Suggestions for a new tripod- anything but Gitzo.

[gail bisson]

I am in the market for a new tripod.
I had a Gitzo 3532 but the leg rotted out after 18 months ( see pics) and Gitzo will not honor the 5 year warranty because of " exposure to water and improper maintenance". I do believe that all nature photographers photograph in the rain and snow and at the beach but this is considered improper use....
The invoice says all 3 top section legs had problems and they wanted to charge me $727.00 to repair an $850.00 tripod. Complete lunacy.
It also took 3 1/2 weeks to get any response from Gitzo- unacceptable turnaround time for just a response on repair cost and assessment despite 2 calls and 3 emails from me. The CSR said delay was because the head office is overseas.
So, do I go for another expensive tripod like a Really Right Stuff that is made in the USA , which means immediate response to any problems, or just buy a cheap tripod and replace it every couple of years?
Would love to hear your thoughts and advice,
Gail
Interestingly the cheaper Gitzo tripod 1830 that I use for "in the water work " (95% of the time) is 3 years old and works fine. No corrosion issues and I have had that tripod in 3 feet of ocean! It is only meant to support a smaller lens so I need a heftier tripod. I am so ticked at Gitzo right now that I refuse to buy anything else from them.

[Linwood Ferguson]

I've been very happy with Feisol, and you can buy 2 or 3 or 4 of them for the price of the Gitzo, so even if you are rough on them, you can replace them more easily. :(

I also love their heavier monopod. I don't think much of their ballhead (it's collecting dust on my shelf), but the tripod has been in swamps and surf and has held up terrifically.

I replaced my Monfrontto monopod where the non-stainless was rotting out, but only after contacting Monfrotto and saying "isn't this supposed to be stainless". They said "no, but that's an interesting idea". What kind of fool puts regular steel fasteners down where it's going to be in water and mud?!?

I've got the CT-3371, it's plenty tall for me (I'm 6') even when shooting up at the sky, without any kind of center column, and the newer ones have their "rapid" feature which keep the tube from twisting so locking is one-handed.

And best of all if you are in the US, they are now sold at B&H so you have the quick ship and return policy, my first one came all the way from China. Now it's local.

[David N Smith]

I have an Induro and have had no problems. The name is not as well known as some of the others but it is well built.

David

[Sarah Jessup]

I have both Gitzo and Feisol, and I choose the Feisol every time I go out.

[Don Lacy]

Hi Gail, I have home repaired two of the legs on my Gitzo for the same issue using PVC pipe and marine tex. First I marine tex a small section of PVC pipe inside the leg section to give it added support and then after thoroughly cleaning out the corrosion inside the leg housing I use marine tex to glue it back in place. The first repair was done several years ago and the second about a year ago the tripod is about 8 years old now. When I do replace it it will probably be with a Feisol.

[Karl Egressy]

I read similar threads on NSN. All were related to the corrosion of the metal parts of Gitzo tripods.
The general consensus was to buy one for RRS which suppose to resist much longer to salt water and normal water corrosion.
I would contact them and find out what metal they use in their tripod and if they have one maybe specifically designed to salt and/or sweet water corrosion.
Please keep in mind that there is no perfect stainless steel or other metal per se which would lost very long.
Titanium would be a better metal to be used but I have reservations if hey would use it as it is expensive.

[gail bisson]

Thank you all for your input.
I wish I had known about the do-it-yourself repair, Don. I am afraid that I have seen the last of my tripod because they ( Gitzo) want $50.00 to ship it back and I really do not feel like throwing more bad money after bad money.
I spent a lot of time last night researching all the various options. Will let you know my decision!
Gail

[gail bisson]

Thanks Karl. I will check out the threads on NSN to make myself feel better about the abysmal service from Gitzo by reading other people's tales of woe.
Misery loves company!
Gail

I read similar threads on NSN. All were related to the corrosion of the metal parts of Gitzo tripods.
The general consensus was to buy one for RRS which suppose to resist much longer to salt water and normal water corrosion.
I would contact them and find out what metal they use in their tripod and if they have one maybe specifically designed to salt and/or sweet water corrosion.
Please keep in mind that there is no perfect stainless steel or other metal per se which would lost very long.
Titanium would be a better metal to be used but I have reservations if hey would use it as it is expensive.

