p.2 #1 · BH is blowing out some amazing Gitzo gear
EB-1 wrote:
I have only 2 Gitzos, both older models working great for 15+ years. My 3530LS has a bunch of stuff on it, 75mm bowl with RRS leveling long handle and lever QR plate so I can use 4-5 different heads. It will probably outlive me. The other one is GT2531, but I replaced the central column with the Merkins Hub. It was never the most stable with the column and I kept smashing the fingers.
I'm thinking on the 2 series traveler which would be a lot shorter packed. Do you know that tripod? Will it be good enough for a 100-500 with the IS on? Seems like half pric is quite good. A kit with monopod and some kind of funky Gitzoid head is about a hundred more. I don't know if those extras are good but seem like a good value add-on.
The 2-series Gitzo tripods (I have the GT2540 and GT2542L) will easily handle a lens like the RF 100-500L, as I used that lens on both of them. I would avoid the Gitzo ball heads, though - I use the Arca Swiss P0 heads on the 2-series tripods.
p.2 #2 · BH is blowing out some amazing Gitzo gear
They also have some "used" Gitzo tripods that may be even better deals... I just recently got one (arrived yesterday) that they claimed was used but I'll be damned if I can find a mark on it. Other than the feet clearly having been on the ground before, there was no sign of any wear. Oh, a second set of feet was included, too, so, yeah... these things are lifetime purchases and at great prices.
p.2 #3 · BH is blowing out some amazing Gitzo gear
mjm6 wrote:
They also have some "used" Gitzo tripods that may be even better deals... I just recently got one (arrived yesterday) that they claimed was used but I'll be damned if I can find a mark on it. Other than the feet clearly having been on the ground before, there was no sign of any wear. Oh, a second set of feet was included, too, so, yeah... these things are lifetime purchases and at great prices.
I ultimately did break down for a used GT3543XLS. I don't need it to be new vs used and it's going to be a tripod someone bought and returned after regretting spending the money on it. I expect this one should last me until at least 2050 as my little Hakuba HG-503MX has been going reasonably strong for 15 years now but isn't quite sturdy enough to handle long lenses well and/or higher wind well.
p.2 #4 · BH is blowing out some amazing Gitzo gear
Superscroll wrote:
FYI that 2tb T7 in three days went from 289 to 399 to 399 but w/ $200 off in cart. I finally bought yesterday am when I saw the $200 off in cart. crazy times.
and that T7 increase happened everywhere.
A decent deal... for our current weird times. I bought a 4TB T7 for about $200 a couple years ago. It's nuts how expensive memory-based hardware has become recently.
p.2 #5 · BH is blowing out some amazing Gitzo gear
huddy wrote:
I ultimately did break down for a used GT3543XLS. I don't need it to be new vs used and it's going to be a tripod someone bought and returned after regretting spending the money on it. I expect this one should last me until at least 2050 as my little Hakuba HG-503MX has been going reasonably strong for 15 years now but isn't quite sturdy enough to handle long lenses well and/or higher wind well.
I don't like used tripods that may have been anywhere and contaminated with anything. I feel like VHP would be a good idea to completely sterilize the sticks, but not practical at the user level.
You must be pretty young to be thinking 25 years from now. By then there may only be a few tripods because everyone will be using tiny cameras and lenses and going handheld, with the AI creating artificial low DOF.
p.2 #6 · BH is blowing out some amazing Gitzo gear
EB-1 wrote:
I don't like used tripods that may have been anywhere and contaminated with anything. I feel like VHP would be a good idea to completely sterilize the sticks, but not practical at the user level.
You must be pretty young to be thinking 25 years from now. By then there may only be a few tripods because everyone will be using tiny cameras and lenses and going handheld, with the AI creating artificial low DOF.
EBH
In nearly 20 years of photography, I've only bought 3x brand new pieces of equipment and everything else has been used/refurbished. Just going to have to take a chance again here. On a practical level if my tripods/monopods get dirty, I do clean them when I get home and I'm not going into any highly sensitive/protected environments.
Closing in on 40 now and when i get older losing my hair many years from now, I expect to be one of those few tripods. Let all of the drones, robots, and people plugged into AI systems imagine whatever they want, I'll still be enjoying the real world around me, even if it means my bird photography is limited to manually focusing my 500/4 E FL +TC on a Nikon F2 and shooting Ilford B&W films developed in caffenol/XTOL.
p.2 #7 · BH is blowing out some amazing Gitzo gear
huddy wrote:
In nearly 20 years of photography, I've only bought 3x brand new pieces of equipment and everything else has been used/refurbished. Just going to have to take a chance again here. On a practical level if my tripods/monopods get dirty, I do clean them when I get home and I'm not going into any highly sensitive/protected environments.
Closing in on 40 now and when i get older losing my hair many years from now, I expect to be one of those few tripods. Let all of the drones, robots, and people plugged into AI systems imagine whatever they want, I'll still be enjoying the real world around me, even if it means my bird photography is limited to manually focusing my 500/4 E FL +TC on a Nikon F2 and shooting Ilford B&W films developed in caffenol/XTOL....Show more →
p.2 #11 · BH is blowing out some amazing Gitzo gear
Well in a disappointing turn, the ‘condition 10, as new’ GT3543XLS I received today was anything but. Sand/mud in several logos, modest nicks/dings/gouges on several control surfaces, cuts into the carbon fiber plies on one leg, gritty leg sliding mechanisms, and one leg section that is completely seized.
