How do you set up your tripod?

[C. D. Keth]

Ever try hanging a weight from the bottom of the tripod center post? Anything from a bag of stones or sand, a jug of water . . .or even the camera bag can work. some tripods already have a hook down there.

I do that when I'm worried about wind or have to set the tripod off balance a little for some reason. I have a mesh bag I hang from the center and fill with rocks. I hang it and let the rocks just touch the ground so wind can't introduce swinging.

[Vaughn]

...Or to give you a concrete scenario: while I'm well over 6'6" in my hiking boots, my Induro tripod and Sinar pan/tilt head puts my Sinar Norma GG right at eye level. Unfortunately, it's rare that the understory vegetation doesn't get in the way of what I'm trying to catch higher in the canopy. Certainly I'm not looking for "architectural" precision--not many parallel lines in my neck of the woods--but I'd like to square things off as much as possible.

I start off square (level) but in the woods sometimes the image will dictate otherwise! In high-heeled hiking boots I'd be 6'6" (why is there a Cheech song going thru my head?) -- large redwood branches laid on top of the sword ferns blocking my view is common...as is looking for higher perches!

The second image (ca1994, vertical 5x7 carbon print) was taken where the person is laying on the redwood in the first image (1986, SGP from 4x5) The top of the redwood is now its own forest. But the camera itself was at least 20 feet above the forest floor

[CreationBear]

But the camera itself was at least 20 feet above the forest floor

Excellent, I definitely envy you your open woods--I've often thought that a climbing tree stand would come in handy, though the Federales in the GSMNP might look askance. At any rate, your scenario does bring to mind another skill I need to pick up: manipulating the lens shutter/aperture by feel.

[Alan Klein]

Good clamps and QR plates, and a good mounting platform are essential with bigger cameras.
Much of the time I use a half-ball as levelling base on my tripod, this helps a lot with small adjustments.
And another item that helps is a pocket viewfinder.
This allows me to frame a shot 90% accurately before I take out the camera or tripod.
And I don't like carrying the camera on a tripod, too much can go wrong.

I just started shooting 4x5. So I decided to try my P&S micro 4/3 digital camera. First, I set it to BW and adjust the zoom to match the LF lens coverage. Then I can look to see where I want to shoot. Once I get the 4x5 camera on the tripod and focused and set up, I use the P&S to do the exposure and watch it's histogram. I then can take a quick shot of the scene for late reference as well as dictate and record the settings I used using video mode. I transcribe the settings at my leisure when I get home. I'm still learning and it's a little fiddly. But then again so is LF photography.

[Vaughn]

Excellent, I definitely envy you your open woods--I've often thought that a climbing tree stand would come in handy, though the Federales in the GSMNP might look askance. At any rate, your scenario does bring to mind another skill I need to pick up: manipulating the lens shutter/aperture by feel.

One has to wander a lot to find open areas and those 12 diameter trees are to photograph around. Those ferns are 4 feet tall, and most is berries and salal (Gaulthoria shallon) taller than we are (referred by the locals as "green shit"). It is one of the reasons I like to work along creeks...use to walk down the middle of the creeks in the early winter since no way one could penetrate the greenery on each side. Later, the steelhead and cut-throats come up and spawn and one needs to keep out and not disturbs the redds. New Years Day I'd take the boys to Prairie Creek to check out the steelies.

A local band at the bar next to my house (skip to 1minute for music); https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBqoKsO1arY

A few times I have wished for a small mirror -- one lens has an aperture scale only on one side. But fortunately most lens boards are square and can be rotated so I can lean out and see at least one side. The only problem with that is not only do my shutters differ slightly, but how I mount the board on the camera changes where the controls are -- making it tough 'by feel'. Many times I have just had to rotate the camera around, study the control set-up, and then re-compose.

[LabRat]

I keep some of those plastic dental mirrors in my kit...

I have oriented all my lenses to read the f scale on the right hand side of the camera, as my cameras are often higher than my head, but often I only have access to the left side during some set-ups...

But it does take some practice to learn to use mirrors, know where to look on my odd assortment of older lenses, and not hurt myself (or worst the camera) while using them in iffy locations... And everything is reversed in them... ;-(

I buy them at the drugstore...

Steve K

[CreationBear]

salal (Gaulthoria shallon) taller than we are (referred by the locals as "green shit"). It is one of the reasons I like to work along creeks...use to walk down the middle of the creeks in the early winter since no way one could penetrate the greenery on each side. Later, the steelhead and cut-throats come up and spawn and one needs to keep out and not disturbs the redds

Ha, it's dog hobble (Leucothoe) and rhododendron in these parts that dump you into creekbeds (or, if your risk/reward matrix is totally skewed, lead you to use deadfalls like scaffolding)

At any rate, I will have to think on Steve's mirrors--an elegant solution...if I could view them clearly with my middle-aged eyes. (Half my pack weight seems devoted to glasses in different prescriptions already.

[rdenney]

I guess this is a very basic question, indeed:

What is your tripod setup routine?

I often extend the legs to what I think is the correct height, put the camera onto it, fiddle around a bit, wrestle the controls and dark cloth ... and find I have to get lower down, or level the camera according to the terrain, adjusting the tripod legs up or down. The cameras I use aren't heavy in themselves, but it is always a worry something will happen. A rather different feeling compared to smaller formats. Setting up to various standard heights would also be easier if there were markings on the tripod (at least mine doesn't have it).

When one has no head at all (on the tripod, that is!) I guess one gets into even more "adjusting the legs while trying to hold on the camera".

