Good tripod for low-level photography

[chris_burgess3]

<p>Hello,<br>

I am looking for a sturdy, stable tripod that will let me get down around 12-16 in. above ground, and a little higher from there. I use film equipment, Nikon F3 (sometimes with MD-4), Nikon FE, Ricoh Diacord TLR, Fuji 6x7 rangefinder. I'm used to using Bogen tripods, and I use the hex-head quick-change plates, but any brand would be fine. Anything reasonable out there?</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

[Hector Javkin]

<p>Unless by "reasonable" you mean "reasonably priced" Really Right Stuff has a very <a href="http://reallyrightstuff.com/rrs/Itemdesc.asp?ic=TP-243&eq=&Tp=">solid ground level tripod</a> . You may be able to get pretty low with a Bogen/Manfrotto tripod if you replace the center column with a very short one, so that the bottom of the column doesn't interfere.</p>

[chris_burgess3]

<p>Yes, reasonably priced; I should say I don't use longer than 135mm lenses, so I'm not using really long lenses.</p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>I use the Bogen/Manfrotto 055 series tripod (in my case, the three-section, carbon-fiber flavor). That series allows you to lock the legs into a completely horizontal position, or into very shallow angles so that you can work low, and be quite stable. <br /><br />Here are a couple of quick shots. Note that the camera body happens to have the vertical grip mounted (which adds a couple of inches), and the tripod has a mid-sized ball head mounted, also adding some altitude.</p><div></div>

[Matt Laur]

<p>And here it is with the legs locked into a shallow angle, raising the whole rig by about three inches. Note that the tripod's supplied vertical riser separates into two pieces (one of them a short stem) to make this work. It's very solid.</p><div></div>

[Matt Laur]

<p>And, just for fun, you can also use the vertical riser as a horizontal mount through the tripod head. Makes for all sorts of get-low shooting arrangements.</p><div></div>

[bjscharp]

I've frequently used the invertable center column option of my Gitzo GT2541L for low level work. But even with only the short center column and the legs fully spread I can get quite low.

 

Of course, if you'll be using the tripod ONLY for low-level work, a low boy (http://www.kirkphoto.com/Mighty-Low-Boy.html) or something similar will be way more practical.

[Matthew Currie]

<p>If you're on a tight budget, the Slik 400DX can go pretty low too. It has independent leg spread and a two piece column. It may be a little harder to get precisely where you want it, especially on odd terrain, but it's worked pretty well for me. Here it is set up for full frame copying with a plain 50 mm. lens. It could go lower with the column shortened and the legs further out, but this shows how you can splay one pair of legs out further than the back, to tilt the column and allow a pretty wide area beneath the lens. It's still stable, even with the old dreadnaught F on it.</p><div></div>