Tripod for Rolleiflex?

[curmudgeon]

For a number of years I used a Hasselblad for shooting with a tripod and a Leica for shooting hand held. But I reached an age where carrying around the Hasselblad kit was no longer practical. My solution was to return to my photographic roots and use just a TLR for everything. I bought a Rolleiflex MX-EVS. For hand held shooting I find that I can use at least a one stop slower shutter speed than I could with the Leica. And with my particular scanning and printing setup my prints are much better than what I could produce from 35mm. That settles the hand held shooting issue. Now I need a solution for shooting with the Rollei on a tripod.

The tripod I use with the Haselblad is an aluminum Gitzo with a Manfrotto geared head. It's a thing of beauty, a pleasure to work with, and far too heavy. For use with the Hasselblad WLF I only extend three of the four sections of the legs. That puts the top of the tripod base at 33.5" and the top of the WLF at 45.5" - a perfect height for me. If I can do the same thing with the Rollei and a much lighter tripod I'll be very happy. (I understand the stability trade offs with a lighter tripod. Back in the day I used the self timer on my Rollei and got good results with a really spindly tripod.)

All of which is a very long winded way of saying I would appreciate recommendations for a sturdy but lightweight tripod to use with the Rollei.

 

[charjohncarter]

Ball Head for sure. I talked to a guy doing photos at the Carmel Mission, he was using the Hassy wide. I was kind of surprised when he pulled out a really 'spindly tripod.' He said, 'I don't shoot in the wind and I've never really had a problem.' I had to agree with him, so don't be embarrassed just get a light one.

 

[Vics]

I have a Slik F630 that is light, quick-release, bubble level and I think I paid $39 for it brand new. Useless in the wind, though.

 

[Bobbo]

What model Gitzo do you use now, and what head?

A Rollei isn't exactly demanding on a tripod. I use an older Bogen 3001 Pro for everything (35mm, digital, TLR) and it works fine. I have a 3-way head on it now, but don't mind a ball head (anything bigger than a Manfrotto 484 is fine... a big Kirk, RRS or Arca Swiss would be overkill). If you want anything really lighter, you're going to have to go with carbon fiber, and that means more $$$.

 

[johannielscom]

I simply use a small ball head and a Rolleifix on an extendable monopod. Can't get any lighter or more compact!

 

[muser53]

FWIW I remember seeing a photo at the Getty oF Irving Penn's set up used for the Small Trades project. It was a Rollei atop a Leitz Tiltall.

Here's a photo of him photographing the Mudmen.

http://tiltallsupport.blogspot.com/2009/11/irving-penn-tiltall-photographer.html

 

[FrankS]

As buzzardkid mentioned, don't forget the Rolleifix. The back/bottom door of a Rollei tlr is not strong enough to spend much time on a tripod. It will warp without the Rolleifix which transfers the stress to the corners which get support from the camera's body shell.

 

[curmudgeon]

What model Gitzo do you use now, and what head?

The head is a Manfrotto 410. I bought the tripod used and can not find a model designation on it - just a small Made in France label.

 

[curmudgeon]

I simply use a small ball head and a Rolleifix on an extendable monopod. Can't get any lighter or more compact!

I've seen excellent results that others have achieved with a monopod but when I tried using a tripod with the legs together to emulate a monopod but my results were no better than when I just push the camera down against the strap. There is still side-to-side movement.

 

[KoNickon]

I'll take at face value that you want to use it with a tripod. But for me, one of the great things about a TLR is that (Mamiyas excepted) a tripod isn't necessary.

 

[curmudgeon]

As buzzardkid mentioned, don't forget the Rolleifix. The back/bottom door of a Rollei tlr is not strong enough to spend much time on a tripod. It will warp without the Rolleifix which transfers the stress to the corners which get support from the camera's body shell.

When I sold my Rolleiflex T 40 years ago I kept my Rolleifix because the buyer didn't want it. I'm still using it today.

The Rolleifix doesn't work with the Manfrotto 410. There is no way to mount it on the head and not have clamping lever interfere. As a stopgap I am using a big Gitzo offset ball head - also with no model designation - on the Gitzo tripod. The Rolleifix works on this one but only when it is mounted at 90° from the normal orientation. I will definitely want to go with a ball head.

