Which Gitzo would you choose?

I am being tempted into a potential tripod upgrade, and might source the funds for this in the near future. Right now I have an aluminium legset that I am quite happy with, weighs 3.3 pounds and carries 10 pounds of load. Very sturdy and has served me well. My heaviest rig is a 100-400 with 1D and this tripod carries it well. USUAL workload is 5D and 17-40.. VERY light!! I use the tripod when shooting landscapes and long exposures.

I do not forsee myself upgrading to any of the supertele's in the forseeable future. Crystal ball says, no money today, no money tomorrow either, go and have a beer instead.

However, in the Quest for the Perfect Tripod, I'm looking at one of these options:

Gitzo GT-0530:
http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …ghType=category​Navigation

Gitzo GT-1530:
http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …ghType=category​Navigation

I am very impressed with the 0530 because it has a 15% higher max load (11.5 pounds) than my existing Al rig, while weighing HALF of what my Al pod does - 1.6 pounds!! However I'm wondering, is there such a thing as TOO light? I'm sure Gitzo doesn't overrate their tripod max loadings, so it should be adequate (if anything my existing tripod would have been overrated, not the Gitzo, and it wasn't). As for weight to stabilize the tripod, I can always hook my camera bag underneath.

On the other hand I like the 1530 as well, because of its very generous max load (17+ pounds), and it still doesn't weight too much more (2.5lbs). This should cater to all present and future needs. Costs more though. $100 more.

These weight differences may seem insignificant, but consider that I don't carry a tripod in isolation - I'll usually have a sack of glass and cameras with me. One pound of savings adds up real fast.

Let me know what you think. Thanks!

GT1530. It's lighter than what you are used to and can handle more load. That additional capacity will come in handy if you should get heavier gear in the future, need to hook additional weight for stabilization, lean on the top of a long lens or place a bean bag on it. It also gives you another 10 inches of working height w/o having to extend the center.

The other thing you should consider is the max height the GT-1530 is 10.7 inches taller w/o center column extended than the GT-0530. Height really makes a huge difference unless your short. Gitzo makes excellent tripods and having a lighter tripod makes going out and using the tripod such a better experience.

If possible I would recommend going and comparing them side by side. On my quest for the perfect tripod I choose the gitzo G-1297 basalt for the height and lighter weight If my budget was not so thight I would have choosen the GT-1530

of the two, i'd go with the 1530. i've also often wondered how light is too light for a tripod but the deciding factor (along with load capacity) for me is the height. for myself, i'm looking for one that will bring the camera near to eye level with little or no extenstion of the center column to help prevent any extra shake.

Gitzo (in the 2007 folder, dunno if it's on the website) also says that there is more to a tripod then max. load. Their tripods can handle so much load, that it's better to choose a series on FL. For instance: They recommend a series 2 tripod with 200mm lenses. Or series 1 if conditions are good and you pay attention...

Thanks Rene, after reading your post I went in search of the GItzo catalog. I found it - on the Bogen site. It's not on gitzo.com.. no wonder I had trouble locating it.

Catalogs are generally more useful because they go into more details about suggested applications and recommendations, and they explain the product and its features. Websites tend to be sketchy and good mainly for checking specifications.

They make a good point about whether a tripod can not only CARRY the load, but stabilize it adequately. When I first tried to put my 5D and 24-105 on my previous ultralight tripod, which up to that point had held and stabilized a 350D with 17-85/10-22 just fine, it didn't work. Half my shots were blurred. Technically I was not exceeding the maximum load limit, but the ballhead was creeping and things were all over the place even with IS running on the lens!

Anyway, the 1530 is recommended for up to 200mm lenses, which is about as much as I would realistically expect to shoot with it. My current aluminium rig has no problems with the 1D and 100-400 (given a very good ballhead), so I think I can push the 1530 to do that during the rare occasions I need it. I have never actually used this combo in the field.. it's just the heaviest and most demanding hardware combo that I own, so I size the tripods for that and everything else is fine. I'm most likely to be found with a 5D and 17-40.. now if the 1530 can't handle that, then I'm at a loss for words

The 0530 is recommended up to 135mm, which exceeds my normal operating requirements but not the worst case operating requirements and probably would not be a wise idea to push it all that way.

Good points about the height too.. I set my current tripod to 107cm and it was way too much stress on the knees to bend that low. Looks like a deal breaker for the 0530.. I'm just not comfortable with that. My existing one is a 126cm when racked out all the way (without center column).

I believe my Gitzo model is the 1257, which I guess would make it a 1 series. It's an awesomely stable CF tripod on top of which I have the RRS B55 ballhead. I've never placed anything heavier than my 1 series and 70-200 f2.8 on it, but now that I got the 300 f2.8, I'll have to see. I'm quite sure it will be fine.

Load capacity for those who don't know doesn't mean the tripod will collapse if you put a pound more or even 20 pounds more. From what I've read, they measure tripod stability and rigidity with lasers and see how steady they are under load.

mark

Surprisingly that's a 2-series.. it may be an older naming convention. It seems to have been retired too. Let me know how it handles the 300/2.8 ISL.. it's a long way off for me, but I'd like my tripods to last and not need to be upgraded again, no matter what I throw at them : )

Sorry, my mistake. I knew it couldn't be an old name as it's the new 6x CF. It's the G-1157 with the quick column, not the geared column.

Says it holds up to 9.9 pounds. Guess I'll be bumping right up against that load limit with the 300.

mark

Actually, taking into consideration the pound and a half head, I'll be exceeding it.

Gitzo 1257 is a 2006 2 series. One of the first 6x CF with ALR IIRC. It's (going to be) replaced by a 2530 or 2540 or some serial number like that. Only upgrade over the previous year are improved leg locks...

René Damkot wrote in post #2561826
Gitzo 1257 is a 2006 2 series. One of the first 6x CF with ALR IIRC. It's (going to be) replaced by a 2530 or 2540 or some serial number like that. Only upgrade over the previous year are improved leg locks...

I have the G1257 LVL, which Gitzo states that it'll hold 17.6lbs. And I gotta say, the only glitch I could ever find with it is the leg locks are stiff some times.

I have an aluminum explorer, which they say supports 13 pounds. But I can put almost my whole weight on it. So I wrote them once and asked what the rating meant, and the email reply was that's the load it can hold without vibration.

oh, Nick, you can adjust the tension in the leg locks with a small socket wrench, something like 8 or 10mm.