TRIPODS

Tripods aren’t cameras, but most of my cameras rest on one when I shoot, making them a crucial part of my gear. The best advice I received in commercial photography school was to buy the best tripod I could afford, and I might never need another.

Thirty-some years later, I still have the tripod I purchased for my first 4×5—a Gitzo Pro Studex with a Gitzo Rational No.4 Pan Tilt Head. It’s heavy, but it’s never let me down on hundreds of commercial jobs, and every scratch and worn spot on those legs tells a story.

Today, that same Gitzo serves a different purpose: holding various surfaces for product shoots. I attach Arca-style plates to different boards and secure them using the Arca-style receiver on the tripod head. It’s an effective way to change surfaces for shoots and a way for me to keep a sentimental piece of gear from being sold off for far less than it’s worth.

I also shot with a Ries wooden tripod many years ago. It was sturdy and excellent at dampening vibration, though heavier and more cumbersome to set up than I preferred. I still recommend them as a high-quality product, but you might want to consider finding a used one. Since the company changed ownership, photographers have reported less satisfactory experiences with their current business practices. (Update 2025: sadly, Reis Tripods is now defunct).

Over time, carbon fiber tripods have replaced my aluminum and wood legs. They’re lighter and just as strong, and I highly recommend investing in carbon fiber if you can. One thing has remained constant throughout my photography career: Gitzo and Really Right Stuff (RRS) have been my go-to brands for tripods and grip products.

2024 UPDATE
I now exclusively use my Really Right Stuff TQC-14 legs with the Acratech Panoramic Head and Leveling Base for my on-the-road ALPA STC kit, including panoramic and single image shots. Although the Fotopro E-6H Gimbal Head has served me well over the years, I’ve become frustrated with the camera mounting process. Fotopro claims that the safety pin in the tightening knob should pop out to secure the camera to the gimbal after tightening, but the pin doesn’t engage when attaching the ALPA. I think the Acratech setup performs better unless you need an additional nodal slider, which I do not. You’ll need to include one in your kit if you require one.

When I switched from using a ball head to a panoramic head with a leveling base that could handle my 4×5 but also be lightweight and precise, I went with the Acratech Panoramic Head and Leveling Base. I had used the RRS ball heads: BH-55 on a studio stand for many years and the BH-40 on the TVC-23 tripod for out-of-studio use with heavier panoramic and 4×5 cameras. The TVC-23 tripod has always been sufficient for my larger cameras, but I grew tired of ball heads with larger cameras.

Ball heads are great for use with my 4×5 and 6×17 pinhole and smaller cameras, and I continue to use the RRS BH-30 with Gitzo GT1541T legs when I shoot these cameras while traveling. But, when I need more precision control on a tripod with larger cameras, I do not want to use a ball head any longer. I do not care what a ball head manufacturer may publish on their product pages saying otherwise. I have over thirty years of experience shooting large cameras and multiple types of tripod heads; ball heads are NOT as precise as a head that offers accurate geared movement in three directions. The RRS BH55 ball heads I had were heavier than my current Acratech setup for large format, and the Acratech is much more precise.

After using the Acratech setup for the past year, I am delighted with its ease of operation and lighter weight. The price was within my budget once I sold off a couple of ball heads and replaced them with the Acratech setup. I have used ball heads for decades and believe they can be excellent tools, but now that I have returned to shooting more 4×5 out of the studio, I realized pretty quickly lugging around a giant ball head that never gave me the precision I was looking for had to go. This Acratech head and leveling base are perfect for general photography, not just for panoramic or long lens needs.

The Fotopro Eagle E-6H Gimbal (E-6H) works well with the RRS TCQ-14 tripod and the Acratech Leveling Base with Quick Release Clamp. Before owning my current and second Ebony RSW 4×5 (RSW), I used the E-6H with an RRS Leveling Base TA-2U but switched to the Acratech with QR Clamp because I prefer a side knob over a collar when leveling the RSW.

The E-6H gimbal is lightweight and precise and allows stitching quickly and easily. The head shifts back, which makes it possible to put the lens nodal point directly on the tripod’s pivot point. When rotating the camera for panoramic creation, having the nodal point directly over the tripod’s pivot point places objects from one image to another in the correct alignment. Another great feature when stitching is adjusting the click stops on the panning scale. Features like these help to make guessing obsolete and precision easy for panoramic and stitching photography.

I was looking for a lightweight combination of a tripod, gimbal head, and leveling base and was able to piece these items together. The Fotopro Eagle E-6H is available in a kit with a tripod, which I am sure works very well, but I found a used E-6H Gimbal head without the tripod. The E-6H Gimbal with Acratech Leveling Base w/Quick Release (MPN 1134) and RRS TCQ-14 is my road warrior tripod, but I also use the TCQ-14 with the Acratech Leveling Base without the gimbal when I am not making panoramics or stitching. Because I am not very tall, the shorter height of this combination fits me well.

I had been using the RRS TCQ-14 tripod for a few years and was happy with it, and I acquired the RRS TA-2U leveling base shortly after the E-6H to finish the kit. This setup fits nicely in my camper van’s under-floor stow area, making it perfect for travel. The E-6H came with a storage case, which is handy since the leveling base has a quick release, and I prefer to break it down for transport. It also came with a universal mounting plate and panning handle I do not use.

Update: I switched my RRS TA-2U to the Acratech Level Base MPN 1134 since this article was written. There is nothing wrong with the RRS TA-2U; I just wanted to stay with Acratech since I switched out my ball head for the Acratech Panoramic Head. The RRS TA-2U is more straightforward to store on the tripod since it does not have the knobs the MPN 1134 has.

