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Archive 2013 · Feisol, Gitzo or Manfrotto Tripod???

  
 
sjms
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p.3 #1 · p.3 #1 · Feisol, Gitzo or Manfrotto Tripod???


wow. after using ballheads for most of my photography for almost 23 years I find
I find out I was all wrong through those years. oh well, and after tossing all those pan/tilt heads
I had lying around too.




Oct 20, 2013 at 09:46 PM
doogie2304
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p.3 #2 · p.3 #2 · Feisol, Gitzo or Manfrotto Tripod???


sjms wrote:
wow. after using ballheads for most of my photography for almost 23 years I find
I find out I was all wrong through those years. oh well, and after tossing all those pan/tilt heads
I had lying around too.



if only you had been reading fredmiranda.com 23 years ago...



Oct 20, 2013 at 10:08 PM
peter_n
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p.3 #3 · p.3 #3 · Feisol, Gitzo or Manfrotto Tripod???


newtophoto wrote:
Can anyone assist me? I'm looking to pick up a feisol 3442 along with an acratech ultimate ballhead.

1. What type of quick release clamp option should I go with the ballhead?

2. Can anyone recommend a plate for my camera?

3. Is there anything else needed for this set up?


1. I have a RRS B2 LR II lever clamp on my Acratech Ultimate. It's a bit heavy but it works OK.
2. If you get the B2 LR II clamp or any screw knob clamp any plate will do. Other lever clamps can sometimes be finicky about which plates they like. Kirk, ProMediaGear and RRS make good plates and L-brackets. Wimberley make an excellent universal plate.
3. Nope.




Oct 22, 2013 at 07:51 PM
nma
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p.3 #4 · p.3 #4 · Feisol, Gitzo or Manfrotto Tripod???


peter_n wrote:
1. I have a RRS B2 LR II lever clamp on my Acratech Ultimate. It's a bit heavy but it works OK.
2. If you get the B2 LR II clamp or any screw knob clamp any plate will do. Other lever clamps can sometimes be finicky about which plates they like. Kirk, ProMediaGear and RRS make good plates and L-brackets. Wimberley make an excellent universal plate.
3. Nope.



You may regret coupling the acratech ultimate to the 3442. Both the ultimate and the 3442 are fine individually, but my 3442 will not reverse its legs for storage with the ultimate on board. I am currently using a Photo Clam with the 3442. It is quite adequate and not too heavy. There are other ball head choices that play well with the 3442, too.



Oct 23, 2013 at 12:51 PM
sjms
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p.3 #5 · p.3 #5 · Feisol, Gitzo or Manfrotto Tripod???


The ultimate is possibly the least "usable" head design around. Nice design and that's what really attracts people to it. Functionality wise it gets in its own way.
As investments go if you must get one of theirs look at GP series as it is far superior in the usability factor arena. Yes, I owned one for about 3 months.



Oct 23, 2013 at 02:31 PM
peter_n
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p.3 #6 · p.3 #6 · Feisol, Gitzo or Manfrotto Tripod???


sjms wrote:
The ultimate is possibly the least "usable" head design around. Nice design and that's what really attracts people to it. Functionality wise it gets in its own way.


This has not been my experience. The Ultimate is very simple to use but looks like a piece of surveying equipment; it actually looks pretty ugly to me. The Acratechs are suited to travel tripods because they are so light and work well in extreme environments.




Oct 29, 2013 at 09:19 AM
JoshI
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p.3 #7 · p.3 #7 · Feisol, Gitzo or Manfrotto Tripod???


I'd recommend finding a used Gitzo or saving up for an RRS. I was all set to buy a Feisol a few months ago when I ran across a used 3531s that came in about $30 cheaper. The Gitzo's aren't perfect, but the great thing about them is accessories are readily available as well as knowledge on repair and maintenance. Having used a TVC-33, there is no way I'd pay full price for a new Gitzo though. RRS uses better components and their design fixes a lot of the little issues found in the Gitzo pods. And if you live in the US service is infinitely better should you need it.

As far as pros not using Gitzo or RRS, I'm not sure that's true and I'm also not sure I'd worry about that too much. I was at an event last month and watched an editorial photographer mount a 1D4 and a 600/4 on a 055 with what appeared to be a small Vanguard ball head. Just because he was getting paid to do that doesn't mean its the right way to do it.

Josh



Oct 29, 2013 at 09:55 AM
desong
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p.3 #8 · p.3 #8 · Feisol, Gitzo or Manfrotto Tripod???


Having used Gitzo and Feisol, I would wholeheartedly recommend Gitzo, assuming you really do mean to just buy once. I've used the Gitzo 3542LS and the Feisol CT3472 for quite some time, and the engineering of Feisol is just not as robust and well thought compared to Gitzo. That's just my personal experience. FWIW, I'm a working wildlife photographer so I used my pods frequently and in many different conditions.


Oct 30, 2013 at 02:24 PM
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