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Thread: Review of Linhof Heavy Duty Tripod, comments welcome.

  1. #21

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    Re: Review of Linhof Heavy Duty Tripod, comments welcome.

    Quote Originally Posted by Greg View Post
    I'd advise getting a soft tripod carrying case that has a wide strap. With tripod cases's strap over my shoulder and camera equipment in a backpack, I have easily (well not exactly easily but very doable) walked a distance of several football fields away from my car. Also have corresponded with another photographer who carries his Linhof HD tripod in a modified and very stripped down wheeled golf bag carrying cart, with a "U" shaped top for the tripod to ride inside of, bottom "shelf" to support the tripod and three bungee cords to hold the whole thing together. While back bought another Linhof HD tripod with no center column but just a top plate to mount my Quester telescope on. Quester recommended using sed HD tripod to mount their telescope on, and they really knew what they were talking about. Was out one very windy night on a hill in northern NH (minimal, I mean very minimal light pollution if at all) observing the Universe with the combo, and honestly the images I viewed through the eyepiece were dead solid.
    I sold Questar the Linhof tripods that they sold. When they were looking for a new tripod they invited me to their factory in New Hope to bring tripods out for their tests.
    The test that convinced them to sell both the HD Pro and the ProfiPort models involved taking them outside and setting them up on a concrete slab with their big telescopes mounted on it. They then had an extremely large employee stand next to the tripod, he had to be well over 300 pounds, and while an engineer looked through the eyepiece the large guy jumped up and down very close to the tripod. The engineer was looking to see how much the scope vibrated. He did not hold or have his eye or face in direct contact with the scope while observing.
    There was no movement whatsoever!
    They also had other tripods lined up for this test from Gitzo, Majestic, Davis & Sandford, Manfrotto, Foba, etc.
    The HD Pro was the only one with no vibration at all transmitted to the scope.

    We kind of knew that this would be the outcome as we had been selling the HD Pro to major art museums to hold very heavy IR video cameras that they used to scan old paintings to observe what, if anything, was painted under the surface. To do this they needed a non vibrating tripod but with it they had to have a center column that did not move the camera side to side while elevating it and a macro slider that did not move the camera up and down while panning from side to side. Only the Linhof passed this test and we had a special package made up for these art museums. The only part that had to be specially made was the slider. It normally had a rail about 8" long that could move side to side. That rail was actually a short section from a Kardan JBL camera so we had the factory use instead the standard JBL rail that was 18" long.

  2. #22
    Embdude's Avatar
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    Re: Review of Linhof Heavy Duty Tripod, comments welcome.

    Quote Originally Posted by Tin Can View Post
    First, I am looking for that 90 degree adapter! I want one.

    I happen to have 3 of the HD Linhofs as I use them with my 2 early model Linhof Color Kardan. They demand a sturdy tripod with the 90mm interface. I have tilt adapters, geared columns and the column extension Bob talks about. Also a HD Linhof Pan tilt movie head with QR. The dolly is exquisite, big and sturdy.

    I like the early Kardans for their almost no holds barred construction, but they are not perfect. Delicate knobs! Amazing bellows. Big 9" lens boards.

    I also have 3/8" & 1/4" 90mm adapter plates for usage with lesser camera. But I don't trust those plates, too delicate. A large base head like a big Ries will be fine. I will add one one when my ship comes in. Last week I made an adapter from 90mm to 1.5" to use Majestic 1200 head on Linhof tripod. My adapter is much stronger and used off the shelf McMaster parts bolted securely together. Cheap!

    Attachment 156271Attachment 156272Attachment 156273Attachment 156274
    What part did you get for the 90mm cap? I searched for 90mm and nothing came up on the mcmaster site...

  3. #23
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    Re: Review of Linhof Heavy Duty Tripod, comments welcome.

    McMaster Carr has much, i used their catalog for decades for our factory.

    I made the adapter from 4 items.

    I fully documented the project in DIY as usual, and as usual very hard to find anything here...

    I bought 3 things from McMaster Carr

    2 aluminum dowels, one cut to the right length by them. Standard parts. The thinner one fit exactly the Majestic as both are SAE

    The 90 mm dowel was slightly undersized in diameter, but i used SS shim tape also sold by them to match 90mm.

    Then drilled both and fitted a good 3/8" bolt and nut through them.

    Works well and way stronger than OE Linhof adapters, they never made what I did.

    Another member here also offered custom plugs to fit the Majestic, but they were for standard tripods with 3/8" bolt.

    I think I bought one...I have a few Majestics...

