Gosh, got my $195 USD Linhof tripod today. This is going to be a great tripod for me at a low price. I was shocked at how big this thing is, its a frickin beast!! It makes the Ries A100 wooden tripod look like a little toy in comparison. It should be easily big-strong enough to handle the 11x14 camera and probably the 14x17 camera. Heck it might even be big enough to handle the 16x20 with the right head, though that would be pushing its capabilities.
I love the fact that this Linhof Tripod has a huge strong centre post. This is probably the biggest circumference post I have ever seen on a tripod. Centre posts make portrait photography and composition in general so much easier. I've got a ton of tripods but this will be one of my faves and one of only a few that will work with my ULF formats. This tripod is too big to take overseas but just right for a project like "Oh! Canada!"
One thing you really see in an old tripod like this is the care, strength and craftsmanship they put into photography equipment back in the 50s. This tripod is 60 plus, maybe 70 years old and yet it is fully functional and very stable. You got to love Linhof for quality, sometimes a name does make a difference.
Note* The Ries J200 head in combination with the Linhof tripod might be my best bet in the field. There is no quick release but I can attach the camera fairly quickly to the head and it allows a front tilting movement to shoot downward and slightly upward. I believe the J200 head is strong enough to support the weight of my light weight 11x14 camera, which is about the same weight as many 8x10s. I will probably buy a Ries A200 head at some point for the 14x17 and 16x20 ULF cameras.
Update* Ain't the 11x14 a beautiful camera! Cheap at the price. This set up pictured below came in cheap, $1400 for the camera, 2 holders and shipping, $195 USD for the tripod and the Ries head I got used and cheaply, the 450mm Nikon F9 was less than $300 also. What was the price of everything in the pic? Maybe $2000 USD including shipping, duty and taxes.
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| My 11x14 mounted to the Linhof tripod with the J200 Ries head. |
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| My new-used 1950s Linhof tripod with the centre post and head is well over 6 feet tall. |
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| The tripod looked way more tiny in the sellers advert photo. |
