Berlebach tripods - advice?

[Michael Graves]

I have a 3032 bought used and its a great tripod. It easily supported my 5x7 Korona with the extension rail maxed out. It can probably handle a wooden 8x10 without any trouble. Buy one!

I have the 3032 with a Gitzo R3 head and my 810M is quite steady on it. I used to have a 2D and it was fine.

[Colin Corneau]

I ended up getting the 8023, and picked up a Manfrotto QR head, a basic 3way pan and tilt.

Pretty happy with the purchase (and the service, Rob Skeoch, thanks) although I've only used it a few times. The real test will be travelling with it in a month's time.

Thanks for all the great help, folks

[Geary Lyons]

If someone has had both, how do they compare to the Ries tripods?

Well I'll throw another variable into the mix to answer. My Berlebach, 3 section leg, is for 4x4 mymy light weight 5x7 Pocket Expedition. The Berlebach is light, very stable and the default for packing or travel. I have used it with a KMV 8x10 with good performance and results. The 2 section Berlebach, would likely, be a bit more stable for a heavier camera such as the KMV, but misses my "compactness" requirement for travel.

I have an older Ries, heavy, stable, heavy, slower to work with, heavy, and uncomfortable to carry on my shoulders, because of the leg profile and , (did I mention that it is heavy?), even for short distances. I use an old wooden Miller for 8x10. It is lighter, than the Ries, , much easier to use. The rounded leg profile makes it much less bothersome when carried in the field, even with the camera attached to the head.

Cheers,
Geary

[Dave Moeller]

1. I've got interested in Berlebach tripod. I am 1.85m high, so I consider 1.65m tripod too short. That leads me to conclusion that I will need to buy a model with a center column, [sigh].

I'm 2.0m tall, and the Berlebach 4032 is plenty tall for me. There's no center column, just a leveling ball on the top. Remember that you're going to be looking at the ground glass on top of the tripod, which is slightly higher than the top of the tripod head.

Before I set up an 8x10 on the Berlebach, I usually lower the tripod legs a few inches to make working with the camera easier.

[Void]

I'm 2.0m tall, and the Berlebach 4032 is plenty tall for me.

That's exactly the information and experience I wanted to read about. Thank You.

Before I set up an 8x10 on the Berlebach, I usually lower the tripod legs a few inches to make working with the camera easier.

I have a 4x5, so a little lower this case.

[Mick Fagan]

Dave, I too have been trying to figure out just how high in the real world, these tripods with their inbuilt ball would be. That explanation is perfect.

I have been trying to figure out whether the 4032 or the 9033 would be alright. As I'm requiring the smallest carrying length, I've been thinking of the 9033, but it's slightly lower in height, 154cm versus 165cm.

Are their tripod measurement heights on these models taken from the actual tripod, or from the actual base on top of the ball? the answer may swing it one way or the other.

I'm 172.5cm tall, so I'm not really sure which way to go.

Mick.

[Void]

@Dave Moeller: Do You need a head additionaly, when You can use the ball on top of 4032 model?
I think a simple one would be usefull. Is there a tripod head with only one-way tilt, but sturdy, can bear a 10kg, and preferably old & cheap?

[Dave Moeller]

I just use the leveling ball that's on the top of the 4032, and I usually only use it to get a level platform for a camera. The head's very stable, and tilts up to 30 degrees in any direction. I have made a few shots with the leveling ball pointed down, but for the vast majority of my work I start with a level camera. (For reference, my 8x10 setup with camera, lens, and film holder, probably weighs in around 22-24 pounds...right around 10 Kg.)

Whether or not you need a tripod head with the Berlebach leveling head really depends on how you use your camera. For me it's a non-issue, but I'm sure many people require more flexibility than I do.

Best of luck.

[Void]

I have also found that company http://www.wooden-tripods.com/. Their products look very simillar to Berlebach's. Have someone compared them?

[Bob Salomon]

I have also found that company http://www.wooden-tripods.com/. Their products look very simillar to Berlebach's. Have someone compared them?

Those are the old Wolf tripods.

As advance info for PMA we will introduce Berlebach tripods and monopds in camouflage as standard stock items as well as two new Berlebach pan heads, a 2-way with a Berlebach quick release plate system and a new 3-way pan head with an Arca compatible quick release system. Also new will be the Berlebach version of an Arca quick release system and plates and the Berlebach ground spike. All of these items would be available through any of our dealers.