The GetDPI Photography Forum

Great to see you here. Join our insightful photographic forum today and start tapping into a huge wealth of photographic knowledge. Completing our simple registration process will allow you to gain access to exclusive content, add your own topics and posts, share your work and connect with other members through your own private inbox! And don’t forget to say hi!

The great tripod & head thread!

jotloob

Subscriber Member
Indeed. A single lock/unlock lever for the levelling head.

I wrote above about the locking mechanism and was refering to the leg sections only.

I have only been out twice but it feels second nature now and love the flexibility it offers.

Just look at this setup for very tight spaces!!! Bringing one of these tiny, featherweight tabletoplegs allows for tripod use just about anywhere....brilliant :)


Hello Dan

Thank you for your report about this TRIOPOD SYSTEM .
That intrigues me very much . NOVOFLEX is only about 60km from my place and as I will visit a
location near by next week anyway , I will just visit them and have a detailed look .

NOVOFLEX does not sell the TRIOPOD SYSTEM with the ALPA label . But that is only nice to have anyway .:ROTFL: Am I wrong here or is the TRIOPOD with the ALPA label of better quality ?
Where did you buy yours ? And what is the max. hight you have . Carbon legs I assume .
 

danlindberg

Well-known member
Hi Jurgen,

160cm high. Bought direct from Alpa Zurich.

.....and how could you not just love the exquisite way they have branded it :thumbup:

 

jotloob

Subscriber Member
Hi Jurgen,

160cm high. Bought direct from Alpa Zurich.

.....and how could you not just love the exquisite way they have branded it :thumbup:
Yes Dan , I agree . I can't find the branded TRIOPOD on the ALPA site nor on the NOVOFLEX site .
It seems , you have a private and very secret channel with ALPA .:ROTFL:
 

danlindberg

Well-known member
Yes Dan , I agree . I can't find the branded TRIOPOD on the ALPA site nor on the NOVOFLEX site .
It seems , you have a private and very secret channel with ALPA .:ROTFL:
I believe in longterm business relationships and do not look for the ‘best’ deal all around the world. I appreciate service and trust more.

I have been a good client for 3 decades to the oldest photoshop in Sweden, Mattssons Foto in Lund. From them I have bought lots and lots and a little more….Linhof Supertechnica 4x5, Contax RTS and 3 lenses, Hasselblad 500 CM and 5 CF lenses, Contax G and 2 lenses, Mamiya 6 and 2 lenses, Fujifilm GX 680 III and 3 lenses, Canon 1Ds II and 5 L-lenses, Leica M9 and 3 lenses, Sony A7r and 3 lenses and the list goes on but you get the point.
I get excellent service and hints and tips when something is looking interesting in my field. I still use the email from their website and still use the main phonenumber and get connected to who I want to speak to. Friendly on the phone, swift replies on email. Works perfect for me and I don’t need more.

Same with Alpa. A decade ago I completely fell in love with the craftmanship and overall concept and ideas of pure photography. I have been ‘very’ faithful because the system as a whole inspires me and (I’m sure of it) makes me a better photographer. In the film era I only had the same feelings towards the GX 680 III as I now do with Alpa. None of the rest has made my heart beat faster.

Now, on purpose I simply copy/paste the two last sentences for Mattssons, because they are equally valid for Alpa…..
I get excellent service and hints and tips when something is looking interesting in my field. I still use the email from their website and still use the main phonenumber and get connected to who I want to speak to. Friendly on the phone, swift replies on email. Works perfect for me and I don’t need more.
 

danlindberg

Well-known member
Playing around with a couple of Profotoheads for tabletop shooting. Testing how the Triobalance handles in studio. No behind-the-scene though.....



Just for fun :D
 

dchew

Well-known member
Dan,
Great test photo. As always, your sense of balance is exquisite.

Here is my "stable", much of which has been learned from this great GetDPI resource:

Gitzo 3541XLS: Not used much any more. As Graham pointed out, it has the one big advantage of getting really tall. I am almost Jack-tall and I can walk under it.

RRS 34L w Cube: Not quite as tall as the big Gitzo but "tall enough" even on hillsides. And the legs are just soooo nice. A little shorter folded up so it fits in my suitcase with the head removed.

RRS 24L w D4: This was my backpacking setup. But now that I've got a DB with live-view the need for a geared head is reduced, so I may ditch the head all together and just use the RRS leveling base.

Gitzo 2541 w BH-40: Ah, the original light CF tripod paring. Reserved for mountaineering w/ a7rII.

 

Bill Caulfeild-Browne

Well-known member
As most of you do, I have more gadget bags and tripods than I do lenses! But my most-used combo for the XF is a Gitzo GT3530LS and The Cube. Has never let me down.

For moving subjects I'm usually hand-holding but I may use an Acratech ball head instead of The Cube. For macro work (flowers, ground dwelling critters) with the waist level finder I use a Leitz table top tripod with a ball head. Not something you'd generally put a heavy MF camera on, but it works quite well once it's properly balanced. The vibration delay in the XF is very useful then.
 

etrump

Well-known member
What a great thread and Dan, that is some serious obsession. Please let us know how the therapy is going.

