Newer Tiltall Tripods

I purchased the smaller Tiltall Junior (silver) for my father as a gift last
year and was satisfied with the construction.

I have used ancient Tiltall tripods that featured brass leg-locking bushings
and owned a somewhat newer Tiltall (purchased circa 1982) that employed
plastic locking bushings. The black coating of the legs combined with
plastic lock bushings of my 1982 tripod contributed to a stick/slip problem.
In addition to the friction problem, the black powder coating was applied
unevenly with more of it near the top of the legs. It meant that the leg was
not the same diameter throughout its length and that caused extension
difficulties. You'd loosen the locking collar so the leg was free, extend it
but it would grab because the leg diameter would change. That combined with
the plastic/coating stiction, the legs were miserable to adjust.

I sanded and cross-hatched the powder coating at the top of the leg to match
the diameter of the bottom and improve the action somewhat, but it was never
as good as the old silver one I used at work. If you want to see the plastic
bushing and leg on my 1982 Tiltall, I've put a picture on my web site at:
http://www-schneider.viscom.ohiou.ed...ll_bushing.jpg

I still use my Tiltall tripod, but not for photography. I now have a Gitzo
320 for small and medium format work.

When I ordered the new Tiltall last year for my father I specifically
ordered silver. It was an improvement over mine, and it still has the clever
Tiltall pan-tilt head. I still want another Tiltall someday to put through
the paces, but it will be a silver one like the original.

Bill Schneider

One rather unheralded feature of the old Tiltall heads was a viscous
pad which damped small vibrations from tranmitting to the camera. New
Tiltalls have only the customary rubber pad.

One rather unheralded feature of the old Tiltall heads was a viscous
pad which damped small vibrations from tranmitting to the camera. New
Tiltalls have only the customary rubber pad.