What's the BEST ultra-light weight, compact 4x5 tripod you've actually used

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Originally Posted by Jim Noel

The one I use with the 8x10 weighs 20 oz.

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I hope they have one of these in the George Eastman Museum in Rochester!

In photographing in the field, I find that the tripod that I need depends on how long the exposure is and how long the bellows extension is. It depends on what I am needing to do. As mentioned above it is defeating to use a tripod that will allow camera movement during exposure. I have found taking images with long exposure times and long bellows extensions that there is a need to have more support for the camera than a shorter exposure of 1/30, 1/15 of a second. Most of my exposures are between 5 and 60 seconds - with smaller apertures for depth of field. By more support I mean a stronger tripod and definitely better support between the tripod and the camera. Some in this forum recommend using no tripod head or center column at all. The tripod head / column is where there is a single point that is controlling all of the vertical cantilever movement of the camera / lens weight to the tripod legs - which are sort of a 3 dimensional truss. The best tripod head design I have seen is the Ries Head - but it very heavy - it has 2 points of attachment to the tripod top rather than 1. I have 4 tripods none are as stable as a Ries tripod system. My lightest tripod is a Gitzo 1325 MK 2 at 4.4 pounds and made of carbon fiber. It work fine (by itself) for 4x5 with shorter length exposures. All of the other tripods are heavier, and depending on the head and brace or second tripod - more stable for longer exposures.

Recently I obtained 4 wood Folding Tripods

Very lightweight

I think they will be fine in/on grass, spikes

My Ries Model C is far heavier

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Originally Posted by Kiwi7475

Many options exist…. From all major manufacturers…
May want to check https://thecentercolumn.com/tripod-reviews/ as they cover specific tests/measurements that are quite relevant to the real world performance.

Overall ranking is here: https://thecentercolumn.com/rankings/

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Are any of those good for 8x10? The reason I ask is I'm only familiar with the Manfroto brand and the only list light duty tripods.

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Originally Posted by ic-racer

Are any of those good for 8x10? The reason I ask is I'm only familiar with the Manfroto brand and the only list light duty tripods.

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What type of 8x10? Like a Chamonix 8x10 or an Arca F line? Yes several of them would be ok, for example a Gitzo Series 5, or an RRS Series 3,, or similar. For a Sinar P2… maybe but it starts being a stretch…anything heavier than that I wouldn’t recommend.

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Originally Posted by Kiwi7475

What type of 8x10? Like a Chamonix 8x10 or an Arca F line? Yes several of them would be ok, for example a Gitzo Series 5, or an RRS Series 3,, or similar. For a Sinar P2… maybe but it starts being a stretch…anything heavier than that I wouldn’t recommend.

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I used to use the Toyo 810M with the FLM CP38-L4 II, and on occasion, the smaller CP34-L4 II tripod.
They both worked superbly.
With an 8x10, the weak point will be the head, or rather, how you attach the camera to the tripod.
Two FLM ball heads can support the 810M: CB-48FTR and CB-58FTR, with the latter being preferable.
But my usual method is to use a levelling half-ball, mount a QR clamp to that, and then attach the camera. No head, camera stays low to the tripod, and the half ball gives you 15˚ of movement.
As long as you don't need to point your camera straight up or down, this is the most stable arrangement I've tested out in the field.

I also use a FLM CP38-L4 with the big removable spikes

and like Ari, the 100mm 1/2 ball

Sometimes I add a NORMA tilt head and a very strong QR ARCA type

I consider the combo lightweight, when compared with my studio tripods

and my gimpy hands can carry it easily

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Originally Posted by Jim Noel

I have several Kodak (and other brands) wooden folding tripods. When set up correctly they are extremely sturdy. Any vibrations which will be amplified by metal and CF tripods, are dampened immediately. The one I use with the 8x10 weighs 20 oz.

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Long ago folding wooden tripods often served well. My pre-WW2 8x10 2D came in a 8x18x27 case which held a Folmer Graflex Crown No. 4 tripod, the camera, 7 film holders, two lenses, and smaller items. The tripod weighed almost 6 pounds, although it did extend up to 5 feet. For leveling and moderate tilts, no extra head was deeded.

I put my Wista 45DX on a • Velbon "El Carmagne 540", This tripod is mounted with a light-duty magnesium alloy "Gitzo G1177M" ball head.
Never weighed the combo, but it is just able to hold the camera adiquetly.