Bicycle Touring camera setups?

[moz]

Who else has a light-weight setup for month-plus holidays? Specifically, what do you use for a travel tripod if you want to hold an SLR and shoot panoramas without lugging a bulky tripod around?

I do a bit of longer-distance cycle touring every now and then, so having a camera rig that works on the bike is important. I've done a couple of shorter rides with a 300D, kit, Sigma 70-300 and an Ultrapod, which is what made me want to upgrade to a decent tripod and better lenses. The 5kg Manfrotto tripod was a terrible compomise, heavy but not very stable, too short and tricky to set up for panoramas. The Benro CF from Poon is lighter but just as bulky.

Here's the setup I used for a two month tour in NZ:
The camera bag sits behind the seat, tripod tied underneath that. Ride diary and lots of photos at www.mozbike.com

I'm riding my bike for three months with Cycle Against the Nuclear Cycle so I want a faily lightweight kit with a lot of flexibility. Currently 30D + 16-35 + 70-200 + 1.4x TC + 50/1.4, pano toys, ball head off my tripod and I'll make up a floor stand/clamp so I don't have to carry the whol tripod. Ideally that will come in under 10kg including my laptop.

[Glen]

That is a difficult one Moz, my dream solution for that and other travelling solutions would be a Gitzo traveller, closed length either 35 or 39cm depending on model, weight 1kg. Price is surely expensive.

Link to Gitzo Traveller page

http://tinyurl.com/yp8zxo

[moz]

my dream solution for that and other travelling solutions would be a Gitzo traveller

Nice, but Ow! $1100 from the only place in Oz I could find.

The VS30 and VS34 from here http://www.vanguardusa.com/table.htm (better photos: http://www.minitripods.com/Vanguard_VS34.html)I mean, they're a toy tripod but I'm thinking that the pano gear will let me keep the centre of gravity over the pivot point, and so for many tasks that will work quite well. Since I have some metalworking ability, I'm tossing up making my own version with a 50cm diameter rather than the toy size, as they're mechanically very simple.

[Glen]

Only $1100!



That VS34 looks very stable with the novel leg arrangement. It is a pity they dont have weights, it looks heavy

[moz]

That VS34 looks very stable ... pity they dont have weights, it looks heavy

I suspect it's cast aluminium, and would be surprised if it's over 500g. So yeah, heavy for a mini tripod. I think the legs are either hollow or more likely U sections to make the casting easier.

I'm going to try making one out of chrome-moly steel since I have a bit of that lying round from my last bike building exercise. I have to see about getting workshop access first. I'm thinking that just three sections of 40mm tube with washers brazed on as end caps, a 3/8" bolt up the middle and into the ballhead, and the legs brazed on. Probably need ~30mm of center column per leg just to get enough surface for the brazing, and use 12mmx0.9mm wall for the legs. Cutting them all the same length is easy since they spin round to lie flat. I might makes the legs all slightly different angles so the ends are close together when it's folded.