Gitzo G-1320 VS 1340 + Ballhead for Macro & general Photography? Your Experiences? Suggestions?

Hello,

 

I am interested in purchasing a tripod. I would like to use it mainly for macro

work D200+200mm/f4 macro + extension tubes eg PN11. However I would like to

purchase something that will last me a long time, and perhaps can be used in the

future with longer telephoto lenses such as 300mm f4 hence Gitzo. Firstly, the

carbon fiber range is un-affordable.

 

I initially thought G-1320 recommended by John Shaw and many Macro enthusiasts

which is priced at $382.00 (B&H) including the centre column. But I saw that its

minimum height is 49cm! hardly low enough for grass shots! But then again, the

centre colum is reversible.

 

My second thought is the Gitzo G-1340 which costs $379.00(B&H)(without Column)

+ Gitzo G-1317 Column ~$100(B&H). Its minimum height is 11cm. This is blowing

the budget quite a lot. Additionally its going to be heavier to carry in the field.

 

I am planning to carry the tripod in the field.

 

Ultimately I want to rule out my tripod + head as a cause of softness in my macros.

 

I have the following series of questions;

 

1. Is 1340 overkill?

 

2. Has anyone had personal experiences with both tripods for macro?

 

3. Does the mimimum height of tripod really matter, because when a head is added

its going to add another 10-15cm which probably wond be low enough anyway? What

are your experiences with shooting in the center column reversed position?

 

4. I am a bit confused about the modular workings of the 1340 could someone

elaborate?

 

5. Can the 1320 inbuilt column / or the 1340 center (G-1317) column be placed

horizontal?

 

6. How rapidly can both of these tripods be setup/reset and ready to shoot?

 

7. Which do you recommend?

 

I would also like to marry up a nice sturdy ball head with this tripod that

would allow me smooth panning etc at macro level for moving subjects or quick

reorientation. What are your recommendations?

With a roughly $400-450 budget for the tripod legs, carbon fiber is not out of your reach. Hunt high and low for a used Gitzo 1325 carbon fiber legset. I paid roughly $425 for mine. Incredibly sturdy, much nicer to the touch in cold weather than aluminum, and lighter. I use mine with everything from 35mm up to 4x5.

 

Trust me, you will just end up buying a carbon fiber tripod in a year or two anyways.

 

If you must buy new instead of used, look at the Feisol CT-3371 (www.feisol.com). It is comparable to the Gitzo in size/load capacity and is only $319. Feisol makes a very good product and I don't hesitate to recommend them. Personally though, I prefer the fit/finish of the Gitzo.

 

For a tripod head, look at any of the following: Really Right Stuff BH-55 or BH-40, Markins M20 or M10 or QBall, Arca Swiss B1 or Z1, Kirk BH-1 or BH-3, and the Arcatech Ultimate Ballhead V1 or V2. All will be excellent heads and very useable. I personally shoot with a Markins M20 and find it to be superb.

PS - You don't want/need a center column. Buy a tripod that's tall enough without a column. The Gitzo 1325 or Feisol CT-3371 both meet this criterea.

The Gitzo G-1320 has a permanent rapid column, whereas the G-1340 "Systematic" tripod has a replaceable center section. Of the two, I definitely prefer the 1340. I have one for video use, fitted with a 75mm ball socket. The 1340 is very stiff, reasonably tall (55" without a column), but on the heavy side and too long to fit in a suitcase without disassembly. It is not quite stiff enough for a video camera and 600mm (equivalent) lens, but OK for closer work. The G-1325 is the CF equivalent of the 1340, and is one of Gitzo's most versatile tripods.

 

You might find a 4-section G-1345 (G-1348 or GT-3540LS in CF) tripod better for macro work. It is nearly as stiff as the 1340, but more compact, easier to carry and easier to work close to the ground. I find the 1340 too tall when extended, so I have to partially extend the middle leg (and adjust the legs to be equal). A 1345 is about right with just two sections fully extended, so it is actually faster to use in the field.

 

For still photography, I prefer to use Series 3 tripods, along with a G-1321 leveling head. I have a column, but seldom use it. A Gitzo CF tripod is nearly as stiff as the next size aluminum version. I have a GT-3540 which performs about as well as my G-1504 (Series 5 aluminum) when I don't need all that height (the 1504 goes to 96" without a column).

 

The legs of the 1340 spread out nearly flat. The handle of the leveling head or long column prevents you from going this low, but you can use a flat plate (standard issue), or a rapid column with a stub column. For truly ground-level stuff, I just use a bean bag.

