The purpose of this thread is to talk about options that I was considering for a new tripod and, when I've had a chance to test it this weekend, about the one that I chose. It might interest some readers down the road.
My tripod has to support a 35mm camera (Leica film and digital), a 6x7 camera (Mamiya 7II), a large format camera (Arca-Swiss F-line, configurable for 4x5 and 8x10) and a Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera. As large format cameras go, the Arca-Swiss is not very heavy, even when configured for 8x10.
I currently have a Gitzo tripod (carbon fibre, Systematic Series 3) in New York, and a Ries tripod (wood) in another country. Due to the pandemic and other reasons, the Ries, a J100, is out of the picture for the moment. The Gitzo, a G1325 MK II, is no longer made, but there's a successor, the GT3533LS. I also have two ground tripods, but they were minor considerations when it came to choosing an additional standard tripod.
The Gitzo is a very good tripod, but for some time I've been interested in getting one that has more mass. I think that this is the result of using the Gitzo with the Blackmagic camera, a Miller fluid head, a ciné zoom lens and a monitor. The Miller, a CX6, weighs 2.3kg (5lbs) alone. The result is an overall rig that's fairly heavy. It feels very stable, very grounded, and I like that. I also cut weight in other places. I'm not interested in backpacking. When it comes to still photography, I rarely have more than one lens with me. I don't think that I've ever brought along more than three film holders. These days, I know what I'm going to shoot, and how, before I walk out the door. That's partly the result of shooting video, for which pre-planning is basic to getting a video actually made, and partly due to scouting and planning with Artist's Viewfinder and PhotoPills. Consequently, I think that extra tripod weight gets counterbalanced by being otherwise minimalist.
I narrowed my options to three:
Gitzo GT5533LS, Systematic Series 5
Price: US$1200
Material: carbon fibre
Crown: 10cm (4”)
Maximum height: 145cm (57”)
Minimum height: 10cm (4”)
Folded length: 68cm (27”)
Weight: 2.7kg (6lb)
Leica Geosystems GST20
Price: $470 with tools
Material: wood
Crown: requires custom work
Maximum height: 180cm (6’)
Folded length: 107cm (3.5’)
Weight: 6.4kg (14lb)
Ries J100-2
Price: $718, more with options
Material: wood
Crown: 10cm (4”)
Maximum height: 152cm (62”)
Minimum height: 30.5cm (12”)
Folded length: 102cm (40”)
Weight (with bronze knobs): 5kg (11lb)
I'll post more this weekend after trying out the new tripod. Curious to know whether anyone else has views on these options.
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