The Ries Tripods business status thread

[WBYonder]

You might be right about the spelling, although I think both spellings are used - I saw a program on the topic of precision a while back in which the history of these things was explained (Johansson, Ford etc.) but I can’t seem to remember the details.

Regarding Baer, all I remember are the Ries ads in View Camera magazine quoting him. Something like “why do I use Ries? Because…it’s the best there is”. At least I think I remember it being Baer. I could be wrong about that too though My brain ain’t what it used to be, unfortunately.

It may not have been. All the pictures I’ve seen of him are with a Miller tripod.

[Michael R]

Now I’m wondering what it is I think I saw. Anyway it doesn’t matter. I was just trying to get a ries out of Drew.

It may not have been. All the pictures I’ve seen of him are with a Miller tripod.

[Drew Wiley]

Mick - Then there's the price spelling, gouge.

And I think Michael is a bit confused, because in Canada tripods have legs that are curved at the bottom, made from old hockey sticks. Guess they'd be even more curved Down Under, made from old boomerangs.

[Michael R]

Here’s a fun fact - I’ve never owned a hockey stick. I did once have some sort of Nerf boomerang but that was circa early 1980s and it didn’t look like a traditional boomerang, more like a giant fidget spinner. Edward Weston had a wooden boomerang. That’s why some people still use them.

Mick - Then there's the price spelling, gouge.

And I think Michael is a bit confused, because in Canada tripods have legs that are curved at the bottom, made from old hockey sticks. Guess they'd be even more curved Down Under, made from old boomerangs.

[Mick Fagan]

Good one Drew, but I would use woomera's for a tripod instead of boomerangs.

A woomera is generally sturdy and as a youngster in the 1950's living outback for a time, I saw people using them. I'm also sure in parts of Australia today, a woomera is part of some people's arsenal.

As for gauging whether you are being gouged when shopping...

[starvingartist]

I have 2 Ries Tripods and 2 Ries Heads, the A series and the J series. I originally bought my first Ries A series Tripod about 8 years ago and have had a wonderful experience with the company. I have ordered spare parts over the years without any problem. Their products are all under warranty. I did have one issue where i needed a part, I lost my Tripod screw, while I was on vacation in Spain. They sent it 2 Day Air, no charge. I offered to pay for it, but they said no.

My latest purchase was recently in early September. I am enjoying my 4X5 and my Medium formats more than my larger 8X10 format so I needed a smaller tripod and head. I called and ordered my new tripod and head over the phone with Debbie. She was very helpful and knew what she was talking about. She did say that they are about 2 to 3 weeks out for the J series items and 4-6 weeks out on A series items. According to her there has been a huge shift in sales for the A series and that they are catching up. The tripod and head that I ordered arrived exactly 23 days from from when I ordered it. Technically that is when they said it would be shipped.

I have had only good experiences with this company. Everyone that sees my equipment comments on my tripod. Whenever I have had an issue or questions they have been there for me. I have compared my first Ries tripod side by side to a Berlebach tripod and there is absolutely no comparison. I am looking at this tripod and it is a work of art. I cannot believe that there are people out there that say the old ones are better. Mostly, I am wondering about the true motives of the naysayers on this thread. Are they actually trolls? Maybe they work for Berlebach.

Also, I wonder if there is any follow ups. Did they help you after your temper tantrum post but did not bother to follow up.

[Drew Wiley]

Mick, I happen to have a didgeridoo propped up in the room corner. It's just a tourist shop replica my sister brought back for me; but that might well be the prototype behind modern hollow aluminum and carbon fiber tripod legs. I should go find the hollow riser column from one of my CF tripods, and see what kind of sound it makes. In fact, there's no other use I have for a center column.

My own experience with boomerangs was a kid thing. We'd scramble way up on atop a brushy ridge which had particularly old mountain mahogany trees - unrelated to tropical mahogany. But when cut, it's bright orange, and an extremely dense heavy wood which sinks in water. We'd find an appropriate Y-branch, remove that, cure it, then rasp shape it. A lot more work than a modern multi-ply boomerang, but the darn things worked, and would be lethal if it hit someone. I can't recall ever bagging a rabbit with one, but we tried. Maybe a duck or goose. And the only marsupials we have around are smelly possums, which nobody eats outside the Southeast. I also had nice mountain mahogany gunstock - stable as a rock, but darn near as heavy too.

I do have some true Caribbean mahogany stock laying around, if I wanted to make my own wooden tripod. But I have too many projects already, and will settle for the hard maple legs of my two Ries tripods. I'm afraid that most of my woodworking going forward is going to be for sake of house remodeling.

[Mick Fagan]

Well Drew, you need to look at this small lesson in how to play a didgeridoo. Can't have your didgeridoo just looking good, can we?

Filmed probably around 15 years ago, at the start he demonstrates various sounds, then around the halfway mark, he explains and demonstrates how to continuously breathe in, and at the same time, keep blowing the instrument.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XlEkeot7HM

[Drew Wiley]

My grammar school music teacher gave me dirty looks from the time I was 7 until his death, never forgiving me for what I did with a violin. He'd roll in his grave if I put a sound out of a didgeridoo.

[MrFujicaman]

Us real men use a old "Chicago" Majestic....