From: ajayshah@almaak.usc.edu (Ajay Shah)
Newsgroups: rec.photo,rec.backcountry
Subject: SUMMARY: Tripod information
Date: 10 Nov 1992 08:22:10 -0800
Organization: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
NNTP-Posting-Host: almaak.usc.edu

Q: what is a good tripod for backpacking?  My worst lens is Sigma 400mm APO.

1. Manfrotto 055 with the medium size Manfrotto ball.  Head not too great.  Benbo are great.  Trekker won't hold 400mm steady.  Benbo Mk. 1 is good. The very expensive Monoball ballheads are great -- very sturdy, very light.
robert@sys.sweden.dg.com (Robert Claeson), Data General AB, Akalla, Sweden

2. A fullsize Cullman < a pound with a replaced head.  Bought at REI.
psturm@sailor.esd.sgi.com (Peter Sturm), Silicon Graphics, Inc.

3. Recommend Velbons.  Light, sturdy, cheap.  Monopods are worth a second look.
gsnow@clark.edu (Gary Snow), Clark College, Vancouver, Wa.  USA

4. Have a Manfrotto but leave it at home.  Benbo looks good.
ptse@bcars65b.bnr.ca (Paul Tse), Bell-Northern Research, Ottawa, Canada

5. Uses Manfrotto 055 in the field. (uses light camera).
myhui@bnr.ca (Michael Hui), Bell-Northern Research Ltd., Ottawa, Canada

6. Benbo Trekker.  It's has waterproof legs till thighdeep and it has fewer buttons and gizmos to get stuck.  The head isn't that great.
jack@dcs.glasgow.ac.uk (Jack Campin), CS dept, Glasgow univ

7. Gitzo are expensive but good.  Ideally buy without head and get a head (I like Leitz).  Any tripod needs black electric tape on the feet to block the cold.
CCGM@MUSICM.MCGILL.CA (Glen Matthews), McGill University Systems Inc (MUSIC/SP)

8. If Manfrotto is soaked it can be broken down and dried.  If benbo goes > thighdeep then it's VERY hard to get the water out.
huw@castle.ed.ac.uk (H G J Evans), Edinburgh University

9. Cullman magic 2 is very light, no more than P&S.  My Bogen is a pain to carry but great.  Sometimes uses a homemade gunstock with 400mm.  Between weight and stability, I would always pick stability.
rune@cimage.no (Rune Riisnaes), Cimage A.S, Sandvika, Norway.

10. Slik 100.  It's ok at 200 mm lens.  In the wind you don't extend legs.
"Shamim Zvonko Mohamed" <sham@cs.arizona.edu>, CS dept.

11. Uses Cullman 2904 for traveling.  (Uses Bogen 3221 for 2x the weight). This includes a well-designed but light panhead. It's $150 or so. I bought a 3d bubble level and a nifty cable release.  I've used 2904 with 400mm & 2x. "Loctite" blue (semiperm) or Red (permanant) is good for preventing heads coming unscrewed.
djb@cbnews.cb.att.com (david.j.bryant), AT&T Bell Laboratories, Columbus Ohio

12. Benbo trekker.  No hassles in 2 years.  Good for macro.
fanelli@gagme (michael fanelli), GAGME - Public Access UNIX of Chicago, Illinois, USA, Earth

13. Tiltall Jr. seems happy with a 1kg scope or 300mm lens.
johno@sdd.hp.com (John Ongtooguk), Hewlett-Packard, San Diego Division

14. Have used crutches on one occasion :-).  Manfrotto 144 + 141RC head for hiking, Manfrotto 134 monopod when weight must be lower.
sjm1@eng.cam.ac.uk (Stephen Mounsey)

15. Benbo trekker + ballhead.  Have lost wingnuts off Benbo Trekker.  This is a few pounds < Bogen {3000,3010} with the Joystick head (or even 3025 which is lighter).  Trekker is good for macro but trouble at 8lb 600 mm.  Don't use trekker without a head.  Trekker ballhead is overpriced but {small,light,sturdy}.  Bogen 3000 legs are stiffer than Benbo.  Bogen 3020 > 3010 > 3000.  Bogen "mini fluid head" ($80) is very good for wildlife, but not suited for Trekker.
tonyb@juliet.ll.mit.edu ( Tony Berke ), M.I.T. Lincoln Lab - Group 43

