URGENT TRIPOD QUESTION

[andalus]

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I have the sweet Leica table top tripod. Indeed, I've had it and used it since the 1970s. Don't the they even make it with the metal knob to tighten the ball head.

However, I am sort of liking the rugged looking RRS ground level tripod and the medium sized BH40 ballhead. It's a nicely made thing, too.

But since I only use an M9 with a 28 Summicron and a Summilux 50 ASPH, does it seems nuts to have anything but the the Leica table top piece?

The Leica piece certainly is easy to carry round in my Think Tank bag.

 

Anyone out there using a RRS ground level tripod with their M Leicas??

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[andalus]

REASON I want some feedback fast is that I am headed to Singapore and Cambodia for two months on a journalism assignment shortly.

[Double Negative]

You'll never regret buying RRS equipment, that much is certain.

 

I'm just not convinced you'd gain anything over the Leica 'pod.

[pico]

You can put the Leica table pod in your pocket. You cannot possibly do that with the RRS. No way. It is a whole different thing.

[kanzlr]

well, what use cases are you likely to encounter and in which of these the RSS tripod will provide a significant advantage?

 

just do a cost/benefit analysis *g*

[peter_n]

You'll never regret buying RRS equipment, that much is certain.

Your wallet will though. They charge outrageous prices for what you get, and it's not at all clear that their performance is any better than the competition. They're not sold in stores so you can't kick the tires either. I'd stick with the Leica tripod. If you live in the US and your tongue is really hanging out, fly to Singapore & Cambodia via northern California.

[Double Negative]

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Your wallet will though. They charge outrageous prices for what you get, and it's not at all clear that their performance is any better than the competition. They're not sold in stores so you can't kick the tires either. I'd stick with the Leica tripod. If you live in the US and your tongue is really hanging out, fly to Singapore & Cambodia via northern California.

 

True, true. They're also "somewhat new on the market" when compared to the likes of Gitzo, Manfrotto, etc. The prices are certainly steep (as they all are at this level), but it is good stuff.

 

Me, for the amount I actually use tripods and monopods (I also shoot Canon/Hassy/Mamiya) I went with Giottos. A much lower cost of entry for some fairly decent mid-range stuff. Feisol is another.

 

I'd agree on the Leica 'pod though. For us M shooters, unless you need a full height tripod it's the way to go. If you shoot film Ms, the Manfrotto 709B (review) is an inexpensive but nice option. It doesn't work so well on the M8/M9 though because of the centralized tripod socket.

[AlanG]

Is there some reason you'd want to carry around a 4lb (with head) tripod that only lets you work from about 18" off the ground? (Depending on the height of the head.) Why not carry something that is much more versatile? You are shooting with a small camera and light short focal length lenses so you don't need something that heavy for stability.

 

Just keep in mind that a really light weight tripod is a bit top heavy when a camera is mounted and it is fully extended. So be careful if it is windy or can be bumped. I sometimes hang my camera bag from my tripod to keep it anchored.

[pico]

With the Leica 14100 tablepod you can also brace it against a wall, or even your chest. If you use the strap around your shoulder, and the pod legs on your chest you can shoot some longer exposures. Just don't breathe and be sure to stop your heart.

 

The later was to remind everyone of these chest pod devices. If your heart beats, it moves, especially on us thin people.

[Double Negative]

...Just don't breathe and be sure to stop your heart...

 

"As your attorney, I recommend drinking heavily." - Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

 

[gberger]

Alternate scenario: Keep the Leica mini tripod and ger a carbon fibre monopod with a built-in mini ball head that you can use as a walking stick. There are many places where you can use a monopod, but can't use a regular tripod.

 

Just a thought

[poptart]

any recommendations on a good carbon fiber monopod/walking stick?

[250swb]

A table top 'tripod' is about as much use as a chocolate teapot. It isn't a tripod, it is a stand, and so is a 'real' table, or a wall, or a chair. In fact a table top tripod is anything that you find that isn't quite in the righ position to make a great photogaph, but it will do if your overriding standard is only that the picture is sharp. For pity's sake buy a proper tripod.

 

Steve

[RoySmith]

If getting close to the ground is the OP's goal, another option is the Gitzo 1541T tripod which has a feature called "Ground Level Set" where one can remove the centre column, open the legs another notch and get the tripod very low:

 

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In this position the top of the tripod is 6.5" off the ground. (The top of the quick release of the Markins Q3 T Ballhead is 10" from the ground)

One can also lay the legs directly on the ground in which case the top of the tripod is only 3.5" from the ground:

 

 

With this method the legs are not locked in position so the tripod is not quite as stable, although the legs on mine are stiff enough that it stays put.

The specs for the RRS Ground Level Tripod has the minimum height listed at 1.9"

 

This option is not as low as the RRS Ground Level Tripod, but is more versatile as it can be used as a regular tripod, and is very light and compact for traveling.

[Michael Geschlecht]

Hello Steve,

 

Some people might disagree.

 

Some people think a table tripod is a tripod - Not a chocolate pot.

 

A small, sturdy, table tripod w/ soft, non-marking slippers & a large ball head can be a useful tool pretty much anywhere. Over the years I have found that for me this combination has pretty much replaced a large tripod in most situations. Just as w/ a little thought & a little imagination an "M" w/ 1 or 2 lenses can replace a larger SLR/DSLR outfit in many situations.

 

In many of the places where you want to photograph you can find an ever expanding variety of places where you can securely place a small table tripod if you take the time to look & some time to think. I have found the more you do this the more places you find.

 

I have also found not having a larger tripod but having a smaller 1 instead opens new avenues & directions in terms of photographing things which might otherwise be too inconvenient or too difficult. Sort of how an "M" w/ 1 or 2 lenses sometimes allows pictures where a more extensive SLR/DSLR outfit w/ theoretically a greater but more cumbersome capability can become net less useful in terms of capturing an image.

 

Sometimes less can be more. Think "Leica".

 

I use this small strurdy tripod & large ball head along w/ a rigid lens hood - The rigid lens hood is more for protection against inadvertant damage than for flare suppression. I use a rigid lens hood for my pictures w/ & w/o a tripod.

 

I use all of this w/ a cable release.

 

On my chest this outfit gives me +2 stops of stability whatever lens/aperture/shutter speed I am using.

 

I sometimes use a cable release w/o the tripod & ball head. In some situations I find it can be a smoother release than the release button alone.

 

The large ballhead I use is a Leitz medium sized large ball head.

 

Best Regards,

 

Michael

[RockyIII]

I have a Gitzo GT2531 tripod and Really Right Stuff BH-40 ballhead. I like the combination a lot, even though it is somewhat of an overkill for an M9.

 

Rocky

[MetaD]

The Leica tabletop tripod is the best accessory I ever bought. Super useful with many creative ways to make it work (against a wall or against the chest, for example), but also because it is so small I actually bring it with me.

 

I'd like a Gitzo traveller in carbon fiber, but frankly, even that light package wouldn't come with me as easily as the tabletop.

 

These seem to be pretty cheap at ebay. For some reason you can pick up tripod and head for the same price as the tripod alone... the last one I bought was close to $100. I have the little gitzo 1300 series head, but the Leica tall head is more solid.