Here is a behind the scenes shot with my frankenstein. I'm not proud of it but it works. RRS TV34L with leveling base, cheapo indexed rotator and cube. My biggest problem with this rig is weight and I can't keep the legs tight.

Would be interested in trying some of the options mentioned here. If the linhof micro had indents on the bottom rotator I don't think I would be able to help myself.

 

bensonga

Well-known member
Great idea for a thread Dan! Especially for those of us who are as addicted to tripods and heads as we are to other photo gear.

I haven't pulled the trigger on a Cube yet, but I do have a few favorite tripod/head combos that will carry my medium format and 4x5 field cameras. Here are two of them: a Gitzo GT3530S with an Acratech leveling base and RRS BH-55 and a Induro CT313 with the FLM Centerball 58 FT. I have a very strong preference for 3 section leg tripods instead of 4 sections and usually buy/use a tripod/head combination that is probably bigger than required. Probably because I rarely have to carry them very far for the kind of photography I do.

I also have an older Ries J-100 with a J-250 double tilt head. It is an absolutely beautiful piece of kit. I don't have a picture of it here on my computer, but I will take and post one soon.

Although I would not want my wife to read this, I believe my current tripod collection numbers more than 10, but less than 15. :loco:

Gary



 
Last edited:
Fantastic thread, thanks to everybody for all the responses!

Hope I am not hijacking this thread but am wondering if anybody had any suggestions for a smaller setup? I currently have a large Gitzo tripod (cant remember the model name but it is really large) and an Induro PHQ3 head.. My standard camera setup is the Sony A7RII and a Canon 24mm TS-E II.

It works totally fine but I would love something smaller for travel..

Any suggestions?

Thanks so much in advance!
 

dchew

Well-known member
Two suggestions: RRS 24/24L. If that is still too big then the Gitzo GT2542 / 2532.

The BH-40 head from RRS is a great combo for the Gitzo.

Dave
 

Pemihan

Well-known member
I have the RRS 24L with a BH-40 head which I use with my Cambo WRS setup and couldn´t be happier (except if I could get a miniature lightweight Cube type head ;-)
 

kdphotography

Well-known member
Peter,

The only head that I've found similar to the geared AS Cube in a lighter form function is the KPS T5 geared ball head. The AS Cube is a bit too top heavy for my RRS TVC-24, but perfect on the more robust TVC-33, which also has a wider leg stance (spider). The KPS T5 works well on both RRS 2 and 3 series---easy to swap out using the Graham Welland RRS tripod head quick release system...;)

I'm using both Phase XF and Cambo WRS.

Ken
 
Just settled for Gitzo g1505 and a Benro monoball head for that easy mountain hiking...

Was a bit silly few years ago when I chose Vanguard Alta Pro series with pistol grip head. Except its massive failure of a locking screw coming to a hard stop rather than tighten properly, one thing that abomination does exceedingly well is to topple sideways and pinch your hand (part between thumb and finger) to make you instantly recall all long since forgotten ancient Balkan curses, especially as you are trying to reach for a branch or a rock to hold on to as you are crossing a waterfall or something similar....

On top of that the mid column is wobbly and it rusts faster than an Alpha Romeo...;)
 

Professional

Active member
Nice thread!

What is a good alternative head or ballhead to RRS BH-55? it is heavy and bulky, and it give extra weights when i travel, and also i am not much in love with My Markins Q3T and RRS clamp, i want something that can handle big loads minimum 25kg for example but not as heavy as BH-55.

Also, i am looking for a head for large format camera but not a ballhead type, i want with handles so i can control each orient separately, any recommendations?
 

bensonga

Well-known member
Here is my Ries J-100. This tripod is at least 20 years old, probably closer to 30. A good friend of mine who passed away a few years ago was the original owner and he took very good care of it. He used it with a Arca Swiss Monoball head. I decided to get the Ries J-250 head for it as I will be using it primarily with 4x5 cameras. A friend of mine has a Ries with an A-S Cube and that setup would certainly be more versatile for using with a medium format camera.

I think a classic wooden tripod, especially one as well made as the Ries, is simply beautiful. A real pleasure to use and own. Handmade in Bremerton, Washington.

http://www.riestripod.com/

Gary



 

bensonga

Well-known member
Nice thread!

Also, i am looking for a head for large format camera but not a ballhead type, i want with handles so i can control each orient separately, any recommendations?
I have this Gitzo pan/tilt head that I really like for larger cameras. I have used it with my 4x5 field cameras (Ebony and Toyo) and a Mamiya RZ67 Pro II. I too prefer a classic pan/tilt head with handles over a ball head in many situations.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/170918-REG/Gitzo_G1570M_G1570_3_Way_Head.html

Gary
 
Top