Luminous Landscape Forum
Site & Board Matters => About This Site => Topic started by: dreed on September 16, 2011, 06:06:35 pm
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Something that I've not seen Mark (who wrote the current article) or other writers (such as Michael when reviewing heads) mention is how much of the vibration that makes it way into the camera comes from the ability of the tripod to be sturdy vs the tripod head to be sturdy?
Is a good head (for example - Arca Cube) going to deliver better results, regardless of the legs underneath than will a poor head on good legs (such as those in Mark's story)?
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personally I don't think putting a cube on a lousy tripod would be better than putting a mediocre head on a good tripod. If the foundation is lousy, the head can't make up for it. But there is no black and white here ... lots of head/tripod combinations.
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Alright, I just can't resist:
How did you manage to lead the article with an out-of-focus shot of the tripod?
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Alright, I just can't resist:
How did you manage to lead the article with an out-of-focus shot of the tripod?
Two possibilities:
1. He was focused on the grass, because it was more interesting than the tripod; or
2. To photograph the good tripod he had to use his lesser tripod, which wasn't as steady.
;)
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or he was annoyed by the moire from the good tripod and the lack of an AA filter on the camera ;D
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Oh great, these things are eternally OOS as RRS can't keep up with the demand....now they will go from difficult to impossible to get. :'(
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I take great care of my gear and whatever I sell is mint, except... my tripod --- it takes LOTS of beating and abuse.
Around 3-4 years ago I upgraded a Manfrotto 4-section Carbon One to a Gitzo G1325. Prior to selling off the Manfrotto to one of my friends I took it apart to cleaned it... it fell out stacks of sand on living room floor! Of course due beat up I gave a good price, yet it functions like new with all sand in it and after I had cleaned it. My friend has been very impressed and pleased with the tripod :).
Per my understanding Manfrotto and Gitzo are essentially same company and to same durability standards. My G1325 remains a keeper.
I do agree with most of Mark's criteria for what makes a tripod. However, the RRS TVC-34 is listed on RRS website as a 4-section tripod. That is a clear deal breaker in my book because it means one more joint thus one more potential weakness. The RRS TVC-33 on other hand has very similar specs to my Gitzo... except notably not the testimony of having survived life for beating during my use... My Gitzo goes wherever I need to put it --- anywhere. ;D
Would be interesting to hear a follow up and if RRS can measure up to similar 3-4 years of beating and abuse.
Regards
Anders
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Super simple resolution to the Apex screw issue on Gitzos is a safety plate which adds essentially no weiaght and makes it impossible for the center platform to come off. Here's the one for the 3 series:
http://www.naturescapes.net/store/nsn-safety_plate-for-gitzo-tripods-gsp35.html
There is also one for the 5 series.
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Hi,
It's about the weakest link. There are many different situations, ground, wind, leg resonance in i tripod. Mirror and shutter induced vibrations.
Personally, I have Arca D4 geared head. Weather Cube or D4, I'd say that is more about precision than stability. Any good ballhead will attain the stability but the geared heads add precision, with long lenses a really good thing!
There is a pleasure to using fine equipment. I don't necessarily think it affects the results, except keeping the photographer happy. If you take 200 pictures and go home with a pain in the wrist or relaxed, it may matter to you and and also to your pictures.
Best regards
Erik
personally I don't think putting a cube on a lousy tripod would be better than putting a mediocre head on a good tripod. If the foundation is lousy, the head can't make up for it. But there is no black and white here ... lots of head/tripod combinations.
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that thing looks ridiculous!
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I purchased the TVC-24 (http://reallyrightstuff.com/ProductDesc.aspx?code=TVC-24&type=4&eq=) some months ago soon after it was released, to replace my Gitzo GT3541. The Gitzo was very good, but the Really Right Stuff item is fantastic. Three cheers for American manufacturing :-)
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I find my Gitzo 3 series is good enough for my 1DS3. However if I was starting over I would seriously look at the TVC 34L. Certainly a good product for medium format.
It looks rather "bling" though.
Michael reviewed the Indro C-413. I wonder how the RRS compares with this?
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It looks rather "bling" though.
I had a chance to say hi to Joe Johnson from RRS at Photoshop World...I told him about Mark using the tripod at PODAS and commented on the "bling" look (and mentioned Mark was a bit put off). Joe said the look of the carbon fiber took a backseat to the rigidity and that the design of the fiber is actually integral to the strength and rigidity...so it really is a case of function over form.
I've got a shot of Mark using the tripod in harsh sunlight...the tripod is almost glowing :~)
I will say I'm shocked (shocked I tell you) that Mark posted a shot of the tripod with his Arca Cube head out of focus...but he prolly shot it with his S2 and got a miss-focus capture.
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I will say I'm shocked (shocked I tell you) that Mark posted a shot of the tripod with his Arca Cube head out of focus...but he prolly shot it with his S2 and got a miss-focus capture.
I think he is trying to deceive us into believing he is merely human. But we know better.
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It looks rather "bling" though.
