Favourite tripod to go with your 4X5

[zane_yau]

I have a Manfrotto 055 and a 488 RC4 ballhead and am getting into the LF world. I worry about shoot vertically.

 

Just wondering what you guys use and why?

[francisco206]

I use a Berlebach, a wooden tripod. I use the one without a center column because I never had a use for a center column. The reasons for a wood tripod are simple. First, the tripod is light but holds a 20 pound camera with no problem. Second, wood is warm. When it is cold out, a metal tripod is heck on the hands. Third, wood is forgiving. Dent a metal tripod leg and that leg will give you problems. Do the same to a wood one and it dents, but will give you no problems at all. Fourth, a wood tripod, in my opinion, absorbs vibration better. Fifth, they require less care. Wet a metal tripod with salt water and unless you take care of it fast, you will have problems. With wood, you can take your time, rinse it when you have time and the only care it needs is a coating of furniture polish or furniture oil every once in a while, and that is it. It is cheaper than carbon fiber but has all of its assets.

 

But if you are shooting verticals with a large format, you don't need to do anything different. On most cameras (on all I have used in 30 years at least), the back revolves so that the camera remains upright but the ground glass (and thus the film holder) is vertical.

 

One thing that is certain. The search for the perfect tripod is eternal. I also have a Bogen (now Manfrotto) that has served me well for many years, but when I started doing more field work, I found it too heavy to carry on my very long walks (at least 10 miles). The wood tripod is lighter, easier to use and supports a camera rock solid. For a camera, I use a 4x5 Linhof as well as a 5x7 Linhof, both very capable cameras but not light by any measure of the word. On the wood tripod, I have no problem at all.

 

I hope this helps. Good luck.

[zane_yau]

Thanks Francisco for the detailed response.

 

I have also seen wood tripods, but didn't know there are so many advantages. I will have a look at it.

 

Thanks also for pointing out the revolving back. I always thought i got to tilt a 4x5 like tilting any other cameras to get the appropriate format.

 

I have a Horseman Woodman.

[paul_hoyt]

I have 2 tripods, one wooden (ZoneVI) and one metal, Manfroto. It depends upon where I am going. The Manfroto is lighter, and at 6+ decades, I need all the help I can get when schlepping camera, lenses, holders etc. If I am not going up 2000 feet on foot or cross country, I use the wooden tripod. I have a Manfroto geared head for my camera/tripod setup. Much more compact; no long levers pointing in three different direction when back-packing the tripod. And Francisco is correct about abuse; the wooden tripod can "take a licking and keep on ticking" (my apologies to John Cameron Swazy) where a metal one will need a leg extension replaced (if you can get it out).

 

Paul

[SteveH]

I found an old wooden Ries "C" tripod at a garage sale for not much money. I put a new Ries double tilt head on it and

never looked back. The ballheads I've owned for 35 mm and digital just don't have the same stability. Also, when a

component of that old tripod broke, Ries fixed it and gave me more spare parts. Francisco above has all the good reasons

for a wood tripod. Cheers.

[randall ellis]

I have two Bogen tripods that I use with 4x5, both are quite old and have stood the test of time (20+ years) very well. I like the old 3001 leg set for it's light weight without compromising sturdiness, and for it's ability to get the camera down to ground level by reversing the center column. My other Bogen tripod is even older, I can't recall the model # now - it has leg braces, extends to something like what the Jolly Green Giant would use, and can it support the weight of my car I believe. It's a tank and works well with my 8x10 as well as my 4x5, but it has some drawbacks - namely weight, and the inability to get down to the ground level easily. That said, it's works wonderfully in deep water, sand, snow, whatever, and is solid as a rock. I like being able to move between the two to suit what I need out of a tripod so I can't imagine only having one tripod.

 

From what you have said, it seems likely the the 055 will work out fine for what you want to do. Unless you have an inordinately heavy camera you should be in good shape with that setup.

 

- Randy

[ronald_moravec1]

Ries if you can afford it. I use a Berlebach without the center column, two section legs, and a round ball "head" at the top that tips 45 deg. It goes to 6 ft tall and has spiked feet ( coverable) for outside use. Also tall enough so I don`t have to stoop over being 6 feet.

 

The sole problem is it gets heavy. But it really stable. I use a zone VI + up to 300 mm on it or 400 mm on 35 mm.

