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-   -   Lightest Tripod for Pentax 6x7 (http://www.photobanter.com/showthread.php?t=20910)

Ken Smith November 30th 04 09:44 PM

Lightest Tripod for Pentax 6x7
 
I'm hitting the road in the Spring, backpacking, and am considering
using my Pentax 6x7 exclusively.

What do think is the lightest tripod I can get away with using slow
speeds?
Though I use mirror lockup, the focal plane shutter makes a serious
thrust and
speeds lower than 1/60 show it. Hand dampering the camera helps, but
even that gets risky the slower you go.

I've been using my heavier Berlbach with a sizable Bogen head around
home areas, as my lighter Bogen made for some very unsharp tests, but
I can't see
taking it on a long backpacking tourism trip.

Thanks, Ken Smith

Craig Schroeder November 30th 04 11:48 PM

How long are your optics that are going in the field with you?

A few years back, I spent quite a little time testing tripod/head
combos with the P67. There seemed to be a strange vibe/tuning thing
going on and some lighter rigs did surprisingly well. I used a laser
pointer attached to the camera and burned up some old freezer (aged)
rolls. I am currently using a Reporter 1328 and #3 head at a weight
of about 8# for a field rig. This combo seems to tame things quite
well and is reasonably portable.

I'm taking longer to mend than expected from a knee operation last
year and have been using a Bronica 645RF and an old Bogen 3011/3025
rig. I've been able to squeeze decent 11X14's from this and I only
bring it up as it now has me thinking of a Mamiya 7 instead of the
P67's for the field. 99% of what I've used my P67 stuff in the field
for could have been done with the Mamiya and the little Bronica and
small tripod has got the idea started about an alternative to the P67
for extended hiking. The P67 isn't really so bad to haul with a
couple/three lenses but the tripod ends up being the main part of the
carrying issue..... You might have need for an slr for your purposes
but I thought I'd toss the idea out and it's easy to spend someone
else's money!

On 30 Nov 2004 12:44:15 -0800, (Ken Smith) wrote:

I'm hitting the road in the Spring, backpacking, and am considering
using my Pentax 6x7 exclusively.

What do think is the lightest tripod I can get away with using slow
speeds?
Though I use mirror lockup, the focal plane shutter makes a serious
thrust and
speeds lower than 1/60 show it. Hand dampering the camera helps, but
even that gets risky the slower you go.

I've been using my heavier Berlbach with a sizable Bogen head around
home areas, as my lighter Bogen made for some very unsharp tests, but
I can't see
taking it on a long backpacking tourism trip.

Thanks, Ken Smith



Craig Schroeder
craig nospam craigschroeder com

-Eschew Obfuscation-

Shelley November 30th 04 11:58 PM

Though I use mirror lockup, the focal plane shutter makes a serious
thrust and
speeds lower than 1/60 show it. Hand dampering the camera helps, but
even that gets risky the slower you go.


I don't know the absolute lightest you could get away with but I use a Bogen
3221 and an Arca Swiss B1 head which is a pretty light set up. My primary
formats these days are 4x5 and 8x10 and there's no noticeable difference
between 11x14 prints from them and from the 67 (I don't use the 3221 with
those formats).

I've been using a Pentax 67 for about 10 years, almost always at speeds of
1/60 or shorter, and never had any problems with the shutter affecting the
print, at least not anything noticeable with prints of 11x14 which is the
largest size prints I make from 6x7 negatives. At what size prints to you
notice this deterioration in quality with speeds slower than 1/60?


"Ken Smith" wrote in message
om...
I'm hitting the road in the Spring, backpacking, and am considering
using my Pentax 6x7 exclusively.

What do think is the lightest tripod I can get away with using slow
speeds?
Though I use mirror lockup, the focal plane shutter makes a serious
thrust and
speeds lower than 1/60 show it. Hand dampering the camera helps, but
even that gets risky the slower you go.

I've been using my heavier Berlbach with a sizable Bogen head around
home areas, as my lighter Bogen made for some very unsharp tests, but
I can't see
taking it on a long backpacking tourism trip.

