Wooden tripods

[Jack]

In case anybody is interested, I have posted a really ugly RIES for sale cheap in the B&S

 

[bensonga]

+1 for the Berlebach 3032 model. I use it with my Pentax 67 and Ebony 45SU mounted on a Bogen 3039 Super Pro head. I'm 5'8" and have never needed to extend the tripod to it's full height to have the camera positioned at eye level.

Gary

 

[Jeffg53]

Thanks Gary. I've looked at the 3032. I can't believe how cheap it is compared to a Gitzo CF.

 

[bensonga]

Thanks Gary. I've looked at the 3032. I can't believe how cheap it is compared to a Gitzo CF.

Yup, it's a bargain in that regard. It's not comfortable to carry on your shoulder for very far (unless you put a pad of some sort under it). I think someone else mentioned that also.

Gary

 

[thomas]

Thanks Gary. I've looked at the 3032. I can't believe how cheap it is compared to a Gitzo CF.

you seem to worry about the prices...
wood is simply much less expensive than carbon fiber in production.

the Berlebach tripods are super... don't worry.

you only have to look for the right model for you... i.e.
- maximum height extended
- length unextended
...
- double extension is smaller unextended (but dumping is a bit less, of course)
- single extension is extremely well dumped but longer when unextended
- the legs with single extension are bolder; those used for double extension are slimmer (this goes for the "Report" series).
...
- a center column basically adds to vibration (though me personally I've not experienced some as long as the center column is unextended; but I don't use long lenses so maybe that's why I don't have trouble with the center column).

the damping of a wooden tripod is much better than that of a carbon fiber tripod (that has basically 3 or 4 extensions) - a wood tripod absorbs vibration much faster than a carbon tripod (due to the material itself but also because of less extensions).

imo

 

[Jeffg53]

My only concern with price is that it often reflects quality. I will never be able to touch one of these until it arrives on my doorstep. It's one of the joys of living in Australia, and also why GetDPI is such a valuable resource. This and the Hasselblad digital site are the two best sites on the web for me.

I also do long exposures regularly so I need stability over time as well as initial damping. I've had so many pro Berlebach posts on this topic that I feel a purchase coming on.

 

[thomas]

My only concern with price is that it often reflects quality.

rest assured the only downside with wood tripods are weight and packing size/portability (but only with the really large and heavy tripods). Other than that there are only upsides.

I will never be able to touch one of these until it arrives on my doorstep.

can't you return it if it's not to your taste? In Germany you can return things within 14 days... especially when you order somthing online.

 

[Jeffg53]

I suppose that I could return it. I have never tried it having always done a lot of research beforehand. The freight cost would be quite expensive. I was surprised by how reasonable the freight cost to Australia is. They obviously ship a lot of stuff around the world.

 

[delled]

I have two Berlebach tripods, both with leveling bases, no center column. The small one goes right to the ground with its legs splayed and is great for close-up field or table-top work. The other is a 3032. I use a Novoflex Q=base quick-release adapter, which holds and locks an L-bracket on a dslr or -- even better -- locks directly to the base of any AFI or HY6.

This is the most stable, vibration-free arrangement that I have found. WIth a dslr on an L-bracket, it's very quick to rotate from landscape to portrait. With the AFI II it's not necessary because the sensor rotates internally. In either case, the several degrees of leveling freedom are enough to handle most cases. In fact, with an Acratech level quick release plate, leveling is very quick and easy.

As others have noted, the only drawbacks of the Berlebach 3032 are its weight (7 #) and the discomfort of sharp edges cutting into your shoulder on cross-country.

Dave.


Berlebach 2-Section Mini Tripod With Leveling Ball: <http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/655100-REG/Berlebach_BE50032_2_Section_Mini_Tripod_With.html>

Berlebach 3032 Wood Tripod Legs with Levelling Ball: <http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/302815-REG/Berlebach_BE3032_3032_Wood_Tripod_Legs.html>

Q=base: <http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/269761-REG/Novoflex_Q_BASE_Q_Base_Automatic_Quick_Release.html>

Acratech level quick release plate: <http://acratech.net/product.php?productid=15&cat=0&page=1>:

 

[Paratom]

The quality of my Berlebach is very good.
By the way last summer there was a Leica demonstration/testing of Binocular and Scopes and the Leica guy was very happy with his wooden tripod. He said that each other material a movement/shake would need much longer to go away than with the wooden legs when looking through a scope.

