I am looking for a tripod for my pentax 67. Has anyone tried using the new Gitzo carbon fibre tripods with the pentax. I am thinking of getting the 1325 model which is a bit cheeper than the 1348 model. Or do I need the heavier Gitzo 3 or 4 series tripods? Any advice would be helpful.

-- Chris georgiopoulos (jaygeorge@bigpond.com), November 24, 1999

Answers

Chris-

I don't have any experience personally with the carbon fibre Gitzos, but a friend if mine uses the heavier one with Canon big glass. It's actually just a bit lighter than the 346 model I have, but much more expensive. Not knowing how tall, big you are etc., I would reccommend the 346 Interpro Studex with an Arca B1. That combo should hold things pretty well up a 300mm. I had a 411 series and it was great but a bit heavy to carry for long periods of time, so I went down a notch. Gitzo says in their catalog that the 346 Compact Performance and the 416 Compact Performance both support the same weight, 22 lbs. The 346 will extend to about a foot higher than the 416. My first serious tripod was a well used 416 and after 15 years of constant use I sold it and replaced it with the 411. I always found the 416 too short. Take into consideration your height as well; I'm 5'10" so that's not a big issue. If you are say 6'3" and 180, you may want to get a 411 that will go up 79". Whatever you do though, do not cheap out on the head. An Arca B1 or Foba, or Studioball with a QR system will make using the tripod alot easier and will preserve the integrity of the legs.

Happy trails, Charles

-- Charles Shoffner (chasmn@aol.com), November 24, 1999.

I use my Pentax 67, mounted on a Really Right Stuff custom plate and Arca B-1, with lenses up to 135mm, on a 1325. I've also got spiked end sections from Gitzo's 1338, which directly replace 1325 end sections, for outdoor shooting. This is an excellent combination; up to 135 lenses at least, it effectively deals with the shutter shake situation. I'm 6' 0" tall, and it would accommodate someone 3" taller without requiring them to stoop. I don't believe you need a heavier Gitzo, and strongly suggest you select the 1325 over the 1348. Three sections are better than four in every way except collapsed size.

-- Sal Santamaura (bc_hill@qwestinternet.net), November 24, 1999.

Same here, a 1325 with Arca B-1, RRS QR plate. Used with a P67 and four lenses from 55mm to 200mm. Works so well I've retired my 340/341 tripod.

-- Garrett Adams (gadams@jps.net), November 25, 1999.

I also have the 1325/Arca B1/RRS plate combination. I use it with a 67II and four lenses 35mm to 200mm.

The 1325 has a fixed top plate instead of an adjustable center column. The 67 is wide enough that it will contact the tripod collar when flopped to the side for a vertical shot. A one inch spacer under the ball head will protect the camera and make framing vertical shots easier. For a one peice solution I had a replacement for the Gitzo top plate machined to provide a 1 inch rise for the ballhead. It's aluminum and probably weighs about half of what the ballhead does.

-- Chuck Bernards (chuckb@hevanet.com), December 07, 1999.

Chuck, my riser isn't quite as professional but then neither does it weigh as much as yours. It's made from a round 3/4 inch plywood block that's painted matte black. However one makes one it's definitely worth the effort. Especially if you're like me and prefer to stand between the two rearward tripod legs rather than straddle them for vertical compositions.

-- Garrett Adams (gadams@jps.net), December 07, 1999.

Thanks to eveeryone who replied to my question. I ended up purchasing a Gitzo 1340 in mid January as the carbon fibre tripods are ridiculously expensive in Australia 1200-1500 AUSD. I have tested the G1340 / Bogen3038 head combo with my 165mm F2.8 lens at 1/8-1/30 second using MLU and a cable release and the sharpness has improved dramatically even with the smallest legs extended by 1/3 . I did find that placing my hand on the pentaprism did make a further slight improvememt. After reading some more posts on the net I may investigate the Arca Swiss B1 head and RRS plate most users indicate that this ballhead give best results. I know much has been said about vibration on P67 but after investing thousands of dollars I want to get the best out of this system. I don't just use my camera for fun but I market my work and sharp 6x7 images make a big difference when it comes to selling my work. Thanks again for all the helpful comments

-- Chris Georgiopoulos (chrisgeorge@bigpond.com), February 19, 2000.

Would you all please comment on the Really Right Stuff, what the benefits are, etc?

I am also contemplating an Arca ball head for my ancient Gitzo Tele- Studex, as it looks like the ball is a faster setup.

-- Bruce Gavin (doc@compudox.com), August 10, 2000.

Chris, I use a Gitzo 1228 carbon fibre tripod with an Arca Swiss B1 and a RRS plate. I balked at the price of the plate (actually, I balked at the price of all the components) but I'm as happy as a clam with it all. I would like a bigger tripod than the 1228, but it was bought with light weight in mind after a holiday in Greece brought me almost to my knees with the weight of my equipment. I cannot complain at the sharpness of my work. In fact, I'm delighted. I conducted tests, taping a mirror to the front of a 165mm lens, mounting my camera firmly on the tripod and shining a spot of light (a black slide with a hole in it) from my projector to the mirror and back onto my projection screen 12 feet away. I could detect vibration even with the mirror locked up, but not much, and it was considerably reduced when I placed my hand firmly on the pentaprism. I wasn't able to accurately determine the timing of the vibration relative to the opening and closing of the shutter, but the results convinced me to use the hand method of damping vibrations, and my results seem to be fine. I hope you find this helpful.

Good luck Tony

-- Tony Wood (awood@telus.net), October 17, 2000.