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#1
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Gitzo Gt1530?
Anyone using this or similar carbon fiber tripods? Would you recommend
this light a tripod for, say, a Nikon D200 with a 4.5 lb (2 kg) lens on it? -- "Our ignorance is not so vast as our failure to use what we know." |
#2
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Gitzo Gt1530?
Tully Albrecht wrote:
Anyone using this or similar carbon fiber tripods? Would you recommend this light a tripod for, say, a Nikon D200 with a 4.5 lb (2 kg) lens on it? That is going to be a matter of opinion, where I suspect the opinions will be evenly spread across the entire range. Here's a chart showing a few characteristics (Max Height has with extented column and without): Model Weight Load Max Min Closed lbs lbs Height Height Length GT1530 2.4 17.6 70/60" 16" 28" GT2540 3.1 26.4 61/52" 11" 22" GT2540LVL 3.7 26.4 68/59" 13" 24" GT3540 4.6 39.6 64/52" 17" 26" Without knowing what you'll be doing it's difficult to say that one is better than another. Every ounce counts if you'll be packing it for many miles. But for only short hikes I'd think the extra load capacity of the GT2540 would provide added stability for a big lense, and might be worth packing the extra 6/10ths of a pound. If you need the extra height too, the GT2540LVL looks good, but it weighs 1.3 lbs more than the GT1530. If you aren't actually hiking for miles, the even greater stability offered by the 39.6 lb load capacity of the GT3530 is well worth having, despite weighing nearly twice what a GT1530 does. If you travel, the 22" folded length of the GT2540 might be more significant than all the rest. -- Floyd L. Davidson http://www.apaflo.com/floyd_davidson Ukpeagvik (Barrow, Alaska) |
#3
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Gitzo Gt1530?
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#5
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Gitzo Gt1530?
Tully Albrecht wrote:
On 2008-04-27 14:57:50 -0700, (Floyd L. Davidson) said: If you aren't actually hiking for miles, the even greater stability offered by the 39.6 lb load capacity of the GT3530 is well worth having, despite weighing nearly twice what a GT1530 does. .... Thanks for the pointers. I wouldn't be trekking, but weight is always a consideration. I've trimmed the previous discussion down to my personal choice for your stated criteria! :-) I don't do any trekking, and therefore I think extra weight is worth the extra stability. Basically if I go out the door with a tripod, it's the GT3530. (I'm using Nikon D2x and D3 cameras with lenses ranging up to several pounds, such as an 800mm f/5.6.) The tripod that I use for macro stuff in the studio stays there... mostly because it weighs about 20 lbs. I wondered if anyone has experience using these new generation (is it the third?) of CF tripods, as I'm soon going to be changing from the Bogen-class aluminum units I have now. It's been many years since I owned a really heavy studio-type support, but I still hang a 35-pound case from the bottom of my center-column for added stability. I assume you can do the same with the Gitzo. The hard decision I had was whether to go with a CF tripod that has a center column, or not. Without the column is significantly more stable; with the column there is a bit more flexibility. I decided on "with column", but I only use it where the purpose of the tripod is to relieve me from the job of continuously holding the camera for some length of time, as opposed to providing a stable platform. Hence, last Friday night while shooting graduation ceremonies for the local college, I used flash and mounted it all on a GT3530 with the column at maximum extension. The tripod supplied support, not stability. When I put that 800mm f/5.6 lense on it, the column is _never_ used. I rarely use a tripod for portraits, but the stuff I shoot with long exposures could be described as product photography with low-powered strobe or available light. I'd expect you'll like using a CF tripod. CF dampens the vibrations much better than aluminum. That has benefits for long exposures, shooting where there is a wind, shooting with long telephotos or doing macros work. But if you aren't carrying it for miles, I'd go for one of the more substantial units rather than give much concern for weight. If stability is the unique or even the major concern, I'd forego models with a center column too. For big lenses I'd put a gimbal mount on it, and otherwise use a very good quality (high load capacity) ballhead. But it is also true that if rapid adjustment is not necessary, an old Majestic gearhead is a _wonderful_ platform for macros and product photography. Given your description, you might like a gearhead better than a ballhead??? -- Floyd L. Davidson http://www.apaflo.com/floyd_davidson Ukpeagvik (Barrow, Alaska) |
#6
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Gitzo Gt1530?