    OK! found my order!

    Multipurpose 6061 Aluminum
    3-1/2" Diameter 1" long

    Multipurpose 6061 Aluminum, 1-1/2" Diameter I bought 6" and cut it with a hacksaw, so I had spare parts.

    SS Shim Tape 1" wide 9ft

    McMaster got smart and no longer lets us copy exact specs with part numbers

    We know why!
    Tin Can

  4. #24
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    Re: Review of Linhof Heavy Duty Tripod, comments welcome.

    Tin Can

  5. #25

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    Re: Review of Linhof Heavy Duty Tripod, comments welcome.

    Quote Originally Posted by Greg View Post
    OK, a new Linhof Heavy Duty Tripod with center column will now set you back $4,289.45, and you still will need to purchase a head for it. I'm guessing that there are very few photographers out there that are willing or even could dole out that much money for a tripod. So why even consider it? Well current model is all black and I'm sure has it had some minor improvements or revisions in recent years. Well there are plenty of earlier versions of the current model out there. I believe there was a first version with a bit different leg configuration made are till the 1960s? (Bob S. comment on this?). Older versions of the current tripod model can be had for under $500. Shipping costs can take your breath away. In the past few years have I bought 2 of them. One to use for photography. The other one for use with a Questar telescope (Questar once recommended this tripod for mounting their excellent telescope on).

    So why consider this tripod?

    This is one very seriously stable heavy duty tripod. At maximum leg and column extension it places your tripod head 6 feet 8 inches inches above the ground and the tripod is still rock steady. I have yearly used it to photograph our local school's plays from the back of the auditorium. Tripod is extended way up there. I actually attached two clamps to the 2 rear feet/legs to stand on. Tripod easily held my weight and the weight of camera with ease. Another little secret is that the 4 foot long geared column off a Linhof Heavy Duty Copy Stand can be used with the tripod. All you have to do is remove the top clamp from the tripod's column. Little round piece of metal holds the top clamp and the column together. Drill a small hole in the side of the copy stand's column matching the one in the top clamp. Use a easily removable clevis hitch to mount the top clamp onto the 4 foot column. Using the column from the copy stand increases the maximum height to 8 feet 8 inches without a tripod head and is amazingly solid.

    Legs fold out and are held in place at maximum extension by aluminum rods. One time I needed to have the camera about 2 feet above the ground. I first removed the center column. I then removed the aluminum rods and replaced them with longer chains allowing the feet to extend out to maybe 20 degrees to the ground. You have a very solid 1 to 2 foot high tripod.

    Choosing a head for this tripod seems to be it's Achilles heal... using too small of a tripod head will be the weakest link. I personally prefer a Ries J250-2 head.

    Portability... you've got to be kidding. Weighed mine without a head and came in at 24lbs. I have a fabric carrying case for it and have carried it for distances of several hundred feet, but to be honest I use mine either in the studio or from the back of my car.

    There is a 90 degree adapter to have the camera column extend horizontally out from the top of the tripod. Never considered one until I found a 90 degree adapter at a price I couldn't pass up on. For table top photography an amazing accessory to have and use. You're able to sit in a chair with clear leg room and have the camera right in front of you. I use 2 sandbags over the opposite tripod leg as a counter weight.

    Tripod Dolly: never used one but have been told that Linhof's (OEM) dolly is an excellent product.

    Variations: (posted this a few days ago on another thread) Back in the 1980s we rented a Linhof Heavy Duty tripod whose bottom legs were probably X3 or X4 the length of the normal chrome bottom OEM legs. Center post was raised all the way up (possibly with an extension). I'm guessing the top of the tripod was 12 feet above the ground. Was actually a very, very stable. Working with the Sinar mounted way up that high was a challenge since I was standing/balancing atop a way less stable step ladder.

    Replacement parts? I have no Idea. The rubber/composite feet ends I've epoxied them to the bottom of my tripod's legs. Never needed to use the spikes and replacement rubber/composite feet ends probably not available or maybe by special order with a price to match.

    So what do I use my Linhof Heavy Duty tripod for? One with legs only for my Questar telescope. The other has been used over the years for high speed film photography, photographing plays from the back of the auditorium, testing lenses, using my 11x14 from the back of the car, Digital FX with an 800mm lens and Sidemount Wimberley Head, and always in the studio. One time shot on a very windy day with the tripod and a 4x5 Sinar Norma mounted on it... extended bellows vibrated with the wind but the camera was rock solid.

