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Gitzo tripod fell apart and broke my lens!!! (1 Viewer)

Hi Roy C,
Nice McGuyver fix! Quick, easy and cheap.
Maybe add a third tie to further constrain the top section with the weighty optics. In Helios' case , it looked as if they had levered out of the retaining ring.
Yep, I have already tidy up with a third tie which now makes them equally spaced and neatly criss crossed around each leg section.
 

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Another great British invention, probably around £10K of gear and the safety net is 15pence worth of cable tie......
Agree the black ones will look better, nice one Roy

In my case none of this would have worked as I tripped and smashed my lens against the ground, now Roy if you can invent a kind of air bag system as well.
 
Yep, I have already tidy up with a third tie which now makes them equally spaced and neatly criss crossed around each leg section.



Excellent!

Exactly how I would have done it. Maybe Gitzo should include some black cable-ties to come with their expensive gear.

Best regards,

Ronald
 
My first attempt at a safety plate for my Gitzo GT5531S, further improvements to be made when I can find a sheet of 1/8" aluminium and buy a Tripod Thread Adaptor, but at least it's a start!
Hope it's maybe of use to some one else.
 

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I had exactly the same thing happen with my Gitzo GT5541LS recently.
I was carrying my Canon 7D with 500mm F4 attached when suddenly there was a load thump on the floor.
Fortunately I had just stepped off a concreted area onto an area of damp ground with long grass so I got away with a couple of light marks.
The tripod ids only 18 months old and not what I expected from a 'Professionally priced' Tripod.
When I examined tripod in more detail it appears the only thing preventing this from happening is one screw that clamps the centre plate in position.
Even though this did not even appear to be loose it was obviously not tight enough to prevent this kind of accident.
When I took this up with Gitzo (Manfrotto ) UK they basically stated that they did not recommend carrying a camera and lens mounted on the tripod !! - This is nothing but a cop out on their behalf and totally unrealistic in the real world of wildlife photography when you have to stalk whatever it is you are trying to photograph.
Furthermore coming from an engineering background there is absolutely no reason why Gitzo can't be taking further measures to prevent this kind of incident.
The bolt in question has NOTHING in its design to prevent it from working loose. I have re-tightened the bolt and added a spring washer ( cost approx 1p ! ) under the head which should prevent the bolt working loose.
In addition I applied some Loctite 222 screw thread adhesive which is designed to prevent screws coming undone but is a non permanent adhesive which allows it to be removed should you wish to do so.
Having seen the problem first hand I would recommend anyone with a Gitzo with this design to at least check the tightness of this bolt on a regular basis.
Although Gitzo will not admit any liability I understand that they have a new tripod currently being designed that may have a different arrangement.
I wonder why that might be ?
 
For what it's worth - I use a Gitzo 3530LS with a Wimberley 2 + 600 F4 L IS. The problem of the top plate is simply a non issue to me. The reason for this is that as the mounting thread on the Wimberley is alloy and the screw on the Gitzo top plate is steel. Inevitably one is going to damage the Wimberley thread by continual mounting/dismounting. I simply remove the top plate, complete with head, when dismounting my gear. This method ensures that the top plate is securely gripped every time you re mount it and will not creep/loosen with temperature changes etc over time.
Works for me!
 
Thank you so much Helios for sharing your experience, heartbreaking stuff!

I had no idea that the top plate was fitted so flimsily, this is quite incredible. Ordered the NSN safety plate immediately!

Gitzo's comments are very disappointing and mean minded. What they should be doing is supplying the safety plate themselves FOC. I have two of their expensive tripods and was living in a false sense of security until now.

I switched from Manfrotto after becoming disillusioned with their dreadful carbon fibre tripods - leg fittings that were always working loose, clips that became brittle and broke. Can anyone recommend a viable alternative to the GT5531S for a heavy telephoto set up?

Thanks a lot, Mike
 
Noticed the post regarding the Gitzo head and thought you might want to refer to my earlier post dated 30th May.
I have pasted the contents below -

Having purchased a Gitzo GT5541LS tripod little over a year ago, you can Imagine my horror when carrying the tripod with an expensive DSLR and 500mm f4 lens attached I heard a loud thud and found both the camera and lens on the ground still attached to the tripod head ( Manfrotto 393 ).
On closer inspection it appears that the only thing preventing the whole head / camera lens etc falling off is the tightness of a single bolt even though in this case it didn't even appear to be noticeably loose.
To cut a long story short I contacted Gitzo UK (Manfrotto) and unbelievably they stated that they did not advise the tripod to be carried with a camera and lens attached. ( Try stalking an animal or bird if every time it moves you have to remove and re-attach camera / lens to the tripod to follow it !! ).
Seeing the potential for a re-currance of the issue I then asked a machinest mate of mine to look at something that would help prevent this from happening in the future.
As a result he has made up a lightweight fixture that I have now fitted to my tripod.
Having fitted and tried it out the Gitzo 'Safe plate' not only stays in place with the bolt loose - it stays secure even if it were to fall out completely.
If anyone has experienced the same situation or would be interested in having the same made at moderate cost I would be happy to pass on the details.
 
Please do not take this the wrong way, you have my sympathy, but.....