 

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

[sknowles]

I use a Gitzo 1349 CF tripod and Linhof III ball head. It's a comparatively lightweight, relatively compact (hikng) and very

stable setup for my Horseman 4x5. It's like every LF shooter uses, or should use, for a tripod, overkill, and you can get

away with less, but it's the old adage a longtime LF shooter said, "You can't have a big enough tripod." I did enough

surverying in my earlier years with wooden tripods. They're great for the work, and easily still good, but there are more and

better choices available now.

 

And yes, all LF cameras I've seen or used have a rotating back.

[stwrtertbsratbs5]

I use a metal Bogen myself. It works well enough, but I'll get something else at some point. I've been looking at the Swedish-made Stabil tripods. Anyone here ever used one?

 

http://www.stabil.nu/english/index.html

[bob_eskridge2]

I got rid of all of my tripods except for one. It is an early Gitzo 1228 Carbon Fiber. I replaced the center column with a Martins center plate. I use it with a ball head or a 3 way head for every camera I own from 35 P&S to a lightweight 5X7 including my most used camera - a 4X5 Bush Pressman.

 

It is light; compact and easy to set up - so I am more likely to take it with me for the smaller formats.

[gone fishing]

I've used a Berlebach 2-Section Wooden Tripod without a center column for the last ten years for 6x6 through 8x10 and am completely satisfied with it. I still have my old Gitzo Metal Tripod but I never use it because of both the weight and the aggravation with the locks. If I were starting over today I think I would go with a really good ball-head on the Berlebach instead of the Bogen-Manfrotto 3-Way Head. For me, the weight is about right - I've seen some really well-designed tripods that were simply too light.

[abrepsom1]

For hiking, I use the same tripod as Bob E., a Gitzo G1228 without the center column, with an Arcatech ball head. Very light and sturdy enough.

 

If I do not have to carry my gear too far, I prefer the Gitzo G1348 CF tripod with the Arca Swiss Monoball.

 

For wildlife shots with a DSLR and a 500mm lens (yes, I know, it is not LF), I use a Gitzo 1548 CF with a 2-way fluid video head.

[Kent Shafer]

My favorite is a 20-year-old wooden tripod with no name but which appears similar to a Berlebach UNI-17. It has a central ball for leveling and, with its good-sized Gtizo tilt-pan head, is extremely sturdy. It is very heavy though. For portability, I use an even older Marchioni Tiltall. I use both of them for 4x5, medium format, and 35mm.<div></div>

[eric_brody]

I started out with a 3 series aluminum Gitzo, when I was young and strong, then moved to a 2 series aluminum Gitzo and now use a carbon fiber Gitzo 3530S. The weight, with my Arca B1 is quite tolerable and the tripod, with no center post and sturdy 3 series legs is impressively stable. I have lusted after the beautiful wooden Reis tripods but have not yet succumbed to their charms, probably based on their weight compared to the CF.

 

Good luck.

 

Eric

[sg_adams]

Depends on my intent when setting out, but like a lot of responses, I sure do favor my wood Berlebach. Overkill for my 6x9 kit and does a fine job with 4x5 cameras. I have the two section 2042 with ball swivel center column. I like it, and I need the center column a lot as shooting landscapes often requires setting up on steep hillsides and other wierd angles. Heavy, but Idon't useit backpacking, and the weight is a good thing on windy ridges etc...

I got a carbon Velbon El Carmagne 540 for my 6x9 kit and have shot some 4x5 off of it, but not with heavy lenses.

I imagine the 640 series would be more appropriate for large format and stands taller than the little version I got for backpacking, but I have always tried to get away with very light undersize camera support when packpacking alone.

Recently had the carbon out in cold weather. Wood is a little better to handle, and keeps you warmer carrying the extra weight ! The Carbon legs have a urethane insulator/protector padding, and also deadens vibration, but the light weight is noticeable compared to stout wood legs. Folks add accesory aprons and add weight etc but not the same. I was just in Utah trying to shoot a sunrise composition on a very cold windy dawn and missed having the wood Berlebach along.

[zane_yau]

thanks for the input everyone. Sounds like most of you prefer the wood Berlebach. It's a bit hard to get in Aust though.

[Troll]

The best combination of weight, price, and reliability is still the TILTALL (original design about 1940). The choice ones were built by E. Leitz, New York in the '70s.