Returning to Analog Large Format: The Big Shop

[MTGseattle]

Your tripod concerns are/were my tripod concerns. Call it what you will, but I too wanted my ground glass at or within 2 inches of eye level without a center column in the mix. I have an old Bogen/Manfrotto 3221 that got me close still sitting around. Once my wife started making decent money, I jumped on a used Gitzo systematic tripod. I forget the model muber. GT3532ls possibly? It's a 3 section. Pre-covid it was still expensive, but less than half of new retail price at the time.
I too would look into the Induro, Feisol, Sirui and Leophoto brands if you want carbon fiber and an appropriate used Gitzo doesn't show itself. RRS (Really Right Stuff) also makes a nice carbon tripod, but they are pricey new and used.

As for filters. It's a problem for sure. I have some of the Lee 100 system stuff, and I also have a few screw-in type filters for other lenses. Luckily used high quality filters are all over the place, so one doesn't need to go too crazy. I've tried to get my large format stuff "standardized" through the use of step-up rings, but I haven't arrived at 100% seamlessness yet. I think my smallest lens (takes 39mm filters) will stay at 39mm.
I've also tried to keep my lenses at or under 67mm filter size.

I'm 99% sure this is my same tripod.

Gitzo GT3532LS Series 3 6X Systematic Carbon Fiber Tripod Used Good +/Excellent | eBay

This pre-owned Gitzo GT3532LS Carbon Fiber Tripod is in Good +/Excellent Condition. Otherwise the feet show very minor typical wear, the twist locks/knobs are in good shape and work as expected. 6x Carbon Fiber.

www.ebay.com

 

[Grafmatic]

Thanks. I will look at the brands you mentioned. I'm not necessarily looking for carbon fiber as I don't expect to be doing long hiking, (Brett Weston in his later years, used to say "If it's more than 100 feet from the road, it's not photogenic,") I also am trying to keep the spend down. If I could just find the Linhof that I used to have, all would be well. I am shopping used and could pretty much care less about cosmetics as long as the tripod is functionally sound. I wrote to Linhof to see if I could get some information that would help me in my search (model # etc). Somebody, somewhere must have one.

 

[Grafmatic]

Still waiting for the Intrepid but their website is now quoting a 3 to 4 week lead time, half of the eight weeks that it was showing when I placed my order, so maybe that will move up my delivery date a little bit. Got my first lens, a 180mm Nikkor-W. Stearman tank is here. Someone suggested that I not rely on an exposure meter app in my phone so I stumbled up on a Spiratone 1° meter. It is a rebadged Soligor. For 50 bucks, I can toss it if it craps out on me or just plain sucks. I even found an adhesive Zone system dial for it on eBay. Still working the tripod thing, but I have some workable options, for which I think everyone who has contributed their input.

 

[Jim Jones]

My choice for a large, sturdy, and cheap tripod was a vintage aluminum Tiltall. It's much more stable than my compact Manfrotto travel tripod. I'm able to use a 300mm f/4 Canon FD lens on it with a teleconverter and gimbal. That would be about 5 pounds with the camera. They go for a little under $100. It doesn't have all the fancy features of a newer model.

View attachment 393803

 

[Jim Jones]

I've used original American-made Tiltall tripods for the last 55 years with complete satisfaction. They are light (maybe 6 1/2 lb.) and as sturdy as other telescopic leg tripods. The built-in head has all the adjustments I've ever needed. The platform extends up to almost 58 inches without the additional 12 inches from extending the center column. They are durable without a single failure in all those years, and I don't baby them. I've even used one with an 8x10 camera with a long lens, although not when the wind was blowing. They appear to be designed by people who analyzed and respected the needs of photographers instead of merely copying the functions of other tripods. I have no experience with the few copies and imports of the original Tiltall design, but can't image them to be nearly equal of the original.

 

[Grafmatic]

The Tiltall is a contender for sure. D@mn, I wish I could find that Linhof though…

 

[Vieri Bottazzini]

When it comes to tripod, stability is paramount and especially if you plan to shoot in windy conditions or on sand / boggy ground / wet ground, etc you don't want to try and same money (or weight, at least relatively speaking), especially when shooting with 4x5". Carbon fiber, large-bore tubes are the way to go. I love and use FLM but Really Right Stuff are also great. I would stay clear of Gitzos.

Edit: forgot about the head, to me the most genius of all is the Arca-Swiss P0, which I reviewed on my Blog here:

https://www.vieribottazzini.com/2016/08/arca-swiss-p0-monoball-review.html

About light meters, I would recommend going for a second hand Pentax Digital Spotmeter, 1', rather than your iPhone which is not even close to give you the same level of accuracy in terms if the angle of metering.

