Tripod Destruction :)

EdinburghGary

EdinburghGary

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Guys,

I have been shooting not even 2 years yet, and have destroyed 3 tripods, which has left me with only my studio tripod remaining (Manfrotto 475B).

The last one I wrecked was a lovely Manfrotto Carbon One. It has eventually fallen to salt and seawater, of which, it seen lots.

Now. There is a new tripod on the market, it's £800. Gitzo GK1581OT.
http://www.ephotozine.tv/video/Gitzo-Ocean-Traveller-1210

http://www.gitzo.com/Jahia/Ocean_Traveler_GK1581OT/site/gitzo

I am going to ask, what others do to protect their tripods (please don't say clean after every single trip!!!). I would be cleaning my tripod every other night, and it's not easy to clean - sand and seawater get inside the feet, in the tubes, everywhere. I am on the beach at least twice a week and never shy away from having it in water.

I understand the price of the product above is absolutely insane, stupidly so, but is it trully unique and will it stand up to the kind of abuse I am describing?

Gary.
 
EdinburghGary said:
Guys,

I have been shooting not even 2 years yet, and have destroyed 3 tripods, which has left me with only my studio tripod remaining (Manfrotto 475B).

The last one I wrecked was a lovely Manfrotto Carbon One. It has eventually fallen to salt and seawater, of which, it seen lots.

Now. There is a new tripod on the market, it's £800. Gitzo GK1581OT.
http://www.ephotozine.tv/video/Gitzo-Ocean-Traveller-1210

I am going to ask, what others do to protect their tripods (please don't say clean after every single trip!!!). I would be cleaning my tripod every other night, and it's not easy to clean - sand and seawater get inside the feet, in the tubes, everywhere. I am on the beach at least twice a week and never shy away from having it in water.

I understand the price of the product above is absolutely insane, stupidly so, but is it trully unique and will it stand up to the kind of abuse I am describing?

Gary.
Click to expand...

I'm surprised that salt walter has affected a carbon 'pod, although I guess the clips and mounting points etc will still be steel...

I'd send an email to Gitzo and ask them what their view of their products is, and maybe ask for a copy of the terms and conditions for the warranty.

Might be a silly option given the kit you have - but how about getting a cheaper 'pod for the dirty work, so it doesn't matter as much if it gets wrecked in a year?
 
OutLore said:
I'm surprised that salt walter has affected a carbon 'pod, although I guess the clips and mounting points etc will still be steel...

I'd send an email to Gitzo and ask them what their view of their products is, and maybe ask for a copy of the terms and conditions for the warranty.

Might be a silly option given the kit you have - but how about getting a cheaper 'pod for the dirty work, so it doesn't matter as much if it gets wrecked in a year?
Click to expand...

I am thinking of restoring the carbon one (you are correct about the points where it has been wrecked), but it's really ****ing me off when out. Jamming, scraping, just unreliable.

This one claims to be absolutely designed for seascapes and working in conditions where the tripod will be abused.

Gary.
 
Well Gary it looks pretty dam good if you ask me, abit expensive but if it lasts you more than afew years worth getting.
 
EdinburghGary said:
I am going to ask, what others do to protect their tripods (please don't say clean after every single trip!!!).
Click to expand...
Nothing is the easy answer to that. My Velbon Sherpa Pro has been in loads of salt water and still works like new. A few times its been caked in mud and I just rinsed that off with our power shower and left it to dry in the bath. :)

http://www.velbon.co.uk/newvelbon/pages/CF645.html

Andy.
 
Simmotino said:
Does destricting tripods make them go faster? :thinking::shrug:
Click to expand...

Dunno WHAT you are talking about :whistling:

Dominic5749 said:
Well Gary it looks pretty dam good if you ask me, abit expensive but if it lasts you more than afew years worth getting.
Click to expand...

Yeah, it looks the dogs danglies. Trouble is, my wife will have this dogs danglies on a plate. I could just pretend I cleaned the Carbon One... :D

Gary.
 
Andyman said:
Nothing is the easy answer to that. My Velbon Sherpa Pro has been in loads of salt water and still works like new. A few times its been caked in mud and I just rinsed that off with our power shower and left it to dry in the bath. :)

http://www.velbon.co.uk/newvelbon/pages/CF645.html

Andy.
Click to expand...

Those clips on your tripod, they literally disintegrated on my latest one, and on the others, they jammed, one snapped, the screws rusted - I dunno wtf I am doing wrong.

I very rarely clean though, but that's the point - I don't want the hassle of taking the tripod for a bath every time I come back for a trip. It would get wrecked with all the taking it to bits to clean inside the legs etc.

Gary.
 
I think that while the tripod looks awesome, they're playing off the fact that it's stainless steel.

It's the first of its kind and so that means they can charge as much as they want for it and people will have no choice but to pay it if they want a stainless steel tripod.

I think Gary you have 2 options.

Get this tripod
Get a cheaper tripod

But either way you're still going to have to look after it. You won't be able to just dunk it in the sea and just leave it. The Gitzo one, by the looks of things, still does require a bit of TLC.
 
Why don't you buy a cheap & cheerful one for £300 ;) and pay somebody £500 to keep it clean for you








or you could buy a can of WD40 & clean it yourself :schtum:
 
foodpoison said:
I think that while the tripod looks awesome, they're playing off the fact that it's stainless steel.

It's the first of its kind and so that means they can charge as much as they want for it and people will have no choice but to pay it if they want a stainless steel tripod.

I think Gary you have 2 options.

