Gitzo half price bargain

Missed the offer with the discount code but ordered one this morning. Been looking for a lighter tripod for when I don't want to lug my big Gitzo around. Everything half decent seems to be around the £300 mark so this is too good an opportunity to miss.
 
Used for first time last Friday at the beach and I won't be doing it again. Quite a bit of sand got into the threads on the leg locks. Not a major issue as it was very easy to take apart and clean. I'll use my Manfrotto when I go to the beach :)

I enjoyed using it. Quite intuitive and very sturdy.

HoppyUK said:
I've also put some tiny stickers the leg pivots as an easy reference for setting the tripod up square on a flat surface. There are marks actually cast into the metal for this, but they're extremely hard to see
Click to expand...

Any chance of a photograph so I can copy :)

Cheers.
 
I'd set the thing up so it's level (on a known-to-be level surface!) then stick some tape or a sticker across each "hinge" then cut the tape/stickers through the join of the hinge. To refine it slightly, I'd draw a black line on the tape (I'll be using white tape) for accurate positioning.
 
posiview said:
<snip>
Any chance of a photograph so I can copy :)

Cheers.
Click to expand...

It's nothing at all clever. Exactly this below.

Nod said:
I'd set the thing up so it's level (on a known-to-be level surface!) then stick some tape or a sticker across each "hinge" then cut the tape/stickers through the join of the hinge. To refine it slightly, I'd draw a black line on the tape (I'll be using white tape) for accurate positioning.
Click to expand...

:thumbs:

It's basically the same as the leg angle marks cast into the hinge at the top of each leg - except that you can actually see them. I can now set it up very quickly, and very close to dead level - as close as most normal tripods anyway, that are not always manufactured exactly true, and the built-in levels are often inaccurate as well.

If you want to do it right, the tricky bit is getting the tripod exactly level in the first place. You need a good spirit level and a dead flat/smooth surface, and that's not always as easy to find as you might think. To check that the tripod is actually square, either put the spirit level across the top platform, or against the centre-column. With that checked (and provided the surface is flat and the legs are at exactly the same length) then the three leg angles should be identical.
 
Thinking about buying one of these, but annoyed with myself that I prevaricated when the discount code was on. On the offchance that someone here has buyers remorse, I thought I'd ask in case anyone has changed their mind and wants to move it on at no loss, before I pull the trigger on one from the website? My only slight reticence about this design is the leg angle clamps and that I prefer lever locks on the legs. I have an 055 Manfrotto carbon, 3 section tripod and an 057 ballhead. It's overkill for my Fuji gear, so thinking this will be rather more portable, and with the flexible centre column, be rather more flexible than the Manfrotto's horizontal (but fixed in that position) centre column.
 
Simes123 said:
Thinking about buying one of these, but annoyed with myself that I prevaricated when the discount code was on. On the offchance that someone here has buyers remorse, I thought I'd ask in case anyone has changed their mind and wants to move it on at no loss, before I pull the trigger on one from the website? My only slight reticence about this design is the leg angle clamps and that I prefer lever locks on the legs. I have an 055 Manfrotto carbon, 3 section tripod and an 057 ballhead. It's overkill for my Fuji gear, so thinking this will be rather more portable, and with the flexible centre column, be rather more flexible than the Manfrotto's horizontal (but fixed in that position) centre column.
Click to expand...
This may be be of interest.I received a Gitzo GT0532 as a xmas present.I have only used it a couple of times(it has a tiny mark on the head,about 2mm X 1mm).Otherwise in brand new condition complete with bag and box.A very nice set of lightweight legs with 8kg load.

£250+postage

http://myirietime.com/choice-best-travel-tripod-review-gitzo-mountaineer-gt-0532/
 
Monkeyhanger said:
This may be be of interest.I received a Gitzo GT0532 as a xmas present.I have only used it a couple of times(it has a tiny mark on the head,about 2mm X 1mm).Otherwise in brand new condition complete with bag and box.A very nice set of lightweight legs with 8kg load.

£250+postage

http://myirietime.com/choice-best-travel-tripod-review-gitzo-mountaineer-gt-0532/
Click to expand...

Thanks - that looks a good deal for somebody. I decided this afternoon to pull the trigger on the Explorer though - it addresses my big frustration with the 055 in that the centre column is fully independent on the Gitzo. I'm often wrestling with the Manfrotto to get it to where I want it to be when down low, and I find more often than not, I'm wanting a lower angle than the 055 will give me. I've got buyers remorse already - it's an expensive way of addressing what is a very minor limitation, but it's only money.... :)
 
bank details placed here by mistake now removed
 
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