Tripod Head for large format camera - 10x8

[@andyvan5692]

if you only need a tilt, have you thought of the sinar tilt head?, it has a flat top 5\8th screw, like a tripod column top, and it is small enough, not a large bulky thing, like the linhof one (see the one used by the technika shooters on the youtube channel for linhof store); this is designed to take a P2 , which can have a meter extension of the rails, with a 300 or larger lens on, middle standards, two or more rail clamps, even have two hole cameras connected together, aka two standard sets, ON the one head!! ( they effect this by adding the rail clamps onto a video camera long plate, which connects like an optical bench, to another qr plate, then onto the tripod). PS the sinar system does have an 8x10" standard for the rear, so does shoot this format!!

[@DaveJSmith]

Hi Andy
Thanks for pointing us to that solution
Dave

[@flipflopsLF]

I can’t image not using a ball/gear head and losing the adjustability for level / square with large format. Look forward to the results in the field. Thanks for sharing.

[@DaveJSmith]

Hi IG
I think you may well be right, I am probably going to put a Manfrotto 486 levelling plate on the tripod for that reason rather than those crazily priced heads. I am also considering making my own 'head' for the ULF camera. If I do that then there will certainly be a video on it!
Dave

[@flipflopsLF]

Dave Smith Photography I use my Benro geared head (holds 6kg) for my Chamonix 4x5 and maybe for my planned 8x10. Made the switched from ball to geared, would never go back.

[@DaveJSmith]

@@flipflopsLF I used to use the Manfrotto 400 geared head, what a beast!
Dave

[@DaveJSmith]

@@flipflopsLF I agree, a geared head is far superior to a ball head, I am not even sure why ball heads have become the de facto head! I think that the Benro or MAnfrott heads are fine for 5x4, but I found that the QR plate and stage were too small for 10x8 (not so much the weight capability as the cross section of the support stage) and got wobble, It certainly won't work for my 12x20 camera. The Luland head that BinBin mentioned has a stage that is 6inches by 6 inches so much much more stable for these cameras with very large surface areas
Dave

[@Beano_z]

Luland is the name you were looking for ;-)
Wh don’t you look into a leveling base for you tripod? Light and low profile, has very little adjustment but it works much easier than having to level the tripod by using the legs only.

[@DaveJSmith]

Hi BinBin Exactly right, Luland and that is the head that I will buy if this setup doesn't work for me. I have indeed bought a levelling base exactly so that I can easily level it as well as get some minimal movement (which I really think is all you need. Though I think that this may be too small across to securely hold the 12x20 and if it doesn't then I am intending to make my own head for that camera
Dave

[@nickfanzo]

Any recommendations for tripod legs and head for a sinar f2- 4x5? I am using a new benro tripod and head but I need to use a 1/3-1/4 adapter thread, to fit the camera on. Thanks.

[@DaveJSmith]

Hi Nicholas
I would think that the Benro is perfectly capable for 4x5 size camera. I don't use Sinar cameras, but I believe that they have a 3/4 - 16 mounting bush which is common on tripod legs to which you mount your ball head. However, most cameras (35mm and medium format) have 1/4 - 20 mounting bushes so the ball head/QR plate comes with the 1/4 - 20 screw. It is for this reason that you must convert the mount on the bottom of your camera.
However, there are plenty of otions which come with 3/4 - 16 bolts on the plates. For example the Manfrotto geared heads (410 or 405) have plates which will take a 1/4 - 20 or a 3/4 - 16 bolt to fit to your camera. In fact my Horseman LX 4x5 has mountings for both size of bolt and so I fix the Manfrotto QR plate for the 410 head using both sizes.
The Neewer QR plate I am using in this video will take a 3/4 - 26 bolt as well (I use two such bolts to mount the palte to both 10x8 and 12x20 cameras)
I hope that that helps
Dave

[@nickfanzo]

@@DaveJSmith I do have adapter bushings that change the tripod Mount thread size. I’ll have to try that and see if it works. The sinar is a monorail with extensions to make the bellows extend longer. Hopefully it’s stable without needing another tripod and head.

[@DaveJSmith]

@@nickfanzo Yes, my horseman is very similar to the Sinar, and uses the same lensboard for example. The adaptor will allow you to mount to your existing tripod head and should be fine (depending upon the weight that your tripod head is designed for, monorails are quite heavy - I use a geared head with mine, ball heads don't tend to handle the weight too well, especially when repositioning the camera when mounted)
Dave

[@andyvan5692]

I am looking at getting a similar camera, and from research, and asking my local camera store, my Manfrotto 055 legs, with the kit ball head(mhxpro-bhq2), q2 plate, is capable of hefting this{capacity of 20 KG's legs and head} (mine has two extensions, two rail clamps and a schneider KREUZNACH 90mm 5.6 lens); but I would only suggest, as a second option the Tilt head, by sinar, the yaw and all else is handled by the rail clamp and the standards (the base tilt
ise) should be enough to level this up! and hold secure, even at 20 degrees downward tilt, so people say.

[@nickfanzo]

@@andyvan5692 I’m all set, I figured this out a while ago. Thanks