Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/06/14
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]In a message dated 6/14/99 12:43:58 PM Eastern Daylight Time, christian.payot@span.ch writes: << I already have a big (old) Manfrotto Tripod and I am looking for something lighter. How useful is the small Leica tripod (Nr 14100) for a M6 ? Any opoinion or advice welcome... Thanks Christian Payot >> Check out the Gitzo model 026 (or the 001 if you don't care about individually-adjustable leg angles). It weighs about 2.5 lbs. With the extensible telescoping (2-section) center column it reaches a reasonable height but at some sacrifice in steadiness...should be fine for an M Leica with 90 or less and no wind blowing. I personally removed the telescoping center column in favor of a short column made by Kirk Enterprises. The tripod goes only to my waist, so I have to get on one knee, but I've supported a heavy AF SLR with 80-200 f2.8 lens on it (Kaiser ballhead) and so long as I practice good technique (camera tight to my face, hand over lens, mirror up, etc.) I get sharp images at speeds of 1/15, 1/8 etc. The Leitz Table Tripod is a favorite of mine (I have a small army of them and a couple dozen Leitz ballheads from various eras in my collection. Anybody needing historical info on Leitz ballheads, just let me know!) and I use one frequently. Amazing how some folks don't realize you can brace it against *vertical* surfaces like walls and doorjambs, too! There's also a clone sold under the Canon name. It's quicker to set up than the Leitz pod because the legs have stops, but the ballhead is a flimsy piece of junk. Fortunately it unscrews and you can use a Leitz. Finally, Manfrotto/Bogen makes the smallest table pod I've seen that's still well-finished and sturdy. You can buy a telescoping center column with it which makes it taller and also makes a great shoulder stock! And in a message dated 6/14/99 1:35:33 PM Eastern Daylight Time, Robinsnes@aol.com writes: << I have wondered about the lighter benbo and there is a company in Canada that makes a tripod similar to benbo but with (they claim) a more comfortable and secure locking mechanism. >> The lighter Benbo (the Trekker) isn't really all that light: 4.5 lbs. and it's not particularly sturdy, either, especially with the center column extended. Benbo's (I have the standard model). Hope this all helps! DT