I have read all the reviews! I have spent hours combing through the internet trying to figure out if the RRS tripod is worth the premium.

I was hoping to hear from some actual users. Looking at the tvc-24, but any user opinions would be appreciated.

I guess I'm torn. I'm so sick of hearing about Tom Hogans article on buying the right tripod blah blah.

I bought a benro A-128 many many years ago. It is still going strong. It is aluminum and I have used it many times in Salt water and only recently has the function began to deteriorate. I opened it up and the inside is slightly corroded so I cleaned it up and it is functioning much better! To the point where I'm not even sure I should upgrade.

Anyways. I know the benefit of carbon fibre. I'm mainly after the vibration reduction benefit of carbon fibre. Weight really is not an issue for me. I'm young and an extra pound isn't going to matter much. Cold weather isn't a reason to go carbon fiber either. I have used my aluminum tripod tonnes of times in -40 weather and the operation is not affected no do I get cold hands because I'm wearing big ass mitts.

I'm actually looking at either a Sirui M-3204 or a RRS TVC-24.

I know this is a spread and many would say get a gitzo, but I have read almost as many negatives about gitzo as I have about benro/sirui etc. so the quality, imo, is not better but you pay for it. RRS is different. It just reeks of quality....

So chime in! .

RRS is definitely top notch. When I was looking to get a sturdier tripod several months ago, I looked seriously at the TVS-24. Finally end up getting a Benro C3780. I am pretty happy with what I ended up with for a fraction of the RRS cost and likely > 90% of RRS quality.

Many here swear by Gitzo/RRS and diss the chinese/taiwan/korean brands.

Another alternative is Feisol. Both their CF as well as AL tripods are pretty good.

The RRS stuff is excellent, but I would certainly look at Gitzo. They are the golden standard of tripods these days. I've used them for many years, and they've never let me down in the field. I have a 0, 2, and 5 series gitzo.

If you are happy with what you have, keep it. Buy an real nice lens instead. A diamond may be a gal's best friend, but great glass is a photographer's best friend.

runamuck wrote:
If you are happy with what you have, keep it. Buy an real nice lens instead. A diamond may be a gal's best friend, but great glass is a photographer's best friend.

I have all the glass I want, but I would like/want a tripod that does a great job of vibration dampening and one that will last a long time!

I have owned several Gitzos for years, various sizes. They've generally worked well, but the glue joints at the top of legs have failed on three different tripods (the leg is then loose but does not actually fall out of the top joint) and the feet sometimes fall off. This sort of stuff is a nuisance, especially since repairs are slow (many weeks). I have switched to RRS now and so far am very happy with the two of those I have (TVS24 and 33), but I have not had them for as long (far more than a year of fairly heavy use though). Gitzo and RRS probably have similar vibration absorption. Much will depend on how much weight you hang on them to damp the vibration; both have hooks if you use a center post. I think the RRS will, with care, last forever. I also like supporting a small, extremely well-run, American company that cares a lot about its customers.

RRS is att the top end of the scale. Sirui is at the bottom end So why choose between those two? Gitzo is also at the top end like RRS.

If what you have works, keep it.

I've been using Manfrotto for a long time. As far as I've concerned you get the same quality as Gitzo at a fraction on the price. Also I like the latch lock on the legs much better than the screw lock on the Gitzo

the benefits of CF have been somewhat to highly overstated depending on usage. when originally released its primary sales point was one thing, a reduction in weight vs alloy tripods. there is a reasonable reduction in vibration transmission due to the material itself but it is not the stuff of legends. there are a few other "components" in the vibration/movement equation that will impose their own forces independent of the legset that cannot be nulled out by legs alone.

if you travel or carry for distance it has, when used in combination with other properly designed equipment, a fairly good reduction in weight, bulk in your packed gear and your wallet.

i do own 3 CF models and i do travel a bit.
RRS TVC-33
Gitzo GT540ex
TQC-14

in a studio environment there is little advantage.

I have had several tripods over the years and I now have my last; RRS 24L coupled with a RRS BH55 ball head, L bracket and RRS foot for the 70-200 f2.8 Excellent quality, good folks to deal with and it will last you a lifetime if you take care of it !

Garrick Liddell Photography

Lars Johnsson wrote:
RRS is att the top end of the scale. Sirui is at the bottom end So why choose between those two? Gitzo is also at the top end like RRS.

Do you know that Sirui is at the bottom end? I've actually heard they are as good if not better than Gitzo. It was also rated quite a bit higher in a german magazine that did a shootout on tripods. Anyways, Gitzo looks okay, but there are too many reports of them breaking as well. If I'm going to pay a premium, I'd rather pay a little extra for the RRS. If I'm going to sacrifice some quality, I might as well buy a sirui, save some cash and have the expectation it will operate well for about as long as the gitzo would... Just thinking out loud.

Matthew Scott wrote:
I have owned several Gitzos for years, various sizes. They've generally worked well, but the glue joints at the top of legs have failed on three different tripods (the leg is then loose but does not actually fall out of the top joint) and the feet sometimes fall off. This sort of stuff is a nuisance, especially since repairs are slow (many weeks). I have switched to RRS now and so far am very happy with the two of those I have (TVS24 and 33), but I have not had them for as long (far more than a year of fairly heavy use though). Gitzo and RRS probably have similar vibration absorption. Much will depend on how much weight you hang on them to damp the vibration; both have hooks if you use a center post. I think the RRS will, with care, last forever. I also like supporting a small, extremely well-run, American company that cares a lot about its customers.

Thanks Mathew. This helps me. Now to start saving... or selling.

For me it was a toss up between Gitzo and RRS. I was already ordering some plates and a ballhead from RRS. So I just added the TVC-33 to the cart. After 2 years of pretty heavy usage I’m happy with my choice. I would do it all over again. At that time the RRS was only $100 more then the Gitzo I was looking at. When you start spending 6K+ on a lens and 4.5K+ on camera bodies, what’s another $100 bucks.

Last year I replaced my Gitzo carbon fibre tripod with the TVC-24 from RRS. The RRS article is superior, just the whole feel and build.

Hardcore wrote:
runamuck wrote:
If you are happy with what you have, keep it. Buy an real nice lens instead. A diamond may be a gal's best friend, but great glass is a photographer's best friend.

I have all the glass I want, but I would like/want a tripod that does a great job of vibration dampening and one that will last a long time!

I have been using Benro for several years and am quite happy.

That being said, my next tripod will be a RRS.

I would also definitely consider RRS but only if they have those damn things in stock.

Patience is a virtue. If you wish to have one order it and it will come.

I really want to wait but being a student, I get the MAC pricing on Induro gear and $490 for their CT414 and $245 for their BHL-3 are very hard to ignore. I guess my decision will be made for me soon- if RRS can fulfill my order by the end of this month by which time I really need a sturdy tripod, RRS it is. If not, Induro for me.

sjms wrote:
Patience is a virtue. If you wish to have one order it and it will come.

+1