The E-6H works well with my Hasselblads, ALPA TC, and smaller cameras, and I can recommend it for the shooting techniques I use for stitching. Fotopro specs say the E-6H can handle up to 22lbs/10kg, and when mounted on the E-6H series tripod, 33lbs/15kg. I find the build quality and ease of operation of the E-6H superb.

I might have tried the Fotopro E-6H Eagle Series Tripod Kit if I had not had the TCQ-14 tripod prior, but I would need to add a leveling base as the E-6H tripod kit does not include one. I prefer a leveling base over a ball head and often use the TCQ-14 tripod with just the leveling base for landscape shooting, and I find it a great convenience.

The more robust Fotopro E9 Eagle Series Tripod Kit comes with a leveling base, but it does not interest me due to its size and weight. But if you are a photographer that uses long lenses and requires panning and a beefier setup, the E9 series may interest you. My RRS TVC-23 with Acratech Panoramic Head and Leveling Base is for my heavier camera needs, and I am very happy with its performance and stability.

When shooting 6×17 film panoramas with my Fotoman camera, I need a setup that’s quick to deploy, lightweight but sturdy, and—most importantly—just tall enough to meet me at eye level. At 5’3″, I’ve spent most of my career lugging tripods clearly built for basketball players. But these days, I’m over that. I want just what I need and nothing more. The Really Right Stuff QVC-14, paired with the Acratech MPN 1134 Leveling Base (the version with the Quick Release clamp), finally lets me shoot tall without hauling a footstool.

The Gitzo GT1541T is a lightweight tripod that folds to a compact size and fits in a suitcase for airplane travel. When folded, the legs can be flipped over the center column and will surround the ball head, making it even more compact. I acquired it for a trip to Iceland many years ago, and this setup performed flawlessly in very cold weather.

The GT1541T has consistently supported my smaller and/or lighter-weight cameras like the Fuji APS-C models and 4×5 and 6×17 pinhole cameras without difficulties; it does what I want it to do. I used it with my medium-format ALPA digital kit when my larger tripod was unavailable without problems, but I prefer my RRS TQC-14 tripod kit for my medium-format cameras.

The RRS BH-30 ball head is compact and handles my smaller format and pinhole cameras well. It operates efficiently on the Gitzo GT1541T. I have used this compact tripod setup for over a decade and have no plans to replace it. It easily stows in the underfloor storage area of my camper van and is a breeze to carry into the field. Here is an excellent review of the GT1541T, and to see the specs for the RRS BH-30, go here.

My pocket tripod is the RRS TFA-01 with a BH25 ball head. What can you say about a pocket tripod? I’ll say it is convenient to carry (why I acquired it originally), and it holds my Hasselblad 501cm, Nikon D200, and Mamiya 6 cameras without difficulty. The RRS TFA-01 is marketed to hold up to 50 lbs, but I have never needed to use it for a 50-lb load. I mostly use it for backup in my Mamiya 6 pack (my walkaround street shooter) and FaceTiming with my iPhone. It does not weigh much, and with the BH25 head, it hardly takes up any space in my pack. Would I buy it again? Maybe. I do not use it for shooting with a camera enough, and there are cheaper options for a small tripod for FaceTiming. Although, cheaper is not always better.

The phone holder shown has ‘XILETU’ and ‘XJ-8’ imprinted, and it is designed to work with an Arca Swiss quick-release system. But since purchasing it in 2021, it is now advertised as AFVO Universal Metal Smartphone Holder Tripod Adapter with Cold Shoe for Arca Swiss, 1/4″-20 Tripods. It works, appears to be good quality, and is affordable. Would I buy it again? Yes. It was worth the price and had the functionality I was looking for. I used it on my Kaiser copy stand a few times to take quick snapshots of food dishes I prepared. Why use a ‘real’ camera when the iPhone can take perfectly good snapshots of what I want to send to my friends?

I bought two inexpensive smartphone tripods on a B&H Flash Deal I gave to friends. I had to show one of my friends how to set it up, so I know the quality of these tripods. They say their tripods work fine, but I am glad I have the setup I have. I am also glad I did not lose money selling my pocket tripod on the used market, as I had contemplated doing so from lack of use. Then FaceTiming entered my life, and my pocket tripod only needed an Arca Swiss Smartphone Holder to breathe new life into it. No need to worry if my expensive iPhone may tumble over from tripod integrity and the bonus of having the AFVO adapter work with my copy stand is sweet.

Copy stands entered my studio when digitizing film replaced film scanners. Because I use medium format equipment to digitize film when necessary, I purchased the Beseler CS Digital/Photo-Video copy stand. It is heavy, not mobile, and uses the same chassis as Beseler’s 45 V-XL enlargers. Another copy stand I use is the Kaiser RS 2-XA. It is a portable, well-constructed copy stand that works well with my APS-C cameras. The stats say it will handle up to a 3.3 lbs/1.5kg payload. A sturdy copy stand is a must when digitizing film.

If you are interested in learning more about how I digitize my film and what equipment I use, here is a three-part series of articles I have written about my digitizing journey:

DIGITIZING FILM – PART 1 : [ copy stands, film holders, medium format ]
DIGITIZING FILM – PART 2 : [ software, stitching, more ]
DIGITIZING FILM – PART 3 : [ APS-C, Lightroom, film storage ]

I recommend starting with Part 3, the newest, most up-to-date article discussing my changes.

Photographers of all heights may find themselves reaching for stools and ladders occasionally. Despite my modest height of 5’3″ on my best days, I discovered that using a three-step ladder in the studio felt unsafe. There were moments when I became so engrossed in my equipment and composition that I compromised my safety to shoot from a higher step stool or ladder. Fortunately, the stool I’ve used for the past ten years has proven a reliable companion. It perfectly balances strength and portability, and I have not fallen off it yet!