[Leica] Nail down that tripod (Tripods 101)

[Jim Brick <jim@brick.org>]

I use a Gitzo carbon tripod a lot (when traveling.) But I use a Gitzo 385
more (when not traveling.) I have a "Jim's Steady Hook" mounted into the
bottom of the center post on all of my tripods. It's a heavy stainless
steel hook that I manufacture (see Galen Rowell's book, The Art of
Adventure Photography,
page 81.) I make a version for all tripods. Don't ask for one yet... I'm
too busy at the moment (Photokina coming up) but in October I'll make a
batch. Actually... it's my daughter that will make them. She's busy
preparing for the trip as well. We will be away for most of the month of
September.

Anyway, I hang a weight (Billingham bag full of equipment, bag of rocks,
collapsible bucket plastic full of sand or water, whatever is around) from the
center post hook. This is where the most vibration dampening occurs. Your
camera is on one end, a weight on the other, and the center post is clamped
in a single spot several inches from the camera. Without an opposing
weight, vibrations can affect your photograph. Especially at 1/8th sec and
lenses 100mm and longer. MLU, weighted tripod center post, and I also
sometimes use a monopod.

I have a RRS (Kirk is the same) quick mount plate
mounted on a Leica small ballhead, which is mounted on the top of my
Manfrotto monopod. A carbon version would be easier to carry long distances
(not in Boston!) but it's more difficult to extend. I use this on my long
lenses that have tripod mounts on the lens. Mine currently are the 70-180
zoom and the 350 Telyt. I mount the lens on the tripod (B1 ball head with
quick release) and the monopod quick release to the camera (winder in my
case) bottom, leaving the monopod ballhead loose. After setting up the
photograph, I extend the monopod and tighten the monopod and ballhead to
where it gives upward pressure on the camera/lens/tripod assembly. This
REALLY kills all vibrations. When photographing with a 350 plus 2X APO
extender (700mm) you have vibrations that just cannot be dampened any other
way. This set up is quick, easy, and really is not a pain to use.

Remember the R camera killer zone (Brand F, M, C, and O are the same.)
1/15, 1/8, 1/4 sec. These speeds are the perfect speed to capture, on film,
any vibration you have. And if you use Velvia and a polarizer, you are
looking at 1/15 at f/16 out in the open sun during the summer. So you can
see how easy it is to find yourself at 1/4 @ f/16, 1/8 @ f/11, 1/15 @ f/8.
With a 2x extender, my 350 Telyt (700mm) has a maximum aperture of f/9.5 .
Two stops down (where the lens is its sharpest,) is f/18! There is no way
to get away from the killer zone. With my 70-180 and a 2X extender, for
sharp photographs, max aperture is f/11. Still in the killer zone! Quite
often, I'll stop down farther and go into the 1sec, 2sec range which is out
of the vibration capturing range. The vibration is still there, but it is
only a small fraction of the total exposure. That doesn't mean you can be
lax. If you want to make large prints using this set-up, you absolutely
have to do everything correctly. Everything. Always.


I buy Leica lenses because they are sharp. I figure if I don't do my part
in setting them up so that they will deliver a sharp image to the film,
what's the use. I might as well buy a Spiratone lens. It is a lot of work
to do each and every little detail correctly. But if you don't, your Leica
lens won't perform like a Leica lens.

For instance, during the Leica workshop that I taught a few weeks ago in
San Francisco, one chap had an R8 and new 80-200 zoom. He photographed all
day, hand held. He didn't have a sharp photograph in the lot. Every single
slide was soft. He did have a tripod that I saw him use one time. Tom
Brichta has a slide of his camera on the tripod. It was a minuscule little
Gitzo, with the center post extended all the way up. Yes I, as well as Tom,
did instruct the gentleman as to how to take sharp photographs. He was a
very very nice guy (of course... a Leica user) and I hope he thinks about
what we said.

The bottom line... nail down that R camera and longish lenses, mirror
flapping, diaphragm whapping, shutter schnapping... See what Leica lenses
can really do.

Jim



Jim Brick
(650) 470-1132


http://www.photoaccess.com