 

Reversing a column is one of those myths, like X-ray glasses advertized in comic books. Think about it - there's a leg in the way of either the lens or viewfinder. It's easy enough to reverse the column, but only effective as a make-shift copy stand with the camera pointing straight down.

 

In Gitzo "Systematic" tripods, the center section of the body is replaceable by simply loosening a single bolt on a split-ring which clamps the center in place - taking 15 seconds on a bad day.

 

The new "6x" tripods are a real breakthrough in strength and convenience. They have keyed legs that don't rotate when you twist the locking collars - an occasional PITA with older Gitzos. The tapered bushings are very agressive, and hold with little effort. They acually jam in place, and are useable only because the tapered bushings are locked to the collar and are forcibly extracted. A quarter twist is all that's required. I prefer collars to snaps anyway, and the 6x version clinches the deal.

I have the Gitzo 1341 tripod, the 1340 with a removable center column. I do not think a 1340 to be an ideal tripod for macro work. Nor would I recommend the 1320 based on what I see in the Gtizo 2007 catalogue. The 1320 only gets 19.3 inches to the ground and weighs 7.3 lbs. This is not low enough for macro work. The 1340 gets you lower, 4.3 inches, but not flat, and weighs 6.4 lbs. The 1325 is the carbon fiber equivalent of the 1340. It is a great tripod.

 

Gitzo makes a whole line of tripods designed specifically for macro work--the Explorer line. I would get one of these, preferably the carbon fiber model because they can bear more weight. The aluminum model is the GT 2220. There are two carbon fiber models, the 2530 EX and the 2540 EX and one made from basalt, the GT 2931 EX. All of the explorers go flat to the ground and are rated to hold between 19 and 26 pounds. The carbon fiber tripods are the ones with higher weight ratings. The aluminum model has the lowest.

 

The 1325 is another great buy for macro. It is carbon fiber and gets as low as 4.3 inches to the ground. It has been replaced with the 2007 model--GT 3530L. For macro work, I would get a tripod to go all the way to the ground. Check out the Explorers. Do a search for the 2007 Gitzo catalogue. Joe Smith

For macro work the tripods from Benbo (not Benro) and Uniloc are excellent apart from the Benbo Trekker which is too light. They have a central bolt, allowing adjustment of the height without having to fiddle with each leg. You can even raise a leg above the horizontal, as for example when resting the tripod against a tree to photograph lichens.

 

There is a similar design from Gitzo, the Explorer, which is a bit slower to operate as you must release each leg. It comes in aluminium, carbon fibre and basalt flavours. Some think they are better than the Benros/Unilocs.

 

There are also a number of mini tripods from Uniloc, RRS and Kirk, so you could buy mini and full size units. But swapping the head would be a pain.

 

I would not recommend reversing the centre column. How do you operate an upside down camera?

I now do macro work for a living. (Yes, ... there is a god!)

 

I almost never use anything larger than the Canon 100mm macro, sometimes attaching a teleconverter or some tubes to it, ... and that's it.

 

I now use the Gitzo Explorer 2220 married with a RRS BH-40 ballhead.

This setup should last me for years to come!

 

The larger RRS ballhead would probably be better if you will be using anything larger than a 100mm lens, so consider that.

 

Don't ever skimp on these two items.

Get the absolute best that you can afford, and hopefully something that will last you the next 10 to 20 years.

 

Good luck!

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=31691

 

Gitzo 1325 for $450 from a reputable seller....

For my macro work I use the Nikon 200mm f 4.0 lens most of the time. The ball head I use is the Kirk BH-1, not the lighter duty BH-3 which I also own. If you go the RRS route for a ball head, consider the Bh-55 over the bh-40. You always want as much stability as you can get for macro work especially if you are going to be using the pn-11 tube. Look at lens mounting plates made by RRS for the PN-11 tube and the 200m lens for maximum stability. Call them for advice. They are very helpful. Get double dovetail plates. Joe Smith

Check out Induro tripods for great carbon fibre at much lower costs than Gitzo. The web

site is www.indurogear.com. I have the C214 with an Induro DM-23 ballhead. The tripod

is rock solid. You may want the optional shorter stem for macro work.

Thanx a lot everyone..

Just an update, I went for the 2531EX and a BH-55. I was gobsmacked at how good my 200mm macro performs now! There seems to be a razor sharpnes I have prevously not seen! The CF seems to dampen vibrations very very quickly, and the BH-55 is an amazing piece of work.