The Gitzo Tripod Alternative

[Convex]

A recent tripod thread started out asking about specific gear so I popped this thread re Gitzos. There were some recommendations in the other thread including some good gear, mainly carbon fiber. Good stuff, but also can be expensive. I have nothing against that, get it if you can afford it, Some folks want the "latest and greatest" in carbon fiber. It's all good.

I bring up Gitzo tripods because I've had the metal tripods for decades, and understand that Gitzo also makes carbon fiber tripods, Metal tripods are heavy/usually heavier than the carbon fiber tripods. Discussing the issue of resistance to corrosion/rust, my metal Gitzos have been outside forever (photography) w/o much more than a slight tarnish w/no more than a regular waxing.

The metal Gitzos are tough, it takes about 5 minutes to wax them, and Arca Swiss, RRS, and the lesser know but great Acratech stitt is old had in photography and go great w/my Gitzos.

Many of these metal Gitzos are half to a third of the carbon fiber tripods, and you can find some dynamite Gitzos on ebay for 100 bucks.

This Gitzo is very similar to the Gitzo I bought(except mine has a center column) maybe 40 yrs. ago which works as well today as the day I bought it. My Gitzo has easily held up 50 pounds of gear, and I have a Gitzo 1500 which will easily hold 100 pounds. I'll be using these w/many of the Arca Swiss and RRS, and Acratech stuff i already have w/my rifles.

Gitzo G1340V series 3 tripod | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Gitzo G1340V series 3 tripod at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

So if your budget doesn't include 1000-1500 for a tripod, check out a metal Gitzo. If you spend a lot of time outside w/your tripod so do photographers so I'll say that taking 5 minutes to wax theses on a regular basis will keep corrosion to a minimum.

I'd say a good metal Gitzo is a cost effective back-up/alternative w/many costing 100-200 bucks.

 

[Birddog6424]

I started with an aluminum Manfrotto. It always treated me great.

I definitely believe we overthink, and I know we overpay for our tripods in PRS.

 

[Convex]

I've got Arca Swiss ballheads and RRS goodies, but I also bought a ballhead from Scott who was practically a kid when he started out Acratech 23 yrs. ago out of Pomona CA. USA all the way.


He specializes in lightweight heads that hold 25-27 lbs. but my ballhead has held up more weight than that, so I'm convinced that rating includes a safety factor. These heads are meant to sing in the lightweight/in a backpack out in the "boonies" application and would easiliy convert from holding up 25-30lbs of camera to a firearm application.

I've seen some lightweigt rifles around here that would seem to be a match for this kind of head and their Arca Swiss type clamps.


You may or may not find something you can use, but Scott is here in the USA, and his product is a good product.

These are small and lightweight but tough.

Tripod Ball Heads, Lightweight Travel Photography Gear - Acratech

Made in the USA, Photography Products that are Elegant, lightweight and reliable. We design our gear to withstand the harsh elements of outdoor photography and to be sleek and stylish at the same time.

www.acratech.net

 

[jsimonh]

Never used the metal ones, but I’ve been using Gitzos for a while. Rock solid and like you said a lot less than others. I bought my latest one off of a photography forum.

 

[Convex]

Speaking of less money, B&H Photovideo carries both RRS and Acratech, and if I were to buy another head it would be the Acratech leveling base w/clamp.

Acratech Leveling Base with Quick Release Clamp

Buy Acratech Leveling Base with Quick Release Clamp featuring Load Capacity: 25 lb, Weight: 0.6 lb, Height: 2.2", Adjustment Range: +/- 10°, Arca-Type Quick Release Clamp, 3/8"-16 Bottom Mount, Integrated Bubble Level, Aluminum Construction. Review Acratech null

www.bhphotovideo.com

The RRS head is a bit different but similar enough to compare and is $80 more

Really Right Stuff TA-2U Leveling Base with Lever-Release Clamp

Buy Really Right Stuff TA-2U Leveling Base with Lever-Release Clamp featuring Load Capacity: 25 lb, 40° of Adjustment, Level Tripod without Adjusting Legs, Arca-Type Clamp with Lever Release, Compatible with Series 2 Tripods, Installs to 3/8"-16 Male/Female Threads, Triple-Lobe Locking...

www.bhphotovideo.com

I consider RRS and Acratech BQ to be very close

 

[Convex]

The Gitzo is 40+ yrs. old, the Acratech ballhead 23.

So far, when it comes to tripods and heads, I've resisted the "once in a while" lustful impulse/haven't "given in" to buying "shiny new objects" I might want but don't need. Some of the new gear is spectacular.

I will confess to coming on here to enjoy watching the "deep pockets" splash around big chunks of change on bigtime gear.

