has anyone taken apart a gitzo at the joints? I noticed that Sirui is using a plastic like material to keep each section aligned to each other. I also brought the Sirui to the desert and fine sand does get into the screw threads at the joint. Are Gitzo joints sealed?The Sirui screws at the pivot also came off twice, they do not seemed to lock in place well. Little things but they do show up. Nothing u cannot fix with ellen key and some grease. I feel better using and abusing tripods for the relatively inexpensive price.
nugeny wrote:
sjms,
We are just having fun here. I have my best, you have your best. When I say : the best, that is for me. You will have to do the comparison your self. I have no intention nor am able to tell you or any one else what to buy. So please relax. No one is trying impose any thing on any one else. You can reject every I said, more power to you.
Among friends I just said: hey I got the best!!! may be I just bluffed!
Here again this MY BEST: http://www.holgacamera.net/servlet/the-2181/sirui-carbon-tripod-n2205/Detail
oh you have to be bluffing with that one
oh well if it's your best it will do. but in time you'll learn
ManWearPants wrote:
has anyone taken apart a gitzo at the joints? I noticed that Sirui is using a plastic like material to keep each section aligned to each other. I also brought the Sirui to the desert and fine sand does get into the screw threads at the joint. Are Gitzo joints sealed?The Sirui screws at the pivot also came off twice, they do not seemed to lock in place well. Little things but they do show up. Nothing u cannot fix with ellen key and some grease. I feel better using and abusing tripods for the relatively inexpensive price.
no the gitzo standard legs do not have a wiper seal to prevent material from entering. their stainless one does but its not that cheap
all the makers use a polymer alignment/sliders at the end of the leg sections. it allows the leg to stay straight going up and down inside each other and provides a smooth non grease surface.
if you use grease they most likely will come off again. if you clean the threads well and use blue (not red) loctite once adjusted (and you have some time to adjust tension to taste on the pivot bolts) they should stay. also grease attracts grit, sand, fuzzies and other stuff you usually don't want..
its allen not ellen (not a gender thing thats just what the name is)
a good tripod takes normal abuse and will still outlive the sorta look alikes
ManWearPants wrote:
has anyone taken apart a gitzo at the joints? ...
Actually, this is the best way to really understand and see the difference in the quality of a tripod: take it apart and clean it. Regardless of tripod brand, every tripod with use will require cleaning and maintenance. And this is where Gitzo and RRS leave the "second tier" tripod brands in the dust (so to speak), in my experience.
The Gitzo CF and RRS CF tripods are easy to clean and reassemble. A small amount of lithium grease is all that is needed to clean the threads/collars, and the tripod will work as new. When I've disassembled and cleaned other tripods, you can see slight variances in the quality of parts used. And that slight variance makes all the difference in the world. Second tier tripods are harder to disassemble and reassemble, and simply don't clean up as well. Whereas my Gitzo and RRS tripods operate as new after a simple cleaning, the second tier tripods take a lot more effort to clean and maintain. It's actually frustrating at times.
kdphotography wrote:
Actually, this is the best way to really understand and see the difference in the quality of a tripod: take it apart and clean it. Regardless of tripod brand, every tripod with use will require cleaning and maintenance. And this is where Gitzo and RRS leave the "second tier" tripod brands in the dust (so to speak), in my experience.
The Gitzo CF and RRS CF tripods are easy to clean and reassemble. A small amount of lithium grease is all that is needed to clean the threads/collars, and the tripod will work as new. When I've disassembled and cleaned other tripods, you can see slight variances in the quality of parts used. And that slight variance makes all the difference in the world. Second tier tripods are harder to disassemble and reassemble, and simply don't clean up as well. Whereas my Gitzo and RRS tripods operate as new after a simple cleaning, the second tier tripods take a lot more effort to clean and maintain. It's actually frustrating at times.
Lars Johnsson wrote:
You can't have one tripod that is good for everything. You don't use the same tripod for travelling as you do for your big tele lenses
Problem is, landscapes&wildlife are not all ---99% not---around you. So you use this big tripod for "at home", but most of other spots, you will need a sturdy,yet compact one.
nugeny wrote:
Problem is, landscapes&wildlife are not all ---99% not---around you. So you use this big tripod for "at home", but most of other spots, you will need a sturdy,yet compact one.
You don't use a travel tripod for your normal shooting either. At least not if you are a serious photographer
swanny66 wrote:
I am done with Gitzo and went the RRS route Made 100% in the US.....not China. With all the corporate espionage going on by that country I do all I can not to buy anything made there.
I never fly so I transport it in my truck. I don't have a problem throwing the tripod, my 1DMIV, Wimberley II, and 800 over my shoulder and walking aways.
I had a Gitzo GT5541 and sold it. I find this a more stable platform.
As I said it's the one for me and most may not like it.
This shot was taken with the 1DMIV, Canon 800mm, 1.4X Extender.
ISO 400, Shutter Speed 1/30th, @ f/8. Given the focal length and slow shutter speed a stable platform helped. And it wasn't where I banged off hundreds of shots and happened to find one good one, it was one of three taken.
I think I paid around $350.00 for it. Like I said I had a Gitzo GT5541 so price was a factor in my decision.
You must be a giant/not shooting with a real long lens/a robot holding steady/exceptional in every way.
Back to the original post, this is for normal mortal. I was on a NG cruiser Explorer, tripod was nono, instantly one leg off to become a monopod. The hole thing is light and short, getting in any regular carryon. At home it support D3+300/2.8+any tc + arcaswiss+ sidekick like a champ. http://www.holgacamera.net/servlet/the-2181/sirui-carbon-tripod-n2205/Detail
I shoot all the time with my 800/5,6 lens. But I would not use my lens on the Sirui tripod
Actually I'm travelling when I'm writing this. I'm in Thailand and S.E.Asia......
