If you could buy any tripod ...

[Paul O]

which one would you choose ... must be able to cope with 5x7 and 10x8 formats, useful for landscape photography. That's it! Carbon Fibre, wood, it's your choice let me know!

[Frank Petronio]

Buy it once and be done with it:

Gitzo GT5561SGT

"The strongest and most accurate tripod in the world, recommended for medium and large format or DSLRs with 400 mm and longer lenses. Exceptionally rigid and resistant to torsion, but, thanks to the new Carbon 6X ALR tube, surprisingly light and fast."

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=548442&is=REG&A=details&Q=#specifications

[William McEwen]

Paul, are you likely to be photographing inside, too?

[Mark Sawyer]

I think it was Shakepeare who said:

"That which we call a Ries by any other name would hold an 8x10 as sweet..."

[Steve M Hostetter]

Gitzo, G1325 which is now mfr# GT3530S

max load: 39.6 lbs

max height : 50.8"

weight: 3.7 lbs

material: 6X carbon fiber

price: around $650.00

[Doug Dolde]

I have a Gitzo 1325 that I bought in 2001. Use it with the leveling base. It's the only piece of photo gear that I haven't had the need or urge to swap for something else.

[percepts]

I have a Gitzo 1325 that I bought in 2001. Use it with the leveling base. It's the only piece of photo gear that I haven't had the need or urge to swap for something else.
doesn't say much for your choice of equipment:D

[percepts]

Like everything else in photography, its a question of using the right tool for the job and what caveats you put on your choice. Carbon is light but is also brittle so dropping it on a rock might shatter it whereas it would only put a small dent in aluminium.

So you better start giving some criteria about what you really want otherwise you'll you'll just get a list of highly expensive wish I could afford one of those tripods instead of what are practicle workhorse tripods. But who knows, that may be what you want.

[John Kasaian]

Ries. The 8x10's best friend.

[dwhistance]

For 10x8 a Gitzo 1548 (not the current number) is hard to beat. Its not much heavier than the 1325 but is larger and more stable.

David Whistance

[William McEwen]

I REALLY like my Zone VI standard tripod, but they might be difficult to find.

If I were in the market for a replacement, I'd go right to http://www.riestripod.com.

[Drew Wiley]

I don't see anything fragile at all about my Gitzo carbon tripod. It's been banged up
on rocks and limbs all over the mtns. However, for 8x10 I really prefer my wooden
Ries. I gave my old Zone VI to a friend with a telescope - it was just a modified
survey tripod, and when cold and wet the legs would literally freeze shut; all the
hardware would rust too.

[Walter Calahan]

Already have – a Ries.

Have a J-100 and an A-100.

http://www.riestripod.com/tripod.htm

[Gem Singer]

If money were no object, I would also choose a set of Ries tripod legs along with the proper Ries head.

Everything else is merely a compromise when it comes to choosing the best support for an LF camera.

However, it seems that I have always needed to compromise when it came down to the final price of my photo equipment. I chose the Manfrotto 475 leg set and the Manfrotto 808 RC4 pan tilt head, instead.

My Canham 8X10 Traditional is sitting comfortably on that tripod and head as we speak.

[Ron Marshall]

which one would you choose ... must be able to cope with 5x7 and 10x8 formats, useful for landscape photography. That's it! Carbon Fibre, wood, it's your choice let me know!

What is the longest distance you think you will carry it from your car?

[percepts]

If you want a rock solid tripod then one designed for video and motion picture cameras can't be beat. But how strong are you?

I have my eye a manfotto 351MVB

http://www.manfrotto.com/Jahia/site/manfrotto/cache/off/pid/3326?livid=68|73&idx=77

it would happily take your cameras but I want one for much smaller cameras. Fine leveling can be done using the bowl and then locked. You can put whatever head on top of it you like. But it ain't for carting long distances with an 8x10 camera. Its really a light weight video platform, light weight being relative for video setups. Designed so that you can get the top dead level for panning with cameras. Hence the bowl. But that is useful for LF cameras too. Then you only need a two way head which saves some weight compensating a little for the weight of tripod.

[Steve M Hostetter]

Gitzo, G1325 which is now mfr# GT3530S

max load: 39.6 lbs

max height : 50.8"

weight: 3.7 lbs

material: 6X carbon fiber

price: around $650.00

I forgot to mention that I got my G1325 used for $300.00 in new condition at a camera store no less

[Darin Boville]

If you want a rock solid tripod then one designed for video and motion picture cameras can't be beat. But how strong are you?

I have my eye a manfotto 351MVB


Nah, that's a baby video tripod. If you want a real tripod stat looking here...

http://www.sachtler.us/index.php?id=1108

(some people really do use these for still, sometimes DSLR...). makes Gitzo look like a toy manufacturer. :). Not cheap...

--Darin

[John Bowen]

Ries J100-8

I'm 6' 6" and this tripod is the cat's meow with any 8x10 or my Ritter 7x17. Wouldn't trade it for the world!!!!!!

