Tabletop Tripods with Pentax 67?

I've never seen a tabletop tripod that I thought was worth fooling with on anything heavier than an Instamatic! I have, on some occassions, placed a camera on a table top and just held it firmly there while making an esposure. If you find a tabletop tripod that would be steady and strong enough to trust a Pentax 67 to it could be interesting for special situations.

I may not be much help, Bruce, but here's an answer just in the interests of balanced statistics... I don't have a table-top tripod. I do have a good solid Bogen tripod which used to go with me and the 6x7 in past decades but does only now when I know I'll use it. Most recent occasion was a couple years ago for some landscapes with full moon rising at sunset. I like the idea of a monopod, especially one set up to work as a walking stick too, and perhaps a defensive weapon. I have a monopod that's like a 2-section tripod leg: When have I used it? Never.

If the camera doesn't crush the tripod outright, you will probably find that it tips over unless you angle the camera carefully to keep its center of gravity above the center of the tripod. In most cases, this will leave the camera aiming slightly upwards, which is not usually where you wanted it to point.

Try the Leica, approx $100 from BHPhoto.

The focal plane shutter on the 67 kicks HARD so I can't imagine any table top tripod capable of handling that much vibration.

The best table top tripod I've ever used is the baby Gitzo, model 0012. It is fantastic, but I'd not use my P67 on it, no way. Heavy 35mm SLRs with mild telephoto lenses, yes, P67- no.

I use a tiny Manfrotto with a small ballhead that's always worked with MF cameras from Bronica SQ series to Pentax 6x7. I'd ignore the usual urban legends about P6x7 vibrations overwhelming anything but sumo-sized tripods. I've used the little Manfrotto often to brace against buildings for vertical shots. No blur. There are tiny Sliks that maybe up to holding a P6x7 in portrait orientation but only with some countervailing weight.

The only tabletop tripod that I know of that can carry a MF camera easily is the wooden Berlebach mini tripod. I use it for my Hasselblad which of course has less recoil than a Pentax 67.

Ulrik

Bob, I'm impressed! I have these things tip over with a Contax rangefinder unless I keep it level.