| Say you save your money and buy a heavier tripod. That tripod sits at home because it's too heavy to carry around all the time. Or you get one that isn't as stable, you get frustrated and decide that you might as well hand-hold. Now where's the savings in that? You might not have spent as much money, but you've wasted what you did spend because you got a tool that you don't use.
So you spend the money and buy the Gitzo. It does everything you want, you carry it with you everywhere, it really helps your photography and you consider it money well spent. Then in 2 years, they come out with some new technology that's supposed to be better and lighter. But does that make the Gitzo suddenly not meet your needs? Somebody is always coming out with something that's a bigger, better bang. But if your Gitzo meets your needs, it will continue to do so (unless your needs change). So you haven't lost anything by buying the right tripod right now.
To me, buying a Gitzo tripod was the best practical choice at this time and I don't regret getting it at all. My husband didn't mind at all, as he got tired of buying me something inexpensive "to see if I like it" only to have to buy something much more expensive 6 months later because I outgrew the cheap one quickly. |