Gitzo GIGT3542LS or Really Right Stuff TVC-34L

Indecent Exposure wrote in post #16856969
Then you'll get a kick out of the salespeople in the Really Right Stuff booth at trade shows. If you ask, and sometimes even when you don't, they will hang from the tripods - full on grown men pointing their khakis in the air.

They have a short clip of Joe hanging on their tripod called "Introducing the TQC-14" http://www.reallyright​stuff.com/s.nl/it.I/id​.6/.f#tripods

Love my 3541LS.

I have the 3542XLS, love it.

I have an older Gitzo 3530, the first gen 6x carbon fiber model. It's great. My old 400mm f/4 didn't bother it in the least. When I tap it, vibration stops immediately. No wobbles. A friend has the RRS 33S. It's great. His 500mm doesn't bother it in the least. Both are great, both get the job done. The newer Gitzo 3542 is supposed to be a big step up from mine. I think it is a matter of which length fits you and your needs better.

http://www.the-digital-picture.com …-Carbon-Fiber-Tripod.aspx

Coral wrote in post #16855592
Reviews with Really Right Stuff are stellar compared to Gitzo.

Sometimes you need to take reviews with a grain of salt, both on forums and by individuals who write blogs. There is precious little data on the things that really matter; stability and vibration control. I've only seen two reports that were data based. One was a comparison of stability/vibration handling between a roughly equivalent Gitzo/RRS pair and the results were a wash. The other was an equipment use survey of working photographers and the most used tripods were 3-series Gitzos and the most used ballhead was the RRS BH-55. The rest is personal experience and opinion - each case is a sample of one.

Whichever you choose you're likely to have a good experience because the two brands are at the top of the heap. There's a concurrently running thread on this topic which I assume you've read that offers a balanced view of likes and dislikes, in general both brands are reliable but Gitzo customer service in the US is very poor. The differentiator‎ is CS not necessarily product as in comparison RRS customer service is excellent. Most owners of both brands seem very happy with their tripods but if something breaks and you don't have spares on-hand you're much better off with RRS, at least here in the US. In Europe it's different.

I'm in sales and customer service is key to my success. For me that is the deciding factor along with the ability to buy an American made product. I was going to buy a Gitzo, but then I found RSS and liked would I read. From a CS stand point it's something I hope I will never need at this price point, but if I do it nice to know you will be taken care of.

I used the same rational when I purchased Wimberley, American made, and great CS. I also used the try before you buy 90 day program. I wish RGS had that! lol

jlt23 wrote in post #16857154
They have a short clip of Joe hanging on their tripod called "Introducing the TQC-14" http://www.reallyright​stuff.com/s.nl/it.I/id​.6/.f#tripods

and that is RSS's smallest tripod as well.

sawsedge wrote in post #16857429
I have an older Gitzo 3530, the first gen 6x carbon fiber model. It's great. My old 400mm f/4 didn't bother it in the least. When I tap it, vibration stops immediately.

I have the Gitzo 3530LS for my 300 F2.8 IS and 800 F2.6 IS and (having tried bigger tripods) can see no reason to replace it. Note the IS is playing up on my Canon 800 so I turned it off 4 months ago and still the 3530 LS is quite happy with this lens, also the AF is faster - perhaps I won't bother getting it repaired!
The choice between Gitzo and RRS is very dependent on where you live. I read that Gitzo backup is rubbish in the US whereas here (UK) I can (did) afford another Gitzo to use while I wait a couple of days for parts. The RRS tripods are very expensive in the US and hideously expensive over here whereas Gitzo's are just very expensive here and we can get parts. If I lived in the US I would probably buy RRS - but here there is no contest!

CyberDyneSystems wrote in post #16856244
we call that a "Plumb Bob" in the construction trades

LOL!

Bryan

Absolutely love my Gitzo 5542LS with my 600mm f/4 IS II even in really windy conditions no vibration at all. Top plate securely locks and includes lock screw for tripod head.

This is the subject of several threads here, and the input will be endless. I have that Gitzo, and because it was new and shiny, thought of switching to the RRS and selling the Gitzo for almost what I paid for it, based on offers I'd gotten. After reading about the RRS, I decided to stick with the tried and true Gitzo with an experience and a reputation going back a hundred years, and some design concerns I had with the RRS.

I like that the RRS is made here, but all the equipment I use (aside from RRS's unbeatable lever QR, nodal bar, etc.) is from Japan! And if you've ever ridden a well made Italian steel bike or worn an Italian wool suit, I wouldn't worry about a tripod made in Italy. The Gitzo service here is poor, but I shoot a lot abroad, and the rest of the world is Gitzo territory. It's really Hertz and Avis in my mind re the service...RRS tries harder, but the product is not necessarily better.

BTW, regarding service, I called up Gitzo in Texas about a year ago as I recall, and had the part I needed in three days. Maybe this was after peter_n spoke to people at the Expo!

FWIW - have been using a Gitzo 3542XLS for just over 2 years. Was very torn between RRS and Gitzo though features and weight put the Gitzo ahead at the larger size I was after. Has worked flawlessly.

That being said - I am now/still eyeing the RRS - just something about the carbon finish that keeps me wanting a set.

tvphotog wrote in post #16859045
BTW, regarding service, I called up Gitzo in Texas about a year ago as I recall, and had the part I needed in three days. Maybe this was after peter_n spoke to people at the Expo!

LOL I really don't think I'm that persuasive, even though I flavored it up a bit with "RRS is eating your lunch!".

Justaddwata wrote in post #16859776
That being said - I am now/still eyeing the RRS - just something about the carbon finish that keeps me wanting a set.

Interesting, I'm just the opposite, I want my tripod not to be seen. I shoot a lot of street and the last thing I need is getting attention because I have a nice looking piece of gear. One of my favorite cameras is a Rolleiflex TLR and it's a real problem because it's just such a beautiful camera and it looks brand new.

I imagine a TLR is pretty big and exotic looking to most. I feel the same way about white lenses in public, preferring to use them only at parks/wildlife areas. And gold/red/blue ballheads - I'll stick with black, thanks. I also tend to remove brand names from my bags, and scuff them up a bit deliberately...

Back to the tripods... as much as I would like to buy within my own country, RRS does not make a model of ideal height for me (5'8") when standing, and Gitzo does. I suppose I could mark the last set of legs on the RRS for that ideal height. Much of the time, I work down low doing closeups and the thing isn't extended.

tvphotog wrote in post #16859045
This is the subject of several threads here, and the input will be endless. I have that Gitzo, and because it was new and shiny, thought of switching to the RRS and selling the Gitzo for almost what I paid for it, based on offers I'd gotten. After reading about the RRS, I decided to stick with the tried and true Gitzo with an experience and a reputation going back a hundred years, and some design concerns I had with the RRS.

I like that the RRS is made here, but all the equipment I use (aside from RRS's unbeatable lever QR, nodal bar, etc.) is from Japan! And if you've ever ridden a well made Italian steel bike or worn an Italian wool suit, I wouldn't worry about a tripod made in Italy. The Gitzo service here is poor, but I shoot a lot abroad, and the rest of the world is Gitzo territory. It's really Hertz and Avis in my mind re the service...RRS tries harder, but the product is not necessarily better.

BTW, regarding service, I called up Gitzo in Texas about a year ago as I recall, and had the part I needed in three days. Maybe this was after peter_n spoke to people at the Expo!

This topic is almost like Nikon vs Canon to separate camps and never will agree on anything. I also like the cool pattern in the carbon fiber on the legs of the RRS -- art deco.