For filters, I would recommend Kase round magnetic filters, it's called the KW Revolution system. Since my widest lens is 77mm, I got 82mm filters with step-up rings for all my lenses; they come with a very ingenious system with inlaid magnetic rings that you can screw either on your lens' filter thread or on the step-up rings of your choice thus not adding any thickness. They do ND of various strengths, polarizer and colour filters - I got a 3, 6 and 10 stop ND, polariser, orange and red.

Hope this helps, best regards

Vieri

 

[Hassasin]

When apples to oranges are compared it's no wonder people get dissatisfied with their tripod choice. I don't know how Tiltall became a star of this thread and I have no idea what they deliver with current design/manufacturing. Back in Tiltall's original days of stardom, I could not find a single reason to buy one over a Bogen. Today there are so many great tripod choices at all price points and sizes, it's impossible not to find the right one.

I suggested earlier the carbon Innorel which to me, especially with bowl head, is one of the best compromises on the market today. This especially so for heavy gear, LF etc. If anything beefier is needed, its larger cousin, the RT90C is the way to consider.

 

[Don_ih]

I don't know how Tiltall became a star of this thread

Tiltall, at least the older one, is an excellent all-purpose tripod. But it might not be ideal for anything larger than a Pacemaker Speed Graphic (which doesn't extend a heavy lens out over the front of it). It wasn't designed for large format photography, really. But it was the tripod Leitz decided should have their name stamped on it.

 

[Hassasin]

Tiltall, at least the older one, is an excellent all-purpose tripod. But it might not be ideal for anything larger than a Pacemaker Speed Graphic (which doesn't extend a heavy lens out over the front of it). It wasn't designed for large format photography, really. But it was the tripod Leitz decided should have their name stamped on it.

I suppose my problem was always related to crude design, reminiscent of Beseler enlargers. Sometimes things just don't give me expected confidence, even if there were no other reasons to doubt functionality and purpose. And comparing Tiltall to Bogen of similar size ... no idea where Tiltall coma ahead. I went through that comparison directly in a store.

I never bought anything based on any advertised association, Leitz included.

 

[Don_ih]

The only significance of the Leitz association is they didn't put their name on crap at that time. Not so sure about since then. The association is not a reason to buy it. This isn't "flimsy"

from ebay

Those are all machined parts, not cast - no plastic. It's just a totally practical design. But it's not a good choice for a large camera.

And I'd hardly call it the "star" of this thread. Has anyone actually recommended it for large format? It's been mentioned mostly in passing.

 

[Hassasin]

@Don_ih Tiltall has been mentioned enough times to kinda pull ahead. Not necessarily as a recommendation for LF, but a feature of this thread and seems repeated enough to worth a "star" mention. Your photo just reminded me how crude that design was. In the days I was looking at one, Oldsmobiles and Pontiacs where still a choice over Japanese offerings.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

The Intrepid 4x5 is light as a feather, so your options for a tripod are quite good.
I retired my Wratten filters a few years ago, after using them for decades. Glass filters now, and a few step-up rings. All my filters with the exception of one, are 77mm. This way I can use them on my RB, too. One really only needs a few colour filters. In my kit I have a blue, green, yellow, red, and an IR 720 (I shoot a lot of Rollei IR). I also have a few ND filters. All my glass filters are Marumi, with the exception of the 720 (Urth and Zomei).
I do have a light metre app in my phone, but have only used it when my battery died in my hand held metre. Seriously, get a proper metre. I found the phone apps a pain to use, and not as accurate. Minolta Spot F's are going for reasonable prices on ebay. Or get a metre that supports both incident and reflective.
Cheers and welcome to Photrio!

What do you use the blue and green filters for, Andrew?

 

[GregY]

The only significance of the Leitz association is they didn't put their name on crap at that time. Not so sure about since then. The association is not a reason to buy it. This isn't "flimsy"

View attachment 395044 from ebay

Those are all machined parts, not cast - no plastic. It's just a totally practical design. But it's not a good choice for a large camera.

And I'd hardly call it the "star" of this thread. Has anyone actually recommended it for large format? It's been mentioned mostly in passing.

I agree it was a good design especially for 1946. Like Gitzo they are metal with no protruding adjustment pieces or plastic pieces. They can support a bigger medium format (Pentax 67, Mamiya) or a light field camera. They can certainly work under an Intrepid.....

