A really TALL tripod

[howard_slavitt3]

I've been thinking about getting a really tall tripod for times when

I'm in my car and want a couple extra feet of extension to get a

different/better perspective. I got the idea from reading how Ansel

Adams had an elevating bed on his truck. I've also thought about

having a friend make me a plywood platform to put on the rails of my

SUV, but after mulling it over, think that a very tall tripod would

give me more flexibility, although perhaps not quite as much height.

In looking through the B & H catalogue, the best tripods for this

purpose would appear to be either the Bogen 3058 (max. extension 103")

or the Giztos G508 or G509. (Max. extensions about 110") I supposed

I'd need a step ladder to go with the tripod. Have any of you ever

used a tall tripod for this purpose or built some sort of platform for

your car/truck? Any thoughts about which option will give me more

flexibility? Thanks. Ho

[al______]

Bogen makes some REALLY TALL tripods, extension over 10 feet (no

that's not a typo) they were on display at photoexpo, call and ask

them.

[doug_paramore2]

Howard: Since you say you will need a stepladder anyway, why not

mount a tripod head on the stepladder? This is not an original

idea...they were once sold commercially and still may be. You may

need to add a little extra width to the very top step to move the

camera forward a little so you don't have to lean backwards.

All you would need to do is drill a hole in the top step or extension

and screw a short bolt into the bottom of the tripod head.

I don't recommend this setup for mountain sides ,but it ought to work

well on reasonably level ground or pavement.

Happy Holidays,

Doug

[steve_nicholls2]

I love this forum there are some excellent ideas. Now how do I carry

a 7 foot ladder on my Honda Goldwing? I will have to take the car

more which means I probably will have to take the 35mm, 6x6 and of

course the 5x4. Amazing how a ladder can change your photographic

veiwpoint.

[julio_fernandez]

Howard's idea is one that I am sure many of us share an interest in.

The Gitzo 509 does offer height. I have such a beast but I carry it

no farther than a few steps away from the car or truck. The tripod

and a long geared column weigh more than 20 pounds! There are

lighter tripods, but since the taller they are the more unstable they

are likely to be, a lighter tripod may not be such a good idea in

windy conditions. If you carry this one Gitzo tripod there is little

left of you to carry a back-pack full of camera gear even a short

distance, unless you do photography in the spare time and work full

time with the World Wrestling federation. In other words, these

gorilla tripods are studio or near-the-car tripods, nothing else. If

you have an SUV with rear door flap, the open flap provides a stand

about 30 inches above the ground, that gives you some lift, but is

quite cumbersome because of restricted mobility. I have done that on

occasion. I have used a ladder with a built in platform, about 30

inches above ground. This is far better, safer and more confortable

than a step type. Some people have devised tall ladders with built-in

head mounts, but those contraptions require a truck all to

themselves. Ansel Adams' idea is for some things better; the platform

on his truck placed him at least 7 feet or so above ground. RSVs with

a ladder to a sunroof top standing some 9 feet above ground should be

ideal: should you have to wait for the right conditions, you can do

it sitting on a lawn chair with your gear handy. Waiting for extended

periods while on a ladder is no great fun. Hope this helps.

[tony_brent]

Just remember to bring the cooler with your favorite beverage and

patio table with sunshade umbrella up the ladder with you. Might as

well be comfortable.

 

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I have clambered all over the roof of my old Land Rover, which I

fitted with a sheet of 3/4 marine plywood ala Ansel. He had a pretty

thorough outline of how he fitted his old International in one of his

Basic series books, Camera and Lens I think.

 

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There used to be a short tripod mount for the cine tripods that was

called a high hat or top hat. It stood about a foot or so tall, and

took the head from a Ries or Pro Jr. It had three stubby legs with

mounting holes in them for fastening to anything you could clamp to or

drill through. They might take some searching, but might offer a

solution, or a starting place for designing your own.

[nilesh1]

I need tripods that mount on car windows

I am from Australia

[robert_a._zeichner1]

I regularly carry a 3-step ladder with me on trips where I'm driving.

I use a Gitzo 1300 series carbon fiber tripod with a center column and

find this ladder will allow me to fully extend the tripod and stand

comfortably behind it. The size of this is such that I can carry it

along for a mile or two without any trouble. I will often use a rock

or piece of fallen tree to level the thing if the ground is lumpy. The

little ladder also serves as a decent seat for when I'm waiting for

clouds to move into position, etc. One tool I've found indespensible

for using this set up is a machinest's inspection mirror. When you're

up on the ladder and aren't free to walk around the camera to check

lens settings etc., this little mirror will save you a lot of grief. I

hope some of this is of help.

[david_goldfarb]

If you can dig up Clyde Butcher's website, he has this huge fiberglass

tripod--something like 14 feet--maybe adapted from a surveyor's

tripod, that he uses with a tall freestanding ladder, with 8x10" and

larger format cameras.

[ken_schroeder]

I used a very tall step ladder while photographing a newly installed pipe organ. The higher camera position was a real improvement. I just bolted my Bogen 3047 head to the top of the ladder. (I had to drill a hole for the 3/8" bolt I bought at a local hardware store.) The setup worked. I found clamping a brace to stiffen the legs improves sharpenss dramatically. Use a long air release and give the camera and ladder time to stop vibrating after descending before shooting.