Customer Reviews

Gitzo GM3551 Series 3 6X Carbon Fiber 5-Section Monopod with G-Lock - Replaces GM3550 (Black)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have owned a ridiculous number of monopods and was never satisfied: 1) Bogen/Manfrotto aluminum one (too heavy and long when closed up); 2) Gitzo 2540 (not enough load rating); 3) Gitzo 5540 (overkill); 4) Induro CF model (forget the number - did not like the column locks); 5) the Gitzo 3551. I love everything about this monopod: the weight (1.4 pounds), the maximum height (nearly 76 inches); the minimum height (just 21.3 inches); the Gitzo G-lock column locking system; and the superb Gitzo construction. I coupled this with the newer Really Right Stuff monopod head, and it is a superb combination. No more monopod trials for me!!!

I got this monopod after reading great reviews on a photography forum I frequent. It is a great product and the build quality is superb. It is pricey but you normally get what you pay for. I topped it off with a Really Right Stuff monopod head. Wow, what a combination! Highly recommend this monopod if you are looking for quality.

I used and liked my Manfrotto monopod (680) for years, but it had a few issues: it was too short, and it was too heavy for its height - and I never really liked the lever locks. I very much like the Gitzo tripod (3541XLS) I purchased last summer, so I ordered this Gitzo monopod. It was a very good decision. It is so tall, light weight for its size, and it collapses to a short length. In short, it is an impressive piece of equipment.

The monopod is not cheap, but compared to my L lenses, it is not that expensive. Also, I know that I will have my Gitzos long after I sell my current cameras, so I believe these supports are good investments.

Bought this primarily for sports photography but after using it the first time, I can see myself using it far more frequently than my tripod. I am 6 ft tall so the short monopods just won't cut it - why would I want to be continually bent over peering through the viewfinder?! So this unit is perfect for me and I cannot believe how sturdy it is. Lock it into place and forget about it; it isn't bending, flexing, or telescoping. This thing is SOLID. And talk about easy to use: twist the G-locks, drop it into place, lock it up, done. I like this G3551 very much - Highly Recommended.

I have owned a LOT of monopods over the years.... but none since technology has moved into carbon fiber.
In the sense of full disclosure I must admit I have been a Gitzo user since 1976 and they have never failed me... but since CF units are SO expensive I did my research before sending off my $$$
I looked at Manfrotto... which are nice but not Gitzo.... I looked at Slick but they were not quite the quality I wanted. I really tried to like Induro but I did feel the quality, so I went with this 3 series Gitzo.
It is perfect. Just the right load bearing, perfectly fininsjed and smooth to operate. As with my 3 series Gitzo sytematic 6X tripod I can open 4 leg segments in just 4 seconds!.... and NO pinching and blood blisters I always got with lever leg locks... It is totally sturdy with no wobble.. even fully extended and it is light as a feather.
If you get one of these you will not be sorry.... I KNOW this will outlive me.... but that would be the case even if you were a lot younger than I am now.

This monopod is sooooo great!!! I've had a Manfrotto monopod that I can't complain about except it's a lot heavier than this one and yet this one seems so solid and secure with the camera. I shake a lot and unless I'm using a really high shutter speed, I tend to get blur just hand holding the camera. This monopod, which is very light to carry, really works well for me. I put a Really Right Stuff MH-01 Monopod head on it and it just works great!!! I can use my 500mm Sigma lens on it and it handles it just fine. I'm really glad I went ahead with it. It's certainly more costly but as has been stated here, it really works great!!!

I love this monopod. It has all the height one could ever want. It is light weight. It is stiff-- very little flex even extended all the way. The twist locks work like a charm and are very fast to set up. It has replaced my Manfrotto 681, which is a great work-horse monopod, but is long when collapsed. This monopod is as flex-free as the Manfrotto. Plus, being that I am 6'2", the Gitzo gives me that extra bit of height so that I never need to stoop over. In fact, fully extended, it is over my head! It was a bit pricey, but 5 years from now I won't miss that money, and I will be happily using this wonderful monopod. I expect it will outlive me.

The 3551 was my first monopod, purchased in the summer of 2010, used primarily with a Nikon D3x with 200/4 D micro and off camera flash for macro work, and the Nikkor 600 VR for wildlife, with the RRS MH-01 monopod head. Initially I loved the low weight and great height (I'm 6'3") of the 3551, along with the precision feel and fast adjustability of the G-lock leg joints. However, immediately upon taking this into the field in Costa Rica, all joints became ensnared with grit. They still work, but not as well or smoothly. Gradually, extending and collapsing the monopod has become an increasing chore, which is critical since any height adjustments are made with one hand while your other supports the weight of the rig.

In addition, I noted considerable flex with this monopod when the 600 VR was mounted. I know Gitzo makes the heavier series 55 monopods rated at 55 lbs, but the 3551 is rated to support 39.6 lbs, which is far more than the combined ~15 lb weight of my camera/lens/flash combo. Unclear how they derived that weight rating, as I now suspect the 55 series is what I would need.

Then, last month, after only about 10 serious shoots (and I'm definitely gentle with my gear, I use it but don't abuse it, I'm the guy whose heavily used lenses still look new after 10 years of ownership), the monopod foot disappeared somewhere during use in Yellowstone. Without the foot, the monopod is close to useless. I note someone else posting an amazon review of the 3551 had the same experience.

I will contact Gitzo about a replacement foot, but overall I feel this expensive device has decidedly not lived up to expectations. I'm not a pro shooter, so I can't imagine this pod handling their even tougher abuse. I'm a Gitzo fan, still using my excellent but heavy 410 tripod from the 90s, and I simply fear at this point that their newer carbon fiber G-lock offerings simply don't seem to be up to the abuse of serious field shoots. This is a dilemma, because I'm shopping for a CF tripod for travel use to supplement my 410, now over 15 years old but working as smoothly as the day I bought it (with wimberly II installed). I was planning to stay with Gitzo becuase of years of good experience, but this experience means I will probably look elsewhere, like RRS or someone else. Perhaps Gitzo has become too large and corporate?

Remember to tighten the foot-nut of the monopod when you take it out into the field. I lost mine on the first outing. This seems to be a design flaw, as I also lost one of the foot nuts on my GITZO 3551 tripod on one of my early outings. Once the foot nut is gone, you have to replace it immediately, as the carbon body cannot take the wear.

Otherwise, this is a very good monopod. I use it with my Nikon 200-400mm f4 lens, mounted with a ballhead, and it's easy to carry around. Grip is just about the right size too, and the extra length, though not often used, if very handy, especially with birds in the sky.

I spend a lot of time looking for a monopod, and it came down to two companies, Gitzo and Real Right Stuff. I went with the Gitzo because I was truly impressed with the company and the care they put in making each produce. That said, RRS is in every manner, shape and form, right there with Gitzo. You will not regret either company.