Marchioni Tiltall Classis alternative to hi cost tripods

[ki6mf]

Found a Tiltall on local Craig's list! Built in 3 way head. puts my view camera at eye level. Solid as when made 50+ years ago. Best of all $60.00 which leaves plenty of money left over for other gear.

[R Mann]

FYI: Here is a link to a current parts supply source and a brief history of the Tiltall series -

http://sites.google.com/site/garyregester/tiltall-support

[Capocheny]

Hi Wally,

It's still a classic tripod in spite of its weight, which isn't all that bad! I've had the black version for over 30 years and it's still as solid as Alberta's Rockies.

Nowadays, I use a Gitzo but still have fond memories of the Tilt-All!


R...


FYI: Here is a link to a current parts supply source and a brief history of the Tiltall series -

http://sites.google.com/site/garyregester/tiltall-support

Thanks for posting the link... I've been buying the rubber stops from a local gasket company to replace the one that dried out on the pod. But, it's always good to have another source for replacement parts.
Cheers

[Frank Petronio]

I used to have over a grand tied up in a CF Gitzo and Linhof 3-way head that probably are the very best tripod for 4x5 ever....

Now I use a used $90 Leitz Tiltall similar to yours for 4x5. It does 98% of what the Gitzo does, weigh just a little bit more and is just a bit shorter... but I haven't noticed any change to the quality of my pictures.

While having the "best" is very nice, not being tied down by the value of your possessions is very liberating and more valuable to me. As is paying your bills!

$200 Crown Graphic, >$100 Tiltall, a stack of holders and a pile of film = go shoot more, travel, repeat.... You'll have better photos than the wankers with their Arca-Ebonies and 110XLs every time ;-)

[BetterSense]

Do you find the Tiltall sufficient for a heavy 4x5 camera like an older, metal Calumet? Also, how far down do the Tiltall tripods collapse for transport?

[Frank Petronio]

A lot of photo schools paired Calumet 4x5s with Tiltalls. Of course if you use them tilted straight down they get tippy but anything under 20 lbs will, even the Carbon Fiber tripods.

[Merg Ross]

Do you find the Tiltall sufficient for a heavy 4x5 camera like an older, metal Calumet? Also, how far down do the Tiltall tripods collapse for transport?

I used a Tiltall with long bellows Calumet for thirty years. Excellent tripods for the money. Still have mine, although switched to a Bogen because I prfer the flip locks to the knurled leg locks on the Tiltall.

With center column removed measures 25", and in place 29".

[Bill_1856]

Total weight is 6 pounds, which includes the excellent built-in pan/tilt head.

[BetterSense]

I'm thinking I should just buy a new one; they go for about $100 new. Now, the new ones are imported and I gather that the old Leitz ones were probably higher quality.

Right now I have a totally overbuilt tripod that's leftover from my 8x10. It's an aluminum construction tripod with a Majestic 1200 geared head. The tripod is about 6 lbs and the head is I think at least that. I think I need to trade down to something more reasonable but I can't afford a $300 composite tripod+head.

[Mark Sampson]

What I learned from Irving Penn: put that long Tiltall handle pointing forward, under the lens, so it doesn't poke you in the chest when you go to focus. Perhaps the best tripod design ever, there's one in the trunk of my car now, but I think they're overtasked for any camera above 5-6 lbs.

[ki6mf]

I use these as back up tripods have one at my wife's parents house and the other at our children houses, both out of state. This eliminated the need to carry tripods. I have had no problems using a Shen Hao Field Camera or a Cambro View Camera on the tripod. I have the older Marconi Brothers version made in the USA. From what I gather the current new versions are made in China and have had some quality issues. The old ones are rock solid! I do like eliminating the need for carrying a head of any kind when I travel and this meets the requirement.

[jp]

I've got a leitz one, and a friend of mine has the current one. The current version is also high quality and worth the $99 or so. His didn't have any quality issues. I had one of the legs come loose on mine after about ten years due to an abused/stripped thread. I've had it since 1993 and bought it used then for $50. I fixed the leg with a tiny bit of jbweld and it's been solid for years since.

It mostly rides around in the back of my car. I use it for Flip/35mm/TLR/Speed graphic 4x5.

I have used it for 8x10 and that's fine for indoors or solid ground or no wind, but more often a bigger tripod is preferred for 8x10. I have a surveying tripod for 8x10. If you look at camerapedia for B&J 8x10, that's the camera I own (before I owned it, and it's sitting on someone elses Tiltall in the photo).

[Rick A]

Do you find the Tiltall sufficient for a heavy 4x5 camera like an older, metal Calumet? Also, how far down do the Tiltall tripods collapse for transport?

If you look at the old Calumet catalogues, you will find that Tiltalls were sold as standard equiptment accessories for the 4x5's.

[jnantz]

i used one with a graphic view II for 15 years
it's the best inexpensive tripod around

[Don Dudenbostel]

I have one of the original Marchioni that I've used for thirty years. It's getting pretty rough now and the legs bind even after cleaning and the aluminum turns my hands black when I use it. I also have short and long Leitz versions that i bought new in the 70's. The short Leitz had the same diameter legs as the tall and the head unscrews from a 1/4-20 stud and fits on the bottom of the column. The long one is exactly like the Marchioni and the head does not remove. To get low you must remove the center column and invert it in the legs. Most of the paint is gone from my black ones from heavy use. My wife has a later one that she's had for about fifteen years and it's very well made. She has both the tall and short. Her short version has smaller diameter legs than the tall but is well made.

I used mine with a 4x5 Norma, Master Technika, Rollei SL66 and 35mm cameras. It's not sturdy enough for an 8x10 or heavy 5x7. Long glass could be a problem if there's any wind. For hat I paid for them they are a great bargain. I have since retired them for some new CF Gitzos.

[Michael Jones]

A Marchioni was my first LF tripod 36 years ago and worked like a charm. I missed it so much, I bought another last year for back-up.

A wonderful tool.

Mike

[John Kasaian]

I use an old MarchioniTiltall on my 5x7 Speed Graphic and 4x5 Graphic View II---lighter than the Ries and works like a champ! :D

[gnuyork]

I have the Leitz version I bought used on Ebay for $40 - great tripod, but I now mostly use the Berlebach wooden tripod.

I may have to get the Tilt-all back out and see how it would do for backpacking trips compared to the Berlebach.