Gitzo.....or not.

NeilA1975

NeilA1975

Messages
5,026
Name
Neil
Edit My Images
No
Considering purchasing a Gitzo tripod to replace my aluminium Benro.
Love the feel and look of the Gitzo, but the cost seems rather excessive.....are they really worth the money? The one I'm looking at is £700.00.

Opinions please!
 
To some it is really worth it, depend on your needs. For me I know whether the tripod is sturdy or not. I would prefer a sturdy tripod head that doesn't fall apart.
 
badboy1984 said:
To some it is really worth it, depend on your needs. For me I know whether the tripod is sturdy or not. I would prefer a sturdy tripod head that doesn't fall apart.
Click to expand...

My first tripod head has done that, manfrotto befree... so I'm in the market for a new tripod especially as I'll be investing in a gimbal head, knowing what to choose is quite hard though with so many about.
 
I went from a Manfrotto 055 carbon to a Gitzo carbon because the manfrotto leg locks were a pain in the arse as was getting down very low... no regrets at all, the gitzo is taller, sturdier, has no centre column so goes low very easily and twisty leg locks are a million times better so it was money well spent for me.

Why do you want to replace the Benro?
 
NeilA1975 said:
Considering purchasing a Gitzo tripod to replace my aluminium Benro.
Love the feel and look of the Gitzo, but the cost seems rather excessive.....are they really worth the money? The one I'm looking at is £700.00.

Opinions please!
Click to expand...
Hi

Was in the camera shop today looking at tripods and sampled a few tripods the Gitzo models were the ones I kept going back to.

Some of the others makes were like toys if you can afford a gitzo it's a no brainier plus it will last for years so works out good value in the end got my heart set on one of the systematic models.
 
It depends you want light weight and sturdy as well. I don't mind using a weighty tripod so I'm can get away with something else but I definite go for a better head that can support my gear and sturdy as well. If money is not a problem of course go buy gitzo .....
 
justinminns said:
I went from a Manfrotto 055 carbon to a Gitzo carbon because the manfrotto leg locks were a pain in the arse as was getting down very low... no regrets at all, the gitzo is taller, sturdier, has no centre column so goes low very easily and twisty leg locks are a million times better so it was money well spent for me.

Why do you want to replace the Benro?
Click to expand...

Although the Benro is as study as hell its also too heavy for me to lug about. Looking for something equally sturdy and lighter.
 
Im looking specifically at the higher end induro/feisol options to allow budget for a better head/heads. Don't see how 3 bits of carbon fibre and a few bits of bent alloy can be that much better at £700-800 over 400-500. Maybe i will be wrong, but 5yrs warranty with most.
 
Stevied said:
Hi

Was in the camera shop today looking at tripods and sampled a few tripods the Gitzo models were the ones I kept going back to.

Some of the others makes were like toys if you can afford a gitzo it's a no brainier plus it will last for years so works out good value in the end got my heart set on one of the systematic models.
Click to expand...

Yep, I do like the build quality and the obvious weight advantage.

Peter123 said:
Feisol just as good if not better.
Click to expand...

I've heard this too but never actually seen one.
 
A good solid, stable tripod is worth its weight in gold.
I looked at Gitzo, and I am sure that they are good, but in the end I chose a Feisol CT 3472 at just under £400 and I have yet to regret it ... large diameter carbon fibre legs and as solid as a rock.
 
If it's in budget, Gitzo. If you get to compare a few side by side (recommended) the Gitzo will be obviously the more sturdy. Very broadly speaking, if you put them up and give them all a wiggle, the Gitzo will be at least as solid as the next size up with other brands. Don't forget a quality head too - that's the user-interface, the bit you actually work with ;)
 
gramps said:
A good solid, stable tripod is worth its weight in gold.
I looked at Gitzo, and I am sure that they are good, but in the end I chose a Feisol CT 3472 at just under £400 and I have yet to regret it ... large diameter carbon fibre legs and as solid as a rock.
Click to expand...

Love to see that for sale at the £400 price point somewhere, top of my list but seems about £500 now
 
idigitize said:
Love to see that for sale at the £400 price point somewhere, top of my list but seems about £500 now
Click to expand...

It's well worth it Ben, I use it with a Wimberley Mk1 and it's perfect ... used it with 400 f2.8 300-800 f5,6 and 500 f4.
 
HoppyUK said:
If it's in budget, Gitzo. If you get to compare a few side by side (recommended) the Gitzo will be obviously the more sturdy. Very broadly speaking, if you put them up and give them all a wiggle, the Gitzo will be at least as solid as the next size up with other brands. Don't forget a quality head too - that's the user-interface, the bit you actually work with ;)
Click to expand...

The quality is very impressive. Head wise I have a Manfrotto 410 geared head as recommended b y Mr Justin Minns a couple of years back, an equally impressive piece of kit!
 
Have you checked the Gitzo website? I picked up a series 4 systematic in their sale before Christmas for about half price. Last time I looked a couple of the previous model systematics we're still available on sale.
 
