Centerpost or no centerpost

[dwn2]

I am contemplating buying either a Gitzo G320 (with centerpost) or a

G340, a slightly more sturdy, slightly lighter tripod with no

centerpost. I will be using the tripod with an Arca-Swiss B1 (with

panning). My question is, will I ever need the centerpost? <P>I have

used a Bogen 3021 (with 3055 head) for 2 1/2 years and have no need to

use the centerpost <I>except</I> when I need to twirl my 3055 around

to better access the panning locking lever. This helps because I

don't have to reposition my tripod. OTOH, I don't know if I will need

to twirl my Arca-Swiss B1 to better access the panning lock.

With the 3055 it is almost a necessity to get the panning lock lever

in the correct position, so as to provide the most leverage to lock

the base (its pretty hard to lock it solidly). But somehow I don't

forsee this happening with the B1. <P>To the B1 users, have you ever

needed a centerpost?

 

<P>Thanks for your comments.

 

<P>Dan

[ilkka_haapavirta]

Dan, I use a B1 with a 1348 legset without a center column. The G13xx should be the carbon equivalent to the G3xx. I never found a need to twirl the B1 by rotating a (hypothetical) center column. You can set the legset so that the panning knob is accessible. Then, by panning, you can rotate the B1 head so that the main operating knob is accessible. Now you have your tripod set for what you need.

 

A much more important factor, IMHO, is fumbling the quick release knob when you intended to adjust the main operating knob. This happens to me often but I haven't dropped my gear, yet (knock-knock).

The Real Right Stuff catalog - which you will be needing with your B1 anyway - gives some good advice about positioning the B1 on your legset.

Ilkka

[ShunCheung]

The short answer is that I hate center columns. They simply add instability to the tripod and more joints that can come lose. My Gitzo 1325 has no center column and I use a A/S B1 on it. The combo works great. Of couse, as usual, your mileage may vary.

[tom_shapiro]

I also agree about not needing a center post and in fact not having one allows you to set the tripod low on the ground should you need to. I also strongly suggest that you get the "Really Right Stuff" catalog and use their equipment for the B1. The fit and quality is excellent compared to Kirk and the ease of use and long term cost is less.

 

The few times I have needed to pan, I used the pan on the B1 with great results.

[jamie_curtis]

For me, it depends alot on what lenses you will be using. With shorter focals, its nice to be able to quickly raise or lower the center to better frame the shot. For anything under a 300/2.8, the difference in stability wont make difference. If you're not concerened with stability and big glass, centerposts are nice to have even if you only use them once in a while.

 

As for panning with a B1, I generally just use the ball head. It seems the only time I use the panning base is when I want to reposition the main control knob.

 

If you plan on doing vertical shots with the body mounted on the ball head, you will probably use the panning control fairly often. It is much easier to adjust the ball head than the centerpost.

 

But if you do a lot of vertical compositions with the body on the ball head, you should take a look at either the Kirk or RRS angle plate that lets you mount the body vertically. This is a much easier, quicker and flexible set-up to use.

[lloyd_nakatani]

The centerpost supposedly prevents getting really low. Actually, quite the contrary. If you use a long macro lens with tripod collar, then the centerpost is an advantage for low closeups. Here's how. Invert the centerpost, and invert the tripod collar. Now *hang* the camera on the A/S B1. This results in the camera being right side up. By adjusting the centerpost, you can easily move the camera up and down to get the right composition. In fact you can get the camera all the way to the ground and still have the movement of the B1 for composing the shot. For closeups where movements in inches make a big difference in the composition, the centerpost is invaluable. Much easier than adjusting the legs to change heights. And you still have the centerpost to use normally to make minor adjustments in height. If you don't extend the centerpost too much, it has little effect on rigidity. at least not on my 1349. You do pay a little in weight, about a half pound.

[dwn2]

Thanks everyone for your comments (I'm sure that more will be flowing in soon...) One thing I thought of last night is that having a centerpost is useful for transporting your tripod. Not only does removing the ball head make it smaller and easier to pack, but it is also an ounce of prevention against banging around a $400 ball head in transport. Of course if I didn't have the center post I could just unscrew it the B1, but I'd rather play it safe and not mess with removing the ball head from time to time.

 

Now that I think about it, getting the 320 (or 341) and then chopping off most of the centerpost might be a good idea (or I could buy the 5" column, but that may be a little redundant). I could also buy a platform for the 341 (essentially converting it into a 340), so that would be another option to look into.

