Gitzo Carbon Fiber - 1027 vs 1127, 3-section vs 4 section?

[jason_chen3]

Hello,

 

I'm thinking about getting a Gitzo Mountaineer carbon fiber tripod to

reduce the weight I carry. The G1027 is listed as support 6.6 lbs and

weigh 1.7 lbs, while the G1127 supports 9.9 lbs and weighes 2.56 lbs.

I use 35mm DSLR with a wide zoom to shoot landscape most of the time,

this combination weighes less than 3 lbs. it's possible that I get

some better, longer zoom lens down the road, they may weigh about 3

lbs. so the total weight of the camera plus lens is between 3 - 6

lbs. (I don't think I would get any real heavy tele prime lens)

 

My question is, is the lighter G1027 sufficient, or is it necessary

to get the G1127?

 

A friend of mine told me his Bogen, which is supposed to support up

to 11 lbs, could only support a 35mm camera plus a 300mm lens, which

is about 6 lbs. That's why I'm not so sure I could trust the

specifications listed.

 

While I like the shorter folded length of the 4-section models, is

there any reason to go with the 3-section model?

 

It's a big investment I hope I could use for a long time, I

appreciate if you could help me consider all factors and choose the

right one.

 

thank you!

 

Jason

[alex_lofquist]

I can't comment on the true load capability of the mentioned tripods, but if you are wondering why the numbers are odd appearing, remember that they are converted from metric and not rounded off. They are carried beyond the proper number of significant figures! Sometimes the stated loads are assuming that the camera and lens are centered, with no torsion. It does not necessarily mean that it will be a stable support. From my experience, both Manfrotto/Bogen and Gitzo make excellent tripods (Their ball-heads are not always so.)

 

As to 3-section vs 4-section, it is really a matter of compactness. I now have a 4-section Gitzo, desirable for packing in my suitcase. Unfortunately, it takes longer to set up and may possibly be less stable than the 3-section. There may be significant differences in height when the legs are fully extended. Unless you really need the 4, I would recommend the 3.

[jp_roesch]

I was shopping for a 1227 which I have happily used at school and saw Slik and Hakuba's carbon fiber clones at B&H. They were pretty good. All the Gitzos I looked seemed to be of consistent quality that was above the rest. The main difference between the various tripods is overall stiffness. I would consider this more important than weight rating which is likely determined differently by every company. I am torn between a 3 section that is requires fewer twists to adjust height and 4 section that fits on my backpack more neatly.

[david arnold eugene, oreg]

A 3-section tripod is both more stable and easier to use than a 4-section tripod of the same series (e.g., 3-section 1127 vs. 4-section 1128). More stable because: (1) Since collars are not as solid as the rest of the leg they reduce solidity and thus stability, so the fewer the better. (2) For a given series the top sections are the same size, so the bottom section in a 4-section model ends up being significantly smaller than in the corresponding 3-section model, again significantly reducing stability. And easier because, with a third fewer collars, setup is faster and simpler.

[jason_chen3]

could someone also suggest the lightest head to go with this tripod?

 

thanks.