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

Thanks. I will look at the brands you mentioned. I'm not necessarily looking for carbon fiber as I don't expect to be doing long hiking, (Brett Weston in his later years, used to say "If it's more than 100 feet from the road, it's not photogenic,") I also am trying to keep the spend down. If I could just find the Linhof that I used to have, all would be well. I am shopping used and could pretty much care less about cosmetics as long as the tripod is functionally sound. I wrote to Linhof to see if I could get some information that would help me in my search (model # etc). Somebody, somewhere must have one.

I have a 40-year-old heavy-duty Gitzo, all metal, that weighs a ton (9 pounds with a three-way head, which I think is best for 4x5s rather than ball type). (I'm not sure if anyone discussed tripod tops). I also use a quick release by Kessler. I used it with my heavy Mamiya RB67 kit for years and use it now for my 4x5. I just started 4x5 during Covid. It extends to over six feet. Similar types of used are $125-250. Check at eBay for old tripds. I also don't photograph more than 100 feet from the road, as I'm 80. PS: Stay away from center columns. I also use my 77mm filters from my RB67 medium format camera for the new 4x5 using step-up adapters.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

What do you use the blue and green filters for, Andrew?

Mainly for Tri-Colour printing.

 

[Grafmatic]

Speaking of filters, there’s another instance of sticker shock… I looked up Wrattenfilters on B&H, and was flabbergasted to discover that they now cost $109 apiece. I know things have gone up since ‘back in the day’, but jeez Louise… What are the alternatives. I don’t use filters a lot, but would like to have a yellow, maybe number 12, and an infrared or deep red 29 as I would like to experiment with the Rollei infrared film.

 

[chuckroast]

Speaking of filters, there’s another instance of sticker shock… I looked up Wrattenfilters on B&H, and was flabbergasted to discover that they now cost $109 apiece. I know things have gone up since ‘back in the day’,but jeez Louise… What are the alternatives. I don’t use filters a lot, but would like to have a yellow, maybe number 12, and an infrared or deep red 29 as I would like to experiment with the Rollei infrared film.

Well, I do ... ahem ... have this for sale. It can be used as both a lens shade and/or filter holder to hold filter gels for a whole lot less than Wrattens:

For Sale - Lee 100 Series Compendium Lens Shade, 4" Filter Holder, Adapter Rings, Case

Includes: Compendium lens shade 4" Filter holder Adapter rings for Hasselblad Bay 60, 58mm, and 49mm Carrying case This system is designed to be modular. You can mount the shade directly on the lens, mount the filter holder only on the lens, or mount the filter holder + shade on the lens...

www.photrio.com

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I stopped using my Wratten filters due to excessive scratching over the plus 30 years I used them, and switched to glass. I've been using Marumi filters. Reasonably priced. I only carry a blue, green, yellow, orange, red, and a 720. They are all 77mm (so I can also use them on my RB67), and I have a few step-up rings.

 

[GregY]

The Tiltall is a contender for sure. D@mn, I wish I could find that Linhof though…

Graf, I used Tiltalls for years.... I almost bought a Linhof once...it was somewhat lighter...but then i saw one with the channel leg..bent...& broken. The tube is stronger than a U. Currently using a Hollywood Ries & a Gitzo metal....
IMO the Marchioni Tiltalls are a steal at $75 -$100 USD on Ebay.... they'll last your lifetime.

 

[hardly any color]

Look at your local craigslist for tripods. I have a nearly 40yo manfrotto 190 and a gitzo i bought used probably of similar age. Either could be found used for very good prices. Parts are also available from the manufacturer and are reasonably priced

 

[DREW WILEY]

Center columns and ballheads are the root of all evil when it comes to view camera stability. There are even carbon fiber tripods available with especially long leg sections, but you want them to be rather thick diameter in this case. In the studio you can opt for much heavier old Gitzo or Manfrotto/Bogen metal ones. My own preference is for Ries wooden ones, but that would have to be a used gear purchase.

"Dead weight" ratings mean nothing; they're mostly just BS marketing hype. It's the torque vectors themselves you want to keep in mind, the stiffness of the material, and whether or not the top is sufficiently large to help all this, or to compound the stress if too small. If possible,
it's always best to test your own camera at full bellows extension atop the tripod you have in mind to see if there's any vibration or not.
There shouldn't be any, or wind gusts will make it even worse. And it takes a certain of overall mass or "bully weight", as I refer to it, to keep a big camera stable outdoors. Anticipate some long exposures.

Filters? Wratten real gel filters certainly aren't cheap, and get easily scratched or dirty or creased. High quality coated glass filters make a lot more sense in the real world. But for bargain pricing on any of them try filterfind.net.

 

[hardly any color]

Many tripods have a hook under the head where you can hang your camera bag or another heavy object for additional stability