Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/02/17
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]There's a cool new Gitzo portable CF tripod where the center column sort of "flips over" somehow to eliminate the folded extra length added by the tripod head. But IIRC, it's > $600. But for various personal reasons, I've just got to keep my spendy habbits in check for a while :-) or is that :-( Just need something small and light that will allow me to shoot some slow films without bright daylight. I've got a nice pair of M6TTL's, a RRS Arca Swiss style plate, a nice sturdy Linhof cable release, a set of Leica lenses (current 28/50/90) that that surpass my abilities to make full use of them, and a good chunk of Delta 100 in the freezer and access to some of the slower Efke emulsions. Now I've just got to put it all together with a portable tripod, and do so with some exercise of home economics. Someone pointed out a Chinese (gasp!) CF tripod that seems like a Gitzo clone - the Feisol CT-3301N. Even lighter than some of the Bogen models I've considered, something around $250 for the legs, and Googling around, owners seem to like theirs. I'll keep researching and shopping for a while. Scott Henning Wulff wrote: > > I've had a number of Manfrotto tripods as well as Gitzo, and in my > opinion the Gitzos are worth every penny. They have proven themselves > to be much more durable, and off more real stability for considerably > less weight. I currently use two Gitzo CF tripods (as well as some > aluminum ones): a 1028 and a 1228. The 1028, which weighs about > 750gms, is completely sufficient for Leica M useage as long as there > is no wind. It's about 138cm high when extended, which is a bit short > but generally fine for travel. > > If I got one tripod now for travel, etc. and money wasn't an issue, I > would get a G1158T, which goes up to 149cm and folds down to about > 41cm, and weighs just under 1kg. It's good for any M with any lens. If > I wanted to save some money, I would get the G1197 Basalt, which is > considerably cheaper and weighs 1.2kg and doesn't fold to quite as > compact a bundle. I would take this over either the MF3 or MF4 > Bogen/Manfrotto tripods any day, and the price is in the same range. > > Note that carbon fiber or basalt tripods absorb vibrations a lot more > than aluminum tripods, so if the load capacity is adequate (and it > usually is) then you can often go down one size and get the same > performance. > > For medium/small tripods I've found Cullman ballheads to give the best > performance/weight ration, and the two that I use on the carbon > Gitzo's are extremely smooth. Something like the 904 Cullman (230gm) > is completely adequate for the 1 series Gitzo tripods. You can add a > small Bogen/Manfrotto quick release such as the 3299 system which is > completely adequate. I use the 394 adapter and 3271 plates because > they match other heads I use, but the 3271 plates are a bit large, so > I used a Dremel tool to remove unnecessary parts and whittle it down > to Leica M size. > -- Pics @ http://www.adrenaline.com/snaps Leica M6TTL, Bessa R, Nikon FM3a, Nikon D70, Rollei AFM35 (Jihad Sigint NSA FBI Patriot Act)