Lotuselite Offline Upload & Sell: Off
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I had the Gitzo 3530 Systematic and the Sirui on the counter at the store, I was intent on buying the Gitzo. The sales assistant spent quite a bit of time with me looking at both. I ended up buying a Sirui 3624, (that may be a Canadian market number but it is their three series size).
In terms of tube section it probably is somewhere between Gitzo's 25 and 35 series although it is probably closer to the 35 series Gitzo from what I saw in the store.
I use a 7D and 5DII with Canon's 100-400 and 400 F/5.6 prime as my longest lenses.
I think the Sirui is a very nicely made piece of gear. It feels very solid, metal parts seem well machined and finished and the action of the locking collars and leg extensions are smooth and solid.
It has a centre column which I felt I did not want but when it is fully collapsed the head is very solid, (sorry to keep using that word !). There is a short centre post that can replace the longer one if you wish. One leg can be detached for use as a monopod. The screw size on the monopod leg takes my Jobu gimbal head without a bushing.
The feet are rubber tipped but there is a rotating collar which extends steel spikes from the centre of the rubber foot. The spike retracts completely so that only the rubber foot touches whatever surface you are on.
The carrying bag is a very nice bag with closing clips and a substantial carrying strap.
Lars has mentioned a couple of times that a model he looked at "Fell apart". I believe that a section of leg came out.
The sales assistant that looked after me emphasized that if you back off a leg locking collar to the point that the collar is no longer on the threads of the upper tube this can happen. If the locking collar is threaded on to the upper leg then the only way to get the leg out is brute force, it cannot drop out if the locking collar is screwed to the upper section.
I also have a Gitzo 2561 monopod, (essentially a single 25 series leg), and I can tell you that if you back off the locking collar to the point that the threads are not engaged the inner leg can come out just as with the Sirui. The Sirui and Gitzo locking systems look awfully similar inside and out. You can get them both apart if you need to clean them.
I am not going to join the brand superiority argument but judged on its own merits I think the Sirui is a very serviceable tripod. If "Fit for purpose" is your criteria it is well worth a look.
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