Chime!! thanks John...my ears were burnin'
Hey Rod, I've got 2 sets and love 'em. Very solid and esthetically pleasing.
They'll handle 25 lbs or so and the wood kills vibrations when setting up
in or around slow moving water. Have a Sidekick/BH3 on one and Jobu Jr.
on the other. Great for A vs B comparisons which I'll be doing this Fall, BIF
at BdA...300 VR w/1.4x vs 200-400 VR. Possible bonus or annoyance w/
using them is they attract a lot of attention. State of the art gear mounted
on retro legs..quite the sight. Riis makes great ones too, but quite dear.
Sven Jeppesen wrote:
It's a stable tripod. But it's also very clumsy and not so easy to work with
I dunno, it's infinitely adjustable and for uneven terrain the 30 degree leveling ball
makes set-up a breeze. Granted, the sliding legs take some getting used to, but
with proper friction settings it's no worse than clamp or screw type legs. They're
not for everyone but with a little practice the set-up can be pretty quick. If I'm in
THAT much of a hurry I'm handholding the shot anyway.
I use a Berlebach Uni16. Takes 75lbs (but weights 15lbs...) and has also a 30 degree leveling ball integrated (diameter 90mm). Nothing for a walk, of course, but just perfect support for tele lenses (I use lenses up to 700mm on a strong ArcaSwiss compatible rail that supports both lens and body).
Before, I had a Gitzo Series 5, sturdy like a tank too, but the wooden Berlebach absorbs camera induced vibrations (not only ground vibrations) much better.
thanks John...my ears were burnin' 
