Tripod for Pentax 67II

"Richard Parker" <googlegroups.RemoveThis@expressive.ltd.uk> wrote in message
news:1110296755.503559.287900@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
 > Hi all,
 >
 > I've just acquired a Pentax 67II with the 90mm lens. I'm going to be
 > looking for the 45mm, 165mm and 200mm at some point too. I'll be
 > shooting mostly architecture, landscape and nature shots with the odd
 > portrait. All this kit weighs a fair bit, and I'd like to get a tripod
 > to go with it. The question is will the Manfrotto Carbon Fibre tripod
 > be too light for the 67II? Is there a decent alternative that won't
 > break my back when I pack the whole lot into a Lowepro backpack?
 >

I don't use a Pentax 67, but can tell you what I found with my 6x6 SLR
system, which _presumably_ has a bit less mirror slap and a bit less
shutter vibration.

I have a number of tripods, but basically three that see most of the outdoor
work. A Manfrotto carbon fibre 440, a Gitzo three series carbon fibre, and
a big Gitzo five series aluminium. The Manfrotto almost always has a Kirk
BH-1 head on it, and the two Gitzi get a variety of heads, but in the field
most often it's a Gitzo levelling base with an Arca-Swiss B1 on it.

The Manfrotto is a good tripod for 35mm, though not with lenses over 300mm
or in wind. I very seldom use it for 6x6, and when I do I don't feel as
secure as I'd like to. Basically, this is my travelling light tripod, and
it is very good in that role - though the leg angle locks are a terrible
design. It does get me pictures in places and at times when I couldn't
otherwise because a bigger / heavier tripod simply couldn't have come with
me.

The three series Gitzo CF is a rock solid tripod for 35mm. I'm happy with
it for 6x6, though maybe the 500mm lens is too much for it. This is my most
used tripod, surprisingly light for its solidity and very reassuring in use.

The five series weighs a ton, and feels like it could support it too.
Mostly I use this only with very long lenses or - my real reason for having
it at all - when I need a lot of extra height. I suppose I could use it as
a tepee frame too...

If you are looking at a Manfrotto of the same type as mine - the 4xx
series - then personally I wouldn't think it would be sufficient for a 6x7
SLR unless you were only going to be using shorter lenses, could take your
time over everything, and would never be working exposed to the wind. If
they now make a heavier series (I've had mine for some time) then maybe
these comments don't apply. Assuming we are talking about the same 'pod,
I'd say definitely get the Gitzo - but maybe later get the Manfrotto too for
those times when you are walking a really long way, or flying.

YMMV, of course...



Peter<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Tripod for Pentax 67II 

Everyone has their favorites when it comes to tripods and heads so you'll
probably get many suggestions. FWIW, I used to use my Pentax 67 system a lot
for architecture and landscape. I used two tripods and two heads with it.
For everything except architecture I used a Bogen 3221 tripod with an Arca
Swiss B1 ball head. For architecture I used a Gitzo 1325 carbon fiber tripod
with a Bogen geared head.

I ldon't like a ball head for architecture because of the difficulty of
making an adjustment in one direction without also making an unwanted change
in another with a camera as heavy as the 67. If I was willing to change
heads around all the time I could use both the geared head and the ball head
on the 3221 but I don't like doing that, plus I use the Gitzo tripod and
geared head with my large format system so it does double duty.

I'm not a believer in the theory that a heavy camera requires a heavy
tripod. Both the 3221 and the 1325 are fairly light tripods and they do just
fine with the Pentax 67 system and with my 4x5 system (Linhof Master
Technika, which with lens weighs around 7 lbs).

"Richard Parker" <googlegroups.RemoveThis@expressive.ltd.uk> wrote in message
news:1110296755.503559.287900@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
 > Hi all,
 >
 > I've just acquired a Pentax 67II with the 90mm lens. I'm going to be
 > looking for the 45mm, 165mm and 200mm at some point too. I'll be
 > shooting mostly architecture, landscape and nature shots with the odd
 > portrait. All this kit weighs a fair bit, and I'd like to get a tripod
 > to go with it. The question is will the Manfrotto Carbon Fibre tripod
 > be too light for the 67II? Is there a decent alternative that won't
 > break my back when I pack the whole lot into a Lowepro backpack?
 >
 > Thanks!
 >
 > Rich
 ><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Tripod for Pentax 67II 

"Shelley" <briansng DeleteThis @verizon.net> wrote in message
news:25sXd.81804$wc.40866@trnddc07...
[SNIP]
 > I ldon't like a ball head for architecture because of the difficulty of
 > making an adjustment in one direction without also making an unwanted
 > change in another with a camera as heavy as the 67.