I saved up and bought the Gitzo GT4552GTS Series after a bit of research and I don't regret it all as its the DBs... It was blooming expensive but I feel absolutely confident when I use it and it is also tall enough for everything I hopefully will need it for. I think my manfrotto 410 head is heavier than the tripod itself. As Justin has stated its very sturdy and doesn't have the centre column so will go to almost ground level. As you do a lot of seascapes its a piece of cake to clean and dismantle.
The twisty leg locks is also brilliant. My only complaint is the legs tend to freeze up, well my tripod does anyway.
 
No need for a Gitzo unless you really require it. What lens/lenses will you use it with? For me the Gitzo was better than any others by far. Sturdy, great height and went low and stayed sturdy no matter what. Like all tripods they have their issues however i was happy to buy and have never regretted it.

Saying the Feisol is as good if not better as mentioned earlier is a big statement given that Gitzo have a hard earned reputation built over many many years and the Feisol are quite new(14-15years) compared to the Gitzo. I have tried a Feisol for a day and i indeed its a very nice tripod and i would happlily use one however i will not swap it for my Gitzo 5541LS.
 
Well I have one of each, different sizes though.
I have only owned the Feisol for a limited time but feel it is just as good.
 
We have quite a few Gitzo's at work so I get to play with them. I've also compared them to Feisol, ended up buying Feisol as couldn't see or feel any significant difference between them but my wallet could ;).
 
I have a gitzo GT3542XLS that I picked up from WEX at the start of the sale in September as the new versions were coming out. For the price I paid (£399)I feel it was worth it. It's well built, very stable and quite light considering it's size (goes to around 2m). With a heavy lens like a 200-400 on it I've noticed the difference between it and the manfrotto 055 I had previously.

If you have the budget available it will be the last one you need. If you can find any of the previous models at sale price it would be worth looking at for the cost saving.

If I hadn't got on in the sale I would have looked at other brands like benro, induro and Feisol as it's s lot of money on a tripod (and the extra for s good head too).
 
I've owned several Gitzos over the years, along with some other brands. There are little things you don't usually see that contribute to their greater stability... bushing size/spacing, clamping face/area, etc. And a lot of the cheaper alternatives skimp just a bit. But IMHO you *are* paying a premium for the name. I have no real issues w/ brands like Sirui, Feisol, and even Benro/Induro (they skimp the most from what I've seen). Like everything else in photography, you pay exponentially more for incremental improvements/benefit.

I currently do not own any Gitzo products... but I still have a Benro.



Edit: actually, I still have an old Gitzo "reporter" aluminum monopod... And my big Gitzo has been replaced w/ an RRS (I don't want you to think I'm advocating Benro over Gitzo).
 
Last edited:
I've never regretted buying a Gitzo. About ten years ago I wanted to move up from a Benbo and looked at a bunch of tripods at Focus (Now the Photography Show). The people on the Gitzo stand recommended the GT2531EX as having the most flexibility so i went with that. It's suffered a little bit in the years since, notably one of the tubes sticks a little when extending/returning it, but that's about all. If I was buying now i might choose a slightly more heavy-duty model as i am now using heavier lenses.

As The Photography Show is coming up soon why not go along and have a look at everything there is on offer?
 
The carbon fibre legs seem stronger on the gitzo tripods I looked at not as flimsy as the other carbon fibre tripods

Looks like there more woven!
 
Stevied said:
The carbon fibre legs seem stronger on the gitzo tripods I looked at not as flimsy as the other carbon fibre tripods

Looks like there more woven!
Click to expand...
It's actually *less* woven... it's filament wound.
I wouldn't try to judge them by looks... uni-directional, filament wound, braided, and woven (roll wrapped) all have their advantages/disadvantages. And what you can see of the top layer(s) doesn't necessarily indicate the construction of underlying layers. IMO, filament wound (Gitzo, RRS, Benro) and braided (Feisol) are the two best construction methods for tripods. But what really matters is the overall engineering that goes into them, and a lot of that you can't really see or know for certain.

One thing that seems pretty apparent... the cheaper the brand/model the more likely they are doing more "copying" than "engineering." So while it might *look* the same/similar, it may be notably different.
 
I have a Gitzo 1 series carbon fibre Mountaineer tripod as well as a Gitzo 5 series systematic carbon fibre tripod. The 1228 Mk 1 I've had about 20 years without a single issue. Leg locks work as well now as they did day 1. Says it all. If it meets your budget I'd go for Gitzo every time. You will not regret it.
 
PaulButler said:
We have quite a few Gitzo's at work so I get to play with them. I've also compared them to Feisol, ended up buying Feisol as couldn't see or feel any significant difference between them but my wallet could ;).
Click to expand...


Yeah, I did have to face that situation and took the same decision
for the same reasons but within the first wildlife season I reconsi-
dered though… and sold all my Feisols to switch to three Gitzo
only AFTER making sure it was, this time, the right decision.

