Tripods for tall people

[bob_mcbob]

I had a great reply all typed up, but my internet connection decided to go down before I could post it last night, and when I woke up this morning, Windows was in a knot and I had to reboot. Yay!

 

Anyhow, the gist of what I wanted to say is that I'm mainly interested in CF tripod legs, and preferably Gitzo. The issue I'm trying to resolve is whether I would be okay with the shorter tripod or should take the weight, dimensions, and possible stability hit with the 3540XLS. I am not terribly concerned about the difference in price (just annoyed).

 

I currently use an Arca Swiss Z1 ball head, which is 4" tall. My eye level is about 70.5", and the bottom of the 40D to the viewfinder is about 3-1/2". That gets me 4.7" below my eye level. I could add a leveling platform and get another 1 or 1-1/2", but that would increase the length of the 3530LSV to the 3540XLS' folded length. Tripod mounted lenses are actually another 1" below the bottom of the camera, bringing it to 3.7" (2.7" or less with platform).

 

No matter how you look at it, the 3530LSV will be below my eye level. I would really like to avoid having to permanently use a centre column. Obviously the 3540XLS would have none of these issues. Is there going to be a stability difference between the two?

 

It's too bad Gitzo no longer makes an equivalent for the G1348. At 66", it would be ideal, but it is discontinued and out of stock everywhere.

[matt_sallis]

<P>As Colin Southern pointed out, the Gitzo 1548GT is worth consideration.<br>It may be a more hefty tripod than you need, but I don't think you'll find much with the required height that isn't hefty as well.<br>It has a Maximum Height of 91.3" (232 cm), and no centre column.</P>

<P>I use the standard 1548 (max. height about 59") for my 600mm f4L IS, and it is rock solid.</P>

[delros]

have you looked at the benbo 2 extended lenght 101"

closed 45"

weight 48.27 lbs.

[chelsea]

Does me good to hear so many of you complaining about the height limits on tripods. I'm "only" 5'10, but find myself bending and crouching and cursing the design of my tripod. I started trying night shots this year, and found it particularly frustrating trying to aim upwards. I end up doing what Eric said, bringing along a foldable chair, which is no fun having to drag along extra in the dark. But to get it low enough for the chair, my long legs have to twist around so as not to bump the tripod legs. I'd like something tall and sturdy, during winter I get beautiful frost formations on my porch windows which I have to shoot from outside on the deck, but the cold makes the vibrations up the center column worse, and I want something rock solid to get sharp details with the macro lens. I think I'm going to have to build some kind of platform and abuse my poor old back with the crouching. I fully agree with JDM, we shouldn't have to adapt to the machine, we're already at the mercy of enough evil mechanical contraptions as it is!

[scott_bellinger]

Chris,

 

You may have already made your decision, but I would recommend going with the 3540XLS whole-heartedly. I got one due to a need to get fairly high for a certain kind of shooting I have a regular need for. I've read all about the concerns over the reduced stability of a four-section tripod. My take after having one for about two months: the 3540XLS with three sections extended is higher than my old 3021 (about perfect for my normal eye-level), and with four sections extended gets me higher than I could ever be with "normal" tripods. In other words, it's two tripods in one: normal height (and normal stability) with three sections, and extra high with four. I'm willing to trade a slight reduction in stability at maximum height for the felxibility it gives me.

[geoff_jones]

Hello everyone,

I'm the reverse I'm only 5'7" but I am pondering on which Tripod to buy I was/am going for the Gitzo 3540 XLS and a G338 Geared column.

Please educate me if I need to be, I thought If I buy a Tall tripod I just do not fully open it but if I do have a need to see over a wall I can stand on something knowing the tripod is safe.

Any reasonse or idea's why you Tall guys think I am doing something wrong?