Well my tripod failed again tonight and almost cost me $7000 worth of my gear, leg came right off. This is the second leg to fail this one even worse. Gitzo did not warranty my last repair and it cost me $300
Not sure why this one failed but I hope Gitzo will come good!
This tripod cost me $1000, I was hoping for something to last longer than that!
Oh that's bad! My commiserations. What model, how old and how did it happen? I've dealt with CRIS in AZ who are now the repair agents for the US but you may have a different facility in Canada. CRIS seem very responsive. Wondering if this was out in severe cold...
Except for my studio tripod which is a heavy weight Manfrotto, I have been using Sirui for years with never a problem. If you need to spend really big bucks, then you have to go with Really Right Stuff. The Sirui carbon fiber products are great and less than half the cost of the major brands.
Well from what i can gather there was a possible outward side load on the leg assy and since it is a Mg alloy part it is quite stiff but can fracture more easily. Mitigating issues can be involved too.
if there is a defect or actual point of impact on an edge of the casting at the point where a crack can more easily start. If there was paint off corrosion can occur that will weaken it. So the term impact damage isnt so funny after all.
unclemikey wrote:
Except for my studio tripod which is a heavy weight Manfrotto, I have been using Sirui for years with never a problem. If you need to spend really big bucks, then you have to go with Really Right Stuff. The Sirui carbon fiber products are great and less than half the cost of the major brands.
With respect are you actively using your gear commercially?
I travel all around with my stuff and prefer to go with product that i normally can trust to a high level of confidence. It is an investment in a tool not an accessory.
I've used and some would say abused gitzo tripods for 25 years. The only problem I had was when gitzo was gitso (before they were bought out) in the days before carbon fiber, I had aluminum tripods with spiked feet. When in the cold, the foot insert and aluminum tube expanded/contracted at different rates in the cold and the spike would loosen up enough to fall out. Never had a problem since.
No, that's corrosion. White powder filiform type under the paint. Pretty much invasive and almost impossible to get see much less get at because of the "protective" paint. Salt/acidic environment based. That grey black crackle paint hides it well.
And is a non warranty issue. would happen on any Mg alloy based tripod that spent time in a salt/acidic environment.
There are tripods out there that are constructed of much more resistant materials and that are built with better overall design and potential longevity
