Dpic_arctic wrote:
I guess I have to take customer reviews with a grain of salt. The person who wrote that review about Induro vs. Gitzo may never have owned a Gitzo, for all I know.
I've been using the Gitzo 1325 for about eight years now. It's sort of the "standard" nature photo tripod. I use it in South Dakota, the eastern third is basically a swamp. I also use it in winter blizzards when it can hit 40 below. Tripod has been in my kayak many times when waves washed over and put 4 inches of icy water into it. Tripod has been encased in ice several times, and is constantly in gooey slough mud. It's also been hit by a freight train and trampled by a buffalo. (Better it than me!) No damage. No issues. Tripod works perfectly. You will buy something cheap like an Induro, and I predict it will fall apart inside of two years. Meanwhile my Gitzo 1325 will still be performing. Either buy a new Gitzo or try to find a used 1325. You will note there are VERY few used Gitzos around. The reason is people just don't sell them. My will be for sale after I'm dead.
Flip locks catch on brush as I'm walking in. I hate 'em.
Two23 wrote:
I've been using the Gitzo 1325 for about eight years now. It's sort of the "standard" nature photo tripod. I use it in South Dakota, the eastern third is basically a swamp. I also use it in winter blizzards when it can hit 40 below. Tripod has been in my kayak many times when waves washed over and put 4 inches of icy water into it. Tripod has been encased in ice several times, and is constantly in gooey slough mud. It's also been hit by a freight train and trampled by a buffalo. (Better it than me!) No damage. No issues. Tripod works perfectly. You will buy something cheap like an Induro, and I predict it will fall apart inside of two years. Meanwhile my Gitzo 1325 will still be performing. Either buy a new Gitzo or try to find a used 1325. You will note there are VERY few used Gitzos around. The reason is people just don't sell them. My will be for sale after I'm dead.
Flip locks catch on brush as I'm walking in. I hate 'em.
Dpic_arctic wrote:
I guess I have to take customer reviews with a grain of salt. The person who wrote that review about Induro vs. Gitzo may never have owned a Gitzo, for all I know.
Two23 wrote:
I've been using the Gitzo 1325 for about eight years now. It's sort of the "standard" nature photo tripod. I use it in South Dakota, the eastern third is basically a swamp. I also use it in winter blizzards when it can hit 40 below. Tripod has been in my kayak many times when waves washed over and put 4 inches of icy water into it. Tripod has been encased in ice several times, and is constantly in gooey slough mud. It's also been hit by a freight train and trampled by a buffalo. (Better it than me!) No damage. No issues. Tripod works perfectly. You will buy something cheap like an Induro, and I predict it will fall apart inside of two years. Meanwhile my Gitzo 1325 will still be performing. Either buy a new Gitzo or try to find a used 1325. You will note there are VERY few used Gitzos around. The reason is people just don't sell them. My will be for sale after I'm dead.
Flip locks catch on brush as I'm walking in. I hate 'em.
Did the train run over it? I was getting a little suspicious when I saw that almost every model of Induro tripod was available in used. I can't get the 1325 anymore... I could not find it on ANY of the sites I looked. What would be an equivalently rugged new Gitzo tripod model? How tough are the EX series tripods?
The 1325 is a three-section series 3. The 3531LS (often sold with a video bowl, so LSV) is essentially the updated version. The 3531S is a little shorter, but very similar. The 3541LS is a four section version, more compact collapsed, and the same height as the 3531LS extended.
The general consensus is that the EX tripods can be very effective, but you have to use them carefully. If you extend the cantilevered arm way out with a heavy rig, it will be just as floppy as using an extended center column on a mountaineer (potentially even worse -- the flexibility of that tripod can encourage sloppy shooting).
The EX is only available in a series 2, so it's less appropriate for longer lenses (and, ironically, for deep macro). A series 3 in an EX configuration would probably be reasonably popular for people doing serious macro.
The reason I was looking at EX tripods was not for the flip center column as much as for the leg angle locks. I would like to have a way to get low, too (and having the flip center column is one method). I noticed one of the models offered a plate that could accept a ball head, thus getting rid of the center column when shooting low down (the systematic series, I think).
I've been hearing all of this stuff about "series 00", "Series 2", "series 3"...etc. What is the difference between all of the series?
series 00, 0, 1, etc. refers to the tube size, which determines the size of the tripod overall (each size up has larger spider, etc.).
Series 00 & 0 are really tiny -- essentially oversized table tripods. Series 1 is a reasonable light travel range, Series 2 is the most commonly used size, since it strikes a balance between portability and stability, and Series 3 is the place to be for any sort of longer lenses (the smallest of these are still pretty compact and light).