 

By the way, I have tried the centerpost reversal thing to get really low to the ground and it has never worked for me. The last time I tried that I got all muddy and came out with medicore pictures at best, due to difficulty in composing and determining proper exposure. Not to mention, it's a great way to get a sore neck.

 

And to all, I have the RRS catalog (July '98). It is indeed a wonderful information source, and I have jotted down notes and scribbed on it accordingly since last fall. I would have paid money for that catalog and still gotten a good deal.

[ShunCheung]

Dan, the B1 simply screws onto a Gitzo tripod. There are no screws to lock it in place. Therefore, having a center column won't make it any easier to remove the ballhead from the tripod. In fact, sometimes it is too easy to unintentionally unscrew the B1 from a Gitzo.

 

As far as reversing the center column for low-level work, it never works for me either. When my head fits between two tripod legs, the third leg will be right in front of me and obstructs the view of the lens.

[bobatkins]

The only time I find a center column useful is for macro work. It's

a real pain to have to adjust the tripod legs in order to raise

the camera by a couple of inches.

 

Many of the columnless Gitzos allow you to retrofit a center column

if you later decide you really want one.

[alan___1]

Likewise, my G1349 allows me to remove the centre column and attached a flat plate over the tripod. I get the best of both worlds.

[lloyd_nakatani]

Two more hints for macro work. Spread the legs of the Gitzo to the

intermediate position so you'll have more room for your head and also

to keep the far leg out of view. For macro shots, the far leg is not a problem because the subject will be under the tripod. A right angle viewfinder will help keep your belly out of the mud and compose really low shots, even shots looking from the ground up.

[joe_fuhrman1]

I agree with Bob Atkins; the centerpost is good for macro work. However, the centerpost reduces the stability of the tripod. When I have my big 600mm f4.0 lens on my Studioball ballhead, I want as much tripod stability as can be. With a centerpost raised just a couple of inches, I have much more potential for "wobble" or shake.

I do sometimes wish I could quickly raise a centerpost, but instead have to adjust each leg; however the trade off for a sharper photo is the most important thing.

 

I have 2 tripods; each with a ballhead on it. My big Gitzo has the big Studioball ballhead. I use it for birds & wildlife when shooting with my 600mm lens. If I am doing macro or landscape work with a smaller lens, then I use the smaller Bogen tripod.

[don_baccus]

The 340 and 1348 tripods have a flat plate, not centerpost, BUT this flat plate can be remove and you can add the centerpost (or, if you buy a model with a centerpost, you can buy the flat plate). The top of a pod is a collar that clamps the top plate assembly.

 

As it happens, I don't like centerposts for use with large lenses, so use a flat plate.

 

But ... you should know that buying a 340 does NOT condemn you to centerpostless hell if you later decide you really would like to have one. And the 340 will still be sturdier than the 320 after you add a centerpost, if you choose to do so. And since changing out the top plate assembly's easy, just requiring a wrench, you could even do so in the field and swap back and forth if you're really into being perverse about it. :)

 

You should really get yourself a Gitzo catalog (B&H will mail you one) or perhaps study the Gitzo website (I've not looked at it so don't know if there's sufficient detail there) to figure out which of Gitzo's tripods have removable top plate assemblies. With those tripods, you'll discover that the different model numbers just refer to prepackaged legs/top plate combinations. For instance:

 

340 = Studex Series 3 Performance (Gitzo-ese for adjustable leg spreads) has three section legs and a flat plate

 

341 = same legs, "rapid reversable" column

 

342 = same legs, geared column

 

345 = same series, but four leg sections ("compact performance",

four legs means it collapses into a smaller package), flat plate

 

346 = same legs as 345, rapid reversable column

 

347 = same legs as 345, and as I'm sure you can guess, a geared column.

 

You can of course buy columns separately and they're interchangable within the same series.

[lloyd_nakatani]

When I bought the 1349 with centerpost, it included a flat plate so you can go either way. Don't order a separate flat plate; that's $20 you'll save.

[bob_royse]

You don't state what equipment you plan on using with the tripod. I personally think that there is a big advantage in having a center column when using long, heavy lenses (e.g. 500/600mm). I used to own a Gitzo 341 (the 340 with center column) for my 500mm lens. I now use a 1548 (no center column) with my 600mm lens. The center columns make it easier to carry around, giving you something to hold onto. Another big plus is that the center columns keep the legs from folding inwards, making quickly setting the rig in place much easier. I must say, though, I never once used the center column extended.