[Grace Scalzo]

Gail and I emailed about this, but I'll weigh in here with my experience. I own a Gitzo and have a hopelessly frozen leg. I got tired of that company's poor service, and as I try as best as I can to buy stuff made in USA, I did spring a couple years ago for the Really Right Stuff tripod and leveling base, and am completely happy. Any questions/problems are handled with a telephone call. The company totally stands by their products. As most of you know, I dig a low angle and shorebirds are my most favorite subject. Living on the coast, I subject my tripod to rigorous use on a regular basis. (salt water, mud, sand) One thing that RRS makes known is that you have to clean your tripod every time it is exposed to salt water. I take it completely apart each time, rinse with clear water and simple green and reassemble when dry. This is a bit of a pain but I've become very quick and routinized about doing this and my tripod is holding up well. They are expensive and not the lightest tripod in the market, but I am totally happy with the product and the company.

[Grace Scalzo]

PS- I should add that I have no experience with either the Induro or the Feisol brands.

[gail bisson]

Well, I have ordered my RRS tripod TVC 33 and I should have it in a couple of weeks. Hurray!
I will be sending a copy of the receipt via email to Gitzo!:bg3:
I should have mentioned that I meticulously clean my tripod just like Grace does ( we have done it quite a few times together!) so the corrosion issues occurred with proper maintenance on my part.
Gitzo sucks... and they lost another customer.

[Linwood Ferguson]

I should have mentioned that I meticulously clean my tripod just like Grace does ( we have done it quite a few times together!) so the corrosion issues occurred with proper maintenance on my part.


Honestly, I don't.

Why don't I clean it meticulously? Because I figure I shouldn't have to. I am NOT trying to talk people out of doing so, please... but it's kind of like buying an off-road vehicle, and then being told not to get it dirty.

Manufacturers should do their best to make sure it doesn't corrode even if you are not cleaning it thoroughly. Monfrotto did not -- their screws on my monopod were not even stainless. To me that's just ridiculous, a $200 monopod (middle of the road I admit) trashed because they saved maybe $3 in hardware cost.

Sounds like Gitzo is doing something similar.

I looked up the date, and I bought the Feisol in October 2007. Its legs are scratched from mud/sand being present when I collapsed it, but that's cosmetic. There's not a hint of corrosion on the stainless, and at best I usually hose it down or occasionally dunk the legs in my pool (yes, chlorine, and yes I know what that means). Not saying Feisol is wonderful really -- to me ANY quality tripod, intended for use in swamps as all should be, should not require meticulous cleaning to keep from corroding.

[gail bisson]

Honestly, I don't.

Why don't I clean it meticulously? Because I figure I shouldn't have to. I am NOT trying to talk people out of doing so, please... but it's kind of like buying an off-road vehicle, and then being told not to get it dirty.

Manufacturers should do their best to make sure it doesn't corrode even if you are not cleaning it thoroughly. Monfrotto did not -- their screws on my monopod were not even stainless. To me that's just ridiculous, a $200 monopod (middle of the road I admit) trashed because they saved maybe $3 in hardware cost.

Sounds like Gitzo is doing something similar.

I looked up the date, and I bought the Feisol in October 2007. Its legs are scratched from mud/sand being present when I collapsed it, but that's cosmetic. There's not a hint of corrosion on the stainless, and at best I usually hose it down or occasionally dunk the legs in my pool (yes, chlorine, and yes I know what that means). Not saying Feisol is wonderful really -- to me ANY quality tripod, intended for use in swamps as all should be, should not require meticulous cleaning to keep from corroding.
I couldn't agree more. I just emailed Jhon Salazar ( Manfrotto/Gitzo head honcho) to tell him I bought a RRS tripod! I very cheekily suggested he have a look at this thread and how many hits it had:t3.
Gail

[Don Lacy]

Honestly, I don't.

Why don't I clean it meticulously? Because I figure I shouldn't have to. I am NOT trying to talk people out of doing so, please... but it's kind of like buying an off-road vehicle, and then being told not to get it dirty.

