Cold weather tripod and head

[Daianto]

Need the opinions of experienced cold weather shooters, -40C. Am looking to replace the old Manfrotto. A new one by that manufacturer is out as recent use of their newer equipment suggests the plastic no longer will stand up to the cold.

Have also thought about carbon fibre but my research to date gives conflicting opinions as to that material handling extreme cold temperatures.

As I am close to retirement I don't wish to spend heavily on equipment but do hope to find something at a reasonable price that will handle Arctic conditions.

[guyharrison]

I have shot on several occasions for several weeks at a time in Yellowstone in winter in temps from 0F down to minus 30F, carrying my tripod exposed on a snomobile or the roof of a snowcoach.

Carbon fiber is the best.  In addition to light weight, it just does not get cold to the touch like aluminum and, in the event you bare skin touches it, you will not become permanent siamese twins!

I suggest looking for used Gitzo.  I have a model 1325, which is heavy enough for basically all 35mm and 645 set-ups with the right head.

I have never seen, or heard, about any failures of carbon fiber tripod legs at these low temperatures.  Maybe some cheap ones??  You are right, though, that brands with plastic knobs, lever leg locks, etc, might have an issue with the plastic fittings becoming brittle.

That's why I like Gitzo, its rotating rubber locks are very large and easy to use with gloves, and I have never heard of them failing.  The legs do get stiffer in extending or retracting ins such cold, but the rotating locks open up quite a bit and my tripod has always been useable.  Lever leg locks cannot adjust to the same degree.  One person I know did have an issue with taking the tripod into his room after shooting in deep snow, and the snow melted and when he went outside again it froze up and the leg would not move, but that is not really an issue with the tripod.

For your specialized use, I agree with avoiding Manfrotto carbon fiber due to the fittings, not the legs themselves (I use a manfrotto CF in all sorts of moderate conditions with very great ease).

Gitzos are not cheap.  I think Slik makes a CF tripod with rotating leg locks similar to Gitzo, and maybe other brands as well.

Guy

[Inanda Images]

Wood has done me good steed through the years. A majority of my work is outdoors often in the cold. I have an adapted set of survey legs that were scrounged, the cost was in the machine shop work to adapt the screw handle to accept photography heads. I have gotten six years so far out of this set, well abused with a no special care. Easy to use with mitts, doesn’t mind -40 or using the river bottom as a surface.  Currently hanging a Contax645 from the head and she never misses a tick. Downside is that it is heavy and cumbersome to carry off road, metal feet require a carpet patch when shooting on wood floors. Before I replace the legs I will be adding a RRS head. Not exactly pretty but since a majority of my work is nodal panoramas outdoors in the arctic this works for me.
Mark Prins
Inanda Images

[raysem]

Ditto on the use of carbon fibre.

I had several occasions to work in the low -30's this past season and had absolutely no problem with my Gitzo CF tripod.

My Markins ball head gets REALLY REALLY stiff at those temps though.  I've been experimenting with ways to loosen it up (without effecting room temp operation).  No luck yet....

[David Saffir]

I've had best luck with carbon fiber, for durability, adverse conditions, rough handling, snow, and water immersion. I use the Gitzo.

David

[Sheldon N]

Ditto on the Gitzo for shooting in the snow, I've got the 1325 and have used it in all sorts of winter conditions. I use the Markins ballhead, and have found that a little WD40 helps keep moisture out of the ballhead and keeps it moving in cold temps.

[ChrisHA]

I've had success with the Gizto carbon fibers too - the GT3540 and GT5541.   If you're using a 500mm or less, the GT3540 should be fine.  However, if you're shooting with longer lenses, go with the heavier GT5541.  I've seen legs snap up there, but not on the Gitzos.  A heavier tripod also helps to mitigate the arctic wind.

Chris
www.wildliferhythms.com