    Would love to have others comment on the Linhof Heaby Duty Tripod. I've used them since the late 1970s. Sold them twice in the past, always with regrets later on. Would never even consider selling my current two.

    What do these vintage Linhofs like this one sell for today? (w/o the 90 degree adapter) Haven't had much luck when doing a search online.

  6. #26
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    Re: Review of Linhof Heavy Duty Tripod, comments welcome.

    Excellent thank you! I have large items that I hope to mount on top of the tripod, an antique spotting scope with a 16mm shaft and a big camera, a Fairchild F56... 40lb as I have it but up to 70lb. with all accessories and a loaded LF bulk film magazine. The f56 camera has a machine gun style mounting pinion that is 28mm wide...

    Quote Originally Posted by Tin Can View Post
    McMaster Carr has much, i used their catalog for decades for our factory.

    I made the adapter from 4 items.

    I fully documented the project in DIY as usual, and as usual very hard to find anything here...

    I bought 3 things from McMaster Carr

    2 aluminum dowels, one cut to the right length by them. Standard parts. The thinner one fit exactly the Majestic as both are SAE

    The 90 mm dowel was slightly undersized in diameter, but i used SS shim tape also sold by them to match 90mm.

    Then drilled both and fitted a good 3/8" bolt and nut through them.

    Works well and way stronger than OE Linhof adapters, they never made what I did.

    Another member here also offered custom plugs to fit the Majestic, but they were for standard tripods with 3/8" bolt.

    I think I bought one...I have a few Majestics...

    OK! found my order!

    Multipurpose 6061 Aluminum
    3-1/2" Diameter 1" long

    Multipurpose 6061 Aluminum, 1-1/2" Diameter I bought 6" and cut it with a hacksaw, so I had spare parts.

    SS Shim Tape 1" wide 9ft

    McMaster got smart and no longer lets us copy exact specs with part numbers

    We know why!

  7. #27

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    Location
    Mt. Pleasant, Wisconsin USA
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    Re: Review of Linhof Heavy Duty Tripod, comments welcome.

    Quote Originally Posted by Greg View Post
    OK, a new Linhof Heavy Duty Tripod with center column will now set you back $4,289.45, and you still will need to purchase a head for it. I'm guessing that there are very few photographers out there that are willing or even could dole out that much money for a tripod. So why even consider it? Well current model is all black and I'm sure has it had some minor improvements or revisions in recent years. Well there are plenty of earlier versions of the current model out there. I believe there was a first version with a bit different leg configuration made are till the 1960s? (Bob S. comment on this?). Older versions of the current tripod model can be had for under $500. Shipping costs can take your breath away. In the past few years have I bought 2 of them. One to use for photography. The other one for use with a Questar telescope (Questar once recommended this tripod for mounting their excellent telescope on).

    So why consider this tripod?

    This is one very seriously stable heavy duty tripod. At maximum leg and column extension it places your tripod head 6 feet 8 inches inches above the ground and the tripod is still rock steady. I have yearly used it to photograph our local school's plays from the back of the auditorium. Tripod is extended way up there. I actually attached two clamps to the 2 rear feet/legs to stand on. Tripod easily held my weight and the weight of camera with ease. Another little secret is that the 4 foot long geared column off a Linhof Heavy Duty Copy Stand can be used with the tripod. All you have to do is remove the top clamp from the tripod's column. Little round piece of metal holds the top clamp and the column together. Drill a small hole in the side of the copy stand's column matching the one in the top clamp. Use a easily removable clevis hitch to mount the top clamp onto the 4 foot column. Using the column from the copy stand increases the maximum height to 8 feet 8 inches without a tripod head and is amazingly solid.

    Legs fold out and are held in place at maximum extension by aluminum rods. One time I needed to have the camera about 2 feet above the ground. I first removed the center column. I then removed the aluminum rods and replaced them with longer chains allowing the feet to extend out to maybe 20 degrees to the ground. You have a very solid 1 to 2 foot high tripod.

    Choosing a head for this tripod seems to be it's Achilles heal... using too small of a tripod head will be the weakest link. I personally prefer a Ries J250-2 head.

    Portability... you've got to be kidding. Weighed mine without a head and came in at 24lbs. I have a fabric carrying case for it and have carried it for distances of several hundred feet, but to be honest I use mine either in the studio or from the back of my car.

    There is a 90 degree adapter to have the camera column extend horizontally out from the top of the tripod. Never considered one until I found a 90 degree adapter at a price I couldn't pass up on. For table top photography an amazing accessory to have and use. You're able to sit in a chair with clear leg room and have the camera right in front of you. I use 2 sandbags over the opposite tripod leg as a counter weight.