Maybe it is because I've always had to struggle with my tripods, head not tight on the tripod, fiddly quick plates, worn out stuff ... tripod blues.

My Bogen tripods have adjustable-length bracing struts from the legs to the bottom of the center post. That lets me adjust the column to be vertical (i.e., the platform is level) very quickly. For my Sinar cameras, I use one of those big Bogens with a Sinar Tilt Head and tripod adapter more or less permanently installed. I first scope out the scene and identify my desired camera location, and then set up the tripod (with the camera still in the case) to place the camera at about that height, with a level platform. I use the bubble level on the top of the tripod to get it approximately level. Then, I install the camera into the tripod adapter. Invariably, I will need to make small adjustments--the bubble level on the tripod is not that precise. But the closer the top of the tripod is to level, the less I have to mess with those adjustments if I turn the camera. With the Sinar, yaw is adjusted on the Tilt-Head, roll is adjusted with the tripod adapter clamp (the round Sinar rail will rotate side to side in that clamp) and pitch with the tilting feature of the Tilt Head.

I have another of those tripods that can be set up with a three-way head that clamps to a Bogen Hex Plate, one of which I have permanently mounted on the monorail adapter on my Cambo.

For my smaller cameras, I have the Sinar adapter that lets one install a regular camera into the Sinar tripod adapter. On that, I mounted an Arca-style clamp for Arca release plates, which is my standard for all my smaller formats. So, if I'm out with one of the Sinars and bring a smaller camera, I only need one tripod. When not bringing the Sinar, however, my regular tripod for my smaller cameras is a Gitzo 3532 with an Arca B1 ballhead. But I hate ball heads for view cameras and for the Sinar, only the Tilt Head makes any sense. The Gitzo is small and light in comparison to the Bogens, though it's still plenty large enough for 4x5 cameras. I would happily use it for any large-format camera that uses a regular tripod mount, with an Arca-style plate.

Rick "who has used big Bogens since Lester Bogen appeared in an ad sitting on one" Denney

[rdenney]

Learned a new tripod trick a few weeks ago that might help against vibration using timed speeds under extreme conditions (not for everyday use, but might help under very extreme situations)...

I have been shooting a 4X5 Graflex Super D RB daily that produces a "bump" when mirror flips up right before shutter opens... When on even a sturdy tripod, you can feel and see a slight jump, and film tests proved it... Been shooting it with long lenses and have been doing shots with critical edges, so I wanted to use a smaller pod in the field instead of one of my large wooden MP tripods that resist this vibration, but wanted to use a smaller Majestic that's lighter and has the gear head... But this still allowed the vibration blur... I had added an oak tripod mounting block on bottom of camera that also provides better transfer of support, more ridges to wrap hands around when holding, and provision for a guitar strap to screw into the sides... When on the tripod, my plan was to try "holding" the camera while still being supported... Then I noticed something interesting...

When my palms were pressed along the center of gravity on the camera and were pressing some little pressure downwards in what felt like the strongest center point in the tripod, the mirror flop dissappeared INTO the tripod!!! Felt totally dampened now...

I was thinking this might help view cameras under high wind/vibration conditions also if a disc plate was between camera and tripod/head that allowed hands to push downwards to dampen external vibration when needed... A disc of plywood, hardwood, metal etc with a tripod screw for the camera, and a threaded insert for head mounting allows some place to press downwards for this effect...

I noticed even if my camera was aiming up or down at 45°, I still can feel where the strong part of the mounting is, so pressed in that direction...

So not for everyday use, but for a last chance situation, it might help... It might take some practice, but put camera on pod and feel around for what seems it's strongest point to try pressing down as a test...

Sorry if the post is long...

Steve K

I do the same things when using my Pentax 67. A large hand pressing the camera down into the tripod eliminates the shake caused by the opening first shutter (I already use mirror pre-release).

Rick "big focal-plane shutters do have inertia" Denney

[rdenney]

Excellent, thanks! I'll have to do some experiments to see what kind of "angle of attack" I can get away with--I find I'm using a 240/9 G-Claron a lot these days, so the ~300mm IC ought to give me a bit of leeway, especially in these wild-and-wooly environs.

Remember that convergence happens when the back is not vertical. You can leave the back zeroed and use front rise, or you can tilt the rail back and then tilt the back to vertical--as long as the back is vertical, you won't have convergence.

You can, of course, leave the lens at right angles to the rail when you tilt the camera back, and then image circle won't be a problem with the tilted back. But it will screw up the focus plane, tilting it towards you at the top of the scene and away from you at the ground. That may be okay if the subject material is tree trunks and canopy reaching back towards you, but it will be the opposite of what you want if the scene includes ground-level foreground. f/45 may help, too

Often, we minimize effects we can't correct completely. So, we don't completely neutralize vertical convergence, and we tilt the front to be as close to parallel to the back (no matter where the rail is aimed) is the image circle will allow. f/45 helps with the image circle, too, of course. Most images are the best compromise of competing technical objectives to get the artistic result we want.

In the darkroom, a little bit of convergence can be corrected by raising one end of the easel, but again you'll need a tiny aperture to provide the depth of field that you'll need when doing that.

On the topic of tall tripods, I have extension legs for one of my Bogens that will put the camera at about nine feet. I did that to make a photo through a window opening in one of the side buildings of the San Jose Mission in San Antonio. After positioning the camera, I realized I had no way to elevate myself to camera height. I had to guess, informed by careful measurements of height. It worked, but it wasn't easy and depended too much on luck. I was glad my kit had a 36" cable release in it. Now, any time those extension legs are brought, so is the little three-step ladder.

Rick "who also likes his verticals vertical" Denney