16. The Cullman 2101 is < 1 lb (mentioned above).  Too flimsy for 400 mm.
jeschke@wobbegong.cs.indiana.edu (Eric Jeschke), Indiana University, Bloomington

17. Manfrotto 190 (Bogen 3001 (?)).
Rodney Gitzel <rodney@cs.ualberta.ca>, University of Alberta

18. Benbo trekker needs a head.  I use the short Benbo with extension legs for closeup work in the field.  It comes in at 6 lb.
otto@meaddata.com (Otto Burgess), Mead Data Central

19. It is absolutely unsafe screwing the Nikon 6006 onto the Benbo trekker directly.  The screw is for mounting tripod heads, not cameras.
kjm@buc.edu.au (Kevin Moore)


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Other information:

1. When lens is heavy (e.g. > 300mm), you tripodmount the LENS and hang the camera free.  Else you will suffer damage to the body lens mount.  Bogens are good.  3001 is ~ 6 lb.  3020 (?) is 10 lb (and $175 retail).  Their big pan-tilt head is good.  Expect to pay as much for ballhead as for tripod for good quality.  DON'T do a light tripod, it's worthless.  The cheapest I would consider is Tiltall ($100 incl. head).
dp@world.std.com (Jeff DelPapa)

2. For cameras without mirror lockup, you should rig up a cradle of soft plastic.  This absorbs vibrations.  (Sometimes you've forgotten to tighten screws!)
zrepachol@cc.curtin.edu.au (Paul Repacholi), Curtin University of Technology

3. Bogen 3020 with 3025 head is light and sturdy.  Slik U112 (212?) is wobbly in use.  Gitzo are great.
bjs@RUTS.ccc.amdahl.com (Barry Sherman), Amdahl Corporation, Sunnyvale CA

4. U212DX is weak.  Slik 444 looks nice (if a bit short).  Bogen 3001 and 3021 are very sturdy.
mx@panda.usc.edu (ICBM), University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA

5. Slik 444sport is 4 lbs (Al head) and can support 11lb, folds into 21n, max length 52 in, $70 mailorder.  Slik positions this as their backpacking tripod.
elau@berlioz.nsc.com (Eugene Lau)

Thanks to

robert@sys.sweden.dg.com (Robert Claeson), Data General AB, Akalla, Sweden
psturm@sailor.esd.sgi.com (Peter Sturm), Silicon Graphics, Inc.
gsnow@clark.edu (Gary Snow), Clark College, Vancouver, Wa.  USA
ptse@bcars65b.bnr.ca (Paul Tse), Bell-Northern Research, Ottawa, Canada
myhui@bnr.ca (Michael Hui), Bell-Northern Research Ltd., Ottawa, Canada
jack@dcs.glasgow.ac.uk (Jack Campin), CS dept, Glasgow univ
CCGM@MUSICM.MCGILL.CA (Glen Matthews), McGill University Systems Inc (MUSIC/SP)
huw@castle.ed.ac.uk (H G J Evans), Edinburgh University
rune@cimage.no (Rune Riisnaes), Cimage A.S, Sandvika, Norway.
dp@world.std.com (Jeff DelPapa)
"Shamim Zvonko Mohamed" <sham@cs.arizona.edu>, CS dept.
zrepachol@cc.curtin.edu.au (Paul Repacholi), Curtin University of Technology
bjs@RUTS.ccc.amdahl.com (Barry Sherman), Amdahl Corporation, Sunnyvale CA
mx@panda.usc.edu (ICBM), University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
djb@cbnews.cb.att.com (david.j.bryant), AT&T Bell Laboratories, Columbus Ohio
johno@sdd.hp.com (John Ongtooguk), Hewlett-Packard, San Diego Division
sjm1@eng.cam.ac.uk (Stephen Mounsey)
tonyb@juliet.ll.mit.edu ( Tony Berke ), M.I.T. Lincoln Lab - Group 43
fanelli@gagme (michael fanelli), GAGME - Public Access UNIX of Chicago, Illinois, USA, Earth
jeschke@wobbegong.cs.indiana.edu (Eric Jeschke), Indiana University, Bloomington
kjm@buc.edu.au (Kevin Moore)
-- 
Ajay Shah, (213)749-8133, ajayshah@usc.edu