Guy Mancuso
Administrator, Instructor
Yea we are all not as tall as you Green Giant. Some of us need a step stool. LOL
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C'mon Jack, things aren't that bad in the UK yet... it's not an either or for me!Tim,
The Cube is outlandishly expensive, but *EVERYBODY* I've recommended it to that actually bought it, has commented that the pain of purchase was forgotten after the first 15 minutes of use. Really, I'm not making that up.
The real killer for me, was the realization that when sitting on top of my Gitzo CF pod, the money invested in the total pod assembly would provide maybe 3 years worth of food and lodging for a family of 5 in any 3rd world country...
Cheers,
FWIW, my main pod is the 3541XLS (it only weighs 1.97kg) and I use it with the first 2 moveable sections fully extended and the last section about 6" extended 90% of the time. And I will go to the mat saying it's the single best tripod I've ever used. But again, I do *NOT* have a center column in it, just the flat top plate -- I strongly believe center columns increase vibrations even if set to their lowest level...
Oh, and I *used* to replace the brass head bolt on the underside of the top plate with a steel 3/8" thread eye-bolt, which provided a "hook" to hang my bag from. In the end, I felt the practice offered variable results; a swinging 30 pound bag adding more movement to the assembly than it removed... (Note of caution if you try this -- that brass bolt is blind-pinned into place and you have to snap that hidden pin to remove it, rendering the bolt useless for reuse. Use a jam nut on the underside of the plate to hold whatever new bolt you replace it with firmly in place.)
Cheers,
By far the sharpest images I got all week were taken on the Cambo setup mounted on the same tripod that gave me grief otherwise and in a 60mph gusting wind.... however the shutter speed was 1/250th, about the highest I shot all week and so I'm not sure what I can take from it. I'll try the CF gitzo tripod first, then add a cube if needs be...My journey saw me travel the following roads -
1) muck around with all of the above issues
2) only shoot in perfect conditions
3) avoid complicated full of vibration potential SLR type camera platforms
In the field nothing has delievered to me a sharper image than a simple Alpa set up.
I am considering an arTec to add tilt and shift and precise focusing capability - but hesitate because it is a more complicated relative to Alpa. The (now) geared tilt movement on the arTec has removed a previous design weakness....I dont wish to end up back somewher beetwen 1 and 2. but the tilt is tempting for the type of landscape shooting I like.
Your situation kind of underlines my only problem with closed back systems that dont allow the user to choose multiple shooting platforms, the cost of a back is multiples of the cost of decent hardware.Pete,
I like much about the arTec too, but especially the tilt function. If they had a Phase One back mount for it I fear that I'd be ordering one. I guess I'm lucky there isn't that option yet.
The Cambo's mass sits more over the center of the pod relative to an MF SLR and therefore generates a much smaller angular load moment (and thus less vibrations) at the head...By far the sharpest images I got all week were taken on the Cambo setup mounted on the same tripod that gave me grief otherwise and in a 60mph gusting wind.... however the shutter speed was 1/250th, about the highest I shot all week and so I'm not sure what I can take from it. I'll try the CF gitzo tripod first, then add a cube if needs be...
No wonder so few people exhibit large prints!
I wanted one more than anything else I could find, even spoke to them about a Phase/Mammy 645 fitting and they sounded mildly pleased to hear that someone was interested but uncommitted as to whether they'd make it......although, the arTec is tall and flat, so in a bit of wind, it could easily vibrate as well. I look forward to seeing photos of and by it, if you decide to get one. It sounds like Sinar want very much for it to be a success, given that they made the tilt mechanism geared so soon after releasing it. I guess several photographers were concerned.
Hi Tim,Lordy is this ever a weak use of a Sunday but here goes:
Geared On Manfrotto
1/20th X
1/40th X
1/80th √
1/125th √
T
...although, the arTec is tall and flat, so in a bit of wind, it could easily vibrate as well. I look forward to seeing photos of and by it, if you decide to get one. It sounds like Sinar want very much for it to be a success, given that they made the tilt mechanism geared so soon after releasing it. I guess several photographers were concerned.