For LF a tripod and head are pretty critical. I'm betting the tripod you buy a few months after the cheap one will be the one you end up with. I would budget $250 as a minimum.
Kent in SD
For LF a tripod and head are pretty critical. I'm betting the tripod you buy a few months after the cheap one will be the one you end up with. I would budget $250 as a minimum.
Kent in SD
In contento ed allegria
Notte e di vogliam passar!
Tin Can
Thanks everyone. I may just wait a bit and get a nice one.
I used a Star D for my early LF days. Worked fine. Not heavy. Aluminum. I changed the knobs to make them bigger, easier to tighten and un-. There's one on Craigslist for $20. Good sticks.
Look for a "Tiltall" originally manufactured by E.Leitz in the late 40's and still being made,often under other names. New approximately $100. Used about the same price. 50 years from now you can still be using it. I just gave one of mine i have owned since the 1950's to a daughter. She should be able to use it until she i ready to hand it down again. At one time it was also called "Star D". Not quite as good, but still a good solid tripod and head.
I found you one.
https://www.ebay.com/i/143354385496?...MaAnNuEALw_wcB
Those were certainly the poor man's favorite for quite awhile.
Just be very careful which knob you rotate on that tripod while adjusting the column. Unless you like broken knuckles!Originally Posted by Jim Noel
Adapt a hook to the the bottom of the center column and hang your camera bag or a plastic shopping bag full of rocks... You'd be surprised how much more sturdy and solid it makes the Tiltall. Have owned a few and the original Leitz ones seemed to be the best of the lot. Beware of cheaply made copies because they are nothing like the original Leitz ones. Once picked up a no-name copy at a garage sale. Although it looked great cosmetically, in use felt flimsy. Ended up throwing it away because it was frustrating to use in the field.
My Tiltall is by Leitz, but, as I recall, the original manufacturer was Marchioni--and that probably is not the correct spelling.
Keith
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