In article ,
Jon Anderson wrote:

Anyone know if there is a standard for transit tripod sockets where the
transit attaches? (forgive if my terminology is not correct)

I've been toying with an idea for a massive and rigid ball head for my
new camera when I stumbled across the Burzynski ballhead. Very much what
I was toying with, so I know my concept is valid. Further looking at
that head reveals it's one of the most rigid ball heads made, which of
course exposes the next weakest link, the tripod. While carbon fiber
tripods are certainly rigid and light, they are very expensive. Some
folks seem to favor wooden tripods based on those used for surveyors
transits, saying wood absorbs vibration as well as just about anything.
Well, I can't afford any of those tripods either. So thinking about
looking for a used surveyors transit tripod.

I can make to fit whatever I buy of course. I'm pretty sure there are
proprietary mounts out there, but hoping there's one that has become an
industry standard. This would make it easier to upgrade to a nicer
tripod should I decide to do so.

Transits typically use a large (3.5"-4" or so) threaded mount so there
can be a hole in the top of the tripod (the threads are on an open ring)
to allow the plumb-bob to be connected directly to the transit. I'm not
really sure what that size typically is, or how many variants there may
be - in both the instances I have experience with, the transit and
tripod have lived as a set, and not been interchanged with anything.

In the age of total stations (the fancy laser range-finder devices
virtually all real surveyors use these days, since they are much faster
and probably more accurate) this may be more of a historical tid-bit
than directly relevant (my understanding is the total station does not
need to be set in any particular spot, so a plumb bob is not needed.)

Some tripods provide a way to mount something on a small thread as well
as the large ring thread. If you find one new enough to not be marked up
for antique value (ie, not brass) you might well be able to get the
matching threads and a really nice turntable by butchering the obsolete
instrument you can get with the tripod, but may folks pretend they still
have values based on what they used to cost (heck, some places still
sell the things new, god only knows why at this point.)

I've had my current powder-coated Japanese-built German-branded unit on
loan for the better part of 20 years from someone who switched to a
total station and does not want the thing back, though I occasionally
remind him I still have it. I myself find a laser level (and the
leveling rod from the transit set) faster and more useful for much of
what I used to use the transit to do (ie, not real transit work, things
a dumpy level could have done.)

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