I should have taken @EB-1 ‘s advice here and gone with a new unit. Sale is over and I will see how B&H handles this tomorrow. It is a Gitzo so a bit of TLC/work could probably have it smooth as new, but I admittedly wouldn’t have paid half of what they listed it for given the condition. I do have experience of what a Gitzo should be like from my monopod which was advertised to be dirty/used but perfectly functional by the seller. It cleaned up perfectly and functions flawlessly.
p.2 #12 · BH is blowing out some amazing Gitzo gear
Bummer. That's more like UGLY.
I'm happy enough with the 2 series Traveling deal. The legs are solid, not really super light weight yet short enough to fit in a small bag at <18'.
The head is not my favorite but holds a good amount and other heads could be used like my Q3T. The monopod is quite nice too. It's smaller than the only one I have that's decent (a larger Leophoto), but plenty strong enough. All this stuff should last long after I'm gone.
p.2 #13 · BH is blowing out some amazing Gitzo gear
That's indeed a bummer. Sorry to hear that @huddy. I've had good experiences buying used from BH. I almost bought that one as the price was good but strangely my brain told me I don't need it as i have a 5 series xls and a RRS TVC 34L II
p.2 #14 · BH is blowing out some amazing Gitzo gear
Well, I of course can return/RMA for the refund. Unfortunately, the sales department is not going to match the flash deal pricing ($819.95) and offered $45 off of the current sale price of ($1119.95).
Props of course to all of the folks in the Support/Used/Sales department of B&H. They were as always cordial, friendly and very helpful. It's always great to work with a company where you can easily contact real people that want to make good customer experiences.
----- Update -----
My work provides me access to a wide variety of resources that can be used (but not consumed of course). With a bit of inspection equipment and physical checks between myself and a few coworkers, we were able to unseize the leg. The tripod was ALMOST certainly purchased, used in water, dropped and some efforts (though incomplete) made to clean it and return it to B&H whereupon it slipped through the checkers (through no malice of their own. I'd hate to think how many pieces of essentially brand new equipment they receive back and the difficulty in testing EVERY LAST THING).
As on of my techs (who isn't afraid to break things) would say, just put a little bit more M A N into it.
Just goes to highlight that some people are great, and others are downright immoral/indecent.
I'm going to see if I can get ahold of Gitzo and ask for recommendations on lubricants/etc. and give this a thorough teardown/cleaning/relube and maybe ask for a modest partial refund from B&H to cover some of the supplies after I take a bit more inspection video/photos of the condition.
p.2 #15 · BH is blowing out some amazing Gitzo gear
The items I've gotten from B&H's mega sales lately, seem to have been warehouse queens, hiding in nooks and crannies. CF cards from 2017, Pelican card cases where the packaging says copyright 2011..
Alan, bummer on the bad experience. This is where we miss Henry P for sure..
p.2 #16 · BH is blowing out some amazing Gitzo gear
Spending the money on a Gitzo product is becoming a harder and harder sale these days. While I still have an old mountaineer series 3 tripod that I use for car-based trips, the original appeal of Gitzo was indestructible units with lifetime repair work. This was true as late as 2010. Now for $700 you get a Series 2 or Series one tripod that doesn't hold up to the wind, and the warranty is very limited. For less than half of that, you can choose from many series 3 tubes with similar build... these, of course, come from Chinese companies. So while I still use my venerable Gitzo, my preferred tripod for anything but the windiest of days is the Arctise CT80C... It's lighter than my Gitzo, collapses into a small diameter, and can be packed into a travel bag when I'm on flights...
p.2 #17 · BH is blowing out some amazing Gitzo gear
Out of all of the gear I've ever owned and sold, my Gitzo G1325 tripod with leveling base and Arca Swiss B1 have been thru it all. Have had that setup since 2001 and there's nothing I'd replace them with.
p.2 #18 · BH is blowing out some amazing Gitzo gear
Hi Bruce,
How long is that Artcise CT80C when folded? I couldn’t find that on B&H (“not specified by manufacturer )
I just bought a Gitzo GT2545T bundle and it it impressive but more than I want to carry on vacation so I am starting to think a better strategy is table tripod for overseas travel and something sturdy and inexpensive for the neighborhood and car travel.
quote]OwlsEyes wrote:
Spending the money on a Gitzo product is becoming a harder and harder sale these days. While I still have an old mountaineer series 3 tripod that I use for car-based trips, the original appeal of Gitzo was indestructible units with lifetime repair work. This was true as late as 2010. Now for $700 you get a Series 2 or Series one tripod that doesn't hold up to the wind, and the warranty is very limited. For less than half of that, you can choose from many series 3 tubes with similar build... these, of course, come from Chinese companies. So while I still use my venerable Gitzo, my preferred tripod for anything but the windiest of days is the Arctise CT80C... It's lighter than my Gitzo, collapses into a small diameter, and can be packed into a travel bag when I'm on flights...
p.2 #20 · BH is blowing out some amazing Gitzo gear
I purchased the Gitzo 50 year anniversary bundle, but I don’t carry a tripod overseas. Now, with the X2D2 there is even less of a reason to carry a tripod. I just miss out on the 4 second exposures of waterfalls, but that is the compromise. For me, the tripod is for when I travel by car and shoot film. Shots with my wife work the way they do with everyone else.. we ask a stranger to take a picture with our cellphone.. again a compromise.
On a practical level if my tripods/monopods get dirty, I do clean them when I get home and I'm not going into any highly sensitive/protected environments.
That's more like UGLY. 