aluminum v carbon fiber

[Wade Spencer]

Maybe it's just me, but I like my tripods to be nice and heavy. Unless you are hiking or backpacking with it, the added weight is only going to make it more stable. I have a cf tripod for my still camera, and I've always regretted purchasing it.

[Peter Rhalter]

Originally Posted by Wade Spencer

Maybe it's just me, but I like my tripods to be nice and heavy. Unless you are hiking or backpacking with it, the added weight is only going to make it more stable. I have a cf tripod for my still camera, and I've always regretted purchasing it.

I think Wade is right on the mark; heavier is better unless portability is the primary concern. A lot of comparisons between aluminum and CF are apples and oranges because it isn't clear whether stability or light weight is more important.

Best,
Peter
www.parkfilms.com

[Martin Catt]

I agree with Wade. For me, heavier is better (within reason -- I have a wonderful Davis and Sanford Mark II with the FM-25 head that you could mount an elephant on, and it weighs about as much), though I suspect it's from my days as a still photographer where one-to-six MINUTE exposures were not uncommon at all. The Davis and Sanford was a real lifesaver during a 14 hour marathon documentary shoot. By the end of the day, the tripod was holding ME up as well.

Martin

[Chris Soucy]

Nope, didn't mean that at all.

If you took note of Martins post a short way back, when he talks about different materials behaveing in different ways, that's what I was reffering to.

I have no doubt that a suitably designed and constructed CF tube can out run a similar metal tube without breaking a sweat.

It is, however, still a tube, with a tubes inherant design limitations. By it's very design it will flex in any direction when a lateral force is applied to it, for example panning with head drag applied.

The FiberTecs use a box girder design that to all intents and purposes is immune to lateral (rotational) flex of the tripod. To move it requires flexing a 50 mm CF box girder sideways - I cannot induce such flex using every ounce of strength and I weigh in at 240 lbs and mean with it.

There is no way on the planet a tube smaller than a scaffold pole could totally resist such flex with the usual weights and drag found in everyday videography.

Does that mean the Gitso's you pointed out are rubbish? Of course not. I actually like the look of them a lot.

I suppose my point is that the FiberTecs show no visible artifacts whatsoever when shooting HD with full 20X zoom under any conditions. I don't believe the same could be said of those Gitso's under the same circumstances.

However, if anyone's prepared to stump up with a set, I'll run 'em through my chamber of horrors and find out once and for all.


CS

[Jack Walker]

The Fibertec looks very nice and I like the 99 lbs. load limit.

Regarding flex, rotational or otherwise, I am amazed at how the Gitzo series 3 I recently got does not seem to have any. They just don't move.

The light weight does require some care to make sure they stay on the ground, but I am amazed at how solid they are. I just used them with the 1380 head and an XH-A1 to shoot a dance performance. Panning back and forth, slow or fast, and in the video I don't say any evidence of flex.

With the 100mm bowl Cartoni tripod I have, with mid spreader, there is a bit of flex, and in the 75mm bowl Cartoni there is a lot.

The Gitzo legs are not the most convenient to setup, but they do excel in the situations they are suited. They let you use a full size tripod in situations where a full size tripod is too heavy and awakward.

[Laszlo Horvath]

Originally Posted by Jack Walker

The Fibertec looks very nice and I like the 99 lbs. load limit.

Regarding flex, rotational or otherwise, I am amazed at how the Gitzo series 3 I recently got does not seem to have any. They just don't move.

The light weight does require some care to make sure they stay on the ground, but I am amazed at how solid they are. I just used them with the 1380 head and an XH-A1 to shoot a dance performance. Panning back and forth, slow or fast, and in the video I don't say any evidence of flex.

With the 100mm bowl Cartoni tripod I have, with mid spreader, there is a bit of flex, and in the 75mm bowl Cartoni there is a lot.

The Gitzo legs are not the most convenient to setup, but they do excel in the situations they are suited. They let you use a full size tripod in situations where a full size tripod is too heavy and awakward.

Same here. I just bought a Miller Solo 75mm alum. sticks, and this tripod is "twisting" even at 4' tall, when I apply drug to the pan. My Gitzo 1410 tripod I sold (but still have one more) was a aluminum and at 7 1/2' hight was STABLE never "twisted" at all. It's amazing. If I can turn back the time, i never sell that beauty. The Miller is nice, about half of the weight but who cares. I never put on my back for hiking. Problem is it's "twisting" when pan drug is applied. For me it's almost useless.

Laszlo