Finally Got My Gitzo

[bob williams]

After recognizing the need for a top-o-the-line tripod, I finally decided on and purchased the Gitzo 3530LS. What a great tripod, rock solid with an RRS BH55 ballhead and my 50d, battery pack and 100-400L. Even on live view at 10X it's solid. I will be field testing it tomorrow so no pics yet.


Since I do plan on eventually getting a 500L , I was looking for some solid support, and was undecided on three tripods; The RRS TVC 33, the Gitzo 3500 series or the Gitzo 5500 series. The deciding factors: The RRS was 6 weeks behind in production and I was tired of waiting. Both the Gitzo 55xx and the RRS were priced at around $925, the 3530LS was $724, which left me with enough room to buy the battery grip for my 7D.


One concern I do have---In the user reviews of the 3530LS, and most other Gitzo's, there were complaints of the top plate coming off with equipment attached. Since I enjoy wildlife and commonly walk with the tripod over my shoulder with all equipment attached, this worries me a little. My intention is to solve this problem by using Loctite on the lock ring bolt and perhaps tapping two set screws through the ring and into the top plate just for extra reassurance. Before I do that I was wondering what some of you thought about those solutions.


Your response is appreciated.





Bob

[Brendan7]

Congratulations on your purchase Bob!


One caveat: The 3530LS *might* not be sturdy enough with a 500 f/4. It'd definitely work, but I might say that would be pushing the reasonable limit of the 3530. But I'm not sure.

[bob williams]

Yeah, Thats one of the things I was a "Little" concerned about, but I probably read 100 reviews on this thing and most of the long lens shooters (pro and amatuer) had nothing but great things to say about it with a 500 mounted, but some did suggest that a 600 or a 2.8 400 might be a little much. The deciding factors, weight (4lbs vs 6), the price, and of course, I figured if I could ever afford a 600, then I could probably afford the tripod to go with it [:#].

[Brendan7]

Yeah, Thats one of the things I was a "Little" concerned about, but I probably read 100 reviews on this thing and most of the long lens shooters (pro and amatuer) had nothing but great things to say about it with a 500 mounted, but some did suggest that a 600 or a 2.8 400 might be a little much. The deciding factors, weight (4lbs vs 6), the price, and of course, I figured if I could ever afford a 600, then I could probably afford the tripod to go with it [img]/emoticons/emotion-16.gif[/img].

Nice. It seems you know more about this than I, but you might want to just get your hands on a 500 and test it. You can't be too safe [6]

[bob williams]

Nice. It seems you know more about this than I, but you might want to just get your hands on a 500 and test it. You can't be too safe [img]/emoticons/emotion-14.gif[/img]

Your right again Brenden, Got a 500 I can borrow [A] . The one thing I have thought about is that if the 3530 doesn't work well with a long lens, Then Imay just have to buy the 55xx or the RRS. Then I could have one tripod with a ball head and one with a gimbal, but that will have to wait a while.

[Oren]

Wow, what a great tripod!!!! congrats [H]

[Oren]

Brendan, what are you talking about? according to B&H it can hold 18kg - that is more than enough for the 500mm f4 L if you ask me.

[Brendan7]

Brendan, what are you talking about? according to B&H it can hold 18kg - that is more than enough for the 500mm f4 L if you ask me.

Weight rating, I might say, is the worst statistic in photography. Under no circumstances would you want to mount 18kg of gear on a 3 series Gitzo. It'd hold it, the legs wouldn't break, but the sharpness and clarity would be lacking. Why buy a Gitzo if it's not perfectly stable? I'm not sure if the 3531 can hold a 500 f4 no sweat, but it's designed for lenses like the 300 f/4 and 100-400. According to Gitzo, the 3 series tripods are designed for "300mm lenses to 500mm maximum". Because of this, I was just questioning if that would satisfy Bob's stability requirement. It might work properly, but it definitely isn't "more than enough". IMO it's "just enough".


If I'm wrong, somebody correct me [:P]


brendan

[bob williams]

according to B&H it can hold 18kg

Thanks Oren,your rightm but Brenden is also correct, what a tripod can hold and what it can hold without vibration are two differnt things. There are many tripods that have a weight rating sufficient to hold a 600 and a pro-body but you may end up with significant vibration which was why I dumped my aluminum Bogan. I think I read that a good thumb rule is equipment about 1/3 of the weight rating of the tripod. So for long lens rig, your talking about 40-50lb weight rating on the tripod. So I am pushing the limits with the 3530LS which is rated at 39 lbs.

[Oren]

You are correct, I agree, but the 500 f4 L does not weigh 18 kg!


According to Bryan, it weighs around 4.1 kg. Add a pro body which is like 1.2 kg, flash and some other stuff and you get say 5.5 kg... you know what... 6 kg. That is still 1/3 of what this tripod can hold. So it satisfies your 1/3 rule Brendan (which I agree with).