Would love to here from anybody who has any experience with either one of these legs or even better with both. Is the huge difference in cost worth it? Thanks in advance.
You might look at Neil Rothschild's comments about these legs over in the tripod forum on Nikonians -- he's a mod in that forum, and has tested them fairly extensively. His overall sense was that the performance was fairly similar in controlled conditions, but that the Feisol would be weaker when stressed by breezy conditions, etc. The Gitzo is nicer to use (better locks, nicer fit and finish), but the Feisol seems to be a very viable alternative. Lightweight, too.
Smiert Spionam wrote:
You might look at Neil Rothschild's comments about these legs over in the tripod forum on Nikonians -- he's a mod in that forum, and has tested them fairly extensively. His overall sense was that the performance was fairly similar in controlled conditions, but that the Feisol would be weaker when stressed by breezy conditions, etc. The Gitzo is nicer to use (better locks, nicer fit and finish), but the Feisol seems to be a very viable alternative. Lightweight, too.
Thanks for the comment. I took your advice and read the comments you suggested. It seems the Feisols have impressed many. My only concerns would be the long term dependability compared to the Gitzo.
I use the CT-3442 legs with a Markins Q3 head for my landscape setup. Very nice setup. Very light. Packs down to 19" including the head as the legs can wrap themselves back onto the head. I use this setup with a 5D and lenses up to a 300mm F4. I've used it in the Arizona deserts with constant wind and have used it along the BC coast in very heavy winds without any issues of stability. I've done roughly 10 treks with it strapped onto a pack and 4 airplane trips without any issues. Great tripod at a great price for what you get.
chez wrote:
I use the CT-3442 legs with a Markins Q3 head for my landscape setup. Very nice setup. Very light. Packs down to 19" including the head as the legs can wrap themselves back onto the head. I use this setup with a 5D and lenses up to a 300mm F4. I've used it in the Arizona deserts with constant wind and have used it along the BC coast in very heavy winds without any issues of stability. I've done roughly 10 treks with it strapped onto a pack and 4 airplane trips without any issues. Great tripod at a great price for what you get....Show more →
Do you have the optional center column and if not do you find it tall enough?
Might want to check photography-on-the.net. There seem to be more casual users over there that cannot justify the price of a Gitzo, and seek reasonable alternatives.
I have one but it's only a couple of months old. It's cheap, light and sturdy, which is the most important thing, but don't go anywhere without a full set of alum keys.
I'm only 5'6" and it's obviously fine for me. Would probably be just about perfect for someone of medium height.
12monkeys wrote:
I have one but it's only a couple of months old. It's cheap, light and sturdy, which is the most important thing, but don't go anywhere without a full set of alum keys.
I'm only 5'6" and it's obviously fine for me. Would probably be just about perfect for someone of medium height.
I have the 3342 (3 section version) and like the others, couldn't justify the Gitzo. It's a very nice tripod and certainly worthy of serious consideration.
Apparently it's called a hex key in America. The legs have a habit of becoming loose and the base fell out 10 minutes into a recent hike. Small key for base, medium key for Markins camera plate, which on a 40D is utterly useless in a vertical position (the Rebel/350D equivalent is great) and large key for the legs when they start to swing about. If I had money to burn I'd buy a Gitzo in a heartbeat but I don't, and the Feisol is a decent substitute. I'd buy some metal spikes and maybe a couple of sets of spare rubber feet when you order to save on subsequent shipping costs. The rubber feet don't stay on long.
there is a product called Loctite that prevents screws from loosening.
I think the rubber feet can be substituted w/ something from the hardware store; Feisol didn't have any spares available when I purchased mine last year
12monkeys wrote:
Apparently it's called a hex key in America. The legs have a habit of becoming loose and the base fell out 10 minutes into a recent hike. Small key for base, medium key for Markins camera plate, which on a 40D is utterly useless in a vertical position (the Rebel/350D equivalent is great) and large key for the legs when they start to swing about. If I had money to burn I'd buy a Gitzo in a heartbeat but I don't, and the Feisol is a decent substitute. I'd buy some metal spikes and maybe a couple of sets of spare rubber feet when you order to save on subsequent shipping costs. The rubber feet don't stay on long....Show more →
Can you expand a little more on the 40D and Markins? I'm lost. How is it useless.
It's about two or three mm too wide, which means that instead of having a nice anti-twist mechanism fixed against the front and back of the camera, you have space for the camera to come loose from the base. It's never been a problem in a horizontal position but vertically, the camera slips around every time.
Haven't had these 2 tripods but I've had Feisol and now have a Gitzo. The Gitzo is much faster to use and for those who say the Feisol is "nearly as good" all I can wonder is have they ever owned a Gitzo? You'll never go back.
reko wrote:
Haven't had these 2 tripods but I've had Feisol and now have a Gitzo. The Gitzo is much faster to use and for those who say the Feisol is "nearly as good" all I can wonder is have they ever owned a Gitzo? You'll never go back.
For me the Gitzo was never really an option at it's price. I am a casual phptographer who shoots primarily on hikes and backpacking trips so light weight is #1 issue. I got the 3342 with the Feisol CB-50D ballhead and the only way I would be happier is if the legs had the flip locks instead of the twist. The ballhead is smooth, locks down tight and my 55-250 zoom won't budge when pointed at a downward angle and I shake the tripod. There is no creap when I lock it down either.
I use the 3442 with a Kirk BH-3. I don't use a center column. Considering the price, it's an excellent setup. There's a lot of fuss about tripods on this forum, but the bottom line is that the 3442 does what a Gitzo does, but at a much lower price. The Gitzo most definitely is more refined, and some may find the locking legs alone to be worth the price increase! The twist locks on the Feisol are not inspiring. Yes, they lock down tight. But you have to lock/unlock them in a specific sequence and this gets old very quickly.
I just took delivery of a 3442 and it's going back. btw Kerry at reallybigcameras is awesome and I wouldn't hesitate to purchase from him but the product just isn't what I am used to with Gitzo.
The locking mechanism and build quality are not there and I don't see myself using this in 5-10 years.
