Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2020/06/14
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I also have the same model of Gitzo tripod. I use it with a ball head and a gimbal head. Not light but excels at keeping everything stable. Gene Sent from my iPad > On Jun 14, 2020, at 10:54 PM, Doug Herr via LUG <lug at leica-users.org> > wrote: > > ?I?ve replaced my old aluminum Series 5 Gitzo (a hand-me-down from a > friend) with carbon fiber, but at 6.9 lbs without head I?m not sure it > qualifies as lightweight. GT5543XLS. Enough leg extension to put the > camera at eye level even on the side of a cliff, solid enough for a really > big lens. I?m using the Acratech long lens head, a pan/tilt head that > relies on the lens? rotating tripod mount for the third degree of freedom. > Unlike a ball head it doesn?t flop to the side when I adjust the tilt. > It handles a 600mm f/4 easily. 1 lb. There?s no way I?d have carried the > old aluminum model as often or as far as I?ve carried the CF. > > My smaller tripod (also a hand-me-down) is suitable only for seated-level > use, extending the legs or raising the center column makes it far too > wobbly. It also has an Acratech long lens head. It?s due for replacement > and carbon fiber is the most likely candidate. I use a sidekick when I > want a gimbal mount. > > One disadvantage of CF is the manufacturer?s recommendation to never leave > it in the car?s trunk especially in hot weather. More stuff to transport > between the house and the car. > > Doug Herr > Birdman of Sacramento > http://www.wildlightphoto.com <http://www.wildlightphoto.com/> > > >> On Jun 14, 2020, at 2:25 PM, Frank Filippone via LUG <lug at >> leica-users.org> wrote: >> >> If you think my lens tests are nerdy, this one is way nerdy. But it has >> information that others can use to help purchase a light weight tripod. >> >> I know that many think that a tripod is anathema to Leica use, but maybe >> there is someone who uses a tripod with their Leica,. or maybe has >> another camera setup that uses a tripod.... in any event..... >> >> As we get older, or because we have a bad back, or just because, we want >> to lighten up our tripod, we need to get a lighter tripod. I have done >> some research into what makes a tripod heavy... >> >> Where are you taking this tripod? Backpacking? Day shooting a few >> meters/miles from the car? Next to the car? Travel, which means >> carrying it aboard a plane in a suitcase where length, folded up is THE >> most important spec... it has to fit? Pick something you are willing to >> carry for weight.... the further the distance to your shooting location, >> the lighter the tripod may be... ( or you are a 20-something, and weight >> does not matter!) >> >> First off, do away with the steel frame legs. Ditto the Aluminum legs. >> Ditto the wooden legs. Get Carbon Fiber. yes, it is more expensive, but >> not that much more. It is THE lightest of the available materials. >> >> Next: What diameter legs do you need? Want? This is a personal choice, >> since most legs will hold up an enormous weight, compared the the weight >> of any rational or other camera. Start considering with leg diameters in >> the one inch range. Go up or down from there to meet your expectation. >> remember that more diameter = more material = more weight. I tried out >> several legsets and found one that seemed to meet my expectations.... >> >> Next, what height is right for you? Are you 6'4 " tall? 5' 5" (I am)? >> The base of the column must be comfortable for your height, your camera >> mounted on top, and your subject material... ( Shooting flowers, a low >> level activity, does not usually require as much height as a landscape >> shooting style, which requires more height. Other reasons too... like do >> you use the LCD on the back of your camera for framing? A view camera? >> That requires more height....Do you use a Rolleiflex TLR? that is a >> waist level camera - lower height). Do you want or need a column that >> goes up and down? Reversed ( upside down for real close to the ground >> shooting) In any event a VERY personal choice. >> >> I have a Carbon Fiber tripod that I have used the last few years. it is >> a bit too wobbly, so I decided to pursue a new tripod with better >> features. I had a Zomei 888C. $129, 3.3 pounds with supplied Ball head. >> >> For me, the Gitzo GT2540L was about the best choice. 3.3 pounds without >> head. There is a lighter series, the 1540 series. the 1540 is a bit >> lighter (2 pounds w/o head), not as tall as I wanted, and not quite as >> rock solid. >> >> I wanted the extra height. >> >> After all that, all you got so far is a set of legs.... you still need to >> put a tripod head on top..... which is the biggest problem to date..... >> they all seem to be made from Steel, or are chunky and heavy aluminum. >> Magnesium or Titanium is lighter. Potentially. >> >> Tripod heads were, a few years ago, all 3 way heads with 3 separate >> "stalks" that controlled the axes... front/back tilt, up/down tilt, left >> /right rotation. Heavy. Very controllable. Awkward to carry. Cheap. >> >> Then some genius designed the Ball head. A bit less "accurate" but >> significantly lighter, smaller, and cheaper to build. Most of those on >> the market were/are designed to have the left/right rotation at the >> bottom of the head, nearest the legs. the chief problem with this is >> that you level the camera above the rotation axis. Which means when you >> want to rotate for a panorama for instance, the camera is not level >> through the image range and you go about fiddling forever to get the legs >> set right so that the rotation is always level in the camera plane. My >> older ball head favorite was a Arca B1. The combination with my old legs >> weighed 6.5 pounds. >> >> Arca Swiss B1, a really good head, weighs 28 ounces. The Markins Q3i >> Emille weighs 13 ounces, with quick release. Probably the best value, >> light weight, precision choice ($300) for a traditional Ball head. >> >> RRS charges $380 for the BH40 with screw type quick release. Weight is 16 >> ounces. Heavier than the Markins. Specs seem to the the same. >> >> If cost is really no issue, you could get a Markins ball head that is >> made from Titanium. ( $1300). Good movements. HEAVIER than the >> aluminum Q10 at 19 ounces. Not svelte. But you got bragging rights. >> >> But the problem with them all is that when you level the tripod using the >> head to do the leveling, the plane of the head is NOT parallel to the >> earth. Panoramas will require constant re-leveling as you pan. >> >> Then the geniuses at Arca Swiss fixed this ( at least I think they >> invented the idea, but not important) ... they put the rotation parts >> ABOVE the leveling parts... You set the legs down any which way. You >> level the camera on top using the ball feature, and, because the rotation >> axis is ABOVE this point, you can rotate anywhere and the horizon is >> always level... pure genius. These are the P0 and P1 ball heads from >> Arca. Weight is 11 ounces. >> >> There is 1 problem.. Arca wants you to use their Slidefix proprietary >> mounting plates. Not so many are offered, and those that are, at prices >> at 10x what they should. They sell a version without a QR, it is model >> 801211. >> So I went looking for a good Arca quick release.. something that would >> fit on top of the head ( 60mm) and round. The solution is the SunwayFoto >> DDY60P0. ( Amazon, $39) Fits and looks like it was made by Arca. >> Why pick this combination? Because it is THE lightest prscision ball >> head and quick release you can buy. It weighs, together, 154 ounces. 426 >> grams. By comparison, the Arca B1 head weighs 27ounces, and has a >> traditional ball head design. >> >> Well, not really, ARCA offers a geared head called the Cube ( and another >> that is a bit less big). These heads do the same thing by geared >> movements... they cost, for the head only, well in excess of $1,000.00. >> >> >> Remember that all this started when I went looking to cut weight from my >> tripod... This is the best solution I have found.... Total weight of MY >> combination of legs, head and quick release is 67 ounces, about 4 pounds >> 3 oz. >> >> -- >> Frank Filippone BMWRed735i at gmail.com >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information