Manufacturers should do their best to make sure it doesn't corrode even if you are not cleaning it thoroughly. Monfrotto did not -- their screws on my monopod were not even stainless. To me that's just ridiculous, a $200 monopod (middle of the road I admit) trashed because they saved maybe $3 in hardware cost.

Sounds like Gitzo is doing something similar.

I looked up the date, and I bought the Feisol in October 2007. Its legs are scratched from mud/sand being present when I collapsed it, but that's cosmetic. There's not a hint of corrosion on the stainless, and at best I usually hose it down or occasionally dunk the legs in my pool (yes, chlorine, and yes I know what that means). Not saying Feisol is wonderful really -- to me ANY quality tripod, intended for use in swamps as all should be, should not require meticulous cleaning to keep from corroding.
I have lived and fished on the coast of Florida for over 25 years there is not a product made no matter the cost that will survive the effects of saltwater without routine maintenance and cleaning every time it is exposed to saltwater, form million dollar yachts to the most expensive big game fishing gear if it is not taken care of it will fail on you. Its kind of like buying and off road vehicle and never changing the oil and wondering way the engines seizes at 50,000 miles. If you want to extend the life of your gear you need to clean and maintain it, when ever I use my gear in on or around saltwater everything gets clean before I put it away, tripod gets taken apart rinsed and sprayed with WD40 and left to air dry, all cameras and lenses get wiped down first with a very damp cotton cloth to remove any salt spray that may have dried on it then with a clean cloth to dry it.

[Randy Stout]

Gail:

I use a Gitzo and use Dry Pods whenever in salt water. Has helped cut down on my maintenance a lot, even though the Dry Pods are a bit fiddly, and I get some off colored jokes about them at times.
I don't have the opportunity to be in salt water as much as you and many of the folks on BPN, so you have to weigh the slight extra work of using dry pods vs. disassembling the tripod everytime it gets in the salt water.

I have had nothing but good interactions with RRS, and will be getting one of their TVC-34Ls eventually.

Randy

[Linwood Ferguson]

I have lived and fished on the coast of Florida for over 25 years there is not a product made no matter the cost that will survive the effects of saltwater without routine maintenance and cleaning every time it is exposed to saltwater, form million dollar yachts to the most expensive big game fishing gear if it is not taken care of it will fail on you. Its kind of like buying and off road vehicle and never changing the oil and wondering way the engines seizes at 50,000 miles. If you want to extend the life of your gear you need to clean and maintain it, when ever I use my gear in on or around saltwater everything gets clean before I put it away, tripod gets taken apart rinsed and sprayed with WD40 and left to air dry, all cameras and lenses get wiped down first with a very damp cotton cloth to remove any salt spray that may have dried on it then with a clean cloth to dry it.

Please, I'm not advocating abusing your equipment. What I am suggesting is that we should hold equipment manufacturers to an expectation that their gear is built to standards suitable for the type of work they are typically put, WITHOUT having to baby them. I don't suggest that one never change the oil (to push the analogy), but that we not need to change it after every use. If one feels like doing a complete disassembly after every use, clean, lube, and reassemble that's fine, and undoubtedly it will last longer and work better. But I think one should not HAVE to do so. And if one does have to, it is worth at least questioning whether the equipment is well made for its intended purpose.

My example of the Monfrotto monopod is relevant -- the bottom hardware on the clasps are not stainless. Why? The only possible explanation I can come up with is to save money (this is not an expensive tripod, but it's over $200, which is not cheap either, and stainless couldn't have added $2 to the manufacture cost). If I clean and lube that each use, it will not matter as it will not corrode. I didn't, it corroded. My fault or the manufacturer? I'd say "both", but I also will not buy another from them.

In contrast the Feisol tripod and monopod has a big spike and associated hardware to attach. It's stainless. Will it eventually corrode if I do not take care of it? Probably. But at least the manufacturer met me half way. And it's been over 6 years and it's in pretty good shape -- I just took this shot without any cleaning from the last few uses.

