Here's another vote against the Sokkias
We got a couple of them recently and I find there is not enough space in the leg clamping mechanism. Even with screws completely undone the legs tend to jam and not slide.
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Wood tripods jam up when they absorb moisture and swell. Bring your SOKKIA tripods indoors for a week or so and I think you will find they loosen up.?ÿ ?ÿThat's one of my main beefs with them, they absorb and swell quickly even in humid weather. The Leica will swell up also, but at least with them it takes several days of very wet weather for it to happen.?ÿ ?ÿ
I have not had a problem with SOKKIA and think they are fine, sturdy and stable. It's just that the Leica tripods are lighter, but, still made of wood. I did not consider fiber glass as one of my choices. I have had the SOKKIA wide frame tripods for many years and replace them because they are getting old.
You ask advise - you get 7 guys recommending the Leica, 3 or 4 the Trimax, 2 the Nedo. And not a single person recommending the Sokkia. Yet it sounds like you are going with the Sokkia.?ÿ OK, whatever. Just don't complain here when your prospective client goes with the surveyor who underbids you by $50.?ÿ ?ÿ
Don't be mean. I did, in fact, choose the Leica wood tripods to replace the SOKKIA tripods that have been in service for many years.
I agree with you that wood swells when wet and the remedy is give them some time in a cool dry spot. Letting them dry in direct sunlight may make the swelling permanent.
My decision was based on the lower weight of the Leica tripod and their elegance. This has been a fun discussion and I thank all who participated.
Historic boundaries and conservation efforts.
Extra long, Dutch Hill. My favorite. Leica is 2nd.
N
Bought the wood Sokkia and 3 Dutch Hills in 1999. The Dutch Hills are still daily users and the Sokkia sits in the garage until needed; its just too heavy.?ÿ The Dutch Hills make Trimbles go crazy, but have given me great numbers and long use.?ÿ?ÿ
Dutch Hill tripods annoy me, good tripods, just don't like the configuration. ?ÿThe other crew chief prefers them, lighter weight but I'll carry a trimax just because I like setting them up better. He has Dutch hills, I have trimaxes.
I always liked the Wild/Leica legs, but have been using Tri-max for the past 10 years, and I'm sold on them.?ÿ Solid, but heavy, and I can live with that.
I don't care what anyone else prefers, but I'll never go back to the screws.?ÿ I've never had the quick release clamps let go or collapse on me, just need to check them often and make sure they're tightened, but not over-tightened.?ÿ
I don't care what anyone else prefers, but I'll never go back to the screws.?ÿ I've never had the quick release clamps let go or collapse on me, just need to check them often and make sure they're tightened, but not over-tightened.?ÿ
I'm the opposite, I've never liked the quick-release clamps -- it seems that they're always too loose or too tight.?ÿ I prefer the Leica screws.?ÿ I have a screw-clamp TriMax that I used for some years as my main tripod, though I've since relegated it to second-string status because the Leica GST-20 is a bit less bulky and slightly more stable.?ÿ But the TriMax screws tend to bottom out, leaving me feeling like they're not tightening enough.?ÿ I've never had it slip, but I don't like that bottoming-out behavior.
Clamps or Screws??ÿ
Why not have both? It only costs $20 more to have clamps AND screws. Then you can have the convenience of clamps for adjusting and tighten the screws to keep them solid.?ÿ
These are MSRP prices (not STREET which is significantly lower):?ÿ
| 90553 | TRIMAX STD DUAL CLAMP?ÿ $440 .95?ÿ |
| 90551 | TRIMAX STANDARD SCREW CLAMP TRIPOD $420.95 | ?ÿ | ?ÿ |
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I prefer dual lock systems.
The quick locks are great to get the tripod setup quickly and the setscrews will insure the tripod is firm and stable.
Most makers of tripods have models that the setscrew is optional.
I have the dual lock Trimaxes. Mostly use the clamp screws when the scanner is on the tripod.
Currently running Leica wood tripod for the gun and Dutch Hill for backsight. Leica tripod will hold its level almost all day if firmly set in something stable, but it??s much easier/quicker to set up the Dutch Hill tripod, which has a bigger head on it (hate having the tribrach overhanging the head). And for those complaining about swollen Leica wood legs, just make sure to loosen them screws before you put them back in the rig!
While it is nice that our wet weather does not effect them, one problem I have with the TriMax is the amount of water they retain.?ÿ When you go to pick them up after a couple of hours of working in the rain you inevitably get soaked with water running out of the tubes.?ÿ There is no such thing as a rain day in the Pacific NorthWet.
Currently running Leica wood tripod for the gun and Dutch Hill for backsight. Leica tripod will hold its level almost all day if firmly set in something stable, but it??s much easier/quicker to set up the Dutch Hill tripod, which has a bigger head on it (hate having the tribrach overhanging the head). And for those complaining about swollen Leica wood legs, just make sure to loosen them screws before you put them back in the rig!
You never need to accept the instrument overhanging on any tripod. Look in the optical plummet and recenter the bullseye over the point then relevel the legs, lather rinse repeat until you are level and centered.
Dave is right.?ÿ I amazed myself when I finally figured that out.?ÿ It is counter intuitive to point with the leveling screws and level with the legs, but works like a charm to get you close when the tripod is at ordinary height above the point.?ÿ Final positioning of the last half centimeter is then by sliding the tribrach.
While it is nice that our wet weather does not effect them, one problem I have with the TriMax is the amount of water they retain.?ÿ When you go to pick them up after a couple of hours of working in the rain you inevitably get soaked with water running out of the tubes.?ÿ There is no such thing as a rain day in the Pacific NorthWet.
One of life's great mysteries as to how the water gets in there.
Look in the optical plummet and recenter the bullseye over the point then relevel the legs, lather rinse repeat until you are level and centered.
Or until you realize that the tripod head is so far out of level that you're to embarrassed to leave it that way, so you do what you should have done in the first place and reposition the tripod feet.
You can't go wrong with the high end Leica, they're great tripods. I use a Trimax primarily because that's what my dealer sells, and it does a fine job also. I use the dual clamp model; I use the quick clamps to get leveled and plumb but I lock it down with the screw clamps before?ÿ I start taking measurements.
Look in the optical plummet and recenter the bullseye over the point then relevel the legs, lather rinse repeat until you are level and centered.
Or until you realize that the tripod head is so far out of level that you're to embarrassed to leave it that way, so you do what you should have done in the first place and reposition the tripod feet.
I don??t like bottoming out any of the screws on the tribrach because in the past I noticed it would affect the quality of my turned angles. I can??t explain why, or maybe it??s just the 1100 series Leica guns we used back when I noticed it, but I couldn??t get splits less than 20? at 400?? away with bottomed out screws, but when you releveled it correctly it resulted in sub 5? splits.