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  #21  
Old 14th May 2019, 12:11 PM
Svend Svend is offline
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I also have a small Slick Sprint Pro II that fit's inside my small backpack with my light weight 5x4 kit. Now I wouldn't use either on a windy fday here in the UK but they are ideal when shooting in Greece & Turkey. We have to decide when the stability of a larger heavier may hinder us in other ways, portability, discretion (I can sneak the Slik into areas were tripods aren't really allowed.

Ian
Ian, this doesn't compute...you've used "small" and "light weight" in the same sentence as 5x4.

Seriously, thanks for the tip on the Slick model. I could have used something like it on a recent trip to the Rockies - I couldn't fit my usual tripod (Manfrotto 190) in my suitcase, so took along my monopod instead. And besides, the Manfrotto is not my friend on a long hike in the mountains, so a little compact model would be just the thing.
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  #22  
Old 14th May 2019, 01:33 PM
Lostlabours Lostlabours is offline
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Ian, this doesn't compute...you've used "small" and "light weight" in the same sentence as 5x4.

Seriously, thanks for the tip on the Slick model. I could have used something like it on a recent trip to the Rockies - I couldn't fit my usual tripod (Manfrotto 190) in my suitcase, so took along my monopod instead. And besides, the Manfrotto is not my friend on a long hike in the mountains, so a little compact model would be just the thing.
Well I have a light weight LF kit, based around a Super Graphic, with a 90mm f6.8 Angulon, 150mm f5.6 Xenar, and a 203mm f7.7 Ektar. When it's 35ºC+ and sometimes over 40ºC by the time I'm finishing shooting I don't want to be carrying a heavy tripod

There's not an ideal all purpose tripod for LF work, so I pick and choose depending on the weather, location, climate etc.

Ian
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  #23  
Old 14th May 2019, 03:42 PM
Svend Svend is offline
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Just having a bit of fun, Ian. I don't normally associate LF with small and light weight. But then I've never set eyes on a Super Graphic. I hear they are quite compact. Perhaps one day I will go seek one out....if I ever get the hankering to do 4x5.

At present, the max. I am willing to carry any distance is my C330 with a couple of lenses and a tripod, and the hike has to be less than, say, 3 to 5 km. If longer, 5km or more, or if there is a lot of climbing and clambering involved (which is often), then I will pare it down to my folders and a monopod. One needs room for lunch and liquid refreshments, after all.

I will look into that Slik tripod. Price seems very reasonable for such a solid piece. There's also a Sprint Mini II which is even more compact - max. ht. is only 43", but would work well with a waist level finder TLR.
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  #24  
Old 14th May 2019, 06:42 PM
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Rob Archer Rob Archer is offline
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The one useful thing I took away from the site, Rob, was his finding that, with cheap tripods, it’s better to raise the centre column than fully extend the legs - if the legs at the bottom are on the slender side. With expensive tripods you’re better extending the legs. It’s all down to the diameter of the bottom legs. Again, though, I don’t know if the advantages are theoretical or practical.

I’m not quite sure why I spent so much time reading about tripod tests as I hate the bloody things.


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That makes sense. Both my tripods (an old Gitzo Traveller and a Benbo Trekker) have very solid legs. The ones on the Benbo have thicker lower sections.

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  #25  
Old 14th May 2019, 07:16 PM
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I’m not quite sure why I spent so much time reading about tripod tests as I hate the bloody things.
Try a monopod. Two-thirds less aggravation.
(ducking and hiding here )
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  #26  
Old 14th May 2019, 08:57 PM
JOReynolds JOReynolds is offline
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I still use a Husky Quick-Set tripod from the mid-sixties. I think would probably stand the sherry-glass ripple test, purely because of its weight. It used to support my 5 x 4" Sinar Norma with a bag bellows and a Super Angulon.
I recently tested a Gitzo carbon-fibre tripod in a shop in Montpellier, France and rapped it with my knuckle - it didn't vibrate. The assistant was Gitzo-trained and explained that the damping was in the moulded plastic boss, which was bulkier than the usual metal and felt slightly rubbery. Makes sense.
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  #27  
Old 14th May 2019, 08:57 PM
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Try a monopod. Two-thirds less aggravation.

(ducking and hiding here )


Don’t think I’ve ever heard of one of them.


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  #28  
Old 14th May 2019, 09:03 PM
Svend Svend is offline
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Don’t think I’ve ever heard of one of them.


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That's where you hold your camera whilst standing on one leg. Practice the Flamingo Pose in yoga and you'll get the hang of it. Steady shots guaranteed.
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  #29  
Old 12th November 2019, 10:50 PM
Nat Polton Nat Polton is offline
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I saw a chap on the BBC television program "THE SKY AT NIGHT" using this trick on his equatorial head tripod that had his telescope mounted on.
He suspended the small lead acid battery used to power the head, underneath the tripod.
No comment was made at the time of this trick which I thought was a shame, as lots of amateurs watch the program to learn this sort of thing.

I first read about hanging weights in this manner from an old 1930-40s library book.
The book suggested carrying an old string bag with you when on field trips. The sort of thing that slipped in the pocket and you carried your groceries home in.
If you can still find them, they are light, compact, and can carry a fair old weight of stones.
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  #30  
Old 13th November 2019, 08:37 AM
John King John King is offline
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If you used a home made camera which presumably had a leaf shutter and that made it shake even with a home made tripod something else must be causing it to shake. Even extending the centre column (if it has one) a short distance should make no difference.

I have used a good few tripods in my time and by far the best for endurability has been my Manfrotto 55. I have even used an old Bronica (S2a) on it, you know the one that can almost register on the Richter scale and that was perfectly stable.

My current 35mm and TLR cameras are also used with it and apart from times of operator failure (when I have nudged/kicked/forgotten to tighten the leg screws, it is perfectly stable under all conditions.

Apart from the tripod, I also use a large Benbow ball and socket head together with a large Manfrotto hexagonal quick release plate which grips the camera like it was set in concrete. Summats wrong somewhere but I doubt if it is the tripod.
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