Abbott Schindl Offline Upload & Sell: Off
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The Gitzo you mentioned is an excellent tripod. I personally prefer the Systematic 354x series (I have a GT3541XLS and I think the 3542 is current). While the XLS tripods are a bit heavier and maybe a little more expensive than the Mountaineers, I use the long extensions more than I'd expected. For example, I sometimes shoot standing on a rock and need to place the tripod on the ground beneath the rock, or stand on a river bank and want to place a leg into the river. I don't use extension simply to enable me to stand at the tripod, but the extra versatility has enabled me to get a lot of shots that would have been 'uncomfortable' or impossible to get otherwise.
For heads: I've got the RRS BH-55 and BH-40. Both are very fine heads. However I recently had an opportunity to check out an Acratech GP and really liked it. If I had it to do over, I'd think hard about Acratech heads. For example, I liked the Acratech clamp mechanics better than RRS: the cam lever has a lock and the opposite side is adjustable via a screw:
http://www.acratech.net/quick-release-clamps/gp-gps-quick-release-locking-lever-clamp
This is useful if you have 'odd' Arca Swiss compatible mounting plates. For example, I bought an articulating arm who's "Arca compatible" dovetail is way too narrow for RRS's clamp mount, but would work fine on the Acratech.
If you've got a local camera club or meetup group, you might have an opportunity to handle various support bits, which I highly recommend before investing in a really good tripod/head setup.
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