[Frank Petronio]

The Sachtler tripods are pretty cool but they don't go that high/low like a photo tripod...

[percepts]

Yes I know about Sachtler tripods. They are gitzos for videographers. Overpriced;)

Maybe worth it for a professional out making movies every day but not required for serious hobbyist or semi professional still camera user. Manfrotto would easily be good enough for me and they are very robust. Looked at ries too but decided the manfrotto half ball system with very short column was better for my requirements and the max height is right for me too. I couldn't be doing with worrying about chipping that beautiful wood when I'm out and about. I expect my kit to get rough treatment and if I don't spend too much on it then I'm not bothered about it.

[Archphoto]

Basicly what I have right now: a Manfrotto 055 with 410 head for all gear upto my Shen Hao and the Gitzo Studex Performance with Linhof 3 way head for my Sinar P2 4x5/8x10.

Additional a nice wooden tripod for the Shen would be nice, in the same wood 'course, and a studio stand (to be build) for my full plate tail back.

Peter

[Paul O]

Thanks for some interesting ideas! There seems a strong liking for Ries tripods too!

[percepts]

since you're in the UK its worth looking at the following site if you want manfrotto.
They were competively priced last time I looked.

http://www.devoncamera.co.uk/

[percepts]

And if you want wood take a look at:

http://www.berlebach.de/?sprache=english

[David Rees]

Paul,

Consider a Gitzo 1548GT (old model number). Though it has six leg sections, it gives immense flexibility for landscape work, given its extra potential height. I really like mine.

For a head, I use a Burzynski, which slots into the top of the legs (using an adapter), keeping the head close to the level of the tripod, improving stability.

If you really don't want the extra weight and height of the GT, then the original 1548 is a good alternate choice.

[Colin Graham]

I've always been curious about the gitzo leg locks, do they loosen/lock in a single revolution, a positive lock sort of arrangement? Or do they only get as tight as your ability to crank on them?

[Joanna Carter]

I've always been curious about the gitzo leg locks, do they loosen/lock in a single revolution, a positive lock sort of arrangement? Or do they only get as tight as your ability to crank on them?
They are a friction lock that gets tighter the more you turn them; but they usually only take less than a turn to (un)lock.

[Steve M Hostetter]

If you buy a tripod for an LF cam and get a pod w/ a center column that isn't a geared crank, you'll be sorry.. The first time you wanna point your camera tward the ground the head will move around no matter how hard you have it tightened..

[Frank Petronio]

The new Gitzo leg locks are more like cams than simple friction twist locks, so they take little effort to lock down securely.

Yeah using a camera pointing down is like 10X harder on the tripod and head than the usual straight and level approach. You'll see some people use really light tripods with 8x10 but I bet all their shots are eye level.

One of the things that always struck me as odd is that if a photographer has a 60" tall tripod, then most of their shots are from 52-58" tall. Like 90% I bet. It's kind of like putting the cart ahead of the horse and letting the tripod decide your shot instead of figuring out the best height.

[Aender Brepsom]

Another vote for the old Gitzo G1548 carbon fibre tripod. The current model version is called GT5541LS.

[Pete Roody]

I prefer CF over wood or aluminum. The Gitzo 3 series in CF is hard to beat for 5x7/8x10. Take a look at the Gitzo 3541L CF tripod.

[Steve M Hostetter]

Frank,
then you have the height of the head and a rail clam and then the height of the standard which together = another 15" to the bottom of the lens..

I'm 6'-1" and I can't extend my 50.8" tripod leds to the max without using a step ladder to view the image on the gg

the max load bearing numbers tells the story, for me anyway,,, 39.6 lbs

weight of the pod has no relevance as far as stability w/ carbon fiber

[Len Middleton]

Another vote for the Gitzo CF tripods. I have a G1325 unit and it works well for 8x10 and smaller. Also have a surveyor's tripod at my daughter's place to reduce the amount of stuff I have to transport back and forth when I visit her.

My exposure to tripods is much more limited than many here, but had a number of Linhof units including the smaller twin shank, and a Manfrotto (Bogen to our friends in the USA) 055, but find the Gitzo does the job.

I found the bigger issue (outside of OP's scope) was heads. The Linhof twin shank had the standard Linhof tilt and pan head, and with the Green Monster on it (Calumet C1 8x10 in magnesium), I found some bounce in it through what I believed to be head flex, rather than movement from the tripod itself.

I have the big Linhof studio tilt head and pan head with the big round camera mount and a Gitzo R3 head, and both seems to fit the bill.

My $0.02 (CAD),

Len

[Michael Jones]

Already have – a Ries.

Have a J-100 and an A-100.

http://www.riestripod.com/tripod.htm

Ditto. I dislike locking/unlocking more than one mechanism to adjust the leg/height. With a Reis, just hold the tripod up, unscrew the lock until the leg hits the ground, and tighten.

The Zone VI models do this, too.

Mike