Gitzo 1578L Monopod... better then I expected. at DVinfo.net

Matt Gettemeier · March 21st, 2005, 05:26 PM

I've been using a $50 Bogen monopod for the last four years. Well even though it wasn't tall enough and it didn't ooze quality... I was always satisfied with it. That thing got me through so many shoots that I actually grew quite fond of it...

Well one day as I was trying to mount my DVX... at a paid shoot... the little 3/8" screw, which is supposed to recess down out of the way to reveal the 1/4" screw, was continuously trying to tap into the plastic casing surrounding the mounting stud on the DVX. Well I backed it out over and over and attempted to get my cam mounted on the damn monopod... finally time was running out and I HAD to get my cam ready. Well the gist is that the 3/8" spring-mounted screw grabbed just enough plastic to cause the 1/4" screw to BREAK the mounting stud in the bottom of my DVX! Man I was SO pissed! I ended up having to wait on a part from Panny to fix my DVX and I vowed to NEVER use that monopod again!

Cut to today... Today the Gitzo 1578L arrived.

This little tool has convinced me to upgrade my aluminum Gitzo pod to a 1348 CF pod... and I'm ALSO going to get a 13' Gitzo boom pole... All because of this monopod.

Now I'll tell you that this stick isn't for the faint of heart... it's pricey for a monopod... but after my gig was screwed by a cheap tool I decided I wanted the best I could find... and even though I THOUGHT this was it I wasn't sure.

The gist is that this pod collapses to only 23" even though it extends to nearly 78"... that's HUGE... and the thing that really blows me away is the construction. The collars have excellent feel and easy locking/unlocking... plus the CF tubes are stiffer then you can imagine... you can't even BEND this thing in the middle when it's extended to nearly seven feet! Also the whole plate assembly on the top unscrews to reveal a solid aluminum cylinder with a 3/8" tapped hole... that's where I'm going to mount a Manfrotto 3229 head to add tilt and quick-release to this already slick stick.

My point in this post is to push those of you who may have been frustrated by your cheap monopod (like I was) and you've been hesitant to upgrade because it seems like a waste of money for only ONE leg... I am flat-out STUNNED at how nice this Gitzo pod is... and I forgot to mention the Lifetime Warranty... so if the collars aren't as durable as they SEEM to be... then no worries.

I have a friend with a Miller pod and I was jealous of the locking collars and action of those Miller CF legs... Well after playing around with this thing I can GUARANTEE that my next tripod will be another Gitzo... only this time it will be the CF one that's just like this monopod (the 1348 is the tripod model).

If you're on the fence on EITHER a monopod or a tripod... you'd be doing yourself a HUGE favor to check out the 1578L (monopod) or the 1348 (tripod) before you buy anything else...

Bob Costa · March 21st, 2005, 09:46 PM

Thanks for the post. I am shopping for a monopod right now. That one certainly looks great, and at $135 is not too expensive compared to $80 for the Bogen. But I want the Bogen monopod model with the three retractible legs, which lets you use the whole thing like a crane with the three legs braced against your torso for leverage, as well as minor tripod capabilities. If Gitzo made a similar model, I would probably buy it based on this glowing review.

Matt Gettemeier · March 22nd, 2005, 08:53 AM

Like I said, I'd been satisfied with my Bogen until it screwed my DVX (litterally)... but it was too short anyway.

Just to let you know... this stick was $220 from Henry's on ebay... it's $259 at B&H... so it 'aint cheap... but it's carbon fiber, 1.6 lbs, supports almost 18 lbs, collapses to only 23.6" and extends to 77.6"... plus it's stiffer then you can imagine. All that is why I raved so much about it... but those specs are also why it's kinda' pricey...

March 21st, 2005, 05:26 PM	#1
Matt Gettemeier Major Player Join Date: May 2003 Location: St. Louis, Missouri Posts: 936	Gitzo 1578L Monopod... better then I expected. I've been using a $50 Bogen monopod for the last four years. Well even though it wasn't tall enough and it didn't ooze quality... I was always satisfied with it. That thing got me through so many shoots that I actually grew quite fond of it... Well one day as I was trying to mount my DVX... at a paid shoot... the little 3/8" screw, which is supposed to recess down out of the way to reveal the 1/4" screw, was continuously trying to tap into the plastic casing surrounding the mounting stud on the DVX. Well I backed it out over and over and attempted to get my cam mounted on the damn monopod... finally time was running out and I HAD to get my cam ready. Well the gist is that the 3/8" spring-mounted screw grabbed just enough plastic to cause the 1/4" screw to BREAK the mounting stud in the bottom of my DVX! Man I was SO pissed! I ended up having to wait on a part from Panny to fix my DVX and I vowed to NEVER use that monopod again! Cut to today... Today the Gitzo 1578L arrived. This little tool has convinced me to upgrade my aluminum Gitzo pod to a 1348 CF pod... and I'm ALSO going to get a 13' Gitzo boom pole... All because of this monopod. Now I'll tell you that this stick isn't for the faint of heart... it's pricey for a monopod... but after my gig was screwed by a cheap tool I decided I wanted the best I could find... and even though I THOUGHT this was it I wasn't sure. The gist is that this pod collapses to only 23" even though it extends to nearly 78"... that's HUGE... and the thing that really blows me away is the construction. The collars have excellent feel and easy locking/unlocking... plus the CF tubes are stiffer then you can imagine... you can't even BEND this thing in the middle when it's extended to nearly seven feet! Also the whole plate assembly on the top unscrews to reveal a solid aluminum cylinder with a 3/8" tapped hole... that's where I'm going to mount a Manfrotto 3229 head to add tilt and quick-release to this already slick stick. My point in this post is to push those of you who may have been frustrated by your cheap monopod (like I was) and you've been hesitant to upgrade because it seems like a waste of money for only ONE leg... I am flat-out STUNNED at how nice this Gitzo pod is... and I forgot to mention the Lifetime Warranty... so if the collars aren't as durable as they SEEM to be... then no worries. I have a friend with a Miller pod and I was jealous of the locking collars and action of those Miller CF legs... Well after playing around with this thing I can GUARANTEE that my next tripod will be another Gitzo... only this time it will be the CF one that's just like this monopod (the 1348 is the tripod model). If you're on the fence on EITHER a monopod or a tripod... you'd be doing yourself a HUGE favor to check out the 1578L (monopod) or the 1348 (tripod) before you buy anything else...

March 21st, 2005, 09:46 PM	#2
Bob Costa Major Player Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Venice, FL Posts: 850	Thanks for the post. I am shopping for a monopod right now. That one certainly looks great, and at $135 is not too expensive compared to $80 for the Bogen. But I want the Bogen monopod model with the three retractible legs, which lets you use the whole thing like a crane with the three legs braced against your torso for leverage, as well as minor tripod capabilities. If Gitzo made a similar model, I would probably buy it based on this glowing review.

March 22nd, 2005, 08:53 AM	#3
Matt Gettemeier Major Player Join Date: May 2003 Location: St. Louis, Missouri Posts: 936	Like I said, I'd been satisfied with my Bogen until it screwed my DVX (litterally)... but it was too short anyway. Just to let you know... this stick was $220 from Henry's on ebay... it's $259 at B&H... so it 'aint cheap... but it's carbon fiber, 1.6 lbs, supports almost 18 lbs, collapses to only 23.6" and extends to 77.6"... plus it's stiffer then you can imagine. All that is why I raved so much about it... but those specs are also why it's kinda' pricey...