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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Berlebach tripod (1 Viewer)

M

macs

Well-known member
Hi there,

Several days ago I bought Berlebach 3022 wooden tripod. I was on holiday in Poland and found an internet retailer that has a few Berlebach models in stock and the price was too attractive to ignore the offer :-O
I haven't tried it yet in the field because it came with 1/4'' thread base plate and I need an adapter to put my Manfrotto 128LP head on it.

Will such adapter affect stability? Also, the base plate is padded with cork, instead of plain metal so another question is if the cork may reduce stability?

There is an option to buy a bigger plate directly from Berlebach's website
http://www.berlebach.de/?bereich=details&id=76&sprache=english if this would make the whole setup more stable.

I appreciate any comments and suggestions.

Maciek
 

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Maciek,

You will need a 3/8" thread on the top plate to attach your Manfrotto video head. Avoid the 1/4" to 3/8" adapters, which are a very poor solution only having a couple of thread turns.
I see no reference to the thread size on the link to the top plate but they are most certainly available from Berlebach. However, there is a possibility that the top plate threaded section is reversible to give you 3/8". Investigate this and if so, fix the thread at the correct height with Loctite.
The cork on the top plate will not have an adverse affect on the stability and the friction it provides is necessary to prevent the head coming loose.
I have a Wolf clone of this Berlebach tripod and I think you will find that its stability is superior to anything else of equivalent weight, let alone price. The TVWG tests substantiate this.

John
 
Hi John,
Thanks for your reply. I bought an adapter thread yesterday but it doesn't fit tightly, there is alot of play so certainly not a secure solution. I don't think that the threaded section on the top plate is removable, on the website you can choose which thread size you want when buying a tripod or the plate alone, unfortunately I did not have such option when I was buying mine.

So it looks like the best option for me is to buy separate and bigger plate with 3/8'' thread from the link above. Actually, I tried to get one but unfortunately I couldn't buy it from their website! For some reason they have set the minimum order value of 25 euro... I would have to buy 2 at least...
Anyone from the UK needs a Berlebach central column plate? :-O

I am sure I will appreciate better stability, that's why I want to sort out any possible weak points of the setup. Otherwise it's not worth the trade-off, as the Berlebach weighs twice as much as my current Velbon CF legs.

Maciek
 
Like John, I do not see in the link you provide where it states the threads are 3/8". It does look like it has the set screws built into the plate to "lock" a Manfrotto head however, which is desirable. I also agree that using a 1/4" - 3/8" bushing is ridiculous for mounting a 128 head to such a robust tripod.

It might be worth penning a letter (email) to Berlebach pointing out the deficiency of the 1/4" thread and what is compatible with it considering the size and weight of the tripod itself. I'd be interested in their explanation and they might just send you the plate you need for the trouble.
 
Kevin,
Thanks for your reply. I will certainly email them about it. As for the link, it doesn't state that the thread is 3/8'' but if you look there is an 'add to cart' icon on the right hand side and just above it you can choose the thread size you want from a drop-down list. It's even better with tripods where you can choose the thread size, legs color and even the length of the central column.

Comparing the plate with cork to the bigger one w/o cork (from the link) which one is more stable? / better for a heavy head? (assuming both have a 3/8 thread).

Cheers,

Maciek
 
Maciek,

I don't think the cork is going to have much affect but metal to metal contact secured with set screws is the optimum solution.
If Berlebach's minimum order is €25, you'd only be giving €2,32 away. However, if you have any problems, you could pm me and, as a German speaker, I could give them a call.
BTW, I do not use the Wolf tripod regularly as it is considerably heavier than my Gitzo basalt tripod and, using a straight scope, its "knock-over stability" is not so good due to its small footprint. However, even with the centre column extented its resistance to vibrations is better than an ancient 6kg Gitzo aluminium series 4 and much better than the series 2 basalt, so I do have a back-up for windy days.

John
 
macs said:
Comparing the plate with cork to the bigger one w/o cork (from the link) which one is more stable? / better for a heavy head? (assuming both have a 3/8 thread).
Click to expand...

The cork pad along with the 1/4" stud indicate the intended use is to mount a camera directly, without a head. The pad gives traction and protects the camera from getting scratched. 1/4" is the more common thread size of cameras. I don't imagine there are many people mounting a camera to a Berlebach in this fashion unless it is a large view camera and then I'm thinking they probably use a larger thread size.

John Russell said:
I don't think the cork is going to have much affect but metal to metal contact secured with set screws is the optimum solution.
Click to expand...

That's what I'm thinking also.


The plate you link us to is clearly what you want Maciek. It most likely has a larger diameter as compared to the cork base, to accommodate larger heads. The set screws and solid interface complete the picture.
 
Thanks John and Kevin!
John, many thanks for your offer, that's very kind of you. I emailed Berlebach 2 days ago and got response today:

Dear Maciej,
the plate with the screw you can't unscrew from the centre column. You can only turn the centre column and screw a new plate with 3/8" or you screw additional the adapter no. 32053 with 3/8" on the centre column with 1/4".
The plate with the cork we made some years not more. The new plate is from aluminium with 3 little screws on the rand in 90° distance for the security.
The minimum order is 25.00 EUR.

Best regards,

Marion Totterwitz
BERLEBACH STATIVTECHNIK
[email protected]
Click to expand...

That seems weird to me that the cork-padded plate cannot be unscrewed, allowing to attach the metal one. I tried to remove it but couldn't do it, it is extremely tightly joined.
Anyway, I just ordered another central column with a metal top plate and 3/8'' screw. Hopefully this one will be OK :t:

When it arrives, I post my observations.

Thanks again for your input folks!

Maciek
 
Alexis Powell said:
The one I like is from Really Right Stuff. Their bushing is stainless steel and it engages 6 or more turns.
Click to expand...

Alexis,

That appears to be a respectable solution.
I have a Zeiss Diascope, which is optically and mechanically excellent but was delivered with a 1/4" to 3/8" adapter with TWO thread turns!! What are they thinking about?
I think I'll drop them a line with the RRS link.

John
 
Hi,
The column arrived couple of days ago. So far I had my new setup twice in the field and the initial impressions are very positive. Increase in stability is noticable, particularly on windy days, like today. The tripod performed nicely, making it easier to look at birds, especially at high magnifications. Very little shake. Impressive!
The only drawback is the weight and bulk.

Regards,

Maciek
 
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