Gitzo Question

ok, so I am trying to decide between the purchase of two different Gitzo Systematic tripods.

But I need help figuring out what the exact differences are.....beyond just reading the spec sheet.

I already emailed Gitzo direct, but have not heard back from them....yet.

I also physically went to B&H and looked at both models in person, and asked the guy working there, and he could not give me a definite answer.

(In person was just as I assumed, one model was 1.4 inches taller and weighed more......but does not support any more weight)


The 2 models are the Gitzo GT3533LS and GT4533LS.


Spending about $1,000 after taxes on a tripod, I want to be certain of my decision.

Gitzo's number scheme goes Series 0,1,2,3,4,5......which each increase meaning it has thicker leg section, which hold a higher weight limit.

But these two models I am looking at, the 3 series and the 4 series both support the same exact weight of 55lbs.

So why would I go with the heavier tripod, if it doesn't support any additional weight?

For all purposes they are the same size and price (about 1.4 inchs and $40 difference)

I found many many reviews online about the 3533, but not a single one about the 4533.

I imagine the 3533 out sells the 4533 by a lot, as it is more than half a pound lighter, and only 1.4 inches shorter, and again both support the same weight.

What is the benefit for me to carry the heavier tripod around? If I can carry around the tripod that weighs 0.6lbs less

Basically what is the point of the Series 4 model I am looking at??..........Did Gitzo just produce it to offer something 1.4 inches taller... but 0.6lbs heavier? Doesn't make sense to me.

But perhaps I am missing something and being ignorant.

Thanks for any input and help in advance.


https://www.bhphotovid​eo.com …atic_tripod_ser​_3_3s.html


https://www.bhphotovid​eo.com …atic_tripod_ser​_4_3s.html

There's a big difference in stability between them. The 4533LS is way more stable than the 3533LS, all you have to do is look at Dave Berryrieser's Systematic Rankings table to see the difference. The stiffness score of the 3533LS is 66% of the 4533LS.

Not surprising, given that one is a series-4 and the other a series-3; the series-4 will have larger leg diameters and that probably gives it the much higher rigidity rating. The guy in B&H really should have known that.

Thank you so much for the fast response Peter.

So what is the extra stiffness rating actually giving me??

If both models are rated to support the exact same weight (55lbs)

The series 4 is 0.6lbs heavier than the series 3, and that is somewhat significant. But depending on the benefits of it, I have no problem carrying that extra weight around.


P.S. Price is of no significance in this decision. ($40 difference)

And neither is tripod height (Only 1.4inch difference)

It'd be lot more constructive if you inquire about tripods based on your specific needs and what you're trying to accomplish with it. For example, when I was trying to identify the right tripod, my criteria based on my needs were: load capacity to handle my gear, least vibration, just tall enough to handle my height (taller the more vibration), short folded length for carry-on case (for air travel), lighter (for hiking), etc., and that helped to identify that Gitzo 4553S was the right one for me. If you don't need a taller tripod, you might want to take a look at this.

Dustman wrote in post #18820072
So what is the extra stiffness rating actually giving me??

Stability.

Rigidity and stability equate to better vibration dampening. But extra weight and bulk can be a negative, so can have a minimizing factor on price differences. At the other end of the spectrum, you can pay a premium for stability and compactness in travel tripods. Tripods are counterintuitive that way.

Like SYS wrote, the need for more stiffness is dependent on where you’re shooting, what you’re shooting with, and what you’re shooting.

Heavier payloads, regardless of the weight rating of the tripod, will benefit from more stiffness.
Shooting action, e.g. birds in flight, sports, will benefit from more stiffness.
Shooting action, e.g., the tripod has to be stable *now*, will benefit from more stiffness.
The longer the lens the greater benefit from more stiffness.
The more torque exerted by gimbal heads or similar rigs (which also weigh more) the greater benefit from stiffness.

OTOH, if you’re using a remote release shooting landscapes using wide angle through moderate telephotos, a series 4 might be more than you need.

