Gitzo 5541 tripod

[Duplo]

Well I am a tripod fanatic and IMHo it is perhaps the single most important accessory to your camera, if you like to shoot landscapes or pretty much anything else where you can get away with it.

I thought I would share a few thoughts on the Gitzo 5541 tripod and how I ended up with one.

This spring while on my way out shooting auroras, I tumbled with a snowmobile, doing something like 60km/h, not fun in it itself, and while the camera gear, the snowmobile and I (a little black, blue and shaken) fared without any problems my tripod were less fortunate:

Zooming out:

Now i have praised the velbon CF740 a lot, but the snowmoible crash killed it.

Now that gave me an excuse to upgrade my tripod, so here it is along with the velbon and my Induro A114 travel tripod:

Now sure the 5540 belongs to the largest 4 section tripods made and it does not come cheap either, but having used it for a couple of months I can tell you that if you shoot long telephoto, medium or large format or just value something that it will take a minor earthquake to move once locked down, then this is a tripod for you.

Ok it is large and with a wonderfully wide baseplate, that is more than big enough for a studioball. it is beautifully constructed, every single piece of it just feels solid, like in rock solid and coupled with a larger head like the studioball it holds even a medium format camera rocksteady in very windy weather.

I have to admit that compared to this baby even the Velbon seems like a flimsy piece of gear and it has been a pleasure to work with and will be for years ot come or next time I crash on a snowmobile with it

So if you need the sturdiest possible tripod, that falls into the treckable category, the 55 series from gitzo IMHO is the only way to go. Pricey they are, but you will love working with them in the field.

A side note and something to remember is that if you work in very cold weather with tripods and tripod heads, then put them outside for about half an hour before heading out and then tighten leglocks and head, otherwise it may not be a tightly locked down for as you thought indoor. Same when heading back in, loosen up leglocks and head a bit, otherwise you may be in for a really surprise when trying to use it indoors the next time It will be locked down VERY tightly, I had to give my Studioball 15 minutes in the freezer to be able to loosen the panning nob again

[hwblanks]

Congratulations on your new acquisition!

I took a look at the 5541's specs and although it would basically be overkill for me, I've got my eye on the 2541 as my next tripod. I actually had a chance to play with one at a camera store last month and I loved it! I mounted my K20 & Sigma 17-70 on there and that tripod was solid as a rock, even with all 4 sections extended. Gitzo is definitely a cut above the rest.

Heather
For a short bit, I was looking at the Velbon CF tripods, but I'm glad that I've decided just to go ahead and get what I really want, even if it takes me the better part of a year to save up for it.

[jem]

Congratulations on acquiring an excellent tripod! It is my choice for long telephotos as well.

Also, thanks for the tips on cold weather usage. I don't see much of that in my part of the world - but I do head north occasionally.

Edit: Is that an Arcatech head? How do you like it?

[Duplo]

Originally Posted by hwblanks

Congratulations on your new acquisition!

I took a look at the 5541's specs and although it would basically be overkill for me, I've got my eye on the 2541 as my next tripod. I actually had a chance to play with one at a camera store last month and I loved it! I mounted my K20 & Sigma 17-70 on there and that tripod was solid as a rock, even with all 4 sections extended. Gitzo is definitely a cut above the rest.

Heather
For a short bit, I was looking at the Velbon CF tripods, but I'm glad that I've decided just to go ahead and get what I really want, even if it takes me the better part of a year to save up for it.

That is my impression too heather
There are a few others, but then we are talking two sektion wooden tripods or something like that.

The velbon CF tripods, at least the larger ones are excellent too, but not as sturdy as a gitzo of the same size IMHO.

Originally Posted by jem

Congratulations on acquiring an excellent tripod! It is my choice for long telephotos as well.

Also, thanks for the tips on cold weather usage. I don't see much of that in my part of the world - but I do head north occasionally.

Edit: Is that an Arcatech head? How do you like it?

Well i am not shooting that mong lenses, but when occationally working with MFDB systems and for the D3 it does make a difference to go with what seems like overkill if reading specs.

the cold weather tip, was mostly posted for fun, but thought it might be useful to some

Yes it is the acratech ultimate ball head sitting on the induro, an excellent head too. extremely lightwieght, very easy to clean in the field and extremely sturdy once locked down.
with the acratech and the studioball I do not see a need for any other heads in my collection.
there is the arca-swiss cube geared head that would perhaps be even better for certain applications, but that head is a little more expensive than I am willing to pay.

[hwblanks]

Originally Posted by Duplo

That is my impression too heather
There are a few others, but then we are talking two sektion wooden tripods or something like that.

I might would've given more consideration to the wooden tripods, but if I were to get one, my biggest fear is that my cats would get a hold of it and start chewing it up!

BTW, I've already started a tripod fund. I figure that if I put in small amounts--$25 here, $50, there and so on, saving for it will be relatively painless.

Heather

[Pål Jensen]

Originally Posted by Duplo

So if you need the sturdiest possible tripod, that falls into the treckable category, the 55 series from gitzo IMHO is the only way to go. Pricey they are, but you will love working with them in the field.

To me, Gitzo tripods are expensive fashion items; something to be seen with in certain circles (they are stable though!). I own the Gitzo 505 and it is the most awful product I've ever used. A horror in the field and of substandard quality. The leg lock rings are a nightmare. Rubber rings fall off after one year use. Leg freezes in the winter; impossible to retract legs. Dented and jammed at the first drop. End cap of tripod legs pop off at high speed (never to be found again) due to air pressure build up while retracting legs. I'm not the first in line for another Gitzo. The Berlebach tripods outperforms them in every respect.....

[Duplo]

Originally Posted by Pål Jensen

To me, Gitzo tripods are expensive fashion items; something to be seen with in certain circles (they are stable though!). I own the Gitzo 505 and it is the most awful product I've ever used. A horror in the field and of substandard quality. The leg lock rings are a nightmare. Rubber rings fall off after one year use. Leg freezes in the winter; impossible to retract legs. Dented and jammed at the first drop. End cap of tripod legs pop off at high speed (never to be found again) due to air pressure build up while retracting legs. I'm not the first in line for another Gitzo. The Berlebach tripods outperforms them in every respect.....

Well I would just have to disagree with that, I am relatively hard on my support equipment and I know people having abuse gitzo tripods for +10 years without any issues at all, but again these are gitzos from the systematic range and useally in the most basic configuration. baseplate, no center column.
The 505 model i do not know at all, did a search and saw some astronomy forum entries, but no actual product info.

My initial impression of the 5541 is quite the opposite of your opinion expressed here.

I do not think that they would have gotten the renomé among professionals they have, without delivering.
And please most of the users of this kind of tripods I have met (myself included) works in an environment where what you shoot or what your support system is called means nothing at all, what your deliver in terms of images does. I have yet too see anyone react towhat brand or size of tripod I bring along.

Berlebach makes excellent tripods too, but you are then back to exactly what i mentioned as the only thing doing just as well or better - wooden tripods.
Albeit at a wieght being duble or more compared to the gitzo.