Figures...Originally Posted by StoneNYC
Figures...
Lachlan.
You miss 100% of the shots you never take. -- Wayne Gretzky
I was quite surprised at the review of the Tripod, I have a Gitzo GT2530Lvl (3 section CF) which has a Benro PC1 panoramic head below a Manfrotto 410 head.
Personally, I find the tripod both easy to use and very stable and considering the lack of weight (my other LF tripod is a Manfrotto 058 with a 400 head and that weighs a tonne) and lack of flexing in the tripod I think it is a great piece of kit. I bought mine about 5 or so years ago used for about $300 and it is in pretty much the same condition now as when I bought it.
As far as the leg sections becoming undone, I believe that is due to the new marketing concept of being able to quickly open a section with just one twist of the wrist and have the whole section drop to the ground. When this feature first came out a few years back, I recall it being demonstrated in the stores by the factory rep. Personally I prefer the way the older model open and close – especially closing them as they have an air resistance as if you were pushing against a column of compressed air. It’s very easy, IMO, for the leg sections on the newer models to become unscrewed and drop off.
That’s what happened to me while winter hiking in Tolumne Meadows a couple of seasons back with a GT0540 in a 400AW Pro Trekker: One of the leg sections became unscrewed and was lost and I had a hell of a time getting Manfrotto to replace it even though I had paid for the parts. It was only after Henry Posner at B&H jumped in was I finally sent the leg section. The tripod holders in the Pro Trekker’s are slips where the legs protrude from the bottom of the pack and if you don’t have the compression straps set firmly a section can easily unscrew and be lost. For hiking with lightweight cameras I now have the 350 AW Pro Runner which has a hideaway tripod holder that the feet sit in which will prevent that from happening even if the 3 compression straps are not set tight.
Thomas
That sounds very different form my GT3530LS. I can loosen the twist locks with one hand, but the legs don't move (nothing even remotely close to dropping to the ground). It still takes a forceful pull with air resistance to get the legs to drop. So I usually loosen the twist locks on all 3 legs, then pull all 3 legs at once to extend them. The reverse the process to collapse the legs. To actually lose a leg would take a bit of effort. You have to completely loosen the twist lock which will take several twists (I just tried it and it took 20 twists). Then you have to pull the leg past the bushings which takes a minor amount of effort. I cannot imagine all that happening in the field without noticing. So the different models must be constructed differently. These 2 models are quite a bit different in terms of construction and max. load.
Get rid of that Gitzo crap, and buy yourself a nice, used Leitz Tiltall, (usually under $100 on eBay). There's no lifetime warranty -- they just happen to last that long.
Wilhelm (Sarasota)
Sorry to hear about your problems. Your experience is different from mine.
My GT3540LS is relatively new but normally I pull the legs down, they don't readily drop down. I have 5 different Gitzo tripods of varying ages, none of the legs will fall out.
What I do to extend the legs of the GT3540LS is grab the 3 lowest twist locks, unlock all of them at once, extend the legs, then lock each of the locks. I use the top most twist lock to partially extend the top section as much as desired. This tripod does not have a center column which significantly reduces weight.
Your leveling head must be very different from the standard rapid column. The standard rapid column does not rotate on three of my Gitzo's, only on a very old 4 series metal Gitzo. I overloaded a small Gitzo with a center column under windy conditions and saw too much rotational flex but couldn't tell exactly where the flex was. It wasn't rotating to a new position rather flexing then coming back.
I'm not sure if yours is the same but the portion of the tripod the three legs are bolted to has a clamp to hold the center piece (column or plate if no center column). This clamp was slightly loose on one of my tripods causing movement.
Good luck, jeff
For 31 years I use and abuse a Gitzo tripod with a center column. The last 8 years with a Manfrotto gear head. Never had any problems with the Gitzo. Don't ask me which model it is - I really don't remember, the paint is already rubbed off. It's heavy, it's made of aluminum, and the leg sections turn when tightening or opening the twist locks. I've never used the center column, just drilled a hole into the bottom of the two segments to mount a hook for a camera bag, sand bag or sand screw. I even used it once as a jack/support to repair my 2.8 tons offroader (all legs collapsed of course).
So I think your tripod could be a bad sample or Gitzo doesn't implement a quality control as 30 years ago.
I didn't even know the Gitzos had a life time warranty...
Doh!!! I don't think I will try that with my carbon fiber model.
Gitzo had 35 years ago also a lifetime warranty in EU, but they troped it some years ago and soon lather they got eaten by Manfrotto!
My 35 years old alu Gitzo is still in use, the 10 years old carbon 1228 also! But my newest buy is a Sirui Carbon after the seller was hanging with he's 80 kg body on the Sirui witch was only for 18 kg and I like it much more then my Carbon Gitzo!
But from now in 20 years I can tell you which one is really the better one;--)))
Cheers Armin
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