Tripod and Photo Editing for Portraits with the S 006

[Mustana]

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On 4/6/2022 at 7:34 AM, Jeff S said:

Like Stuart, I only used my Ries (and Zone VI) wooden tripods with large format view cameras.  I own two RRS tripods, the larger being the TVC24L.  I still have my BH55 head, but prefer the Arca Swiss P0. 
 

Editing software is a different can of worms, and there are many discussions on the topic, primarily in the Digital Post Processing forum section.  People tend to like the one that that they take time to learn and get comfortable with. 
 

Jeff

Thanks for your response Jeff.

Is there a specific reason you prefer the P0 over the BH55? Is this the head you like to use for portraits?  Would the P1 be an overkill for a Leica S.?

[Mustana]

On 5/4/2022 at 8:49 PM, Sandokan said:

Wooden tripods look awesome and are ideal for large format (heavy cameras, such as the Sinar S2) but maybe overkill for medium format cameras. The Riess heads are very good and stable. 

My preference in your case would be for a RRS or ProMedia Gear tripod, the larger the better. 

Pan and Tilt head, such as Induro PHD3 where unlike the ball head, when you release a little you get forward-backwards tilt, release a bit more and sideways tilt is allowed. I found this most useful for making small adjustments in landscape photography. Acratech pan tilt head is also very good but I prefer the Induro. The Arca-Swiss P0 may be better (larger and easier to control with a heavy system on top) for you than the P1 but both are sufficient for the weight of your system. 

Did you consider a monopod in the studio to take the weight of the camera when you are not making long time shots but using a flash? Faster and more mobile for shooting models. 

My own system is Berlebach with the Riess head for Sinar S2 in the studio. The Chamonix is on the PHD3 head. 

PMG434L (extends to 2m) with a levelling base on top of which I mount the ArcaSwiss P0 or the PHD3. 

I have the Gitzo 3 series which I use when flying or when on a beach, as well as a Gitzo 2 series when I am flying and need to be low weight. 

Thanks Ravi!

I will look in to the ProMedia Gear Tripod and the Induro head. Do you prefer this head over the P0 for portraits as well?

[Jeff S]

2 minutes ago, Mustana said:

Thanks for your response Jeff.

Is there a specific reason you prefer the P0 over the BH55? Is this the head you like to use for portraits?  Would the P1 be an overkill for a Leica S.?

I like the compactness and simplicity of the P0 as well as the fact that it locks into position better than the BH-55, which can occasionally slip a bit.  Never tried the P1, and don’t currently do any studio/portrait work. Also, I no longer own an S, but use the setup for my SL2, although I mostly prefer handholding and take advantage of its IBIS.

Jeff

[Mustana]

On 5/7/2022 at 12:47 PM, albireo_double said:

If you don't mind a heavy tripod, then Manfrotto 058B is great in that it allows very quick leg adjustments, without having to release/tighten each leg separately. Makes a lot of difference to me, especially with location portraits where I have to adjust my height/angle all the time, sometimes switching between a digital camera and a Linhof Technika. Paired with an Arca Swiss Z1 head - simple and solid (of course, for landscapes or architecture, something like a Cube or D4 would work better, but I usually don't need very fine geared adjustments for portraits and the speed afforded by a ball head is preferable...the P0 and P1 also work very well, in my experience). I have several other tripods, ranging from a 5 series Gitzo to a very fine and light-weight FLM, but find the 058B far quicker to use than any of those. But of course, I will not take the 058B hiking or pack it with me on a holiday.

As for raw processing, Capture One is the one I use now (with an S3 and all my other cameras) but I used Lightroom when I had the S2 / M9 (same generation CCD sensors as the S006) years ago and it also worked very well. In the end, I can process any image in either program but since I started shooting in the format of "photo shoots" some five years ago, I find the "Sessions" concept in Capture One very useful and intuitive. Prior to that, when I was a typical "unfocused amateur", shooting a few shots here and a few there, the Lightroom catalog made more sense to me (and continues to do so, still...even to the extent that I process my "shoots" in Capture One but when I download my SD cards from family holidays, celebrations etc., usually all together after some months, I will typically process them and keep them organised in LR).

https://www.martindrazsky.com

Thank you Martin !

Your choice the Manfrotto 058B reminds me of the old Linhof heavy duty tripods and seems to be an excellent choice for portraits in studio. Is there a reason you prefer the Z1 head over the P0 or P1 for your Leica S?

Thanks also for mentioning the 'photo shoot' format of Capture One. It seems to be a very useful feature.

 

[Sailronin]

34 minutes ago, Mustana said:

Thank you David for your response. I will definitely look in to the Benro tripod. Do you have a recommendation for an ideal head for portraits.

I enjoyed your website a lot - beautiful work! Will try to connect and meet up.

Hi, I would get the best head you can afford.  I have a Manfrotto but will someday upgrade to an Arca Swiss or Combo but not yet.

[Mustana]

On 5/7/2022 at 2:11 PM, Pieter12 said:

Check out The Center Column. https://thecentercolumn.com/rankings/

I favor the RRS Versa MK2--not on their list as it is a newer model.

Thanks for the Center Column suggestion Pieter. It is useful to have such a comparison of performance metrics when deciding.

I am fortunately old enough to be able to afford my "toys".

[albireo_double]

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1 hour ago, Mustana said:

Thank you Martin !

Your choice the Manfrotto 058B reminds me of the old Linhof heavy duty tripods and seems to be an excellent choice for portraits in studio. Is there a reason you prefer the Z1 head over the P0 or P1 for your Leica S?

Thanks also for mentioning the 'photo shoot' format of Capture One. It seems to be a very useful feature.

 

Yes, the Manfrotto is great in the studio but I also find it super useful on location as long as I don't need to walk far from the car and/or I have someone else helping me carry stuff. As for the heads, I have all three (sitting on different tripods)  - the P0 and P1 are quicker to release and tighten (no need to "look" for the knob, find it on the "wrong side" of the head etc.) On the other hand, they are perhaps more suited to bigger adjustments/movements whereas the Z1, when the ball resistance is adjusted just right, allows for somewhat smoother and finer adjustments. 

[Sandokan]

3 hours ago, Mustana said:

Thanks Ravi!

I will look in to the ProMedia Gear Tripod and the Induro head. Do you prefer this head over the P0 for portraits as well?

For portraits in the studio I prefer handheld. The Sinar is on the Riess head. The PHD3 is all about accuracy and making changes for landscapes, because only one direction can be changed when its setup

[LocalHero1953]

Answering your first general question....though I realise you said later that you don't intend to travel much.......my set up for lightweight walking with large format (4x5):

• FLM CP30 M4 ii tripod: offered the best height/weight/stability combination for what I wanted. FLM appear to offer taller tripods for the same leg grade compared to others. No centre column. Doesn't pack short (fewer sections=less weight).
• Novoflex Magic Balance levelling base. So no separate head. Saves weight, at the expense of more finicky set up (you have to get the tripod roughly level, and you have no independent axis adjustment). But it is very stable (no narrow neck as in a ballhead).

I do use a separate heavier head for when I'm not travelling far: Gitzo GHF3W three-way fluid head. I find the levers handy for adjusting a large format camera on top. More versatile than a geared head, and I occasionally use it for video.   

Edited May 9, 2022 by LocalHero1953