 

[LuvDog]

I've repurposed or multi purposed all my photog tripods. I have some great older gitzo and manfrotto ones... some aluminum and some CF. They are all solid and I never hesitate to load them up.

 

[Convex]

Yes, Yes, exactly. Doing the same thing.

 

[Convex]

I'm including Acratech's toughest head the GXP which is rated @ 50 pounds which is on the Ries site. I thought this would be both a "treat" for the photographers on here, and admiration for everbody else re a legacy American company like Ries.

Ries has for getting close to 90 years made the strongest/toughest/most stable camera heads for big heavy cameras. There's nothing compact about these, so I think you'd get a laugh out of/but also admire the toughness re the fact that some old time photographers would hike gear this heavy out in the boondocks/up and down hills w/wooden "sticks" (tripods), and a big heavy Ries head, to get a shot.

Not something you'd enjoy doing, but when you have to, when both the man and the gear are tough enough.

Try getting a Ries J250 head in a backpack LMAO!!!

I can't find the photograph, but once as a gag a small 150 pound shooter climbed up and sat on top of his sticks and the Ries head wi/a big smile on his face.

The fact that a revered OLD American company like Ries sells Acratech which is all of 23 years old is a BIG HONOR.


Here's the Acratech on the Ries site, scroll around this page for Ries gear and get a load of American history.

I have the Ries J250-2 head for the view cameras I still shoot with, which will hold up ANYTHING that's supposed to go on a tripod. AND once in while, I've hiked around the boondocks w/it to get a shot for a customer who wanted a legacy picture shot w/legacy gear MADE IN AMERICA.

Acratech GXP Ball Head

GXP Ball-Head is designed as a Ball Head, Gimbal Head, and leveling Panoramic Head. 3 heads in 1! lightweight for travel. weighs 1lb, a 50:1 load ratio!

www.riestripod.com

 

[carbonbased]

I'm including Acratech's toughest head the GXP which is rated @ 50 pounds which is on the Ries site. I thought this would be both a "treat" for the photographers on here, and admiration for everbody else re a legacy American company like Ries.

Ries has for getting close to 90 years made the strongest/toughest/most stable camera heads for big heavy cameras. There's nothing compact about these, so I think you'd get a laugh out of/but also admire the toughness re the fact that some old time photographers would hike gear this heavy out in the boondocks/up and down hills w/wooden "sticks" (tripods), and a big heavy Ries head, to get a shot.

Not something you'd enjoy doing, but when you have to, when both the man and the gear are tough enough.

Try getting a Ries J250 head in a backpack LMAO!!!

I can't find the photograph, but once as a gag a small 150 pound shooter climbed up and sat on top of his sticks and the Ries head wi/a big smile on his face.

The fact that a revered OLD American company like Ries sells Acratech which is all of 23 years old is a BIG HONOR.


Here's the Acratech on the Ries site, scroll around this page for Ries gear and get a load of American history.

I have the Ries J250-2 head for the view cameras I still shoot with, which will hold up ANYTHING that's supposed to go on a tripod. AND once in while, I've hiked around the boondocks w/it to get a shot for a customer who wanted a legacy picture shot w/legacy gear MADE IN AMERICA.

Acratech GXP Ball Head

GXP Ball-Head is designed as a Ball Head, Gimbal Head, and leveling Panoramic Head. 3 heads in 1! lightweight for travel. weighs 1lb, a 50:1 load ratio!

www.riestripod.com

I’ve got a J100-2 that I had custom ordered a bit talker than stock. EXTREMELY solid lol. I have used that with a Acra B-1 ballhead for shooting. I am leaning towards continuing using the B-1 vs the RRS Anvil 30. The B-1 just pans so much easier, and I shoot randomly moving fast little varmints.

For slow target shooting, the Anvil locks up like a bank vault and doesn’t change POA as you lock it down, as most traditional ballheads will.

Hard rock maple (Ries) is supposedly the most vibration-resistant material for tripods, better than carbon fiber.

I love my Ries.

 

[Convex]

There U Go. Lifetime gear if it isn't abused.

 

[carbonbased]

There U Go. Lifetime gear if it isn't abused.

Yep. Already had it for 25yrs and it’s good as new except for one plastic pin retaining system for the leg-to-clamp interface the original owner of Ries used…I hear the new guy uses something sturdier.

Mind you, the pin is fine, it’s just the plastic “cable” that attaches to it so you don’t lose the pin when you remove it that broke.

 

[Convex]

I admire the folks that came B4 us; they had to be shape, or they quickly got in shape.

Here is a Toyo 810 camera folded up/bellows off, still sitting on the Ries, ready to put in a case. It's a fairly modern version of the old view camera. It's about 35-40 years old.

