Old Gitzo

[Chris623]

I've been lurking on the site here recently. Miss the old 4 x 5 and 5 x 7 film days. But just don't want to get back into it.

I have an old (think I bought it in 1972) Gitzo Pro-Studex with a No. 3 Three-way Pan head. It weighs 17 pounds and I swear the thing could be the corner-stone for the Empire State Building!!!!!:D I haven't used it in years. I've recently decided to start using a tripod again and because of a shoulder injury I find I can't comfortably carry it around any more. It is a GREAT tripod but I just have no need for it. (Please don't berate me, but I've gone the route of the digital with a D200 from Nikon.) So here I am, with this great tripod which I no longer can use and don't have the slightest idea what it's worth in today's world. It functions "as new".........but the old gray hammered paint finish is chipped in places. Anyone care to give an opinion as to it's value..................or could tell me where to go to ask?

I'd be very thankful for any help or advice.

[Brian Ellis]

I don't think there's much of a market for those old heavy tripods today. Studio photographers don't use the big heavy cameras as much as they used to and carbon fiber tripods do very well with most cameras and are much easier to carry around. Your best bet would be just to pick a price - I'd guess $75 - $100 but that's totally pulled out of the air and is that low partly because it sounds like shipping would be expensive - and advertise it here, in photo.net's LF classified section, also APUG if you want to join just to be able to sell one item, and maybe craigslist. If it doesn't sell in those places put it on ebay and see what happens.

[cobalt]

I would look at completed auctions on ebay to get an idea of what they have sold for in the recent past, if at all.

[bbauer]

I'm in a similar situation with an old and ugly 5-series Gitzo that I've decided to keep and use when (if) I ever need to set up a tripod in water/mud/whatever that I don't want to subject my Ries to. In my case, the shoulder injury took over a year of PT to clear up, and even so the Gitzo's definitely not my first choice because of the weight.

But to give them their due, they are easy to disassemble for cleaning and, if necessary, flushing out sand and crud.

And, of course, you'll kick yourself when you find a $500 Deardorff 11x14 on Craigslist the day after you sell the Gitzo--then again, that might be the best reason for selling the Gitzo...

[Chris623]

Bob, you may be right...............but I already have a 4 x 5/5 x 7 Deardorff that Merle Deardorff made special for me..........and later added to his inventory. (it became the 4 x 5 Special) Mine has a Graflex back. Beautiful camera, but admittedly I'll probably never use it again. I've got a couple of nice lenses for it, along with a Poloroid back (used for two packets of film!), Bellows lens-hood, etc., etc., etc. You know how it goes. I really ought to sell all that along with the tripod just so I won't continue to be tempted to get back into it. I sold my color darkroom 10 years ago when my late wife's illness started killing our bank account.

Hmmmmm! Decisions, decisions, decisions! Never know quite what to do. Still think I should find a good home for the tripod since I can no longer handle it.

[john borrelli]

Could be a perfect situation to do some LF still life photography in your home.

Check out some of the beautiful still life photography right here on the forum!

[Chris623]

John,

As much as I love both the process and results of LF photography, I can no longer afford the expense or the time involved. And not having a darkroom any longer, only raises the expense. Besides, I never really liked having other people involved in the processing and printing. Alas, I think I need to let that phase of my life float to the rear!:D

[Chris623]

Thanks for all the help, fellas...............the tripod sold to the first person who contacted me.:)