Likewise - I like the compactness of a ball when tramping across fields and
hills, but a P&T or a geared head seems more or less essential for
architecture. Wish I could afford an Arca-Swiss C1!

 > If I was willing to change heads around all the time I could use both the
 > geared head and the ball head on the 3221 but I don't like doing that,
 > plus I use the Gitzo tripod and geared head with my large format system
 > so it does double duty.

This is where I like the Gitzo 'Systematic' tripods. It is very quick to
change between a flat plate, column (geared or otherwise) or a levelling
base. Better still, the levelling base fits both series three and five
tripods (I have one of each, a 1325 and a 1504). So the levelling base with
my Arca ballhead on it can get swapped between these two tripods easily, and
when I want to do architectural work it comes out and a geared column with a
heavy P&T head (usually) on it goes in. If you have a spare head and put it
on either the levelling base or one of the flat plates you could try that
with your 1325.

Actually, that levelling base has a lever on it that makes changing heads
much faster than it is otherwise even if you don't have a different base to
swap in. I use this sometimes when I'm teaching: the ballhead comes off and
a flat plate goes on and gets levelled and that's the stand for my slide
projector sorted.

 >
 > I'm not a believer in the theory that a heavy camera requires a heavy
 > tripod. Both the 3221 and the 1325 are fairly light tripods and they do
 > just fine with the Pentax 67 system and with my 4x5 system (Linhof
 > Master Technika, which with lens weighs around 7 lbs).

Agreed - my (aluminium) 1504 is a bit more rigid than the much lighter 1325
(carbon fibre), but that's because it's a much bigger 'pod with thicker leg
cross sections more than because of its mass per se. Sure mass affects
damping, but one can add mass, it doesn't need to be 'inside' the pod. For
any exposure of less than about 1/15 I add my own mass anyway - and there's
no way I'd want to carry a 'pod that weighs as much as I do!



Peter<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Tripod for Pentax 67II 

In article <1110296755.503559.287900.DeleteThis@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com>,
googlegroups.DeleteThis@expressive.ltd.uk says...
 > Hi all,
 >
 > I've just acquired a Pentax 67II with the 90mm lens. I'm going to be
 > looking for the 45mm, 165mm and 200mm at some point too. I'll be
 > shooting mostly architecture, landscape and nature shots with the odd
 > portrait. All this kit weighs a fair bit, and I'd like to get a tripod
 > to go with it. The question is will the Manfrotto Carbon Fibre tripod
 > be too light for the 67II? Is there a decent alternative that won't
 > break my back when I pack the whole lot into a Lowepro backpack?
 >
 > Thanks!
 >
 > Rich
 >
 >
I use my Pentax hand held for all situations where I can shoot at 1/125
or greater. This includes most daylight shooting outdoors not in deep
shade. When conditions get darker I use a Manfrotto and the medium sized
ball head with the hex quick release. If the exposure is between 1/2 and
1/125 I usually press down on the tripod during the exposure to
stabilize it. Nervous types can use the mirror lock as well. This seems
to make a difference mostly in the range of 1/60 - 1/4. Slower than
that and the vibrations are too small a percentage of the time to seem
to matter as much. Faster it also seems to make no difference.

Most of the type I treat the Pentax as an overgrown 35 and have no
problems. Try yourself and see how well you can hand hold it. For the
200mm I try to keep the speed at 1/250 or greater.

--
Robert D Feinman
Landscapes, Cityscapes and Panoramic Photographs
<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://robertdfeinman.com" target="_blank">http://robertdfeinman.com</a>
mail: robertdfeinman.DeleteThis@netscape.net<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Tripod for Pentax 67II