travel tripod for Rolleiflex 2.8E

[TheFlyingCamera]

I'm planning a vacation trip (a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go to Cuba before the end of the Castro era), and I'm taking the Rollei. I'm looking around for a good, compact travel tripod for occasional use - there is a per-person weight limit of 44 lbs total luggage (including carry-on!) coming in to Cuba, so it has to be light!

recommendations sought - something that can handle the Rollei and fit in a suitcase. I'd also like to keep the budget on the low side of $300. So forget about Gitzo carbon fiber. Probably forget most carbon fiber tripods for that matter (although if something could be found say for $310 and was hands-down superior and saved a full pound of weight or something, I'm open to it).

 

[Roger Hicks]

Redged.

Sirui.

Cheers,

R.

 

[laurentb]

I'm planning a vacation trip (a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go to Cuba before the end of the Castro era), and I'm taking the Rollei. I'm looking around for a good, compact travel tripod for occasional use - there is a per-person weight limit of 44 lbs total luggage (including carry-on!) coming in to Cuba, so it has to be light!

recommendations sought - something that can handle the Rollei and fit in a suitcase. I'd also like to keep the budget on the low side of $300. So forget about Gitzo carbon fiber. Probably forget most carbon fiber tripods for that matter (although if something could be found say for $310 and was hands-down superior and saved a full pound of weight or something, I'm open to it).

I'm very happy with a table top tripod for the 3.5 Rolleiflex. I made a 10 cm extension because it's sometimes way too low, but it's become my "extreme light weight" option.

If I want bigger then the Velbon RF645 (not sure how it's called in the US) with a Manfrotto ball head works fine. It's carbon so it's light, and the budget is not as high as a Gitzo's

 

[jeanba3000]

The cheapest, lightest and smallest though efficient pod is the "foot-cord" : You attach one end of a simple cord to your camera, with the other end you tie a loop large enough to insert a foot. The half inserted foot will block the cord to the ground, then you draw your camera upwards until the cord is tended (the length should be enough to reach the height you usually hold your camera), so the camera is vertically immobillized, which is most of the time enough for relatively slow exposures.

Other way I like the Gitzo Carbon Traveler series (GT1541T etc.), expensive but as we say in french : the price is forgotten, the quality remains (a famous quote from a famous french movie Les Tontons flingueurs) 🙂

 

[Roger Hicks]

The cheapest, lightest and smallest though efficient pod is the "foot-cord" : You attach one end of a simple cord to your camera, with the other end you tie a loop large enough to insert a foot. The half inserted foot will block the cord to the ground, then you draw your camera upwards until the cord is tended (the length should be enough to reach the height you usually hold your camera), so the camera is vertically immobillized, which is most of the time enough for relatively slow exposures.. . .

Works for some. But there are also those who find that they get less sharpness this way, including me and whoever tested it a few months back in AP magazine in the UK.

Cheers,

R.

 

[matt_mcg2]

Me too, on the foot cord. Didn't work for me at all. In fact, the standard neck strap, on the Rollei is much more useful (for me).

 

[crispy12]

Sirui.

+1 from me too. I have two models, but I like the smallest compact version called the T-005. It's aluminium and actually fits in my Domke F2, and almost fits in my Domke F3/Billingham Hadley (top sticks out by an inch). Much more stable than a 'foot cord' and works very well for smaller cameras. I got mine for about $100.

The other model I have is the T1204X. Much sturdier but more pricey and larger as well. Link here. I got it on sale at about $170.

Here's a photo of the T005 for scale. Haven't read much about this brand online but I'm a huge fan. The tripod mount is arca swiss so you can easily get multiple base plates.

 

[MarcoVenturiniAutier]

I am for light and cheap. I like very much my Giotto's MT9340B. Especially for light medium format with vertical viewfinder.
I wrote a few comments here:

http://shade-of-light.com/2012/09/13/common-prejudices-involving-the-choice-of-a-travel-tripod/

 

[chrishayton]

Velbon Rexi L. Highly recommended. Its tiny yet extends to full size and is sturdy enough for my ebony 4x5. very inexpensive too

 

[jslabovitz]

I have a Feisol CT-3442 I bought about six months ago, and am quite happy with it. Originally I bought it for a Hasselblad 500cm, but have also used it with a Bronica RF645, and more recently with my Rolleiflex. I think it's a perfect fit with the Rollei -- very well balanced, and easy to move around (as well as to pack).

