height.html)

As you can see, it is not to shabby.

[Lachlan 717]

Terence,

This sounds very familiar.

I just purchased a Feisol 3342 from Kerry (awesome advice and Customer Servce; thanks Kerry!!) for travel.

I currently use a Manfrotto 055 with a medium-sized ball head with a Shen Hao 6x17 field camera to get to my required height (I'm about 190cm/6'3"). Generally, this gets there with about 75mm/3" centre column rise.

The Feisol 3342's maximum height without c/column is 142cm (about the same as the 'frotto) and gets to about 152cm with the head included.

As this is a bit short, I also purchased the centre column. Again, with about 75mm/3" rise, my GG screen is at eye-level.

This whole kit weighs in at about 1.5kg/3.5lbs, so is perfect for travel. It will also take 8kg/17lbs weight (head's only rated to this, not the Feisol), which again is perfect for travel. I don't check in my camera; always carry on where the general limit is 7.5kg/16.5lbs.

Lachlan