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Berlebach tripods

mohican

Well-Known Member
Has anyone used Berlebach tripods? I noticed B&H has them, don't know if they had them before, but I was always interested to find some wooden tripod.
 
I am using a Berlebach Report 8023 for over two years now, and I am very satisfied. It is not only fun to use it, it's also an real eyecatcher. It is solid build. The legs were arrested via metal srews with plastic knobs or levers. So you can touch it during winter without freezing to the legs or levers. The spread of the legs can be fixed in two positions. Altogether with an Berlebach you get a very sturdy tripod at a reasonable price (at least in Germany).
 
Karsten,

Prices here in the States are pretty good too. 8023 costs $174.95, but 8043 is sold for $223.95 (that's close to 172 EUR as of today). At berlebach.de it's listed for 214 EUR, so the B&H price is as good as it can possibly be. Considering that most carbon-fiber (and basalt) tripods sell for at least $300, the price is very attractive.

I was more curious about the actual use of the tripod though. Since I don't intend to use it with any heavy equipment (I would imagine my Aria with 135mm Sonnar and possibly a flash or some other accessory), it would be interesting to know how well such combination would work. In terms of stability and suppression of vibration that is.

Also, what would be a better choice then - 2-section tripod (heavier, thus probably more stable; longer and thus bulkier when folded) or 3-section tripod (lighter, thus probably less stable; shorter and thus easier to carry when folded) ?

I'm also trying to find out the actual heights of these tripods. Since it turns out 8023 is only 123cm and reaches 176cm only with center column fully extended. Same is with the rest of them. One of the tallest tripods is 3032 (142cm), but I can't figure out whether it can be used with center column, or the ballhead there is non-removeable?
 
Mike,

you are right about the heights, I use mine with the shortest center column for pohotography, and use the original center column only with my telescope. Sometimes it is exertive always to bend down (I am not the smallest) but without the center column extended it is more stable.

For the load: I used my tripod already with a RTSIII and a Sigma 4.5/500 without any problems.
If you compare the max. loads from the lists of the Berlebach tripods with the Gitzo of the same size, they show you at least twice the max. load.

Because of the weight, I always would choose a tripod with 3-section legs, when you plan to walk greater distances.

I don't know, if the 3032 can be used with a center column. But from the information given on the website I would guess that the 3042 is a 3032 with a center column.
 
Karsten,

That's what I figured too - with extended column it must be less stable.

As far as load goes, I realize my question wasn't very clear.

My point was that since I intend to use light equipment, the weight of the tripod itself is becoming relevant to stability also. Since Aria + 135mm + flash is the heaviest combination I may possibly use (and far likelier situation is Aria + 35mm Distagon, or 50mm Planar which weigh even less), that means that maybe in my case it is actually better to have a heavier tripod.

By the way, I agree with you that for the most part Berlebach tripods support heavier load than say Gitzo or Bogen. Even more important is the fact that Bogen and Gitzo are made from metal and do transfer vibrations easier than probably any wooden tripod. In fact I have noticed with my hand on the leg of my Bogen tripod about 30cm from the top of the legs that I can feel the vibration from shutter. Obviously I can't quantify it, but it's felt easily. And that's with Aria. I imagine that would be an even bigger problem with heavy equipment.

Now, as far as walking goes. If you take Bogen or Gitzo at 2.8kg and add another 500g or more for the separate ballhead, you get 3.3kg extra weight you have to carry around. If you get carbon fiber, you can probably get this down to 3kg. With Berlebach, taking three models with "levelling" center column into account, we get following weights:

Berlebach 2042, 2-section legs, levelling center column, 114cm w/out extended column, 81cm folded, load capacity of 12kg, weight of 3.2kg

Berlebach 3042, 2-section legs, levelling center column, 135cm w/out extended column, 93cm folded, load capacity of 10kg, weight of 3.5kg

Berlebach 8043, 3-section legs, levelling center column, 125cm w/out extended column, 72cm folded, load capacity of 8kg, weight of 2.9kg


So, they're very similar in terms of weight, exception being difference between 8043 and 3042 - 600 grams. But 3042 is the tallest one, so that's something to consider. On the other hand, it's also the longest at 93cm folded, and for someone like me standing tall at mind-boggling meter seventy
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the task of carrying such a beast on the back becomes somewhat challenging. The one thing I do like about all three though is that I suspect that I will not need separate ballhead. That's very convenient (and cheaper as well).