Get this tripod
Get a cheaper tripod

But either way you're still going to have to look after it. You won't be able to just dunk it in the sea and just leave it. The Gitzo one, by the looks of things, still does require a bit of TLC.
Click to expand...


Agreed, nothing will be totally care free. I just want it to be *more* care free. It claims to stop salt and sand getting INTO any of the bits that have caused me the grief. It has seals, and it seems to be short on clips which is good.

So, if it stops 90% of the crap, then surely I simply need to care for it 10% as much :D

Gary maths! I have a degree in them.

Gary.
 
Gary, my carbon one is starting to corrode at the fixings (springs/screws/etc). When it gets too bad, I am going to replace all the hardware with titanium... there's a 'fastenings' company on one of the trading estates near me where you can just go in and buy odd screws, springs, nuts etc off the shelf in all manner of materials and finishes.

Not sure if that might be of any use to you?

At the minutes, cobwebs are more of a problem for mine though!
 
I may get slated for admitting this but i own an argos £15.99 tripod i've had it for 3 yrs and it's seen sea, sand, salt and s*** of all kinds.
I think the thing thats kept it almost new is about once a month i plan about 2 days when i know i'm not going to use it and wash it with warm water let it air dry then spray all the metal components with acf 50 it's a protectorant used on aircraft i use it on my motorbike ( well i did till i sold the bike) let it sit over night then wipe clean !
As i say it's still near perfect but it's not strong enough for my d300 so i've just ordered a redsnapper :clap: and will use the old one as stand for my flash now :thumbs:

http://www.acf-50.co.uk/
 
68lbs said:
Gary, my carbon one is starting to corrode at the fixings (springs/screws/etc). When it gets too bad, I am going to replace all the hardware with titanium... there's a 'fastenings' company on one of the trading estates near me where you can just go in and buy odd screws, springs, nuts etc off the shelf in all manner of materials and finishes.

Not sure if that might be of any use to you?

At the minutes, cobwebs are more of a problem for mine though!
Click to expand...

I think so mate. I need to restore it. The last time I cleaned, the screw literally snapped as I was removing. It's a lovely tripod, and a shame to see it wasting.

Gary.
 
With my fishing gear I hose down and apply a small ammount of WD40 to dispearse the water. I'm sure you could get a more "friendly" water dispersant. You can get the stuff you can use on bathroom tiles.
 
shooter said:
I may get slated for admitting this but i own an argos £15.99 tripod i've had it for 3 yrs and it's seen sea, sand, salt and s*** of all kinds.
I think the thing thats kept it almost new is about once a month i plan about 2 days when i know i'm not going to use it and wash it with warm water let it air dry then spray all the metal components with acf 50 it's a protectorant used on aircraft i use it on my motorbike ( well i did till i sold the bike) let it sit over night then wipe clean !
As i say it's still near perfect but it's not strong enough for my d300 so i've just ordered a redsnapper :clap: and will use the old one as stand for my flash now :thumbs:
Do a search for acf 50 it's wicked stuff and lasts for ages.
Click to expand...

Cheers mate,

That's about the frequency I cleaned mine. Once, maybe twice a month. I think the two highlands trips is where it really took the most abuse.

Gary.
 
How about getting some thick quality ones of THESE (Ok maybe not those exact ones, but some that have one end sealed, like the sleeve you get on rolled up posters) and 3 bits of Velcro to fasten them around the tripod legs. Slip them on once you have your tripod at the height you want. Cheap, effective and quickly disposable ;)

Edit: I name my invention Tripod Condoms :D
 
Kerioak said:
I just looked at the video and they do mention cleaning, disassembling the head, and drying after trips - not quite maintenance free ?
Click to expand...

Yes, the head needs looking after. I have zero issues with my current heads though, or that general area. It's the legs, and more specifically, the leg joints and fixings. Every single time it has been the point of failure.

Gary.
 
Interesting video but nothing about what the leg threads are made of !!!
On Gitzo's they are the main area I have found that gives the most trouble.
I clean and lubricate them with silicon regularly. David Ward told me about cleaning and lubricating them after he had about three C/F ones seize on him.
If you decide on one check what type of metal is used.
As you say maybe Scottish water is tougher !!!
Those little seals may not keep it out.
C
 
Here's another suggestion, get one of the benbo trekkers. The legs are sealed and they work in the "opposite" direction to normal legs, water can't get inside unless you're really going deep.

Edit: doh, too slow again, bloody phone calls :p
 
Ceejay said:
Interesting video but nothing about what the leg threads are made of !!!
On Gitzo's they are the main area I have found that gives the most trouble.
I clean and lubricate them with silicon regularly. David Ward told me about cleaning and lubricating them after he had about three C/F ones seize on him.
If you decide on one check what type of metal is used.
As you say maybe Scottish water is tougher !!!
Those little seals may not keep it out.
C
Click to expand...

The legs are made of carbon I *think*, he mentions it in the video. Surely if the seals fails to keep the water out and it let to damage, it would be a warranty claim? That's the entire point of the tripod - ocean use.

Gary.
 
He does mention something about water being expelled when
closing the legs !!!
Do you use Calumet ?
I am sure they would let you take a leg apart to check.
C
 
I can't believe you haven't even acknowledged my Tripod Condom idea :dummy: (been wanting to use that one since it was added :lol:).
 
Guys,

You know with threads like this, I always *worry* that if I do buy the said item, that I will be seen as a complete knob with more money than sense.

Just to confirm, happy with that ascertain ;)

Seriously though. If I do buy it, gimme a break :) I would not buy it if I could not justify the expense so to speak.

Gary.
 
a tripod with fixed legs only? dunno if anyone does them though:shrug:
 
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