wheels and tripods

[peter ramm]

I am looking for a tripod with wheels for my Sinar 8 x 10. The entire camera setup must weigh 30lb. Add another 15 for a solid tripod to my aching back and you see the need for wheels.

I have seen the standard tripod dollies, and the Bencher tripod with casters. Anyone have any specific recommendations?

[William Whitaker]

For my Sinar Norma 8x10 I use a Linhof heavy-duty twin shank tripod with the geared center column and a Kardan pan/tilt II head. It all rides on a Linhof geared dolly. It's a superb rig and very stable. I would have preferred a studio stand, but the dolly folds by means of its crank wheel and I can easily get the tripod, dolly and camera case in my car. A studio stand would require a truck to move. Not that I'm moving this rig much, mind you, it stays put in my living room.

I don't have a photo of it all yet, but the attached image from some earlier Linhof advertising shows tripod and dolly, albeit with a different head.

http://wfwhitaker.com/tech/Linhof493.jpg

[Herb Cunningham]

Dunno about Canada, but here so many portrait shops have quit large format, the studio stands are abundant in the used market. They are VERY heavy, over 200# in some cases, but they roll nicely and are space savers over tripods, IMHO

[peter ramm]

Thanks for the studio stand advice, but I do have a big Foba stand. That works great on the smooth floor of the studio. However, rolling it outside or moving it from room to room is a real problem. I need something more mobile.

That Linhof looks wonderful. I'll keep my eyes open for something similar.

[Don Dudenbostel]

I purchased one of the Heavy Duty Pro Linhof tripods new in the mid 70's and used it for years. It's about the best LF tripod I've seen but it's a heavy beast. I traded it to another pro in the area and recently Steve Hamley wound up with it. I now own a 5 series carbon fiber Gitzo and feel it's about as strong at a fraction of the weight. You might find a ser of wheels from a cine tripod or a cine / video rig that would work well.

[ROL]

http://wfwhitaker.com/tech/Linhof493.jpg

I quite like the "dolly".

[JosephBurke]

I have both a Bogen brand dolly as well as a Samson model D1. The Samson has the larger castor wheels and any one of my larger (or smaller is a given) Gitzo's or Ries works great with it. The Samson is more solid that the Bogen but the Bogen is fine as well. One on the bay like the Samson I have is item #110656984845--it's pretty robust.
I gave $18 plus shipping for mine years ago on the bay.

[cowanw]

I have a Magestic #01113 wiich has 6 inch wheels and step on locks.
The Davis and Sanford has round legs at the end and can be fitted for wheels.
Lastly there are swingout struts that lock onto the posts of your tripod available or you can make a triangular Plywood base, with your choice of wheels, to set your tripod on.