From the wording of your posts, you may not have put a super-telephoto lens on a tripod, locked down the head, composed your shot, then waited 2 or more seconds for everything to steady down and your image to stop wiggling. This is one of the great advantages of carbon fiber legs, resistance to vibration and quicker dampening of vibration than aluminum.

So... what are you shooting? With what? Where?

Thank you all so much for your insights!

I have all the info needed.

I went with the Gitzo Systemic Series 3 model 3533LS, over the 4 Series GT4533LS.

I do not shoot with a super-telephoto lenses on any kind of consistent basis (Just a Sigma 600mm a handful of times a year for surfing photos)

So I think the 4-Series would have been overkill for my needs.

And what also nudged me a little in that direction (Besides everyone's help here), was last night I had both models in my cart at B&H along with a $450 Gitzo ballhead, and it automatically applied an almost $200 discount in the cart. I guess this discount was not advertised anywhere. But when you added the 3533L and the ballhead simultaneously to your cart, it removed about $150 from the tripod legs and $50 from the ballhead.

So before when $40 was no difference to me when deciding to spend either $900 vs $860.

With that sale, it basically went from $900 vs $ $660......plus the $450 ballhead that I was buying anyway regardless of which legs I got.

An example of WHERE being the variable which causes the need (or not) for a beefier tripod...

Decades ago I had a Bogen 3021 (precursor to Manfrotto 55). It met all of my shooting needs even for my medium format shooting. But then I took a holiday in Hawaii, and shooting out on the gusty wind swept beaches with long lenses pointed out to the sunset with a peninsula framed against the setting sun, every time the wind would gust it would push on the long lens and cause torsional twisting of the camera about the center column of the tripod. I had to wait for the gust to abate and the camera to settle back on the framing that I wanted for the shot. I could immediately see the inadequacy of that tripod for that particular situation.

There is a lot of attention on 'load capacity', and on 'vibration dampening', but 'resistance to torsional loads' is generally neglected in all ratings and discussions of tripod suitability! And there is zero standardization on how any of the three characteristics should be measured in a common and uniform manner so as to make the numbers directly comparable.

I know Lester Bogen did not have this situation in mind when he rated the capacity of his tripod at 44 lbs.

^ Yes a long lens acts like a sail in windy conditions.

Dustman wrote in post #18820390
Thank you all so much for your insights!

I went with the Gitzo Systemic Series 3 model 3533LS, ...

I do not shoot with a super-telephoto lenses on any kind of consistent basis (Just a Sigma 600mm a handful of times a year for surfing photos)....

If i'd been in time, that is what I would have recommended, so glad you went that way.

I'd consider recommending Series 4 for the 8-13 pound super telephoto lens shooters, but even there many of us (most?) stick with Series 3, or jump up to Series 5. For your Sogma zoom, Series 3 all the way.


A side note;
Gitzo fairly recently made the series 4 a lot less relevant IMHO.
It used to share interchangeability with the series 5 top plates/100mm bowl etc.
In the latest generations they changed that and made it compatible with Series 3 instead.

This means a series 4 is now a "beefier costlier series 3" where as it used to be a "lighter, more affordable series 5"

I have no idea what effect this had on Series 4 sales, but it seems to me it was a backwards move.

Photographic equipment gets smaller by the year so the 75mm bowl size is increasing in popularity?

I'd have called the repair guy at the Manfrotto/Gitzo service facility. That dude knows EVERYTHING!

I wish I could remember his name. I just spoke with him again a couple weeks ago. If I get a chance to look up his name and extension (or direct number), I'll come back to this thread and add that information.

You do have a "SuperTelephoto", just not one with a fast aperture. It needs the same sort of tripod as any other 600mm lens. However the 3 series Gitzo that you bought will do just fine.

For a long time I used my 600 F4 L IS and later 800 F5.6 L IS on an older model 3 series Gitzo (GT3530LS) and it was great. Currently I use a 4 series - is it better? Yes - marginally. Is is heavier? Oh YES by 1/2 a kilo!

I think you will be very happy with your decision.

I think I will be very happy with this new tripod as well. I got it delivered almost a week ago already, and the thing is solid as a rock.

I will be taking it out to Death Valley with me this weekend, and will be putting it through its paces.