I've got a Gitzo 2351 lvl which is my favourite tripod but I recently bought a Giottos similar specced 6x Carbon jobbie as a backup for 1/4 of the cost of the Gitzo and the only thing it doesn't have is the leveling head and it's rated at a few kilos less but doesn't actually seem any less rigid than the Gitzo.
I have the GT5540LS, and I'm completely happy with it and think it's absolutely worth the price. I knew it when I picked one up at Photo Plus the year that it came out that it was going to replace three or four other tripods that I had, and it's one of few pieces of photo equipment that I've purchased new. The anti-twist legs and new locking collars were a major improvement over the old style. The weight was comparable to what I considered a "medium weight" tripod, but with the stability of a "heavy weight" tripod. It's as adjustable and modular as I need it to be, the legs are fairly well sealed against sand, and the casting that attaches the legs to the crown is totally solid. I have a few different heads and column options, depending on what I need and how important it is to be lightweight.
If that's what you really want, you can buy it and forget about your tripod and go make photographs. If you get something else, you'll be wondering whether you should have gotten the Gitzo.
I don't think there is anything priced in between the geared Arca/Linhof/Photo Clam and the geared Manfrottos. If someone made a decent $500 geared head for 8x10 and panoramas I bet it would sell well.
I'd consider whether you really need gearing? I don't know your application but you might consider what might else work - do you need fine gearing or is it more that you want to position your camera very precisely?
Another good head is the Foba 2- or 3-way - they are super solid and heavy-duty - there is no slop or backlash whatsoever - you could aim your camera at a point it will stay put for sure. It is lab quality, weighs a ton, could hold a car.
I'll bet some of the Linhof 2-way tilt and rotate heads are also able to be used very precisely, and even the best bullhead, a RRS BH55, used with a lot of drag, can be set "on the money".
This is a statement that should be taken seriously! I guess it's just human nature - or more probably "photographer nature" - but for some reason when it comes to tripods (and camera gear in general) it tends to be a long and expensive road of trial and error, always thinking you should have bought into the next higher category. If you just bite the bullet and get the best to begin with, you can pretty much cure any future tripod GAS. The Gitzos will last a very long time with reasonable care.Originally Posted by David A. Goldfarb
This is right along the lines of Thom Hogan's article I mentioned earlier. Because I know me, and I'm not alone in this I don't think, I just went ahead a followed the advice!
http://www.bythom.com/support.htm
This article is a little dated, but still as relevant as the day it was written I think...
A cube with LF! I use it with MF all the time, but it sure doesn't have the guts for studio view cameras. A 4 x 5 field camera would be fine, but a Sinar or Foba head is a much better match with an 8 x 10 on Gitzo 5 series I think.
For my largest cameras or long lenses with small format, I use an Arca Swiss B2. I bought it second hand and had it refurbished by Precision Camera Works in Chicago, and it wasn't absurdly expensive. The B2 has the strength of a ball head, but works like a pan-tilt head, so you can control each axis independently.
Another point is that once you decide to go with a larger, heavier tripod, the advantages of Carbon Fiber may be less and a heavier Aluminum one will be as solid and a lot less expensive - especially if you find a used 504 or 513-514 Gitzo on eBay for under $300 as they often are. Those tripods have five sections and go around 8' tall, which is great for architecture when you have a ladder to work from. The CF version of the tall-boy is hard to find and over $1000 used - and I don't know how much "dampness" the CF would benefit you because I have never been able to compare the two side-by-side. But my intuition tells me that a heavier Aluminum Gitzo 5 will be pretty rock-solid and if you need something heavier than that then you should be looking at FOBA studio stands, 35mm movie camera tripods, and custom-built rigs. Or sandbags.
Also, while I know CF is stronger on the spec sheet, the Aluminum tripods can be treated very harshly and still be usable. Partially because it was expensive and partially because I am afraid of "cracking" the CF, I do not toss my CF tripod around nearly as much as I would a metal one. Might be why you see people using 40-year + old Gitzos regularly.
If I saw a cheap old tall boy giant 5 I'd snag it.
I can't see spending a thousand dollars on 3 legs and a head when these old tripods are available for around $175:
http://www.largeformatphotography.in...read.php?93168
Garrett
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Sure if you put a wooden Deardorff or 2D or Korona on it then it does seem kind of pointless to use a super-rigid tripod that goes 8' tall.
I use a Benro with a Benro ball head I purchased from Adorama, I'm not sure of the model number, but it cost me around $400 3 years ago. I can't see spending $800 more just to have a Gitzo name on my tripod to impress other photographers.
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