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antilogic
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p.1 #1 · Feisol tripods?

I was leaning towards a Gitzo GT1540 or 2540 (most likely 2540) and decided to just check out other CF tripod manufacturers before hitting the buy button. I was wondering if anyone had had good (or bad!) experience with the new Feisol CF tripods. I'm particularly looking at the CT3441S

Gitzo 1540
Cost: $530
Folded: 21.3"
Holds: 17.6lbs
Max Height: 62"/54"
Weight: 2.5lbs

versus

CT3441
Cost: $299
Folded: 16.9"
Holds: 22lbs
Max Height: 70"/ 50"
Weight: 2.2lbs

I'm most concerns about travel size for backpacking, camping, etc -- so weight and size are big, but so is build quality and rigidity.

Apr 08, 2008 at 07:41 PM

sjms
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p.1 #2 · Feisol tripods?

i advise the feisol 3342 at $309 over the 3441 at $299.
advantages
1- machined alloy components of a higher grade of Aluminum alloy over forged parts. a better grade and finish of CF tubing
2- interchangable centerpost if wanted or leveling half ball base or just plain old flat plate
3- Max Height
without column
54.3"
4- Folded Length
48cm / 18.9 in
5- Wgt
2.31lbs
6- capacity 22lbs

it is a considerably more robust model and worth the extra few ounces and inches

Edited on Apr 08, 2008 at 07:57 PM

Apr 08, 2008 at 07:55 PM

howardm4
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p.1 #3 · Feisol tripods?

I have the 3342 and it's a great set of legs.

very light and robust

Apr 08, 2008 at 08:20 PM

reko
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p.1 #4 · Feisol tripods?

I had a Feisol now I have a 1540. I'm all for trying to save a buck but I'd have been better off getting the Gitzo the first time. Much better quality, faster and easier to use, and more stable.

Apr 08, 2008 at 09:34 PM

antilogic
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p.1 #5 · Feisol tripods?

What specifically made you get rid of the Feisol?

Apr 08, 2008 at 09:46 PM

sjms
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p.1 #6 · Feisol tripods?

the early feisols prior to 2005 were a little lacking in the quality dept. i was one of the biggest vocal detractors of their product then. they went through a rather large review/redesign and the came out with much better products in early 2006. i use their 1471 monopod and the 3371 tripod for my larger lenses. i also do own a gitzo GT2540EX. yes they are not as refined but they hold everything i have steady.

http://www.pbase.com/crusader/image/76384155/original

Edited on Apr 08, 2008 at 09:58 PM

Apr 08, 2008 at 09:56 PM

chez
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p.1 #7 · Feisol tripods?

I have used my Feisol 3442 through numerous outings in snow, rain, desert and seas without any issues at all. Just got back from 9 days of sand and dust in Northern Arizona and the tripod functioned flawlessly and provided extreme stability with lenses upto 200mm. Unless the Gitzo name means a lot to you, I would save the $220 and get yourself the Feisol.

Apr 09, 2008 at 12:26 AM

bobbytan
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p.1 #8 · Feisol tripods?

I think with Feisol, Benro, etc, it's largely a hit and miss. Certainly looks good on paper. I guess if you are lucky it will serve you well for a long time. But it's a huge gamble. If I am not wrong, the warranty on Feisol tripods is only 30 days. That is very scary ... and it says a lot about how confident they are about their products. Gitzo tripods come with a 5-year unlimited warranty if you register it online with Bogen.

I switched from Gitzo to Feisol to Benro .... and I am now back to Gitzo!

Edited on Apr 09, 2008 at 01:39 AM

Apr 09, 2008 at 01:36 AM

chez
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p.1 #9 · Feisol tripods?

bobbytan wrote:
I think with Feisol, Benro, etc, it's largely a hit and miss. Certainly looks good on paper. I guess if you are lucky it will serve you well for a long time. But it's a huge gamble. If I am not wrong, the warranty on Feisol tripods is only 30 days. That is very scary ... and it says a lot about how confident they are about their products. Gitzo tripods come with a 5-year unlimited warranty if you register it online with Bogen.

I switched from Gitzo to Feisol to Benro .... and I am now back to Gitzo!

Where do you get this 30 day warranty BS. It is 1 year and I have read many reports of Feisol service going above and beyond what was expected. Don't get fooled by thinking the higher priced product is always better.

