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  • 2 months later...

A few years ago, I mounted a RRS BH-25 on a set of Lecia tabletop tripod legs. It served me well.  At the time RRS was not offering its own table top tripod. Recently, I went looking for something a bit more packable and decided on the combo of RRS TFA-01 and BC-18. Just arrived today so I don't have any experience with it yet, but I like the size, and build quality. Here a few pics comparing the two setups.

 

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I once owned a Leitz tabletop tripod with ball head. I sold it.

Later, when I decided to replace it, I stumbled upon these less expensive alternatives on eBay.

Pentax, Polaroid, and Minolta put their brand name on these sturdy tabletops.

In this photo, the tripod and ball head of the Polaroid have been separated.

In this photo, the Pentax tripod and the ball head are connected and there is a third-party Arca Swiss clamp attached to the ball head.

I find these mini tripods very useful when I vacation travel.

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A tabletop tripod is very versatile.

Note that it’s not just for placing the camera on a table top. Rather any solid object can be used to stabilise the camera for those moments when you need longer exposure times.

For instance, holding the camera against a wall, a tree trunk, a post etc. I like the Leica version with the Leica long ball head as it allows you to hold the camera with the ball head, while focusing and shooting. 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I use the Sirui 3T-15. Perfect for me. Very well made and stable. And it seems almost as if it’s designed to match my M10M. 

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I do not have an M (Q2 owner) but do have the Gitzo GKTBB Mini Traveler Tripod which is superb. It will support upto 3kg with the supplied ball head but a different head can be used. The legs will take upto 25kgs apparently. 

https://www.gitzo.com/global/mini-traveler-tripod-kit-black-gktbb/

 

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In they days of

Am 17.1.2021 um 22:57 schrieb 250swb:

There isn't one, other than you also carry a table with you everywhere you go.

You may also take a wall with you, or you could find a table or a wall to brace it against on location.

Tables, chairs, walls, stairs, trees, rocks or other objects are more ubiquitous than you have noticed, at times moveable. 

Agreeably, you are challenged in a sand desert or smack in the middle of the Red Square.

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On 4/10/2021 at 5:14 AM, jaapv said:

Or as a stable chest pod.

Hello Peter,

Most people bring their chests with them in the Desert or to Red Square.

For me it adds + 2 stops of stability.

Also, don't forget a cable release. You might be surprised at how helpful it can be. Sometimes even without the table tripod & large ball head with soft non-marking slippers. A cable release with both "B" & "T" is even more useful.

Best Regards,

Michael

Edited by Michael Geschlecht
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I like a tripod with Leica cameras.  Frankly i think they are ideal cameras on a good tripod.  Focus, set exposure an composition.. set timer, if you want, and wait for the moment to trip the shutter..bango done...lurvely.  Check and refocus, do again.

Small tripods are very restrictive and a compromise on composition and perspective...no nearby tree or table.  Trust me I've got lots of tripods for my large format to miniature. 

I always travel with a decent tripod, and happy to set up and contemplate and wait.

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On 4/10/2021 at 9:26 AM, Narsuitus said:

...

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Hi 

Any reason the L-Plate is on the grip side of the camera, because they are designed to go on the left side of the body (when customised to a particular body)? 

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I picked up a little Sirui AM223 when I was away for the weekend and the hotel had a great view over the city, but I had no tripod with me. 

https://store.sirui.com/collections/tripod-with-heads/products/sirui-am-223-power-dwarf-tripod-carbon-with-ball-head-b-00k-am2-series 

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16 hours ago, Sandokan said:

Any reason the L-Plate is on the grip side of the camera, because they are designed to go on the left side of the body (when customised to a particular body)? 

The L-Plate in the image is generic and I tried it both ways on that camera. It just felt better in my hands on the right side.

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Here is my favorite table tripod, the Leofoto LS-223CEX. I use it with a Really Right Stuff B2-LR-II lever-release clamp. The tripod has an integrated half-ball and adjustable tripod leg angles, which allows me to use it without a ball head. This is great because I mostly use this tripod for macro photography for subjects close to the ground (fungi, insects) and I can get closer without the extra height of the ball head. The built quality of this little tripod is excellent.

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  • 3 weeks later...

+1 for Joby Gorillapod 5k. It's strong enough to hold an M body with heavier lenses and its flexible arms make it very versatile. This is my most carried tripod now. It is a bit heavied than some of the others suggested but I carry it with me all day without major issues.

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Interesting thread. I’m looking for advice/recommendations on a table-top tripod for my Q2

 As some of you may have noticed from a separate thread in Barnack’s Bar, I recently bought a Manfrotto mini tripod, to which I added a small adapter to allow me to use an Arca plate. The problem is that the weight of the camera makes it unstable when the camera is tilted vertically into portrait mode. As I often use that perspective, that’s a real problem. Also, the overall size of the tripod is bigger than I would like (9” with the legs closed for storage, 8” if the ball head is flipped to one side). 

Any advice welcomed from anyone who’s used their M that way on a small tripod? I have a Sirui travel tripod that I’m very happy with, and a Gitzo monopod but neither of those are suitable for resting on benches/tables/the floor while travelling light walking around town. 

Picture of current set up below (delicately  balanced!)

 

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6 hours ago, ianforber said:

Interesting thread. I’m looking for advice/recommendations on a table-top tripod for my Q2. 

 As some of you may have noticed from a separate thread in Barnack’s Bar, I recently bought a Manfrotto mini tripod, to which I added a small adapter to allow me to use an Arca plate. The problem is that the weight of the camera makes it unstable when the camera is tilted vertically into portrait mode. As I often use that perspective, that’s a real problem. Also, the overall size of the tripod is bigger than I would like (9” with the legs closed for storage, 8” if the ball head is flipped to one side). 

Any advice welcomed from anyone who’s used their M that way on a small tripod? I have a Sirui travel tripod that I’m very happy with, and a Gitzo monopod but neither of those are suitable for resting on benches/tables/the floor while travelling light walking around town. 

Picture of current set up below (delicately  balanced!)

 

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If you're already using an Arca clamp, how an L-plate that lets you keep the centre of gravity about the head? - see the post by Narsuitus above.

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By way of update, I went with a Leica tripod. To lower the centre of gravity slightly I fitted an old Gitzo ballhead I had hanging around rather than the tall Leitz ballhead. Solution is rock solid. Just need to try it in the real world now…

 

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Edited by ianforber
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You might also consider a Leofoto MT-03:

 

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