[stanley_mcmanus]

What happens when you use the tripod on a slope? I have found that I often need to raise the center post in order to achieve proper height on a slope. While I normally avoid raising the center post, there are times when I either raise it or get a sore back. Shooting moving animals while hunched over an inedquatly high tripod is not a way to ensure sharp photos.

[sean_hester]

i can't imagine having a tripod without a center column. 90% of the time, i leave it all the way down (for the incremental stability increase) but that other 10% of the time it's really nice to have.

[don_baccus]

Stanley - I'm 6 ft., and when my 1348's fully extended, with ballhead on top, and camera on top of ballhead, I can't see through the viewfinder. In fact, I don't have to stoop all that far to walk through the tripod.

 

So on a slope you make use of that extra length in the legs...

[cliff_kolber]

Lots of responses here... so i won't dwell other than to confirm that no centerpost gives the best stability. What I did want to add is that I always take my ballhead off the tripod for traveling, I'd HIGHLY recommend that. Also, I always make sure that no lens is attached to the camera body when travelling.

 

Happy shooting

 

Cliff

[dave_kemp]

After playing around with a number of tripods and heads over many years, I have finally found my ideal setup--Gitzo 1227, Arca Swiss B1, and RRS QR plates--which has proved repeatedly in the field to be an absolute joy to work with; this is the setup I want to die and go to heaven with. In the field I often carry (carefully, of course) this setup over my shoulder with camera and lens mounted, and have never had a problem. I agree with Bob that I never use the center column except occasionally for macro.

[john_prosper]

I second Don Baccus' position on the non-need for a centerpost with a sufficiently tall tripod. I am still waiting for the arrival of my Gitzo G1325, which extends to 58.75". I am six feet, but atop the tripod I plan to load the AS B1 (4.5"), the Gitzo G1321 leveling platform (unlisted height), and, of course, my camera (1 5/16" to viewfinder) for a total of at least 64.5325" fully extended.

 

If I ever wanted a centerpost for any unusual (and currently unanticipated!) needs for slightly more height, I may add a short post later on. That way, when extended with W/A to standard lenses, one should not lose any appreciable stability.

[richard_ditch]

I find the center post on my Bogen 3021 useful, and wouldn't want to be without it. Luckily the Bogen is just the right height for me with the legs fully extended and a 300/2.8 mounted - no center post extension is needed for eye level viewing on level ground. But I often extend the column when setting up the tripod in front of a chair, or when using a spotting scope for viewing shorebirds.

 

I've got a question for those who don't like center columns: how do you deal with setting three lower leg extensions to an inbetween position every time you need to do so? This seems like a lot of bother if you actively move around with the tripod and have to take it down and set it up a lot. I've been looking at the 13xx Gitzo carbon fiber tripods and find that I'd have to set the legs part way out every time I wanted to use them unless a got a 4 section model, only used the top 3 sections, and used the center post to make up the difference. Will the carbon fiber legs take a scribed line or other marker for a convenient reference?

[ShunCheung]

Rich, as you might recall, I am 6'1" and I use a G1325. When I use a lens with a short tripod collar such as the 300mm/f2.8 AF-S, I use the G1325 fully extended. When I use a lens with a tripod collar that extends out a bit, I shorten each tripod leg by an inch or so and it works fine with me. I don't think it is necessary to mark the tripod legs. After using it for a while, you'll have a feeling how much you need to shorten it from the fully extended position to fit your height. I hate center columns because they introduce instability, but your preference may vary.

[stanley_mcmanus]

I use the center column of my tripod to adjust height by only 1-3 inches at most. I have not found that a three inch extension of the center post causes much if any incrase instability. I do use a Manfrotto 3220 which is a fairly strong tripod to start with. If I used a light weight $25 K-Mart special the story might be different.

[john_prosper]

I finally got my G1325 last night. The leveling base replaces the flat plate and extends a full 2 inches above the legs. With the Arca Swiss B1 on top, the camera viewfinder is within an inch of my eye (I am 6 feet tall). This is the first tripod I've ever used which reaches eye level without a centerpost extension: it's such a convenient feeling not to have to stoop for images (bad pun intended---my apologies to all!).

 

I'm going to add an eye level monopod later on sinc my old one doesn't support sufficient weight anyway. However, I'm all set for some field work this weekend. I hope I don't get too carried away and miss the NFL playoffs. ;-)