Here's the camera unfolded, bellows on, ready 2 shoot. The Ries is holding up a camera/lens which is about 35 pounds. It's not just that, the Ries is holding that weight ROCK SOLILD w/no wobble/nothing, and can keep it that way all day if necessary.

I've lugged this camera, the Ries J250-2, a Gitzo 1500, and wooden sticks up and down hills in suitcases in either hand. Getting too tough for me @ 73, but I felt good about feeling what it was like for the folks who came B4 me who did this using this kind of gear as part of their profession'


Of course now you got me thinking about a pair of J100 sticks. Did you see the Rosewood sticks on the site? Just gorgeous!!

 

[carbonbased]

I admire the folks that came B4 us; they had to be shape, or they quickly got in shape.

Here is a Toyo 810 camera folded up/bellows off, still sitting on the Ries, ready to put in a case. It's a fairly modern version of the old view camera. It's about 35-40 years old.

Here's the camera unfolded, bellows on, ready 2 shoot. The Ries is holding up a camera/lens which is about 35 pounds. It's not just that, the Ries is holding that weight ROCK SOLILD w/no wobble/nothing, and can keep it that way all day if necessary.

I've lugged this camera, the Ries J250-2, a Gitzo 1500, and wooden sticks up and down hills in suitcases in either hand. Getting too tough for me @ 73, but I felt good about feeling what it was like for the folks who came B4 me who did this using this kind of gear as part of their profession'


Of course now you got me thinking about a pair of J100 sticks. Did you see the Rosewood sticks on the site? Just gorgeous!!

I think you’ve got the wrong pic, as the Toyo is on a Gitzo. But I agree the rosewood Ries is a thing to behold (esp with bronze knobs).

 

[Convex]

I've got wooden sticks along w/the Gitzo, but they're not Ries like yours. When I'm using this gear, I'd use both tripods as back ups for each other which is hilarious because neither tripod has ever messed up.

I plan on getting the Ries J100 hopefully sometime in the near future.

I just realized w/you meant. My bad, when I said sitting on the Ries I meant on that head. Need some coffee.

 

[carbonbased]

I've got wooden sticks along w/the Gitzo, but they're not Ries like yours. When I'm using this gear, I'd use both tripods as back ups for each other which is hilarious because neither tripod has ever messed up.

I plan on getting the Ries J100 hopefully sometime in the near future.

I just realized w/you meant. My bad, when I said sitting on the Ries I meant on that head. Need some coffee.

I see the disconnect I was having…I forgot the name of the Ries metal “head” is J-250-2 (didn’t read closely enough). I was thinking that was a tripod haha and I was trying to figure out what the heck you were talking about!

I had a Toyo field 4x5 at one time and loved taking Type 55 Polaroids with it. I wonder if the Impossible Project ever made a suitable Type 55 replacement?

 

[Convex]

They show up and then they disappear, besides, their stuff is expensive. TEN BUCKS a sheet!!! They never could make enough of it to get the price down. So expensive nobody would buy it. I sure miss 55 polaroids.

LOL!!! They sure shouldn't have called it the "Impossible Project"!!!

BTW: My wooden tripod is a Berlebach which I've had for quite a while, I believe it's rated @ 60 lbs. but I'm positive this is a conservative rating.

I got it natural colorwise, and rub Danish oil into the wood followed by some Liberon furniture paste wax on a regular basis. I paid a couple of bills and change "way back when" for it, but they've gone up in price.

I think this is the latest iteration of what I've got.

Tripod UNI 22 (Leveling Unit 75 mm) from Berlebach ® Tripods

Berlebach Tripod UNI 22 (Leveling Unit 75 mm): This tripod is ideal for filming assignments and is compatible with all professional video he [...]

www.berlebach.de

I consider the Berlebach a good tripod/very cost effective, but it is in no way in the class of a Ries.

 

[Convex]

What might be of interest is that I didn't like the weight of my heavy/heavier lenses putting undue stress on the camera bed extension of my Toyo 810 so as the top pic of the 810 folded up shows, I came up w/a mod which forms a support strut between the end of the camera bed extension and the Ries head.

Found a company that made "H" shaped aluminum extrusions, w/the right dimensions and thickness, where one side of the "H" would fit and would be able to slide into and out of a "C" shaped extrusion so you can telescope the resulting strut formed by the 2 extrusions, which can then be fastened down with a drill n tap for a 1/4-20 knob through the center of the "H" extrusion..

In order to work/extend in and out, I used small door hinges for pivot points at both ends of the extrusions. Remembering high school geometry 101, the strut forms essentially a triangle, and lengthening/shortening the strut changes the angles.


Supports the camera bed extension, and I can still extend it to whatever I want up to full extension.