I have always been amazed by the cavalier way people treat their equipment, for example the show off amateur with expensive status camera walking along holding the grip with camera and strap dangling by feet!

I carry my Giottos and gimbal over sholder, camera and lens cradled in left arm like carrying a small child, when the camera is on the mount, strap attached to mount by small light spring clip, also I have separate camera insurance, and finally every week I enjoy checking all the components are tight.

I am a cyclist also with MTBs, and would not ride for a week without routine maintenance.
 

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Seems to suggest that the tripod isn't suitable for carrying the setup over your shoulder. But I guess we know this now.

I've had mostly good luck with my Gitzo 3530 6x, my collar loosened soon after i got it as well but after tightening it down it hasn't come loose, this is now at least 3 years after the fact.

The only other thing that happened was one of the carbon fibre legs somehow detached while on a shooting trip, again soon after i purchased it.
2 part epoxy worked wonders and it hasn't gone wobbly since.

I carry my 500mm f4 etc. with tripod legs straddling my shoulder and have had no disasters so far (knock on wood).
 
Wow awfull stuff... still think Gitzo is among the best money can get.... I have the 3541L which should not have this problem. However I did find it too troublesome and tiring to carry the tripod with 300mm f2.8 over one shoulder. The other day I found an old backpack, I took the shoulderstraps and the top piece that connects the two shoulderstraps - and put it on my gitzo tripod. I made a ring of durable nylon strap to put around the leg and attach the shoulderstraps to. Now I have a great tripod harness, that is easy to carry, can stay on the tripod when I am using it - so now I can have both hands free while working my way through dense forest, in hilly terrain or even when going on my bike through the concrete jungle.
 
I just bought a Gitzo and put a roll pin each side, The plate carnt come out even if the bolt came off, the pins i used are 3mm by 30mm but i grinded them down to about 18 mm .
Rob.
 

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Hi

My Gitzo GT3531S has a top plate with "Safe Lock" printed on it. What is the function of this - will it preclude the plate coming out or should I still use Roy C's little trick with the cable ties? ((£3.00 in black from B&Q)

Cheers

Stuart R
 

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Despite an earlier post on this thread saying I'd changed my mind about buying a Gitzo I did in fact go ahead and get one. Couldn't resist one offered at a decent price on the Birdforum "For sale" thread.
This thread has certainly changed my view to carrying it around with the lens mounted though so thanks to all contributors. I now do one of three things a) carry it vertically with the lens attached b)Carry it horizontally with me also hanging on to the lens strap or c) Being totally safe and carrying the lens separately which is a nuisance if I need to set up in an hurry.
Unfortunately the seller didn't have or ever recall having had an Allen key to tighten the locking bolt and so far I have had no joy trying to source one. Reading this thread again has revealed I am asking for the wrong thing and I need a Torx key. The hunt continues.
Like Stuart, I too wondered what the safe lock was all about but can find no explanation.

Oh and as for the Gitzo itself. A bit more stable than the Manfrotto Pro 055x, weighs a bit less but best of all and the reason I bought it is you can level it almost to ground level. Am I happy... overall Yes !!
 
Despite an earlier post on this thread saying I'd changed my mind about buying a Gitzo I did in fact go ahead and get one. Couldn't resist one offered at a decent price on the Birdforum "For sale" thread.
This thread has certainly changed my view to carrying it around with the lens mounted though so thanks to all contributors. I now do one of three things a) carry it vertically with the lens attached b)Carry it horizontally with me also hanging on to the lens strap or c) Being totally safe and carrying the lens separately which is a nuisance if I need to set up in an hurry.
Unfortunately the seller didn't have or ever recall having had an Allen key to tighten the locking bolt and so far I have had no joy trying to source one. Reading this thread again has revealed I am asking for the wrong thing and I need a Torx key. The hunt continues.
Like Stuart, I too wondered what the safe lock was all about but can find no explanation.



Oh and as for the Gitzo itself. A bit more stable than the Manfrotto Pro 055x, weighs a bit less but best of all and the reason I bought it is you can level it almost to ground level. Am I happy... overall Yes !!

The "Safe Lock" is simply a friction pad to stop your (tripod) head from unscrewing. The earlier top plate had a Hemmerite finish, like the alloy parts of the tripod and was said to be prone to the head loosening. Mine most certainly is not - but the newer top plate is prettier!
As to the top plate "Falling off" there are numerous ways of preventing this - cable ties, safety plates, regular checking etc..etc..
In my case it's simple, the main head I use on my Systematics is a 2nd hand Wimberley 2. The head has a slightly worn mounting thread and is VERY easy to cross thread when mounting. I simply dis-mount/re-mount the top plate and head together, a bit slower but I ALWAYS know the top plate is secure. I trust it with my 600 + 1 Series!
The real problem with carring my setup over my shoulder is the pain it causes!

P.S. Rioja - the Torx key is in the post, should be with you Tuesday or Wednesday.
 
From the last entry by John you might gather that I have managed to source the necessary Torx key... or should I say that the Torx key sourced me. In an act of kindness and generosity John simply contacted me by PM and offered to send me one as he has a few spares. It might not be a hugely expensive piece of kit but it was a superb gesture to a total stranger and it's things like this that make cyber space become a real world.
Many thanks John, cheers Dave.
 
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