Apr 09, 2008 at 02:00 AM

SCOR
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p.1 #10 · Feisol tripods?

Actually it's a 3 year warranty

Apr 09, 2008 at 02:13 AM

sjms
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p.1 #11 · Feisol tripods?

i can't vouch for Benro but i have to say each time Feisol comes up with an updated model it is better and well worth its price

as to the 5 year unlimited warranty i suggest you read the warranty and remove the UN from unlimited and then read the fine print and see what it really says. more then a few here have found out the hard way just what it is worth. actually to begin with in the US it is a LIMITED lifetime warranty. what is not covered is the real catch.
taken verbatim from the bogen fine print referencing the warranty which includes gitzo:

"The warranty does not include flashtubes, batteries and cords and other parts such as rubber pads, tripod rubber feet and bushings and other parts that would wear out from normal usage."

reference the passage "all other parts that would wear out from normal use". i like to call this the poison pill passage. it is a tripod and just about every part is a moving part and is capable of wearing out from normal use. oh yeah they determine normal use.

in the end you will pay. and their parts ain't cheap either.

now if you are a collector like a few are here and rotate the thousands of $$$ worth of gitzo legsets you have they should last forever. if you own one and you use it to death understand when they say its time to pay you will.

http://www.bogenimaging.us/Jahia/warrantyRegistration/site/bius/lang/en_US
http://www.bogenimaging.us/Jahia/warrantyRegistration/site/Jahia/site/bius/lang/en_US/pid/15231

Edited on Apr 09, 2008 at 02:55 AM

Apr 09, 2008 at 02:47 AM

bobbytan
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p.1 #12 · Feisol tripods?

And where does it say the Feisol warranty is 1 or 3 years?

You have to also take into consideration the resale value too. The resale value of a Gitzo is like an L lens. It holds its value rather well I must say. Can't say the same thing about Feisol or Benro.

Edited on Apr 09, 2008 at 03:18 AM

Apr 09, 2008 at 03:17 AM

Steve Spencer
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p.1 #13 · Feisol tripods?

Here is a link to one of Feisol's North American distributors. They clearly indicate a three year warranty:

http://reallybigcameras.com/Feisol/Feisol_Ordering.htm

My experience with customer service has also been terrific. I bought my CT-3401 on the B & S forum here, so really had no claim to a warranty at all. On tap of that mine was broken when one of my daughter's friends abused it (he sat on it trying successfully to break it). Feisol had no obligation whatsoever to help with repairing it. I told them the truth about what happened. They sent me parts to repair it for free and I am pretty sure they even gave me an upgrade on the spyder. I know it is not a sturdy as a Gitzo and is more prone to failure, but I am also very happy with it and couldn't be more happy with the Feisol customer service.

Apr 09, 2008 at 03:51 AM

Alex Nail
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p.1 #14 · Feisol tripods?

Feisol set me a new quick release clamp for my head because it fell apart (unscrewed) due to vibrations cycling. They really didnt have to give me and ship the parts halfway across the world (I was ready to pay, but thought I would try)

Alex

Edited on Apr 09, 2008 at 08:39 AM

Apr 09, 2008 at 08:38 AM

sjms
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p.1 #15 · Feisol tripods?

bobbytan wrote:
And where does it say the Feisol warranty is 1 or 3 years?

You have to also take into consideration the resale value too. The resale value of a Gitzo is like an L lens. It holds its value rather well I must say. Can't say the same thing about Feisol or Benro.

only if you treat it like a museum piece. its a tool that is used around on the ground and various other places. if i run by your set of values on it i will beat the feisol even more because it won't loose that perceived value for some it doesn't have.

but then again it not so true because the starting price on a feisol and its quality would still allow a reasonable resale value if kept in good shape. this is because it original purchase price is still lower then the resale price one would want for a used gitzo. working from there opens lots of opportunities for some. yet another reason is i have no real reason to want to sell what works very well.

i have even modded my 3371 to accept Gitzo spikes vs the not so good feisol ones. thanks to another FM friend here it turned out perfect.

