Gitzo systematic tripods

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Archive 2008 · Gitzo systematic tripods

Lars Johnsson
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p.2 #1 · Gitzo systematic tripods

Tamerlin wrote:
BennyR wrote:
Lars, those are great set ups. I'm leaning towards a BH-40 rather than the 55 although not for sure yet. I think the 40 handles 18 pounds if I remember, that's seems enough. My question in the meantime is how "straight up" can you can that set up with the long lens? I'm other words, could you shoot the moon if it was almost directly overhead?

I use a BH-40 and an RRS Ground Pod as my hiking setup. This http://www.pbase.com/tamerlin/image/98904550 is a 1-second exposure... with a 500 mm lens on a 6-pound 4x5. I've been able to use my 720mm lens on it, which makes the setup close to 18 inches long. That ballhead is very underrated, and next to the BH-55 it looks too puny to be a 40mm ballhead

Stability isn't a problem with RRS products, though I wouldn't recommend the BH-25 to anyone using an SLR.

BTW, you CAN get RRS clamps to put on ballheads from other brands, including Markins.

You can of course use that ballhead with any lens if you like that. But it's not a nice and comfortable head when used with a 500 lens, and even less when using extender on the lens. And RRS also say it should be used with smaller lenses

RRS quote
"Our BH-40 is our mid-sized ballhead and is perfect for popular light to mid-sized gear such as 70-200mm/f2.8 and 300mm/f4 lenses"

And RRS also show pics that they use the BH-55 ballhead on the ground pod when using a 500mm lens

Nov 26, 2008 at 08:50 PM

HerbChong
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p.2 #2 · Gitzo systematic tripods

i regularly carry my 600/4 with extenders and body attached over my shoulder with a RRS lever clamp. i have an old 400/2.8 which weighs even more that i also have carried that way. people who think it is less secure have never tried it. the clamp is designed to hold way more than anything most people can ever put on it. all of my clamp failures have been only with screw clamps that felt tight but were not clamped properly.

Herb...

AGeoJO wrote:
Andrew,
I wouldn't trust the lever clamp if I had to leave a heavy lens (anything heavier than the 300mm f/2.8 plus a 1D series body) and if I had to carry the tripod with the gear on it on my shoulder but I would do that with a sturdy screw clamp. Except for that kind of situation, the lever clamp is really convenient to use. Changing from vertical to horizontal and vice versa is a snap.

Nov 26, 2008 at 09:01 PM

AGeoJO
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p.2 #3 · Gitzo systematic tripods

Herb, you may have a point. Let me tell you the reason why I rendered my opinion. I have different plates made by different manufacturers (on my camera bodies, various lenses and replacement feet). Although all of them uses the Arca style plates but they are not the same and the double dove tail specs vary somewhat. So, some are clamped more securely than others. The RRS lever clamp is indeed sturdy on some of them but less so on others. Using the screw clamp, you just tighten the screw until tightly secured.

Nov 26, 2008 at 09:28 PM

Tamerlin
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p.2 #4 · Gitzo systematic tripods

AGeoJO wrote:
Herb, you may have a point. Let me tell you the reason why I rendered my opinion. I have different plates made by different manufacturers (on my camera bodies, various lenses and replacement feet). Although all of them uses the Arca style plates but they are not the same and the double dove tail specs vary somewhat. So, some are clamped more securely than others. The RRS lever clamp is indeed sturdy on some of them but less so on others. Using the screw clamp, you just tighten the screw until tightly secured.

Then use only RRS and Wimberley plates, and you'll be fine

Nov 26, 2008 at 09:38 PM

Tamerlin
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p.2 #5 · Gitzo systematic tripods

Lars Johnsson wrote:
And RRS also show pics that they use the BH-55 ballhead on the ground pod when using a 500mm lens

I'm well aware of that, it's why I have a BH-55 on my Gitzo

I only use the BH-40 for its weight; otherwise, I'd only have a BH-55. (I like hiking

).

Stability isn't a problem with the BH-40 and my setup, even though it's a pretty massive rig with the 500 or 720mm lenses mounted and focussed. I'm not kidding about the 18 inch bellows extention!

The difference is that a bigger ballhead makes it easier to move around a larger, heavier rig with better damping if you set a bit of tension. That makes it easier to make small adjustments with bigger lenses. In the end it's a tradeoff of convenience vs size + weight (as well as cost).

I have one of each, so I've been able to compare pretty directly between the two ballheads, and though I prefer the BH-55, the BH-40 still gets the job done.

Nov 26, 2008 at 09:48 PM

AGeoJO
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p.2 #6 · Gitzo systematic tripods

Tamerlin wrote:
AGeoJO wrote:
Herb, you may have a point. Let me tell you the reason why I rendered my opinion. I have different plates made by different manufacturers (on my camera bodies, various lenses and replacement feet). Although all of them uses the Arca style plates but they are not the same and the double dove tail specs vary somewhat. So, some are clamped more securely than others. The RRS lever clamp is indeed sturdy on some of them but less so on others. Using the screw clamp, you just tighten the screw until tightly secured.

Then use only RRS and Wimberley plates, and you'll be fine

I know but I got too many brands

. In addition to RRS and Wimberley, I have Kirk, Acratech and some others.

Nov 26, 2008 at 09:50 PM

Tamerlin
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p.2 #7 · Gitzo systematic tripods

AGeoJO wrote:
I know but I got too many brands

. In addition to RRS and Wimberley, I have Kirk, Acratech and some others.

D'oh!

I guess I was just lucky, to some extent; I read about that issue before I decided which clamp to get, and before I got any plates, so I just didn't shop for camera and lens plates anywhere else

Nov 26, 2008 at 10:02 PM

Lars Johnsson
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p.2 #8 · Gitzo systematic tripods

Tamerlin wrote:
Lars Johnsson wrote:
And RRS also show pics that they use the BH-55 ballhead on the ground pod when using a 500mm lens

I'm well aware of that, it's why I have a BH-55 on my Gitzo

I only use the BH-40 for its weight; otherwise, I'd only have a BH-55. (I like hiking

Nov 26, 2008 at 10:17 PM

Tamerlin
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p.2 #9 · Gitzo systematic tripods

Lars Johnsson wrote:
I also have many ballheads including the BH-55. The same reason you have for using your BH-55 with larger lenses, I have for using the Wimberley II head instead of my BH-55 with big lenses

One of my friends on the east coast has a 600mm f/4 lens that he uses with a 2x teleconverter and a Wimberly gimbal... it moves like it's floating.

I'm probably never going to use a lens like that, mainly because I'll never be able to convince anyone to carry it up the mountainsides for me

Nov 26, 2008 at 10:20 PM

Lars Johnsson
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p.2 #10 · Gitzo systematic tripods

You could use it in other places than mountain-tops also

Nov 26, 2008 at 10:23 PM

Tamerlin
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p.2 #11 · Gitzo systematic tripods

True, but where's the fun in that?

Nov 26, 2008 at 10:42 PM

HerbChong
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p.2 #12 · Gitzo systematic tripods

why? i use Kirk, RRS, and Wimberley plates. all the ones i have are identical in clamping requirements. everyone else's plates i have sold for other reasons having nothing to do with how well they fit on the clamp and much more to do with how much i trust them to stay on the lens or camera.

Herb...

AGeoJO wrote:
Herb, you may have a point. Let me tell you the reason why I rendered my opinion. I have different plates made by different manufacturers (on my camera bodies, various lenses and replacement feet). Although all of them uses the Arca style plates but they are not the same and the double dove tail specs vary somewhat.

Nov 27, 2008 at 02:59 AM

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