another gitzo tripod question and drypods

I am about to invest in a set of drypods. Usually when working at a low viewpoint in a lagoon I do not extend the leg columns. I have a gt2540 which seems to allow me only two angles to lock at ( the standard upright and then fully spread).

The question is this; the drypods seem to be best served covering the full length of the leg. I just experimented with just my wimberly head on the legs to see how solid the tripod seems with legs full extended and at the widest spread angle, and I am worried that this is not very strong. I wil be using a Nikon D2H and a 400mm afs-II and i would think that I'd want the legs at the shortest length to provide the maximum strength when they are fully spread. Does this make sense? I seem to shoot with them nearly always at the widest spread.

So to the drypods. I can cut a short version, and use the tripod as I do now but that would prevent me going into deep water. I guess so far I have not really been in deep water so that might be my best answer, but I am intrigued to hear peoples thoughts on whether to extend or not to extend when working at full spread.

cheers
gavin

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Originally Posted by Gavin Spooner

I have a gt2540 which seems to allow me only two angles to lock at ( the standard upright and then fully spread)

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I just experimented a little more and with the levers at the top of the pulled out there is the freedom to have different spread angles from min to max and it seems to stay put. Is it safe to expect i can have any angle set independently with no slippage?

cheers
Gavin

Hi Gavin

The standard thick drypods work and keep water/sand away from the tripod. I have trouble with the thick material since it is difficult to adjust the tripod up/down Originally the material was thin and fairly easy for adjustments but it leaked. I have always had leaks with the thin material even using the booties. Spreading the legs is not an option since you will scare the birds and its difficult advancing on the sand.

What to do? Would go with the thick material if you want your tripod to be safe. Personally I'm going back to cleaning afterwards and taking my chances. .... just send one to Gitzo and it was not worth fixing .... second that bites the dust !!!

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Originally Posted by Alfred Forns

Hi Gavin

The standard thick drypods work and keep water/sand away from the tripod. I have trouble with the thick material since it is difficult to adjust the tripod up/down Originally the material was thin and fairly easy for adjustments but it leaked. I have always had leaks with the thin material even using the booties. Spreading the legs is not an option since you will scare the birds and its difficult advancing on the sand.

What to do? Would go with the thick material if you want your tripod to be safe. Personally I'm going back to cleaning afterwards and taking my chances. .... just send one to Gitzo and it was not worth fixing .... second that bites the dust !!!

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Alfred, thanks for the reply.

I mainly shoot at LEL and tigertail in shallow water so always keep my legs unextended and at sometimes at the maximum spread as it gets me just above the water level. This is where I prefer to shoot from.

I think I will get the drypods, and just cut them short to cover the legs unextended and will have to deal with the inabilty to fully extend, but that shouldn't be an issue as I rarely do that in these locations.

I'm not in favor of the maintenance route as its not getting the silt out of the threads (you can still hear the grit when completely unlocking) and losing a leg section like i just did, I don't fancy having to keep on replacing leg sections on a $750 tripod. Of course i will still do maintenance but really want to prevent the majority of salt water, sand and silt from getting in in the 1st place.

cheers
gavin