What Carbon Fiber tripods are you using?

[BernardLanguillier]

Hi there,

I'll second the Gitzo advice, I have been using 2 of them (1227 and 1028) and love them.

Cheers,
Bernard

[Jack Flesher]

I have never made an image that made me say I wish I had a better tripod.

And man-oh-man *so have I...*

In fact it was way back when in my film SLR days that I first decided to buy a "real" tripod, a Gitzo 341...  All aluminum, larger than I thought I'd ever need and correspondingly heavy.  

And all of a sudden my images were better.  A *lot* better...

Several years later CF hit the market with the Gitzo 1348... yes, the same one referenced above; I've had it for about 10 years.  At the time, I had trouble justifying the cost (about $600 back then) just to save weight.  A trusted sales rep told me it was not the weight that was so important but the lack of vibration.  I was skeptical, so he gave me the pod to test out for a weekend...

I went back Monday AM, paid for that pod and immediately sold my pair of aluminum Gitzos.  

(BTW that 1348 pod has actually saved my life, but that's a story for another thread.)

In a nutshell, the weight-savings is the bonus... gravy.  Lack of vibration is the real reason to use CF.

Oh yeah, and as Jonathan said, the difference is like 60% or 70%, not 5%...

Cheers,

Jack

[boku]

For Long Hikes: Gitzo 1228 with Acratech Ultimate Ballhead

For eveything else: Gitzo 1325 with leveling base and RRS BH-55 Ballhead.

Bob,

My all-around tripod is a 1348 and yes, I like it a lot better in cold weather than aluminum legs.  I chose the 1348 rather than the 1325 because the extra leg segment makes it more versatile on uneven ground and also packs shorter for travel.

Another detour to ballheads.  I'm very interested in the RRS ballhead.  Did you get the quick release lever clamp and if so how do you like it?  I'd like to get your opinion on how well that clamp will retain its tightening ability over time.

Thanks,

Paul

I got the quick release clamp. It seems easy to use and more secure than the screw clamp. That is based on the fact that I dropped two cameras from my Acratech screw clamp because it really wasn't tightened down (my fault). The RRS QR lever clamp provides immediate visual feedback as to whether it is locked or not.

When RRS comes out with the middle-weight version (BH-40?) in the summer, I will get one to replace the Acratech. It will also be equiped with the QR Lever clamp. No question about it.

I can't speak about long-term performance of the RRS head. I just got it last week.

[nnmmaa]

I have been using the Feisol 4 section CF tripod mated to an acratech ball head, for the last 6 months. I never had a Gitzo, but I did have a succession of light junky ones, lastly the Velbon Maxi. The Feisol tripod is in a completley different league. There have been many positive reports and the only unanswered question is how it will stand up to years of wear and tear. Accordingly, I  would recommend it to weekend phtographers, travelers and hikers who want a very stable set up. With the acratech attached it is still fairly light, it fits in a standard suitcase, comes with a carrying bag, and the legs adjust quicky and securely.

[Karel]

Just a question about the Gitzo CF tripod with regards to model. I am 6' 3" and would like to know which model would be recommended for my height. I'm not as concerned about compactness since I won't be doing alot of hiking but would like one that is lighter than the Manfrotto aluminum tripod that I am currently using.

Thanks for the help