This image is copyrighted by the owner

on the warranty right from the feisol site:

" Within our three years warranty period, if there is any damage due to manufacture defect or parts defect, then the user will be responsible for return shipping cost only. For other damages, the user is responsible for roundtrip shipping cost and also for parts and labor cost. Our factory is located in Taiwan. All tripods requiring service and repair have to be shipped back to Taiwan only. So if you check your local post office, you can probably estimated the shipping cost.

For small parts damage, we usually ship replacement parts to our customers free of charge even it's passed warranty period. If carbon fiber tube is damaged due to cause other than manufacture defect, then we will charge the material cost for replacement tube. All parts are ship from us directly to our customers and also give them instruction on repair.

Basically, we will try our best to fulfill our customers' needs, no matter purchasing new items or repair old items."

http://www.feisol.com/english/feisolen.htm (see left side where it says warranty its a lot shorter the bogen/gitzo warranty and easy to read too)

the one spare part i did order from them direct came in 5 days. it was a replacement top stage or platform. cost w/shipping $15

anymore questions or corrected info?

Edited by sjms on Apr 09, 2008 at 05:35 PM GMT

Edited on Apr 09, 2008 at 10:35 PM

Apr 09, 2008 at 01:07 PM

intero
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p.1 #16 · Feisol tripods?

I looked at Gitzo when I bought my Feisol. Just couldn't justify TWICE the price. My old 3402 is still kicking at cost $180 or so new. I did update the center column and support when they did (I think that was $39), and man, what a difference. It's been perfect and I've used the crap out of it. Sure there's some drag in the legs, but nothing that makes me regret all the cash I saved - not even for a second.

-Tom

Apr 09, 2008 at 03:04 PM

bobbytan
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p.1 #17 · Feisol tripods?

I was looking at the "Official Feisol Distributor USA" for the warranty, and all I see on the warranty issue is this page:

http://www.feisol.net/info_pages.php?pages_id=6?osCsid=ec505f74a2e1a53d49064847750c2c43

Apr 09, 2008 at 03:34 PM

sjms
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p.1 #18 · Feisol tripods?

thats why i get it from feisol themselves 3 years. how these "distributers" deal with it is another issue. maybe a phone call to these individuals is in order which of course they don't seem to have so the trust level just dropped to (0). don't bother with them. it unfortunate that a-holes like these will ruin feisols name. thanks for the heads up and i have just sent them a message about it.

Apr 09, 2008 at 05:23 PM

monochrome
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p.1 #19 · Feisol tripods?

A member here posted that they sat on the legs of their Feisol. They contacted Feisol, told what happened, Feisol sent replacement parts free of charge and shipping fees.

I have Fesiol 3342, very happy with it.

Apr 09, 2008 at 05:31 PM

bobbytan
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p.1 #20 · Feisol tripods?

If Feisol want to establish themselves as well as Markins USA, they need an agent or distributor like Steve Yoon at Markins America.

Apr 09, 2008 at 05:32 PM

sjms
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p.1 #21 · Feisol tripods?

mr yoon has in the past been very helpful to me too.

Edited on Apr 09, 2008 at 09:26 PM

Apr 09, 2008 at 05:51 PM

chez
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p.1 #22 · Feisol tripods?

bobbytan wrote:
If Feisol want to establish themselves as well as Markins USA, they need an agent or distributor like Steve Yoon at Markins America.

I bought directly from Feisol and had no problems. Got the tripod probably faster than I would have if I purchased from the US distributor. Why do you say Feisol needs a US distibutor?

Edited on Apr 10, 2008 at 01:29 AM

Apr 10, 2008 at 01:29 AM

Chris_Platt
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p.1 #23 · Feisol tripods?

I have a Bogen, a Gitzo 5 series, a Berlebach, and a Feisol 3442. Obviously, they all have different uses, but I LOVE that light little Feisol. Feisol seems to be gathering a following of very happy owners.

Apr 10, 2008 at 01:36 AM

antilogic
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p.1 #24 · Feisol tripods?

sjms wrote:
i have even modded my 3371 to accept Gitzo spikes vs the not so good feisol ones. thanks to another FM friend here it turned out perfect.

Any info on getting modded spikes? Those look nice! I'll probably end up with a Feisol due to half the cost + considerably smaller.

Apr 10, 2008 at 02:02 AM

Volleybob
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p.1 #25 · Feisol tripods?

Tripods aren't rocket science. Gitzo is way over priced.

Apr 10, 2008 at 11:41 AM


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