Old Ries or new Berlebach tripod?

[Bruce Schultz]

I'm on a weight loss project. I have a 15-pound Bogen, and I'd like to get the weight down to single digit poundage. My budget is slim.
About once a week, an old Ries comes up on ebay. I'm tempted but not sure how stable a 50-60 year old tripod would be. As an alternative, I've considered a Berlebach. However, I once tried a Wolf (from what I understand, it's a Berlebach knockoff) and I wasn't impressed with the stability factor.
I'll be using a Wehman 8x10 with a 250mm lens.
Any thoughts on what would be the best choice? I'm not opposed to a lesser-known tripod like a Giotto if they are as stable as they are light.

[robert_4927]

If you want light go with a carbon fiber tripod

[Steve Hamley]

IMO you won't get even a J-series Ries with head into the single digits. I use an 11 lb 8x10 with a Gitz0 1348 and either an Acratech head or a Kirk BH-1 (better for 8x10).

Steve

[robert_4927]

Steve even the j series may be to light for his camera. I agree I have used Gitzo and they are a great tripod

[ronald moravec]

I use a Berlbach that is 6 feet tall with two section legs and a built in leveling ball type for the camera. I would not call it a complete ball head, but it moves maybe 45 degrees which is more than sufficient for LF. And it has a very low profile.

I love it with a quick release, but it is heavy set up.

Cardon fiber is best if you want to save weight. Carbon fiber `pods do not use ground spikes if you care.

I would not pay much for an old `pod unless the design is unchanged and repairable. It will be heavy.

[Bill_1856]

While I would not use it for an 8x10 monorail or even a Kodak Master, I believe that a TILTALL will work just fine for your Wehman. It was originally designed for the big, heavy and shaky 16mm Cine-Kodak. For several years they were made by E. Leitz (that's the one to get), and go for less than $100 on ebay.

[paulr]

I inherited my grandfather's Tiltall and found it to be very flimsy. Maybe they had more than one model ... I don't know. I've heard other people rave about it. But my lightweight bogen (not designed for 4x5) was more stable with a 4x5 than this tiltall. the problem was flex in the leg tubing, not loose joints or anything.

I'm guessing that dripping weigth to single digits with 8x10 either means spending a lot of money, compromising a lot of rigidity, or getting a lot lucky.

[Arne Croell]

Carbon fiber `pods do not use ground spikes if you care.

Ronald,there is an aftermarket solution for some of them, see http://www.markinsamerica.com/MA5/category.php?req=5

Not cheap and requires some work on the tripod, but they do work.

[ronald moravec]

I guess some one else saw the need. Thanks for the link.

Is it possible the strength of the legs will not tolerate the type of stress the aftermarket additions add? I`m not familiar with the mechanical properties of CF other than it is rigid and light. What I`m asking is there a tendency to crack the bottoms of the legs if there is sideways stress.

[Arne Croell]

Ronald, the part inside the leg has about the same length as the original rubber one, and they are installed the same way (glued in). I installed mine about a year ago (on a 1325) and haven't registered any problems so far. You need a hot air gun to soften the cement holding the old ones in and good epoxy and curing time for the new ones. Note that the instructions use some unusual word for the heat gun, probably a translation issue, something like flame torch. I would certainly not use any open flame on the tripods. A regular hot air gun for removing paint works fine, though.