Options for light and cheap tripod for hasselblad?

[tom_norman]

I�m trying to find a tripod for a hasselblad that is light and is

fairly inexpensive. Is it possible to use light and cheap in the same

sentence when talking about a tripod? :)

 

I was thinking about buying either the bogen 3001 or slik 300dx,

although I�m not sure if they would support the weight of a

hasselblad, prism, and 250mm lens. Many people recommend the bogen

3021 with a 3047 head but I�m concerned about the weight.

 

Can anyone recommend a tripod that won�t break the bank or my back?

 

regards,

[harry_zet]

berlebach - made from wood, rigid, light and beautiful

[ulrik_neupert]

Lightweight + low cost + good support of heavy gear = wooden tripod. Have a look at www.berlebach.de

 

Ulrik

[eric friedemann]

A Hasselblad body, with a prism, back and 250mm lens will weigh, at most, 7.5 lbs. A Bogen 3001 will support 11 lbs.:

 

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=319556&is=REG

[eric friedemann]

I wouldn't call $240 for Berlebach's least costly non-table-top tripod legs alone "fairly inexpensive," but that's just me:

 

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=302818&is=REG

[paul utkin]

http://www.hotbuyselectronics.com/slik_carbon_fiber_tripods_and_monopods.htm

 

Look for them on Ebay.

[jeffrey_abelson]

Here's my theory on Tripods (I use the Uni-Lok - with all accessories and stuff cost about $500 <a href="http://www.pro4.com/catalog/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=pro4&Product_Code=MAJSYS1600&Category_Code=uni-loc_system">MAJOR SYSTEM 1600</a>):

<p>

Are you gonna mount thousands of dollars worth of gear on a cheap tripod? Not me...

[antonio_carusone]

I bought this one from B&H the other day. Its a Tiltall and its sturdy like a MoFo. It was

only $100 but its a very solid tripod. I mount my Hassy 500CM, Prism and 80mm lens

without any problems.

 

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?

O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=169816&is=REG

[peter_witkop]

take a look at the calumet house brand tripods, they bear a remarkable similarity to bogen .... I use one of the small ones with the medium pan/tilt head for my RB and 4x5 field camera, and it works great.

 

Peter

[kaiblanke]

The 3001 Bogen (or Manfrotto 190) is a nice sturdy tripod that supports a F5+80-200/2.8 without problems - your hasselblad will not be much heavier, rather lighter. Bear in mind that you also have to look for a good tripod head - I have the Manfrotto 308RC (don't know the corresponding Bogen Nr.), but this is almost too small. Buying used you have to pay about USD 170 for a really nice combination.

[jay_.]

Another endorsement for the Bogen 3001. It's my favorite tripod, and I've got a 3021, 3036, Gitzo 1228 CF and a Gitzo 320, and used to have a couple of Benbo's (what garbage they were, no matter how tight I torqued the locking lever I could still move the legs apart). For the Hassy the 3001 is plenty of pod. I use the Bogen Medium Ballhead (not sure they still make it).

[Glenn McCreery]

I second the recommendation for a Tiltall. I carry it on hikes and use it with my old Linhof Technika 4x5 (without extending the center section or fully extending the legs). It is well made, reasonably light, and sufficently sturdy. Of course, I would prefer a carbon fiber tripod but I can not justify the cost difference for a few ounces of weight (and carrying a heavier tripod on hikes helps reduce weight where it counts, around my waist!) .

[tom_norman]

Thanks for the responses. The tiltall and bogen 3001 sound like what I'm looking for. I'll have to check them out. I'm still curious if they would be able to support a 250mm lens though, might be kind of front heavy.

[sumo_kun]

I have the Manfrotto 190 (Bogen 3001) and I use a Linhof Profi II head with it for my Pentax 67II. The longest lens I have for that is a 75. This setup is very marginal. With more than 1 section extended the setup gets some pretty big vibrations. I don't think the Hassy will have as much vibration as the P67 but I only have a 75mm mounted on it. Your 250 sounds pretty big. I really have doubts about how well the 190 will be able to hold the setup at a decent height. If you do go for a 190 then at least get a solid head. I found that upgrading the head improved things a LOT.

[gary_watson]

Look into the Manfrotto 190 with a 486RC ballhead. Not sure which Tiltall model others mentioned but the Taiwan-made models I've seen are poorly finished and overpriced relative to the Manfrottos.

[mike_barger]

I've used an early tiltall, made somewhere in the New Jersey, with a 500c and 250mm. No Problems, even in windy Kansas.

 

mike

[alec1]

The Tiltall will be fine with the 250mm. Ever seen the pics of David Plowden? Hassy on a Tiltall - incl. the long lenses. And, they last forever. I'm on year 40 for mine now.

[nick_wilson2]

A Manfrotto 190 is ALRIGHT, solely because it is light, as is a criteria for Tom. On rough ground it is harder to fix, is easier to push or bump and does not reach as tall as a heavier tripod (eg Manfrotto 055 or whatever the Bogen equivalent is). Without a weight consideration, the latter is obviously better. How much weight can you bear?

 

I have found that the head is the most chancy thing even with the 190, which I carry for landscape requiring walking and the like. Wobble is more likely in the head. A very firm locking head is required.

 

Remember the tripod (or even some heads) can be further stabilised by hanging a dead weight, eg camera bag, as long as it is STILL.

 

And use mirror lock up.

 

PS I use Manfrotto, but I am sure there are other equivalents in other brands.

[john_photo]

tom,

 

I used a 3021 with 3030 head for quite a while with my bronica etrsi ( smaller than a blad but probably not much ). The 3030 seems to weigh less than the 3047. I had no problems using the 3030 with even the 250mm provided there was no wind to contend with. Hiked long long distances with this setup before switching to a 3047 head because I got sick of leveling with a hotshoe mounted level that I had to use since the 3030 didnt have one. The 3030/3021 combination was quite nice and will provide the stability you need while not being to heavy.

[david_henderson]

I have a Bogen/Manfrotto 3001/190 for my Bronica with lenses

to 250mm. It's the tripod I choose for when I'm going to be

carrying it all day- so normally in a city environment or where

there's a long walk/climb involved. I agree with the poster above

who indicated that if you're going to use a fairly light tripod, don't

skimp on the head. I use a 488 and that holds all my

camera/lens combinations steady enough, so when I choose to

use a bigger tripod, that head goes too.