I'm looking for a backpacking tripod for my Pentax 6x7. Last year I carried my Bogen 3021 on a trip (one time only and never again)! This year I'm going into the Paria Canyon and would love to bring back some photos of the slot canyons. These require long exposures and even a monopod would not work. Does anyone have experience using this camera with a lightweight tripod such as the Gitzo Mountaineer. Any comments or recommendations will be appreciated. My 3 lens are 55mm, 105mm and 200mm. I probably will not carry the 200mm on this trip.

Thanks

-- Steve Cook (cooksa@cu.imt.net), January 09, 1999

Answers

The Gitzo G 320 will work with the 55 and 105 but may be heavier than you are looking for. I'm not familiar with the Mountaineer. Have used a Bogan 3001 for many years with my wide angle and normal lenses for travel and packing with good results. I believe this is a four pound tripod. It can't be used for any lens over 105 unless you use it with the legs unextended. Can't recommend using the center post on any light tripod for this camera. SR

-- Steve Rasmussen (srasmuss@flash.net), January 09, 1999.

The 3021 will work for lenses in the 35-200mm range. Hiking with it depends on how much other weight you are carrying and what distance you are going. SR

-- Steve Rasmussen (srasmuss@flash.net), August 02, 1999.

From what I've heard and read, Paria canyon is very dark and exposures of minutes are normal. With such long exposures, if you are sheltered from wind, any tripod should be OK as the camera will have settled down in a few seconds after mirror drop/shutter release and almost all the exposure will be made with the camera very still. I haven't heard whether there is much wind in the canyon.

Beware of the potential for flash flooding, it is deadly in the slot canyons!

Frank

-- Frank Kolwicz (bb389@lafn.org), January 09, 1999.

Is the bogen 3021 too light weight for the 67? Or too heavy to hike with?

-- James O. Ewing (jim53kit55@aol.com), August 02, 1999.

Just too heavy for backpacking, in my opinion. I bought a Bogen 3001 for the Paria trip, which worked well. Of course, I swore I would never backpack with the Pentax 6x7 ever again. It's a great camera, but pretty heavy. Also, I'm investigating renting a burro for my future backpacking trips. That way I can take all my camera gear and a cast iron frying pan.

Steve Cook

-- Steve Cook (cooksa@cu.imt.net), August 02, 1999.