CF tripods-a hook or not?

[vinny]

I use the 1325 with a 3/8 eye bolt attached. I cut the last 1/2" out of the eyebolt to make it a hook shape since i couldn't find a eye hook i liked. I thread on a nut as a stopper and screw it in until there's enough threads to enter the ball head. I then hang a bag made by seattle sports from that. It's a fabric bucket made for carrying water when camping and weighs very little. I'll fill it with water,rocks or sand when shooting long lenses on my 8x10 or the pentax 67. Works great and doesn't swing around.
http://store.seattlesportsco.com/pro...&idproduct=316
vinny

[Baxter Bradford]

I have the 1325 without hook or centre column - both of which hinder very low level shots.

I drilled the brass bolt head with a 1.5 or 2mm bit and passed through a piece of Spectra/Dyneema line. In strong winds, I then hook on a length of the same line and stand on it to provide tension when making the exposure. This doesn't act like a pendulum in the wind, is very light and takes up minimal space in the bag.

[tgtaylor]

Hi Eric,

Last Thursday I replaced my main hiking tripod, a manfratto 441 CF, with a Gitzo 1348 and decided NOT to spend the extra cash and get the center column with hook.

I spent several days pondering over the G1327 and the G1348 and finally went with the latter. My reasoning was that the 1348 extended slightly ABOVE my eye-level without a center column (I'm 5'9" or 5'10"), so I wouldn't need it. The mfg. specified weight of the 1348 is 4.8lbs. The G1325 (which is the G1348 with a 2 leg extension instead of the 3 leg extension of the 1348) has the same vertical extension as Manfratto and would require use of the center column to raise the camera up to eye level OR crouch over, which I seldom find myself doing.

So, if I went with the 1327 (1325 + rapid column w/hook and about $50.00 less expensive than the 1348) the total weight would be slightly above 5lbs - greater than the 1348 -and I would be using the center column which can lead to some instability ( "monopod on top of a tripod"). Further, the 1348 folds to a compact 24" as opposed to 26 or 28" for the G1327 and, without a center column, will sit a mere 4" off the ground.

I purchased the G1348 from Henry's for $636 total and a Arca Swiss Z1 sp from B&H for $334 and, althought it cost me a cool grand, don't regret it. It's a solid platform to work from in the field and not too heavy to pack all day. I looked at the new GT's but think that they are too light - too flimsey-feeling for me. I think that there is a point that you reach in the total weight of the platform such that if you drop below some minimun value it become counterproductive to the stability. They may carry 40lbs without bending the legs but I'm packing a P67 or 4x5 field which weighs about 6 lbs so the rated 26.6 lbs of the G1348 should be plenty sufficient. Heck, even if I should toke it up one morning and throw the Robos (12 lbs) into the pack, it should handle it with ease.

Bt the way, I didn't discard the Manfratto (about 3.25 lbs and Gitzo G1275M about 1.25 lbs), but intend to use them on ultra long backpacks where every once of weight is important - such as the planned Memorial Week excursion from Kearsarge Pass to Mt. Whitney in the Sierra Nevada here in California. Pentax 645N or P67II?? Thats the burning issue for me now. Both would be ideal but, since I'm the mule, a choice must be made. Maybe the 645 for B&W and the F3 for chrome.

Thomas