 

[curmudgeon]

I'll take at face value that you want to use it with a tripod. But for me, one of the great things about a TLR is that (Mamiyas excepted) a tripod isn't necessary.

I agree. It really is a do everything camera.

Having said that, for the last 38 years I have been documenting the destruction of the architectural heritage of our little town. Because the time between the issuance of a demolition permit and the disappearance of the structure can be as short as a day I don't have the luxury of waiting for an overcast day to minimize shadows. Instead I shoot very early or very late In the day when the light is still indirect. Combined with the slow films I use for this work and my not too steady hands this means I pretty much have to work with a tripod.

 

[graywolf]

I find a cheap light tripod fine with the TLR. Mine is an old Velbon someone gave me. Only weighs a couple of pounds, and only goes to 4 feet without the center post extended which puts the camera at about the right height to use the focusing magnifier. The quick release plate is just big enough to engage the four little feet on the bottom of the my Yashicamat. You would not want to use it for a 35mm camera, especially with a telephoto. But for a TLR, if you use a cable release or the self-timer, it works fine . For those times when it is just not enough tripod, I have my heavy ones, as I assume you also do.

Maybe best of all can get one like it on eBay for $10 or so. It probably cost $29.95 new at walmart ($49.95 these days).

 

[Gumby]

I have two solutions to that "problem":

1. Lightweight monopod (mine is Gitzo) with Rolleifix (no head).
2. Lightweight tripod (mine is Manfrotto 190 series) with ball head and Rolleifix.

 

[ChipMcD]

I use one of the Gitzo carbon fiber tripods. I have forgotten the model number and am at work where I can't check. It has 3 leg sections and is about the height you specify. It's a bit of a squat when using a 35mm camera on it, but works nicely for Hassy and Rolleiflex. The point about the Rolleifix is well taken too. I use a ball head, but when I use the Rollei on a tripod, I use a Rollei product that braces up the bottom. I'd hate to bend that thing.

 

[mfogiel]

Yesterday, I made some late evening/night shots with a Hasselblad F201 and Distagon 50/2.8. Only the lens weighs more than 1 kilo... and the entire rig is close to 2, so about 3 times as heavy as your Rollei. I used a Gitzo G1027 mountaneer carbon fibre tripod and a tiny BH 25 RRS ballhead. The whole tripod and head weigh half a kilo and you can almost stick it into your jacket pocket. When you have a camera, that has the center of weight well calibrated, you do not need heavy tripods, only rigid ones.

 

[besk]

If you use a lightweight tripod you can make it more rigid by attaching a strong cord to the inside of the yoke. When you are ready to shoot drop the cord to the ground and step on it.

 

[charjohncarter]

As buzzardkid mentioned, don't forget the Rolleifix. The back/bottom door of a Rollei tlr is not strong enough to spend much time on a tripod. It will warp without the Rolleifix which transfers the stress to the corners which get support from the camera's body shell.

I have one of those, but have never used it. Thanks for reminding me why you use it.

 

[Sanders McNew]

When I sold my Rolleiflex T 40 years ago I kept my Rolleifix because the buyer didn't want it. I'm still using it today.

The Rolleifix doesn't work with the Manfrotto 410. There is no way to mount it on the head and not have clamping lever interfere. As a stopgap I am using a big Gitzo offset ball head - also with no model designation - on the Gitzo tripod. The Rolleifix works on this one but only when it is mounted at 90° from the normal orientation. I will definitely want to go with a ball head.

I really like Velbon's PH-157Q head -- it's an inexpensive simple
pan/tilt head that is well-sized for Rolleiflexes, and the mount
works with Rolleifixes. It's not a ball head but it works really
well with the camera -- you might want to have a look before
dismissing it.

 

[peter_n]

I'm a strong believer in support overkill. My main tripod is a Gitzo 3541LS with a RRS leveling base and an Arca-Swiss Z1 on the top, and my light one is a Benro C2680T with a Markins Q3T ballhead. The Rolleiflex is fine on the Benro but if I was doing long exposures I'd use the Gitzo. If you're buying new the Chinese tripods have really come along the last few years, Benro if you're small to medium height, Feisol if you're tall. The best small ballhead is the Markins Q3T which is an A-S copy without the elliptical ball. I use a Rolleifix with my E3 and since my ballheads have A-S QR clamps the Rolleifix is bolted to a tiny Sunwayfoto DP-39 plate. It works really well.