My very personal two issues with Feisol flag ships units were:
  1. the very low resistance, at plateau level of the CT-3472
    (their flag ship tripod), to horizontal torsion, even with
    bare hands. This creates some sort of annoying mecha-
    nical resonance that, with my 600mm long lens, forbid
    the use of any remote trigger by stealing the sharpness.
    On all other axises, stability was good.

  2. The Feisol levelling bases (LB-7572) are not too well designed.
  • First, the screw is too short (+/- 2 cm). This may cause
    the combo to escape the plateau and the drop may prove
    costlier than your wished make! I bought the long Manfrotto
    10 cm levening bases as they have a 12cm screw that cannot
    escape the plateau.

  • Second, the same screw does not have 20 threads
    per inch but less than 14    , meaning that, even with my
    paws, one cannot exert enough force to safely carry the
    mounted combo over the shoulder. The longer with more
    threads per inch screw of the Manfrotto handle permit to
    really "lock down" the levelling base to the plateau.
Else than these points, IMPECCABLE!
Ter1957 said:
If it meets your budget I'd go for Gitzo every time. You will not regret it.
Click to expand...

+1 zillion!
 
Last edited:
:)

Welcome back :banana:
 
Carry my Feisol + camera and 500mm over my shoulder all the time, solid as a rock. :)
 
Kodiak Qc said:
Yeah, I did have to face that situation and took the same decision
for the same reasons but within the first wildlife season I reconsi-
dered though… and sold all my Feisols to switch to three Gitzo
only AFTER making sure it was, this time, the right decision.

My very personal two issues with Feisol flag ships units were:
  1. the very low resistance, at plateau level of the CT-3472
    (their flag ship tripod), to horizontal torsion, even with
    bare hands. This creates some sort of annoying mecha-
    nical resonance that, with my 600mm long lens, forbid
    the use of any remote trigger by stealing the sharpness.
    On all other axises, stability was good.

  2. The Feisol levelling bases (LB-7572) are not too well designed.
  • First, the screw is too short (+/- 2 cm). This may cause
    the combo to escape the plateau and the drop may prove
    costlier than your wished make! I bought the long Manfrotto
    10 cm levening bases as they have a 12cm screw that cannot
    escape the plateau.

  • Second, the same screw does not have 20 threads
    per inch but less than 14    , meaning that, even with my
    paws, one cannot exert enough force to safely carry the
    mounted combo over the shoulder. The longer with more
    threads per inch screw of the Manfrotto handle permit to
    really "lock down" the levelling base to the plateau.
Else than these points, IMPECCABLE!


+1 zillion!
Click to expand...

gramps said:
Carry my Feisol + camera and 500mm over my shoulder all the time, solid as a rock. :)
Click to expand...

Never had a problem with it either,think you need to pump some iron.
 
Kodiak Qc said:
the very low resistance, at plateau level of the CT-3472
(their flag ship tripod), to horizontal torsion, even with
bare hands.
Click to expand...
Gitzo tubes tend to extend less than other brands (they have a longer closed length)... this is due to a longer top bushing/bushing spacing which significantly increases stability. The stability can be increased for lesser tripods simply by not extending the tubes fully.
 
sk66 said:
Gitzo tubes tend to extend less than other brands (they have a longer closed length)... this is due to a longer top bushing/bushing spacing which significantly increases stability. The stability can be increased for lesser tripods simply by not extending the tubes fully.
Click to expand...


Correct, Steven, my experience too!
 
I have a Benro carbon fibre bought on here, very, very, good tripod
 
Kodiak Qc said:
Yeah, I did have to face that situation and took the same decision
for the same reasons but within the first wildlife season I reconsi-
dered though… and sold all my Feisols to switch to three Gitzo
only AFTER making sure it was, this time, the right decision.

My very personal two issues with Feisol flag ships units were:
  1. the very low resistance, at plateau level of the CT-3472
    (their flag ship tripod), to horizontal torsion, even with
    bare hands. This creates some sort of annoying mecha-
    nical resonance that, with my 600mm long lens, forbid
    the use of any remote trigger by stealing the sharpness.
    On all other axises, stability was good.

  2. The Feisol levelling bases (LB-7572) are not too well designed.
  • First, the screw is too short (+/- 2 cm). This may cause
    the combo to escape the plateau and the drop may prove
    costlier than your wished make! I bought the long Manfrotto
    10 cm levening bases as they have a 12cm screw that cannot
    escape the plateau.

  • Second, the same screw does not have 20 threads
    per inch but less than 14    , meaning that, even with my
    paws, one cannot exert enough force to safely carry the
    mounted combo over the shoulder. The longer with more
    threads per inch screw of the Manfrotto handle permit to
    really "lock down" the levelling base to the plateau.
Else than these points, IMPECCABLE!


+1 zillion!
Click to expand...
Good to see you're back Daniel, thought i'd missed the funeral...
 
tom24 said:
thought i'd missed the funeral...
Click to expand...

Hi Tom!

…proving that one shall not sell the skin
until the bear is SEEN dead! :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top