Video Tripod Systems for Large Format

[chrislittle]

Hey,

I have just gotten into large format photography and I am looking at a tripod system for my Linhof Technikarden, mostly field work, wide angle landscape and portraiture.
I am actually a filmmaker and have been shooting video for many years, i currently have this tripod for my video work

http://www.dsvideo.tv/sachtler_2319.php

it has a payload of up to 6kg, (Its actually more) with decent legs (with spikes) and spreader.

Has anyone any experience using these kinds of tripods with large format cameras?

I am wondering about dampening qualities, stability and vibrations. I know it's heavy, but I am used to lugging it around by now along with around 25kg of video camera gear.

I could fork out money for a good geared head or monoball and decent set of wooden or CF legs, but i would rather not to be honest.

thanks,

Chris

[Struan Gray]

I don't think you'll find a better tripod and head than the Sachtler. In fact, that is exactly the setup I would buy if I had a thousand pounds lying about somewhere.

[Helen Bach]

As Struan says, it will make an excellent tripod for LF work. I have bowl adapters for my 75 mm Miller and 150 mm Ronford Baker and mount the camera directly onto the adapter. The bowl adapters (in combination with leg adjustments if necessary) give all the movement I require most of the time, so another head or the fluid head isn't necessary. That keeps the bottom of the camera very close to the top of the legs.

Best,
Helen

Link to Manfrotto 520BALLSH (http://www.manfrotto.com/Jahia/site/manfrotto/pid/3339) 75 mm bowl adapter. Fits all standard 75 mm bowls.

[Kevin Thomas]

I would have thought that you could easily shoot with a LF camera on this tripod. Once you have leveled the head and balanced the camera I imagine it would offer more than enough stability, quite possibly better than my gitzo mountaineer/arca swiss B1 tripod but at the cost of being so much heavier.

Also as you are already familiar with the tripod it should make setting up the camera quick and easy. I would certainly give shooting with it a try and see how it performs in the field.

[cjbroadbent]

Like Helen, I use video tripods exclusivly with large format outdoors. With the cup&ball and a swivel plate there doesn't seem to be much need for a head.

[Ash]

I prefer video heads for tripod work.

[chrislittle]

@ Helen,

thats an interesting idea, I might have a look for one of those adapters for the satchler legs, will save on weight as well.

thanks

[Bruce Watson]

There's no reason I can think of that you can't use a video tripod for LF. It'll work.

You might not want to -- that leg set weighs 5 Kg all by itself. The spreaders might actually interfere with odd setups on rocks and in the restricted spaces that I often encounter doing landscape work.

I suspect as video cameras continue to shrink that video tripods will follow. At least I hope they will. Then maybe I can get by using one tripod for both applications. But until then I'll keep my very light weight carbon fiber tripod for backpacking with the LF and leave the video pod with the video camera.

[Arne Croell]

What Struan said...

Christopher Burkett uses a Sachtler http://www.christopherburkett.com/pages/behindscenes/cbschnauzerslg.jpg for his 8x10. If it is good enough for Burkett...

[chrislittle]

I cant see what head Christopher Burkett is using, but it looks like its a video 60, or something similar, about £7k + VAT if you include the legs, weighs more than 15kg alone, used for big HD broadcast cameras usually.

[Helen Bach]

Chris,

It shouldn't matter what make the bowl adapter is - a 75 mm Manfrotto bowl adapter should fit 75 mm Sachtler legs. I use a Manfrotto adapter on Miller legs, just as I use a 150 mm Ronford Baker head on O'Connor baby legs. It's all fairly standard.

Best,
Helen

[Kevin Thomas]

Helen,

A very useful idea as my gitzo mountaineer will take a 75mm bowl especially if I ever move up to a heavier camera. In effect it seems to work similar to the gitzo levelling tripod that declines/inclines to 15 degrees - what sort of angle do you get out of your setup?