Please, by all means take care of your equipment, that is not my point. In fact I'm not trying to change any maintenance habits. But I am trying to convince people not to let manufacturers produce fragile, easily damaged crap. That's not necessarily a shot at Gitzo -- I have not used, it. But all too often I see people with photographic equipment treating it like the finest and most fragile china, and blaming themselves when a fly landing on it sends it off to the shop. :eek3:

We should all find and praise those manufacturers that make durable, long lasting gear, and be sure similarly share info on manufacturers who do the opposite.

http://www.captivephotons.com/photos/i-5c7z8BD/0/X2/i-5c7z8BD-X2.jpg
PS. Well, one maintenance suggestion - Corrosion-X and similar products are much better, IMO, than WD40. Last longer, penetrate better, and prevent rust longer.

[van bogaert erik]

i have a gitzo 3541 LS and i am very happy with it, no problems , about he RRS tripods i have also read some things i don't like , so i have read that their are have more flex, less steady than Gitzo.

[Marina Scarr]

After going through 2 Gitzos very quickly, i ca say with certainty that Gitzo sucks as does their service or lack thereof. Their warranties are absolutely worthless.

I have been using a Feisol tripod now for almost 3 years and have been very happy.

[Grace Scalzo]

I'm with Don as far as care of my equipment goes. Not having unlimited funds to replace gear, to me it's worth the extra 10 or 15 minutes that it takes to clean stuff after exposing it to the elements, especially salt water. We have an outside shower, so cleanup is done out there and dried on my picnic table or indoors if rainy. Truly not a big deal. I tried the dripod type of things, Randy, with no success. I need flexibility to raise and lower my tripod legs on a moment's notice, and those things just get in my way.

[Marina Scarr]

I had mine in the bathtub for 2 hours the other night! :)

PS: Not WITH me in the tub!

[Don Lacy]

I just want to point out using your equipment in or around saltwater is not normal use it is extremely corrosive if you take the time to clean and maintain your gear you will extend its life.

[van bogaert erik]

i came across this (link) and read some forums about RRS tripods and a lot of people have this problems, so i must say i don't ever seen this problems with Gitzo. So also RRS tripods have problems !!
http://blog.reallyrightstuff.com/fixing-wiggly-tripod-legs/

[Grace Scalzo]

I'm not sure that this is necessarily a problem...anything mechanical needs tweaked from time to time, especially when subject to heavy use and the elements. I've had this happen to mine and simply adjust it as described. To expect to own a piece of equipment such as this and not have to ever adjust anything is asking for a lot.

[arash_hazeghi]

I had mine in the bathtub for 2 hours the other night! :)

PS: Not WITH me in the tub!


:bg3:

[gail bisson]

This has been a very interesting evolving thread.
I just want to re-emphasize a couple of issues that have been lost in the " maintenance and care " discussion.
1. it took 3 weeks and 4 days to get an appraisal from these people. I find this unacceptable.
2.How can the repair be so expensive? $727.00! Surely the parts should be provide at cost and labor should also be reasonable. They could have offered to sell me another tripod at cost or any number of " feel good" offers but did nothing.

Gail

[Grace Scalzo]

My friend got an estimate of $515 for a stuck leg. Seriously.

[Marina Scarr]

What Gitzo has done for me in the past is offered me a trade in value for my broken tripod which, at the time, beat the heck out of nothing. I think they offered me around $200 or so.

[Grady Weed]

I live here in Maine and shoot with the Gitzo and Wimberley Combo. I have had them almost submerged to the Wimberley head in fresh water while the legs were deep in mud. I would sit for 3-4 hours like this waiting for the loons to come home to nest. I have gone out in 30 below weather with my rig and Canon 5d and MK2n. My 28-135 lens froze after just 3 minutes one winters day! I take them out in the rain, in my canoe and kayak with only a towel for protection. So I clean them and dry them off afterwards, religiously, meticulously.

I have to say...Grace Scalzo and Don Lacy hit it squarely on the head, maintenance!!! We play in the mud, snow and water with very expensive gear and toys, so we have to clean them if we want them to last. I do feel sorry for the troubles Gail is having, Gitzo should do far more her than they are. Artie had it right as well, send a link to this thread!

[Steve Uffman]

I had mine in the bathtub for 2 hours the other night! :)

PS: Not WITH me in the tub!
that's funny......I always wash mine down with loads of freshwater as I do all my fishing gear...but no doubt some salt is hiding from me....not sure if I want to break it down and see what's hiding.....