Customer Reviews

Gitzo GT3531 Series 3 6X Carbon Fiber 3-Section Tripod with G-Lcok - Replaces GT3530

5 star:		(4)
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I decided to invest in a high quality tripod, having owned the entry level Bogens for a while. Those supports were never sturdy with my heavy lenses especially in windy conditions. Last month I read a very sensible article by Thom Hogan (http://www.bythom.com/support.htm) on tripods and ballheads. He basically articulates that most people start with cheaper tripods and then realizing that they don't serve their purpose, move on to more expensive ones- in the bargain, they end up spending more money than they would have, had they bought a quality tripod and ballhead in the first place. I wanted to get a tripod with 3 sections (as they offer more stability than four-sectioned tripods) and with the option of a center column. A friend of mine has the Gitzo 3541 (4 section version) and I really liked the feel and solid build quality that the tripod offered. However, as I wanted a 3 sectioned version, I opted for this one and have been more than satisfied with it. The tripod is really well built and screams quality. It is lightweight and setting it up is a cinch. One has to only turn the tripod leg locks a quarter to a half turn, to unlock the legs and open them.

I have coupled this tripod with Really Right Stuff BH-55 ballhead (http://www.reallyrightstuff.com) and the combo is deadly. Since I have bought this combo, I have shot long exposures of around 50 minutes (star trails) in windy conditions and at temperatures of 30F with no problems whatsoever. I am really happy with this purchase and I know it will last me for a long time.

Incidentally, I was looking for a tripod case for my combo. The Gitzo ones were just too big and I wanted something padded that hugged my tripod combo snugly. I finally stumbled upon the Manfrotto MBAG80P Manfrotto Tripod Bag Padded 80Cm which is a padded bag and the perfect size for my tripod and RRS ballhead combo.

I purchased the Gitzo GT3531 to replace my old Alu Bogan. I am a landscape photographer and hike with my kit in the mountains and the old Bogan was too heavy, although very sturdy. The Gitzo is extremely light due to its carbon fiber build. The only fault I can find is the 12" long riser that comes with the tripod, which is about 6" too long for ground level photography. Gitzo does, however, provide a smaller riser at an additional cost... I think this should be an option for a $750 product.

After struggling with weights and various other ways of trying to stabilize my inexpensive tripod I took the plunge and bought the GT3531 Gitzo Mountaineer Tripod. I also got a Wimberley head to use for telephoto shooting of birds in flight. I'm amazed by the simplicity, light weight but mostly the performance and results of using this tripod. I took it out for a test shooting up the Columbia River from the shore got a bridge a mile away which shows detail never before available with this camera. The Gitzo delivers with sharper images, even though I was shooting in a stiff wind with gusts the camera and lens were held steady. It's not easy spending more money for a tripod, but in this case, it is all money well spent. This tripod has instantly greatly improved my photography.

Very stable it handles the heavy loads without a problem, easy to use. I wish I had gone this way sooner.