Weight limitations for a Zone VI Wooden Tripod with Bogen 3047 Head

[Dan Fromm]

The head? Absolutely not. A couple of years ago I built a "Baby Bertha" that weighs somewhat over 20 pounds, put it on a Berlebach 8023 with a Manfrotto 138 leveler and a 3047 (Manfrotto 029). The 3047 was very unhappy; didn't want to pan, flexed, ... Don't even think of putting more weight on one. I replaced the 3047 with a Bogen 3039/Manfrotto 229.

Oh. The leg set doesn't like the weight either, fortunately I can use the camera without extending the bottom leg section. And, as Mr. Ritter said, the legs have to be at the correct.

[Brian Ellis]

I have that head (though I don't use it) and I'm familiar with the tripod. I think the tripod would be fine for a 30-40 lb camera, I don't think the head would be. I was uncomfortable using the 3047 head with my 12 pound 8x10 cameras, I can't imagine using it on a 30-40 pound camera because the quick release plate on the 3047 head is too small to support a camera that big and heavy. Among Bogen heads the 3057 head with its 4 inch square plate, lower center of gravity, and greater mass would be a better choice but I'm not sure even that would be adequate for a 30-40 pound camera. That head is no longer made but it shows up fairly often on ebay.

[RichardRitter]

You can use the tripod with the legs extended. What you have to watch for is that you have the legs angled out at the proper angle to support the weight. this angle is around 20 to 30 degrees. Surveyors and civil engineers have have studied this to death.

You may have to mount the camera to the top of the tripod with out a pan head.

[paulr]

It wouldn't hurt to ask the buyer what cameras he's talking about. It's possible he's just not very good at estimating weight, and he's talking about a 10lb camera, or something like it.

I have the same tripod / head in question, and concur that it would be overwhelmed by that kind of weight, especially with the camera extended and a big lens cantilivered out. I expect the head would just flop over no matter what you did. I like the setup just great for 4x5.

40lbs lounds like a lot of megapixels!