 

[jlm]

Peter:

what model Reis is that?

 

[Jeffg53]

I will order a 3032 and 113 monopod. The 3032 will wear my Arca B1, and I will get another Custom Bracket setup for the monopod. Thank you one and all for your input.

 

[ptomsu]

Just ordered my 3032 directly from Berlebach!

Should arrive in a few days.

Peter

 

[PeterA]

Peter:

what model Reis is that?

Hi Jim - David K will know for sure - since I bought it from him- but it is either the A100-2 or the J100-2 - came with 2 way tilt pan head and case to match.

The company's site is pretty ordinary - the tripods are - extraordinary. Looking at the German make and judging by the machining of the head and quality of the fasteners..- I don't think they are anywhere near the quality of the Reis.

Pete

 

[jlm]

your reis is beautiful, I especially like the linkages under the head that lock the legs. It is not clear from the Reis site if all the models have that feature. I noticed the "ugly" jack version, an older C series did not. i will contact Reis directly...


just found out:

A100 has a 6" crown plate, J-100 has a 4-1/4 plate; the -2 models use 1/4" thicker wood for the legs, all A and J models have the linkages.

the C model has a 4" plate and no linkages

 

[bensonga]

I agree that the Reis tripods appear to be a step up from the Berlebach....but of course, the price reflects that too. I especially like the ability to lock the legs in position with the A and J versions. The J100-2 really appeals to me.....it's on my wish list now.

Gary

 

[Alan Fairhurst]

While there can be no doubt that wood provides better damping than almost any other material, there is also the problem of construction. Fixing a camera to the tripod head at its balance point is guaranteed to assist vibration. I have a pentapod for cameras sensitive to vibration. Basically a second tripod with one leg removed and the remaining legs fastened to two of the legs of the main tripod. In use the camera is fastened to the main head and the front of the lens to the second head, it is fiddly in use but there is absolutely zero vibration.

Alan.

 

[jtavan]

For what it's worth, quite a few years ago I did some very quick and unscientific testing of vibration reduction from different tripod materials and designs. I took a small telescope, mounted a T-mount camera to it, and observed the visible shake in the viewfinder immediately after the shutter/mirror fired. (Yes, it would have been better to actually shoot a bunch of pictures through the camera, but this was back in the days of film and I wanted instant gratification.) I found that aluminum, even huge and heavy aluminum, didn't dampen vibrations effectively at all. Both wood and carbon fibre worked very well, and I didn't see a significant advantage to wood over CF, so ended up selling my Ries in favor of a CF Gitzo at less than half the weight. I still much prefer the look and feel of wood tripods, but if you have to carry the things, carbon's a safe bet.

Jeremy

 

[PeterA]

Interesting Jim - thanks for that - mine is the J-100 then. Yes the linkages and quality of construction makes it a joy to use and a very pretty thing - often sitting in my gallery at my offices with something or other attached on top - it is a piece of retro art - i think of it as a sculpture - people love touching it and going oooo ahhh when they see an old school camera attached on top..

much more interesting than the typical art by the meter type stuff!

-

 

[Jeffg53]

I thought long and hard about Ries vs Berlebach. In the past, I would have just bought the Ries without much contemplation but a few things lately have made me reconsider. The most recent was buying my Custom Bracket for the Neotec monopod. There is an RRS equivalent of it at more than twice the price from memory but my conclusion was that the RRS was over-engineered and a less elegant solution for my needs. I will buy another Custom Bracket for my new monopod.

I suspect that the Ries falls into the same camp. It is indisputably superior in engineering and componentry but I doubt it will do a better job in the field.