My 5-series Gitzo has these camo paddings on it that would help with the bling factor when in transit, but only partially when extended. It does look a bit ostentatious for a tripod - but should go well with a ostrich-skin Leica thrown on the passenger seat of a Jag in front of the country club...
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I find my Gitzo 3 series is good enough for my 1DS3. However if I was starting over I would seriously look at the TVC 34L. Certainly a good product for medium format.
It looks rather "bling" though.
Michael reviewed the Indro C-413. I wonder how the RRS compares with this?
The RSS may possibly be the world's best, but the Indro sounds good from Michael's review and it is slightly more than half the price of the RSS. Has anyone tried the Indro?
Bill
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I use both the TVC-33 and the Gitzo 5541s. Both are 3 section tripods which I personally find much better than the 4 section ones.
I love both tripods:
- the TVC-33 is very light considering its great stability,
- I find the Gitzo to be a bit more stable even in windy conditions, obviously it is heavier which might be part of the reason.
Speaking about the very few slight downsides of the TVC-33, my list will differ from Mark's. I have already mentioned this to Joe at RRS, but my early version of the TVC-33 has had a tendency to see the leg to base connection mechanism get a bit loose. it just takes a bit of tightening now and then but is not as forget about it as I'd ideally like from that standpoint. I believe that this issue slight issue might have been addressed in later units.
Besides, I also find the course of the locking mechanism of the legs to be a bit too short, but this appears to be part of the design intend. I have found this to be a bit of a problem when working with gloves in cold weather as I sometimes have to re-lock some connections in a second pass. Nothing major obviously.
Anyway, the TVC-33 is an excellent tripod and probably has the best stability to weight ratio out there, but I keep using my Gitzo 5 series when I think I need to get the absolute best stability and can afford the extra weight.
Overall I tend to use the TVC-33 more which might be the best summary.
Cheers,
Bernard
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I think Mark's photo of the tripod was shot with the head de-emphasized by lack of focus ;D
I have 5 Gitzos, including the tallest tripod they made over 20 years ago (can't remember the name) with the full crank center column that was the platform for my 4X5 and 8X10 Sinar Ps, a couple that are similar vintage but smaller that I used for medium format and video and a G1548 MK2 Mountaineer. All have worked without issue for thousands upon thousands of setups. They look like they've been there and done that, they have without a single problem. Thousands of mile of travel, dozens of drops by assistants and baggage carriers, rolled around in the trunk, fell off the donkey, you name it, they took the abuse.
Now I use the G1548 MK2 with a self leveling base and a Foba ball head or RRS pano kit. No vibration issues, plenty stable and light to carry.
I still pull out the 4X5 P and shoot film on the big one, always sharp images.
But then I'm not a reviewer, just a pro with 30+ years of experience who has no reason to fix what isn't broken.
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Think I found a photo of the guy who designed the legs.
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I Rejected the RRS tripod because there is no Hook on the leveling base, a major oversight I have discussed this with RRS and it's been over a year and no Hook
disappointed, ended up with a Gitzo, video bowl, Burzynski head and a friend machined new handles and a hook for me.
Marc
BTW the Burzynski pans by loosening one knob a little and I mounted a RRS level on the top of the Burzynski base
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I Rejected the RRS tripod because there is no Hook on the leveling base, a major oversight I have discussed this with RRS and it's been over a year and no Hook
disappointed, ended up with a Gitzo, video bowl, Burzynski head and a friend machined new handles and a hook for me.
Marc
BTW the Burzynski pans by loosening one knob a little and I mounted a RRS level on the top of the Burzynski base
I need to make an OOF shot of my tripod config just to make it three :P
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I need to make an OOF shot of my tripod config just to make it three :P
the full size original is sharp maybe this is an artifact of the web site? :o
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All tripods are a compromise between weight, rigidity and price. RRS tripods are not available in Australia to try out before buying and it's hard to risk of a grand sight unseen. I upgraded from a Gitzo 2540 to a Gitzo 3541 last week and the new one is way better than the previous. I made this upgrade after shooting a new project over in WA with four colleagues (The South West Project) where we had poor weather. Many of my S2 shots were soft due to wind vibration although there were all perfectly focussed (the rumoured S2 focus issues are totally absent from my shots after 12 months shooting with it).
The Gitzo 3541 seems just fine and it's a lot more robust and rigid than the 2540. It's probably the best one for me given that I can't test the RRS one. However, if you want to get really keen on stability you need to go the route of my friend Les Walkling who uses an old Pentax surveyors tripod with an Arca Cube to support his 200Mb Hasselblad multishot. It's heavy, sure, but it is rock solid - and I mean solid. The legs have been filled with expanding foam to damp vibrations and the top plate has been modified. You can get similar ones from Dutch Hill.
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The Gitzo 3541 seems just fine and it's a lot more robust and rigid than the 2540.
I had the Gitzo 3541 but replaced it with the RRS TVC-24. After a few months now, I can report that the RRS article is, in my view, superior. Check out this thread. (http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/992917)