Help identifying Tiltall tripod

I was hoping someone may be able to help me with identifying what model of Tiltall tripod I have. I bought it at a thrift store and it is missing the quick release plate. The tripod is compact and I think it is made out of aluminum. The quick release opening is about 1-1/4" square. The tripod has no other identification other than the name on one leg. I would like to find a quick release plate for it, but if I can't, I will buy a small ballhead so my wife can use it with her Nikon 1 J1. If anyone could help identify it, I would be appreciate it. Thanks.

 

 

The tripod head doesn't look like a Tiltall head. The heads on the ones I've seen, are either ball, or three-way. Is there a model number anywhere on the tripod?

I found the Tiltall site:

 

Tiltall

 

It seems Tiltall doesn't offer the OP's tripod head.

Thanks for the info. I do think the head came with the tripod. The legs and head are made out of the same material and have the same finish. I guess I will just buy a small ballhead for it. It has a 1/4-20 thread.

Does your wife want a ball head?

I personally do not like a ball head. I prefer a pan head. I prefer to have only ONE axis moving at a time, for more control.

Though, a ball head is a bit faster to put the camera onto a subject than a pan head.

I only use a ball head when I want to reduce the carry weight of my tripod, as all my pan heads are heavier.

I realize that head choice is is a personal decision, based on how you shoot and personal preference.

Your wife is right ,,,,

Just saw this on eBay. Looks like it might be the right one.

 

Tiltall Quick Release Plate, Medium, Length 50 mm #QR-50 | eBay

I guess I'm out of touch.

 

To me, there's only one Tiltall, albeit made by a couple of different companies. The camera in my avatar is sitting on one made by the company that first introduced the design.

Marchioni from about 1940. Leitz for a reasonable solid approximation of original. Star D for cheap aluminum knock offs. Now I have not idea who uses the name. I would add that a combo of legs and head is less than what the market offers most of the time. And offers less versatility. Yet it was a long lived item for the photographic world we live in. Collets on the Star D were cheap and the parts lacked good fit and finish. But it looked good when I bought it once long ago in

the Loop Chicago. Saved for someone who nags to borrow a tripod, but not to a best friend i hasten to add.. :)

Edited March 30, 2018 by GerrySiegel

I bought my Marchioni Tiltall back in the early '70s when I was in high school. It was one of few lightweight tripods that could decently support a 4x5. I still have and use it today, probably one of the better photographic investments I've made. I've never seen the one from the OP. It looks fairly decent, but has nothing in common with the old ones or the knock-offs.

It was one of few lightweight tripods that could decently support a 4x5.

 

One of the other ones that you can include in that category is the Leitz tabletop tripod. I'm convinced that it's virtually indestructible.

 

With that said, maybe I'm set in my ways but back when I started in photography I had about $100 to spend on a tripod. The new options at that price point aren't(and weren't) that great, but the Marchioni Tilt-All I bought is still with me and in regular use. In fact, I've never had a pressing desire to upgrade it. I've been tempted several times-now that I can-to plunk down the money for a set of Gitzo carbon fiber legs and an Arca-Swiss or RRS ball head, but that gets REALLY expensive when I consider that I want a set of legs tall enough to bring an SLR to eye level without raising the center column(I'm 6'2", and depending on the camera at best only have to raise the Tilt-All an inch or two).

What do I know, but this tripod does not look like a "legacy" item from the day when. The materials and construction look quite recent to me.

Here's a tripod in use in 1962 from the Smithsonian Field Office store.

You can get a lot of information, as well as spare parts, from this site: Tiltall Tripod Support. Much more useful than the company that now produces the tripods named Tiltalls. I have three old Tiltalls, one each from Marchioni, Leitz and Star D. Just from eyeballing them, it seems that the Marchioni-made one used beefier parts than the Leitz, at least the part around the collar that the legs attach to - not that there's anything flimsy about the latter. So Leitz was a downgrade :).

thanks for that link - I now know plenty about my old Tiltalls, two originals and one Leitz.