Heavy duty tripod advice...

nellyle wrote in post #16048040
Thanks for the heads up, I hadn't seen them before.

I assume you use that with your 300....my other option is the new 300 and a 1DX (instead of 500 and 5D3) I had a brief email chat with Andy Rouse, and he seemed to think that the 300 option would be better, especially as the version 2 lenses seem to work well with the new converters.

I find it hard to get over the length advantage of the 500 though!

Whichever option I go for, its use is going to be for UK wildlife, its first proper outing will be a solo week on Skye.

Yes, the 300 is my only big lens. Most of the time I use it handheld but, if I'm going to be in one place for a long time I'll stick it on the tripod with the gimbal. When I got the money for a big lens there really was no choice. My friend (the same one as had the Wimberly) had the 500 and I'd seen just how much hassle it was to lug it (plus the, necessary, tripod and gimbal) around for a whole day.

Indeed, after several months of seeing how easy the 300 was, she ended up selling her 500 and getting the 300.

Hope you have a great time (and nice weather) on Skye, it's a great place.

hollis_f wrote in post #16048112
Yes, the 300 is my only big lens. Most of the time I use it handheld but, if I'm going to be in one place for a long time I'll stick it on the tripod with the gimbal. When I got the money for a big lens there really was no choice. My friend (the same one as had the Wimberly) had the 500 and I'd seen just how much hassle it was to lug it (plus the, necessary, tripod and gimbal) around for a whole day.

Indeed, after several months of seeing how easy the 300 was, she ended up selling her 500 and getting the 300.

Hope you have a great time (and nice weather) on Skye, it's a great place.

Thanks for the advice.

I love going to Skye, I try to get up once a year, this years trip will be in October. Even looking forward to the 12 hour drive!

nellyle wrote in post #16048040
... its first proper outing will be a solo week on Skye.

Nice! I love that place, I'm just back from Co. Antrim on the other side of the Irish Sea, what a beautiful place that is too.

The RRS tripods are excellent but you live in the UK and shipping plus import duty/VAT is likely to make them an expensive proposition for you. They have a small number of models and their customer service is top notch though.

You are right that Gitzo have a bewildering array of models and an arcane numbering system, but if you're looking to buy at the high-end it's probably wise to buy Gitzo where you live. Over here in the US their service is appalling (I'm experiencing it myself now) but I understand it's very good in Europe.

Since you're not interested in center columns, go to the Gitzo Request a Catalog page, click in the Gitzo Systematic Leaflet checkbox, then click on the long green button. You'll get a zipped PDF file that has a table on one of the last pages that lists all their systematics by lens length. You should be able to figure out the optimal max height/supported lens model for your own height from that table. Gitzo are conservative in their ratings.

I have a couple of Jobu Design products but not their gimbal, they are really well made and I assume the gimbal is too. You might also want to look at the Acratech GP ballheads that are designed to function as a ballhead, a gimbal head and also as a leveling base all in one unit. Acratech is an American company but you can buy them in the UK from Bob Rigby Photographic. The Acratech heads feature open designs that require virtually no maintenance and they're great in in the outdoors/extreme environments. Worth looking at although a 500mm lens might be a bit much for a GP.

Perfect, thanks!

This is what you are looking for in a Gitzo.. plus some other goodies.


-=The 500mm f/4L IS Accessories List=-

Here's the short list; (with links in blue)

Canon extenders 1.4X and 2X Teleconverters

Gitzo GT3532 Carbon Fiber tripod

Full Wimberly Head

or Markins/RRS BH55 Ballhead with Sidekick

Gitzo 1321 or GS5121LVL Leveling base

4th Generation Designs replacement foot with Arca mount

Kenisis L511 bag

Better Beamer Flash Extender

Wimberly Telephoto Flash Bracket

There are other options, I would strongly recommended away from the Manfrotto, and suggest one of the Chinese knockoff gitzo clones like Feisol, Sirui, or Benro.

But this;

Or some variation of it, is the de-facto birding set up that most end up with after much trial and error.
Some with the 600mm or 800mm get the next size up 5XXX series Gitzo,. but I think the 3532 is the sweet spot for the 500mm.

Thanks, is the replacement lens foot an essential? I'm assuming that it lowers the centre of gravity?

I use the RRS replacement foot on my 500/4. The cost wasn't much more than buying a good Arca-Swiss lens plate and it simplifies things considerably (as well as making things a bit more low-profile).

I use a Gitzo series 3 tripod with a Markins M20 head. Super setup and rock solid. The good think about this series of systemic tripods is the variety of sections and heights which you can get, to fit your storage or travel uses. The four section legs close to a shorter length than the three, but may be less stable. You should look on the B&H website or Manfrotto's Gitzo pages for all the models.

Take a good time to read the specs on each, esp the carbon fiber models, and you will not go wrong.

I like the idea about RRS competing with Gitzo, always good to lower prices, but the RRS sticks haven't been around long enough to stand the test of time. But they're not easily available to you across the pond.

I can't speak more highly of RRS's tripods! They're about as heavy duty as it gets.

nellyle wrote in post #16048846
Thanks, is the replacement lens foot an essential? I'm assuming that it lowers the centre of gravity?

icassell wrote in post #16048872
I use the RRS replacement foot on my 500/4. The cost wasn't much more than buying a good Arca-Swiss lens plate and it simplifies things considerably (as well as making things a bit more low-profile).

Indeed, I found replacement foot the simplest option. There are a few available now, when I got mine, RRS and Kirk had not made one yet, so the 4th generation was the only option.

Does that foot further reduce vibration over the standard foot?

I don't know, but I would guess the answer would be yes. The arm is shorter to the foot than on the original, so it should be more stable, I would think.

Has anyone tried the new Markins Head BV-20 & Q20i Combo
It's supposed to be "the same efficiency of a gimbal head but with much less size and weight".
http://www.markinsamer​ica.com/MA5/BVQ.php?re​q=BVQ20

I picked up the Gitzo GT3541 while on sale for half price, in anticipation of getting the
Canon 500, then Canon went and anounced the Mark II and Doubled the price. So now I
either have to wait for it to come down in price, which it has. It's down to only $8899.00
or I have to win a lottery. I'm not gready, $25,000.00 would be enough for the lens, and
a new body

--Evan

Evan Idler wrote in post #16050485
Has anyone tried the new Markins Head BV-20 & Q20i Combo

There was a thread on the FM forum a couple months ago. Haven't seen anything here about either the Markins Q10i/BV-10 or its bigger brother.

I know it shouldn't be in this part of the forum BUT if it was a choice between a 400 2.8 and 500F4, what would you do? I ask here as the chances are you lot already use one or the other of these lenses!

I shoot motorsport and wildlife (I know I'd need an extender) with my current bodies and lenses. The 500mm is a big attraction, but so is 2.8. Whatever lens I get I shall be attaching it to a 5D3.

So, any advice?