Berlebach Report 9033 tripod?

[MurrayMinchin]

Anybody have a Berlebach Report 9033 tripod?

http://www.berlebach.de/?bereich=det...prache=english

My Zone VI "lightweight" tripod is a fat 14 pounds, and I'm getting too old and feeble to haul it through the bush all day.

I have a Wista 4x5 field camera and realize the 9033 is a wee bit on the overkill side, but it has quite a few things I like. At 6.5 pounds it'll be close to half the weight of my Zone VI even with a pan-tilt head. It compacts down to 30" so I can strap it to my pack if I need both hands for scrambling or when snowshoeing. It has a levelling base which will help big time for horizontal panning to take multi image sequences of scenes...a long term project of mine. At 61" it should put the middle of the focusing screen at eye level at maximum height, and give more tripod to work with when photographing down slope. It's no nonsense, no coddling needed, jam it in the muck without a second thought, time proven technology. Won't need to sell a kidney.

Do you like yours? Do you have the 8033, and if so, would you go for a 9033 for the extra height even though it adds a bit more weight?

Murray

[rmann]

I found the leg adjustments to be enough of an issue that I would want the two section leg over a three section - even if it were a little longer when folded. I also much prefer the individual leg angle set up of the "uni" series over the presets of the report series - so much so that I sold my Berlebach and got a used Ries. I did like the built in leveling feature on the Berlebach and wish my Ries had it. When I was using it I found the 15 degrees of adjustment enough for landscape work, I carried a head around and found that I rarely needed to use it. If I were buying now, I would pay the extra and get the smallest tripod from the Uni series with two leg sections.

[Laurent]

I do.

I use it with the 45 Tachihara, and agree it's a bit overkill for it. In fact, I find it more overkill when carrying it than when the camera sits on it , in which case the match is very good. I'm very happy of the leveling base, which allows me to use it without a tilt-head, I simply added a Manfrotto lightweight pan "head" (nothing more than a second screw which I can unscrew a bit to pan the camera, but it works fine ) so that I do not have to touch the levelling base when I want to pan just a bit.

Depending on what I'm doing, I nowadays use a carbon Velbon (initially acquired for the Rolleiflex) when I want light weight, or when I need to strap the tripod on the bag, as the 9033 is a bit tall to carry that way on my Nature trekker (still doable, but requires rigid strapping and not the ridiculous bungee cords the bag provides).

I had a #055 Manfrotto, and finally got rid of it as it was WAY overkill for the Tachihara.

[seoirse]

Hello Murray,

I use the Report 3032 tripod and really like it.

It's so easy to set up and you don't have to have a separate head if you don't want to as the levelling cup does a nice job and can move 30 degs in all directions. I carry mine on a padded strap 'rifle style'.

You can see my opinion of it on the Berlebach website here (scroll down to bottom):

http://www.berlebach.de/?bereich=det...prache=english

[daleeman]

I have desired to purchase the 8043 Berlebach because it shrinks down to 28.3 inches and to my knowledge the current US Airline industry luggage max sizes are 30" or 31" long before oversized charges apply. I have a drop bed rolling duffle from LL Bean. http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/32162?feat=904-GN1

My current Indurro carbon tripod just fits in the bottom and the head in the bottom too, then my clothes and stuff goes in the top section. Camera eq goes carry on. Gets me to the site I want to hike out too.

I image I should be happy with the Indurro, but it has been back for service once already and will go back again in 2011 becasue the keyed sleeve in the riser column continues to strip the key and the post turns CC or CCW instead of being locked up. 5 year warranty, but it will go back a second time in 3 years, so I have been thinking about the 8043 model.

Lee

[Justin Cormack]

I have the 9003 and I am very happy with it. Wondering about getting one that goes smaller for travelling though in addition.

[photo8x10]

I use it on my 8x10 Lotus and works perfectlly.... a good choice.

[MurrayMinchin]

Thanks for the thumbs up replies.

Regarding the "leg preset" issue...as I understand it the leg angles are controlled by a wheel which has a 'white line' setting for 20 degrees, a 'red line' setting for 45 degrees, but in the 'black in between' setting aren't the legs free to move to any angle independent of each other?

Murray

[rmann]

Thanks for the thumbs up replies.

Regarding the "leg preset" issue...as I understand it the leg angles are controlled by a wheel which has a 'white line' setting for 20 degrees, a 'red line' setting for 45 degrees, but in the 'black in between' setting aren't the legs free to move to any angle independent of each other?

Murray

Yes, but they don't lock at that angle - that is why I prefer the set up of the Uni series where you can lock the leg angle in any position you want with a handle at the top of the leg - this is also why a decided to buy a Ries which has the same set up. On ground that is not level I really like to be able to place the leg where I want it, not where the preset forces me to. Also, most of the time 20 degrees is too narrow and 45 is too wide.

IMO - getting the right tripod for my working style is worth a few extra $$ and a few extra pounds for that matter.

[Curt]

Hole mole, I did a write up on the 8023, in depth, and it's.....well.... not here!!!!!!!!!!

I have a Report 8023 and I like it a lot, it has the Bogen 3047 head on it right now but it can take about any head. The legs can be spread to any angle with the wheel in on location. It can hold my Seneca 8x10 and everything on down. It's best with the Kodak 2D 5x7 and any lens plus extension. I'm not sure you need a larger one but that's up to you. The quality is superb and the wood is excellent and there is no sticking in freezing weather or the very hot Southwest in summer.

Curt