[Leica] Re: Benbo Tripods

["Tim Atherton" <tim@KairosPhoto.com>]

> A Benbo tripod always has the camera sitting "out on a limb" so to speak.
> The "center post" is always extended, the camera is hanging out there, and
> vibrations are inherent. There is no way of dampening them. This will not
> cause a problem with an M camera, Hasselblad C camera (using MLU), or even
> a 4x5 with a leaf shutter. But it sure raises hell with SLR camera
> exposures, especially if they do not have MLU. This is one reason that
> Benbo tripods are not popular with the "pro" nature photo folks. Except
> for, of course, Heather Angel. But she uses a Hasselblad with C lenses and
> MLU 99% of the time.
>
> Jim


I don't really use mine for nature photography anymore - just as a general
tripod, for which it does fine. But in the situation you describe, to take
those kind of pictures, isn't any tripod you use going to be out on a limb?
Unless you use one of those little stakes in the ground doodads. You are
either going to be using some kind of extension or you are not going to be
getting the view that a Benbo or an extension arm allows you to get. And if
you are reversing the column then the Benbo also allows you more flexibility
and a column which is sturdier than any on my other tripods of roughly the
same size an weight.  So, if you are just using it as a straightforward
tripod, with no centre column extension, it is as good as most others in
it's class. If you are using it in streams on rocky ground, to reach close
to that flower in the middle of the clump or whatever, it does that better
than a standard tripod. And if you are shooting at a slow enough speed to
show mirror vibration from the column or whatever, then you probably should
be using the mirror lockup anyway. In my "nature days" I always used MLU
below a certain speed, whichever tripod I was using. I think most nature
pro's would use cameras with MLU for slow speed anyway. Now if you are using
it to support a 400, 600, 1000mm 2.8 lens, then you would need a bigger
tripod anyway - it's just not designed for that.

As for 4x5, it still does good with a 210 lens, plenty of bellows extension
and a breeze.

IMHO it's still a great tripod for its purposes, nature photography in
awkward corners - you can get a viewpoint no other pod can give you. It
makes a good GP tripod too - and at a decent price. Just don't expect it to
do everything.

Tim A