Ries J600 vs J100

I'm currently looking at purchasing a Ries tripod as gift for someone.

I was considering the J100 but noticed that the J600 folds up smaller and would be easier to attach to the Lowepro backpack I'm also purchasing. Who sturdy is the J600 as compared to the J100? Am I making the right choice going with Ries? (The gift needs to be a wooden tripod)

If the gift needs to be a wooden tripod then I don't think you willg

et many argumetns that Ries is topflight. I use a Ries j600 and

J250 head (along with a couple of Gitzo's and a Tiltall). The Ries

is rock solid, easy to work with and will easily support any 8x10

or 5x7 that I can think of and most 8x10's. I use it allt he time with

my Phllips 8x10 and have used it with a Wista 8x10 (about 11

pounds + lens weight). The J600 also comes in its own bag if

that matters. While I do backpack with it and have strapped it to

my pack I find myself carrying it over my shoulder more often

than not.

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To be ecuminical you might also want to look at Berlbach

although they are neither as nicely finished as Ries nor as rigid

IMHO.

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Good luck

Can't comment on Ries other than to say that they're worth every

penny, but something you might want to consider about the tripod

mounting system on LowePro backpacks is that while it might be

adequate for lighter (eg carbon fiber) tripods, it's probably not

going to be secure enough for a Ries. The mount on my Super Trekker

AW is great, but I had to replace the elastic strap things with ones

made from black nylon webbing so my Bogen 3021 wouldn't move around

as much. After I replaced the straps, though, it worked fine, and I

imagine that this sort of change would make the mount very capable of

handling a Ries. Good luck.

Hi Robert

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Another nice wooden tripod worth looking at is the German-made Berlebach.

These can be ordered direct from the manufacturer over the net :

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http://www.berlebach.de/e_index.html

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These are beautiful solid wood tripods and a nice alternative to Ries. I'm not

sure how the prices compare. I think the prices are online but if not I have a

full pricelist in DM and if you like a perticular model email me and I can give

you the price.

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Hope this helps

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Kind regards

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Peter Brown

Berlebach tripods are also available through Lotus View Camera. I

made inquiries to both a little while back and both seemed very

friendly and willing to ship overseas.

Don't bother with a light weight Ries tripod. They're a little

wobbly, bulkly to travel with, and mislabeled as 'backpacking'

tripods. For the about the same money you can find a carbon fiber

that's lighter, more compact, and studier.

For clarification I would NOT call the Ries J600 a lightweight model. Ries rates it for up to 5x7 and I routinely use mine with my Phillips 8x10. It is rock solid in very adverse conditions. The J100 is the same weight,hsa the same rating but a slightlydifferent design. The 600 is a better bet for hiking as it folds up smaller. Call Ries theya re very helpful.

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Ted