Off the top of my head:
series 0: 20mm
series 1: 24mm
series 2: 28mm
series 3: 32mm
That might be a little off, but it's close. The second largest leg section on a series 3 will be the same size as the largest section on a series 2, and so on.
The Explorers do have continuously variable leg angles, but the 4 fixed angles of the other tripods give plenty of flexibility, in my opinion. Any current version of the tripods with center columns (Mountaineer, LVL) can do "ground level set", which eliminates the column for low shooting. The Systematics have no column standard -- they have a removable center plate that can accommodate a variety of attachments (a center column assembly, a video bowl, etc.). Used in its stock configuration, it goes very low, and is quite light.
There is a logic to it -- but it's a long way from obvious!
;- )
Glad to help.
btw, that last numerical digit, for "release," is just used for minor revisions, and the changes can vary. One of the biggest changes was that some tripods got g-locks when going from 0 to 1, but not all, so it's good to read the specs closely for the individual model.
Dpic_arctic wrote:
I guess I have to take customer reviews with a grain of salt. The person who wrote that review about Induro vs. Gitzo may never have owned a Gitzo, for all I know.
Two23 wrote:
I've been using the Gitzo 1325 for about eight years now. It's sort of the "standard" nature photo tripod. I use it in South Dakota, the eastern third is basically a swamp. I also use it in winter blizzards when it can hit 40 below. Tripod has been in my kayak many times when waves washed over and put 4 inches of icy water into it. Tripod has been encased in ice several times, and is constantly in gooey slough mud. It's also been hit by a freight train and trampled by a buffalo. (Better it than me!) No damage. No issues. Tripod works perfectly. You will buy something cheap like an Induro, and I predict it will fall apart inside of two years. Meanwhile my Gitzo 1325 will still be performing. Either buy a new Gitzo or try to find a used 1325. You will note there are VERY few used Gitzos around. The reason is people just don't sell them. My will be for sale after I'm dead.
Flip locks catch on brush as I'm walking in. I hate 'em.
Kent in SD ...Show more →
Isthis the Gitzo 1325 you use? I find it hard to believe that you could get something that tough for only $375.
Oh...I just got the catch: it doesn't come with a center column. It looks like it would be hard to take vertical format with the ballhead mounted directly onto the platform. Does the 1325 has G-locks, ground level set, and all of the other features the new gitzos have?
Ground level set is only for tripods with columns -- it allows them to be sorta kinda like a systematic (ie, the 1325). So you're covered there. It can certainly be set up close to the ground.
It does not have g-locks or the anti-rotation legs. Those are the major upgrades to the current models.
re. vertical shooting -- it depends on your camera, and on your ballhead. If you're using an L-bracket, it's a non issue. If you have a small, low-profile ballhead like a BH-40 (and no L-bracket), it might be tricky in some positions.
Isthis the Gitzo 1325 you use? I find it hard to believe that you could get something that tough for only $375.
Yes, that's the one. Remember that the 1325 has been replaced with a newer model and discontinued. I think I paid a bit over $500 when it was new, and that was something like seven years ago. The tripod has stood up to abuse very well. I usually manage to damage or destroy at least one lens every year, and a camera every other year. Kind of amazing that something that's had hard use like my tripod has retained roughly 75% of its value over 7 years, is it not? How much resale value has the camera you were using 7 years ago retained?
I don't miss the g-locks etc., but I am used to the tripod. I can deploy it very quickly. I've got the cash to buy the newer model, if I want. Just really don't feel the need to spend the money. For $375 it's three times the tripod of a new Induro etc. The 1325 has a beefy feel to it that belies its light weight.
When I first bought the 1325 I was going to put a short column on it, but never did. Turns out it's tall enough to not need one. I saw no advantage to putting a column in, and plenty of disadvantages to having one: more weight, can't lower to ground level, less solid. My choice now is to not have a column on a tripod unless it were a small compact for travel, maybe. I use the AcraTech ballhead on it and have no problems with verticals.
Also, are g-locks and anti-rotation legs something that you would consider worthwhile to invest in? (versus the 1325)
The BH-3 is likely to be just fine when flopped over on a series 3 with most camera bodies. An L-bracket is still worth considering, since it keeps everything centered nicely.
The lock improvements are nice, but I'd agree with Kent -- for that price range, I'd much rather have a used 1325 than a new knock-off. 1325s and other Gitzos of that generation have helped create many thousands of published images.
(and count me as one who has never missed the center column, and regularly appreciated that I don't have that extra mass and bulk in the way).
I was getting a little suspicious when I saw that almost every model of Induro tripod was available in used. I can't get the 1325 anymore...
I could not find it on ANY of the sites I looked. What would be an equivalently rugged new Gitzo tripod model? How tough are the EX series tripods?