"Steve Dell" wrote:
You might try looking at the Benro (not Benbo) tripods. These are very fine Chinese knockoffs of the Gitzos. B&H Sells them under the "induro" brand name. I have two Benro's and love them. I'm not sure about them being "very fine", but the Benro tripods are certainly acceptable for the price. I was given one to review and was quite impressed. The Benro offset ball heads are also good value but they are no longer available in the UK, possibly for copyright reasons. As with the Benro tripods, there are similarities to a Gitzo product. |
#7
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Gitzo Gt1530?
On 2008-05-04 16:32:36 -0400, Paul Furman said:
Tully Albrecht wrote: On 2008-04-28 08:29:50 -0700, Ray Paseur said: Tully Albrecht wrote in news:2008042715354316807%tullyalbrecht@coxnet: Tully, I have considerable experience with these - I have the 2540EX and another one - I forget which number - with a straight center column. I use them with Acratech ballheads. They are worth every penny. They will support their rated loads, assuming your ballhead will also support the load (add the weight of the ballhead to the weight of the camera to get the effective load on the tripod). The 2540EX has an articulated center column that makes it possible to hold the camera close to things on the ground, at odd angles, etc. You may need to counterweight it if it is extended in a very asymmetrical way. I don't like the angle locks on the legs very much (there is no detent to stop the legs at an exact angle on the 2540EX) but that is picking a very small nit. That's my $0.02 worth. ~Ray --- On 2008-04-27 14:57:50 -0700, (Floyd L. Davidson) said: Tully Albrecht wrote: Anyone using this or similar carbon fiber tripods? Would you recommend this light a tripod for, say, a Nikon D200 with a 4.5 lb (2 kg) lens on it? That is going to be a matter of opinion, where I suspect the opinions will be evenly spread across the entire range. Here's a chart showing a few characteristics (Max Height has with extented column and without): Model Weight Load Max Min Closed lbs lbs Height Height Length GT1530 2.4 17.6 70/60" 16" 28" GT2540 3.1 26.4 61/52" 11" 22" GT2540LVL 3.7 26.4 68/59" 13" 24" GT3540 4.6 39.6 64/52" 17" 26" Without knowing what you'll be doing it's difficult to say that one is better than another. Every ounce counts if you'll be packing it for many miles. But for only short hikes I'd think the extra load capacity of the GT2540 would provide added stability for a big lense, and might be worth packing the extra 6/10ths of a pound. If you need the extra height too, the GT2540LVL looks good, but it weighs 1.3 lbs more than the GT1530. If you aren't actually hiking for miles, the even greater stability offered by the 39.6 lb load capacity of the GT3530 is well worth having, despite weighing nearly twice what a GT1530 does. If you travel, the 22" folded length of the GT2540 might be more significant than all the rest. Thanks for the pointers. I wouldn't be trekking, but weight is always a consideration. I wondered if anyone has experience using these new generation (is it the third?) of CF tripods, as I'm soon going to be changing from the Bogen-class aluminum units I have now. It's been many years since I owned a really heavy studio-type support, but I still hang a 35-pound case from the bottom of my center-column for added stability. I assume you can do the same with the Gitzo. I rarely use a tripod for portraits, but the stuff I shoot with long exposures could be described as product photography with low-powered strobe or available light. Thanks for this and the other excellent answers. Several people have given me food for thought in this thread. I don't know if I can force myself to buy a Chinese 'pod, but I will give them serious consideration. If I get a Gitzo, I'm leaning toward the heavier-duty models, thanks to the experiences of those who shared. Thanks again to everyone who took the time to respond, and don't let me shut this off if anyone else has thoughts on carbon fiber in general. I got a Gitzo 1298, which is small enough to fit in my bag: Model Weight Load Max Min Closed lbs lbs Height Height Length GT1530 2.4 17.6 70/60" 16" 28" GT2540 3.1 26.4 61/52" 11" 22" GT2540LVL 3.7 26.4 68/59" 13" 24" GT3540 4.6 39.6 64/52" 17" 26" Gitzo 1298 3.4 12.9 58.3" 16.5" 19.3" Your numbers are off: my Gitzo 3540 LS weighs 3.8 pounds and folds up to 21.5 inches and is 57.5 inches high. There is also the 3540 XLS which is 78 inches high and weighs 4.3 pounds and folds up to 27.6 inches. I chose the smaller of these two because of weight and packing size. All and all, a splendid tripod and so much lighter than the aluminum Bogen it replaced. My 60 year old shoulders and back need all the help they can get! |
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