    Tripod Dolly: never used one but have been told that Linhof's (OEM) dolly is an excellent product.

    Variations: (posted this a few days ago on another thread) Back in the 1980s we rented a Linhof Heavy Duty tripod whose bottom legs were probably X3 or X4 the length of the normal chrome bottom OEM legs. Center post was raised all the way up (possibly with an extension). I'm guessing the top of the tripod was 12 feet above the ground. Was actually a very, very stable. Working with the Sinar mounted way up that high was a challenge since I was standing/balancing atop a way less stable step ladder.

    Replacement parts? I have no Idea. The rubber/composite feet ends I've epoxied them to the bottom of my tripod's legs. Never needed to use the spikes and replacement rubber/composite feet ends probably not available or maybe by special order with a price to match.

    So what do I use my Linhof Heavy Duty tripod for? One with legs only for my Questar telescope. The other has been used over the years for high speed film photography, photographing plays from the back of the auditorium, testing lenses, using my 11x14 from the back of the car, Digital FX with an 800mm lens and Sidemount Wimberley Head, and always in the studio. One time shot on a very windy day with the tripod and a 4x5 Sinar Norma mounted on it... extended bellows vibrated with the wind but the camera was rock solid.

    Would love to have others comment on the Linhof Heaby Duty Tripod. I've used them since the late 1970s. Sold them twice in the past, always with regrets later on. Would never even consider selling my current two.

    I have a Linhof Pro HD tripod, and can report that replacement rubber ends for the legs are available from Omega Brandess (US distributor), and probably B&H or other retailers who offer most Linhof gear. If you go to Linhof's website and find your way to the Spare Parts section you should be able to find them listed as "Parts Nos. 035541 and 004555 Rubber Foot for Heavy Duty Pro and Profi 3 Tripod and Washer." I checked the Omega Brandess website and they list this item at $80, and the included "washers" are special metal clips that hold the rubber parts onto the tripod feet ends.
    ... JMOwens (Mt. Pleasant, Wisc. USA)

    "If people only knew how hard I work to gain my mastery, it wouldn't seem so wonderful at all." ...Michelangelo

  8. #28
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    Re: Review of Linhof Heavy Duty Tripod, comments welcome.

    Thanks for the source of rubber feet

    This one has dried out rubber, but sits on the Linhof dolly
    Linhof Kardon 5X7 with Linhof tipod and dolly by TIN CAN COLLEGE, on Flickr



    Quote Originally Posted by JMO View Post
    I have a Linhof Pro HD tripod, and can report that replacement rubber ends for the legs are available from Omega Brandess (US distributor), and probably B&H or other retailers who offer most Linhof gear. If you go to Linhof's website and find your way to the Spare Parts section you should be able to find them listed as "Parts Nos. 035541 and 004555 Rubber Foot for Heavy Duty Pro and Profi 3 Tripod and Washer." I checked the Omega Brandess website and they list this item at $80, and the included "washers" are special metal clips that hold the rubber parts onto the tripod feet ends.
    Tin Can

  9. #29

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    Re: Review of Linhof Heavy Duty Tripod, comments welcome.

    I bought my Linhof Heavy Duty Pro second hand for 300 euro a little while ago from a photo shop in Amsterdam, where I bought a Sinar P2 8x10 a few weeks earlier before.
    The tripod attracted my attention because of its sturdiness, film style pan/tilt head, and load capacity (20 kg). The shop claimed that it was manufactured by Linhof for the Swiss army, which explains its rather special olive drab color:

    Click image for larger version. 

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    After I bought the Sinar P2 8x10 I found out that I needed a heavier, yet portable, tripod. The Linhof is an almost perfect match for the heavy camera.
    The only downside is, that given its long center column, the ability to lower the tripod is quite limited. A solution would be the matching Linhof dolly, with or without the tripod, but the dolly is quite rare and relatively expensive.

    Click image for larger version. 

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  10. #30
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    Re: Review of Linhof Heavy Duty Tripod, comments welcome.

    The center column is removable, the aluminum tube also unscrews after removing QR struts which is the only way to get the tripod low on or off the dolly

    It is also possible to attach a head directly to the dolly, without a tripod

    It's a versatile system with the accessory extensions it can reach very high

    I have an older Linhof movie head with QR, tilt and pan

    https://www.linhofstudio.com/products/Linhof-Tripods

    I will post images of accessories soon
    Tin Can

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