I got it from Really Big Cameras for $309, it appears. Now, I also bought a ballhead (Photo Clam PC-44NS) and adaptor that nearly doubled that, so it might be way out of your budget if you go that way.

--John

 

[retnull]

Another vote for the Sirui -- very light, well-designed, well-crafted. I have the T-025 which is perfect for medium format (I even use it for 4x5 sometimes).

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

The cheapest, lightest and smallest though efficient pod is the "foot-cord" : You attach one end of a simple cord to your camera, with the other end you tie a loop large enough to insert a foot. The half inserted foot will block the cord to the ground, then you draw your camera upwards until the cord is tended (the length should be enough to reach the height you usually hold your camera), so the camera is vertically immobillized, which is most of the time enough for relatively slow exposures.

Other way I like the Gitzo Carbon Traveler series (GT1541T etc.), expensive but as we say in french : the price is forgotten, the quality remains (a famous quote from a famous french movie Les Tontons flingueurs) 🙂

The "foot-cord" might help to stabilize for sub- 1 second shots, but I'm looking for something to use at night-time, with 8-30 second exposures. Thanks for the thought, though.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

+1 from me too. I have two models, but I like the smallest compact version called the T-005. It's aluminium and actually fits in my Domke F2, and almost fits in my Domke F3/Billingham Hadley (top sticks out by an inch). Much more stable than a 'foot cord' and works very well for smaller cameras. I got mine for about $100.

The other model I have is the T1204X. Much sturdier but more pricey and larger as well. Link here. I got it on sale at about $170.

Here's a photo of the T005 for scale. Haven't read much about this brand online but I'm a huge fan. The tripod mount is arca swiss so you can easily get multiple base plates.

Do you actually use the Speed Graphic with the Sirui? or is that just for scale in the photo?

 

[laurentb]

The "foot-cord" might help to stabilize for sub- 1 second shots, but I'm looking for something to use at night-time, with 8-30 second exposures. Thanks for the thought, though.

I used the table top tripod for 30 sec to 1 minute without problems (other than finding the support if I did not want to photograph from the ground)

 

[Matus]

For a really compact (small) but very rigid tripod that is actually very usable with TLR I recommend the Manfrotto 709b. It is indeed a table-top tripod, but it is made entirely from metal and is very strong and stable as the legs spread wide. I carry it everywhere with my TLR.

 

[mfogiel]

I haven't got a french anectote at hand, but I also recommend the Gitzo traveller carbon - look if you find it second hand. No matter how much you will fool yourself, carbon tripods are the only ones that break the rule, that a light tripod is useless. In case of the Rollei, with the Rolleifix, the camera is easy to mount, and the weight is very well centered above the head of the tripod, moreover, if you are using the classic WLF, you do not need the tripod to be very high.

 

[Matus]

If you are looking for 'real tripod' that is just light - check out the Tournament model from Feisol (CT-3442). It weights 1.03 kg and it is capable of supporting lightweight 4x5" camera with ease. I added a Photo Clamm ballhead (I have the PC-36) which is very light, capable and reasonably priced. I got mine from reallybigcameras.com and Kerry was very helpful when choosing the right model. I do not doubt that Gitzo tripods are better made, but my Feisol serves me well for about 4 years and shows no signs of use (I do not use it daily though)

I too wish there was even smaller/lighter carbon tripod for TLR as it does not need to be tall because of top viewing and it does not need to support much weight, or damp mirror/shutter vibrations as there aren't any.

 

[peter_n]

I used a Gitzo 1541T with my Rolleiflex but have since sold it after buying a Benro C2680T for much less. The Benro is half the price but actually a better tripod than the Gitzo; details here. I'm now in the third year of use with the Benro and it's holding up well.

In general the best and most expensive tripods are made by RRS and Gitzo, but the Chinese Benro and Taiwanese Feisol brands have made significant progress in the last few years. If you're looking for stable support at a very competitive price they are hard to beat.

 

[Beemermark]

My recommendation is the Gitzo. Small, very stable. I've used my even with my 4x5 when I used to backpack. I bought mine 30+ years ago (used) and it's done well.

 

[crispy12]

Do you actually use the Speed Graphic with the Sirui? or is that just for scale in the photo?

Yes I do, most of my shots are under 1 sec so it is more than sufficient. The ballhead can get a bit finicky at times. If i'm going to somewhere very windy then I might consider a more sturdy tripod.