Thanks, Ken Smith




jjs December 1st 04 01:44 AM

Nothing can help that camera at speeds higher than 1/250th except a cement
pilon.



jjs December 1st 04 01:44 AM

Nothing can help that camera at speeds higher than 1/250th except a cement
pilon.



jjs December 1st 04 01:44 AM

Nothing can help that camera at speeds higher than 1/250th except a cement
pilon.



Shelley December 1st 04 02:23 AM

"jjs" wrote in message
...
Nothing can help that camera at speeds higher than 1/250th except a cement
pilon.


Then that shouldn't be much of a problem should it? There's only two speeds
higher than 1/250 on the camera and in any event I don't know why higher
speeds would be a problem or how a cement pylon would help. Some people
think there's a problem at slower speeds under some circumstances though in
my ten years of using the camera I've never experienced any such problems.
However, you're the first person I know of who's said there are problems at
the fastest two speeds. Perhaps you could elaborate on your experience with
the camera, e.g. how did the problem at speeds higher than 1/250 manifest
itself, at what sizes were you printing, what lenses were you using on the
camera, etc.?



"jjs" wrote in message
...
Nothing can help that camera at speeds higher than 1/250th except a cement
pilon.





Shelley December 1st 04 02:23 AM

"jjs" wrote in message
...
Nothing can help that camera at speeds higher than 1/250th except a cement
pilon.


Then that shouldn't be much of a problem should it? There's only two speeds
higher than 1/250 on the camera and in any event I don't know why higher
speeds would be a problem or how a cement pylon would help. Some people
think there's a problem at slower speeds under some circumstances though in
my ten years of using the camera I've never experienced any such problems.
However, you're the first person I know of who's said there are problems at
the fastest two speeds. Perhaps you could elaborate on your experience with
the camera, e.g. how did the problem at speeds higher than 1/250 manifest
itself, at what sizes were you printing, what lenses were you using on the
camera, etc.?



"jjs" wrote in message
...
Nothing can help that camera at speeds higher than 1/250th except a cement
pilon.





Shelley December 1st 04 02:23 AM

"jjs" wrote in message
...
Nothing can help that camera at speeds higher than 1/250th except a cement
pilon.


Then that shouldn't be much of a problem should it? There's only two speeds
higher than 1/250 on the camera and in any event I don't know why higher
speeds would be a problem or how a cement pylon would help. Some people
think there's a problem at slower speeds under some circumstances though in
my ten years of using the camera I've never experienced any such problems.
However, you're the first person I know of who's said there are problems at
the fastest two speeds. Perhaps you could elaborate on your experience with
the camera, e.g. how did the problem at speeds higher than 1/250 manifest
itself, at what sizes were you printing, what lenses were you using on the
camera, etc.?



"jjs" wrote in message
...
Nothing can help that camera at speeds higher than 1/250th except a cement
pilon.





Ken Smith December 1st 04 04:31 PM

"Shelley" wrote in message news:M29rd.13514$lv6.4706@trnddc03...
"jjs" wrote in message
...
Nothing can help that camera at speeds higher than 1/250th except a cement
pilon.


Then that shouldn't be much of a problem should it? There's only two speeds
higher than 1/250 on the camera and in any event I don't know why higher
speeds would be a problem or how a cement pylon would help. Some people
think there's a problem at slower speeds under some circumstances though in
my ten years of using the camera I've never experienced any such problems.
However, you're the first person I know of who's said there are problems at
the fastest two speeds. Perhaps you could elaborate on your experience with
the camera, e.g. how did the problem at speeds higher than 1/250 manifest
itself, at what sizes were you printing, what lenses were you using on the
camera, etc.?



He probably just meant to say lower not higher speeds. The longest lens I
use is a 150, and I check my tests with a loupe, against the sharpness of the
best neg. A neg at 1/125 gets compared to a neg at 1/15, and with a smaller
tripod, the 1/15 is seriously compromised. Mamiya 7's or 6's are way out of
my price range, with three lenses, good grief. The Pentax 6x7 was minty from
KEH at $265.00, and two lenses so far 90&150, both were less than $200. They
have really performed well. The 90 is remarkably able to shoot into the sun
without flare, and with a waist level finder makes for a very light rig. Still
as was said, its the weight of the tripod with this outfit that can get you,
due to that snapping thrust from the focal plane shutter.

Other than that this is a wonderful camera, and only my TLR Rollie charms as
much affection out of me.


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