New Gitzo tripod - broken after 2 months

[hans_berkhout]

I think the best solution is to now remove the offending collar with loosened rubber grip, and send it to Mr. White for replacement: no need to send the complete tripod. I may still have a spare one (collar), will let you know. Good luck.

[james phillips]

Thanks to all of you who suggested I contact Bogen Tripods for service. As most of you have probably now come to realize I am located in Canada. What I have done (last week) was contact the Canadian Distributor (via the address on the Gitzo site) and also the Gitzo Company itself via the address (write to us) on the Gitzo site. I have not received any replies.

 

Also thanks to Scott for suggesting a glue that might just work. In regards to David�s post regarding the splendid warranty service he received I wish to clarify a few points.

 

I did not say that the Gitzo Warranty was not valid but I have seen intangible proof that both the international Gitzo distributor/website and their Canadian counterpart could not give a damn about customer service after the sales has completed. So far I have yet to receive any reply from them. The warranty is still being offered via Robert White. Robert White has also honored what he clearly stated on his website about service and warranty. I am just regretting that I was under a false impression by misreading many posts about Gitzo�s limited lifetime warranty in a few forums.

 

I suspect like most folks I wanted the product more than I care to admit. For this reason I glossed over the details being lulled into a sense that I had bought something that was quality made and if a problem arose, it would be dealt with quickly and efficiently.

 

The fact now stands that the only warranty that I have exists only in the UK and that I must ship it back there at my cost to receive that service. Simple arithmetic would now tell me that I would have been better off buying this tripod in my own country and paying the bit extra so that should a problem occur I could easily and readily get it fixed without any added expense. A lesson learned.

 

Now for the subjective viewpoint�

 

I have on many occasions purchased woodworking tools of quality for a simple reason. I have learnt that purchasing a quality tool pays two ways. First the tool usually performs admirably when called upon and does its function very well. Second, the tool seldom needs repairing and seems always to be a joy to use when doing the task that this particular tool was selected for.

 

Well I moved from a Bogen 055 to a Gitzo 1325 (with center post � G1327) to get these specific benefits. In my distinctly personal opinion it most definitely was not worth the money. My simple personal view is that it was just not worth all of the extra money I paid for this privilege. Do not spend your dollars on a fancy new carbon fiber tripod like I did because neither the quality of the product nor the joy of the ease of use or better performance is there. Purely a hype thing that has not justified itself in my mind. I am human and do make these types of mistakes in my quest for better tools. Some are a delight to own where as others are not. A CF Gitzo G1325 is not significantly better enough to warrant the high cost. Buy a great second hand lens with the extra money.

 

Thanks Hans for the constructive suggestion. I may just contact Robert White to see if that is an option. Unfortunately there is still the time factor that I will be without the use of the tripod during the season when I am most likely to use it. Presently I am teaching an evening photography course and taking the group hiking on weekends. To be without a tripod during theses next few weeks is not desirable.

 

Regards,

[scott_fleming1]

You bring a valid point. I've just started using my 1349 and it does have it's drawbacks. It IS an awful lot of money to save three pounds. And it just is not as rugged as my big Manfroto. No way. I made the mistake of not extending the bottom tubes all the way and setting it in the river last night. Dumb. I was disasseembling and cleaning for over an hour. I never had to worrry about this with the Manfroto. The lever locks could be just sprayed off with the hose if you got mud on them. I can tell that these Gitzo tubular leg locks are going to be trouble.

 

And when water does get in these tubes it has no way out except to take them apart and dry them. My aluminum tripod seemed to be self drying so to speak. I guess because the tubes don't fit together like the plunger in a hyperdermic needle as the Gitzo seems.

 

I'm glad you posted this thread GreyWolf as it has alerted me to potential problems I hadn't really taken into consideration. Now I realize my tripod has to be babied nearly as much as my camera and lenses. Oh joy.

[tim_atherton2]

I'd add that I still don't trust carbon fibre as a suitable material in extreme cold - I've seen enough hi-tech stuff made out of CF just crack or snap in extreme cold to trust it.

 

Two years ago I was photographing BMW doing their cold weather testing and one of this biggest problems they had was carbon fibre parts breaking at between -30c and -40c

 

This year it was Sikorsky testing/certifying their new S-92 helicopter - they were sharing hangar space with the DC3's and DC4's I was photographing - again, some of the parts that failed in their cold weather testing/rating were apparently carbon fibre (my Deardorff and the DC3's and 4's worked fine in those temperature though...) CF can become quite brittle at low temperatures.

[brian_ellis3]

I certainly understand your aggravation at something going wrong with an expensive product like this and also with the lack of response from Gitzo/Bogen. However, I don't understand why a warranty or lack of a warranty is a big deal with this particular problem. Fixing a rubber grip that's slipping can't cost any great amount. It would be different if the leg had cracked or something like that but I'd guess the shipping cost, which you'd have to pay even with the best warranry, is going to cost about as much as the repair.

[james phillips]

Brian,

 

You are 100% correct. This is not a big problem. I posted this thread to share knowledge with others about a potential loophole I did not see. I also thought someone else might want to know about the lack of response that I have had to date.

 

Tim,

 

I have always been a slight bit concerned about the cold factor. Now I will just be that much more diligent.

 

Scott,

 

Hopefully I did not blow this out of proportion, but this is what has happened to me and I hope that you do not have any difficulties with your Gitzo.

 

Regards,

[tim_atherton2]

GW - it does have to be pretty darn cold for that to be a worry though...

[upscan]

Tim: Carbon fibre is NOT brittle. What is brittle is the epoxy matrix reason why the carbon fibre tripods could be problematic if dropped in very cold weather.

 

Grey Wolf: Cyanoacrylate adhesives are better on rubber than most other commonly available adhesives. Pry open the rubber sleeve with a tooth pick on two places and place 1/2 drop of cyanoacrylate (crazy glue or other brand) at each opening and quickly massage the rubber to spread the adhesive. A firm bond will take place in a few minutes. Wear gloves. Wish all problems were that simple.

[tom_duffy1]

I found Gitzo's (Bogen) lifetime warranty to be more than excellent. I had bought an original mountaineer. After four years one of the legs came loose at the epoxy joint. I returned to my local camera dealer (a lesson there too, maybe?)expecting Bogen to reglue the legs.

Instead, two weeks later I received a brand new MKII mountaineer (new improved model). Cost to me? Nothing.