Also, I found out that 3032 can't use center column at all and it stands at 142cm high (indeed similar to 3042).

Your 8023 is a good one too, at 123cm w/out extended center column it's very close to 8043. Surprisingly though, weighing 100grams less, shorter by 3cm when folded it's capable of carrying 2kg more load. Beats me how is that possible. The only drawback (or advantage, depending on how you look at it) is that separate ballhead will be required.

So, at the moment I'm leaning towards 8023 or 8043 with a big MAYBE about 3042.
 
I have seen several of these tripods first hand today. I'm leaning towards 3032!

Berlebach 3032, 2-section legs, levelling ball, no center column, 142cm maximum height, 90cm folded, load capacity of 12kg, weight 3.2kg

Two things I liked the most about it are spring-loaded fastening screw, which was very handy - I mounted my Aria on it in 10 secons. The fact that leg positions are controlled with large dials that allow you to choose two different angles or "free floating" mode is also very good. Some other tripod (3042 I think) had different way of doing it (some push-pins), which was very inconvenient.


Two things I liked the least about it are the fact that it came in the box with lots of dust and the fact that screw-cl&s aren't very fast to operate (and not so smooth).

Leveling ball works fairly easily, although when you tighten it up - it shifts a little. So, you have to try several times before you get it right. I'm sure that with practice it will be easier though.

At the same time, I also found there is another German manufacturer making ash wood tripods. It's called "Wolf". A lot of their tripods are very similar to Berlebach, but there are some differences. They have a "fast cl&" system, which in a way is similar to Manfrotto - you flip the lever and legs can slide, you close it - and they're tightened together.
Surprising thing though is that they rate many of their tripods at higher load levels than similar Berlebach. Also, I don't know if Wolf tripods are imported into US. I sent them email, will wait to hear from them.

Here is their website by the way - http://www.wooden-tripods.com
 
I haven't senn the Wolf tripods before. For me it looks like, that an former employee of Berlebach has founded it's own business. The tripods own the website are looking very similar to the owns of Berlebach. Even the article numbers are similar. I don't like this kind of flip lever, because it opens in the wrong direction. If you move your tripod close to bushes the lever my easily be opened by a branch and your whole equipment is at risk.
 
Karsten,

Tripods definitely look similar. But it's hard to come up with something new in this market. It's like Manfrotto and Gitzo. Differences are very small and in case with Gitzo you lock the legs with "rings" and in case with Manfrotto you use levers. Other than that they're very similar. In that sense Wolf is a Manfrotto
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As far as lever easily opening - I guess that depends on how much force is necessary to open it. On Manfrotto, when the lever is shut it won't open up easily by accident. On this Wolf it appears that the legs are locked when the lever is in down position. It's open when it's up. So, I would think it may be possible to knock it open when you hit the rock or something like it.

The really bad thing about them is that they don't have a distributor in USA. They ship direct though. But without being able to see it firsthand, I'm definitely not going to pay 70 EUR for shipping.

By the way, I had a chance to take a look first-hand at few Berlebach tripods. I don't know what it is, but they were all covered with very thick layer of dust when taken out of the box. It was just nasty. The store owner said they came in like this, but I'm not sure I believe him. Do you remember how yours looked like when you bought it?
 
Mike,

I never have seen a Berlebach tripod covered with dust. Mine was in cardboard box, and it was clean ready for use.
 
Just got a Berlebach 3032. Very nice. There is one thing I wonder about though, why are the rubber feet so small? Are they replaceable at all?
 
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