Gitzo GH1720QR- Gitzo's 'birding' head (1 Viewer)

dominic.patagonia · Feb 23, 2015

Ive read really mixed reviews of these - curious to hear peoples experiences. I got very frustrated today looking at wildfowl in subzero temperatures (NJ in the polar vortex) and realise i need a better head. My old manfrotto is wobbling / or immobile, and nowhere in between....
I heard this gitzo can suffer from 'stiction' but in principal these heads look great to me for birding - panning and free movement but stopping instantly to 'lock' onto a bird.
Be grateful to hear from anyone who has one.
Cheers

rdcny · Feb 23, 2015

what is your budget? the GH17...is ok - but a bit lightweight for an 85mm scope. I would recommend this one:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0..._m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1RQQ0WDZZJSHTGN4A80D

and read the single review towards the bottom. He makes some very fine points.

I own and use the GH27...version (see review linked to above) - and like it a lot. It is fine for panning and tilting a large scope - and for mounting a small camera for digiscoping. If you have the money, I would recommend going for the GH2. In Asia, the pan/tilt heads made by Manfretto (video heads) are very popular - but larger and heavier.

I own two copies of the GH2 - one has "frozen" - bound onto a Swarovski AT80 scope and will not let go of the foot of the scope (well, the jaws will not open so that I can remove the base plate attached to the foot of the spotting scope...so my scope is for the moment permanently attached to this Gitzo pan/tilt head). My only option is to send the scope and the Gitzo GH2 pan/tilt head to Arizona (where Gitzo has its repair facilities) - and have them remove the scope from the pan/tilt head) - and they send me back my scope and a new GH2.

Overall the GH2 that is working properly works fine...no problems. In pans (and tilts) smoothly - no problems. It supports the weight of my Zeiss 85mm scope with no problem. I like it - and I have used ball heads (photography) made by everyone from Really Right Stuff to Arca-Swiss to Kirk...so I have experience and know heads should work for long lenses and spotting scopes. The GH2 is a good one...despite the problems I am having with one of my copies - it will do what you want it to do. I would recommend going for the larger one (GH2 not GH1) - but also going to a place like Cape May - some place where you can see what many different scope owners are using - so you will have a better idea of the options available to you - before you spend the money.

Robert DeCandido PhD
NYC
www.BirdingBob.com

rdcny · Feb 23, 2015

This is a good price...but note comments and also note the weight of this pan/tilt head:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B0049F19AC/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used

I would recommend this one if you are not going far from your car (it is heavy so adds weight to overall tripod/scope combo)...but it will certainly be more stable than your current pan/tilt head and more stable than that Gitzo head you are considering...

rdcny · Feb 23, 2015

The digiscopers like this one for their spotting scopes:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B006TZE0UQ/ref=olp_tab_all

good price and fine stability

dominic.patagonia · Feb 23, 2015

rdcny said:
The digiscopers like this one for their spotting scopes:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B006TZE0UQ/ref=olp_tab_all

good price and fine stability

Hi Bob
Thanks for all the detailed views - thats very helpful. The second hand Manfrotto does look good value.
Weight is an issue for me though - I do a lot of birding in the neotropics and often have to carry my scope pretty far.

I'll check out the GH2 though - your point is well made and i don't want something under-weight that would be a disaster. I use a Kowa 883 (88mm) so it's at the bigger end of the scope - spectrum.

I guess i can head to B+H Photo and try to do some in-store birding simulation

See you in CP again sometime!
Dom

henry link · Feb 23, 2015

Dom,

Please report your B&H experience with the GH1 and GH2. I own an early production GH2 unit with a balky pan action. In spite of that I've lately been considering the GH1 for use with a light scope, hoping that the the sticky panning has been improved. Oddly enough, I discovered in the cold wave here last week that the panning of my GH2 works smoothest in very cold weather.

Henry

lmans66 · Feb 23, 2015

i have looked at the Gitzo heads as suggested here and they look great...just haven't bought one yet. One reason why I haven't gone the Gitzo route is that it has too much play in it..perhaps? Not sure as I haven't used one in the field so I will leave the value of them in the field to those that have tried and used.

Another nice Manfrotto is the 701 HDV....video head too. I have digiscoped extensively with the moderately priced Manfrotto 701...

Alexis Powell · Feb 23, 2015

dominic.patagonia said:
Ive read really mixed reviews of these - curious to hear peoples experiences. I got very frustrated today looking at wildfowl in subzero temperatures (NJ in the polar vortex) and realise i need a better head. My old manfrotto is wobbling / or immobile, and nowhere in between....
I heard this gitzo can suffer from 'stiction' but in principal these heads look great to me for birding - panning and free movement but stopping instantly to 'lock' onto a bird.
Be grateful to hear from anyone who has one.
Cheers

I have the GH1720FQR, which I purchased to replace a Manfrotto 700RC2 as part of my light-weight but "real" rig for use with scopes up to my Nikon 82 ED in size/weight (for ultra-light weight I use a RRS BH-25 ballhead on Velbon Ultra-Luxi legs with my Nikon 50ED). For that scope, it is a very comfortable head to use under most conditions, but if you regularly bird in strong wind, digiscope, or are looking for something solid without concern for weight, you'll want to go with something heavier.

The Gitzo is a much better head than the 700RC2--it has no wobble when the tension is set low (a big problem with every 700RC2 I have tried), it pans and tilts more smoothly (can be set lighter than the 700RC2), it accepts plates of any length, and as a bonus it is lighter in weight. I use the Gitzo short QR plate GS5370C with my 82ED since that scope balances perfectly and the small plate doesn't get in the way of my hand. I also have a Nikon 78ED, which weighs about the same as the 82ED but the foot is positioned differently making the scope very nose-heavy. For that one, the Gitzo medium plate is long enough to allow the scope to be properly balanced, but it is not as clean a set-up as the short plate with the 82ED.

I haven't had any issues with stiction, and I have used it from temps in the -20 degrees F to over 100 degrees F range. My only complaints are (1) that the head is so short that my thumb/fingers are a little cramped (with risk of skinning my knuckles) when cranking up the tension, (2) that the increase in tension is not as smoothly progressive as I would prefer (a problem common to almost every light head I've ever tried), and (3) that Gitzo does not supply anti-rotation plates (Some day I'll consider how to retrofit it for Arca-Swiss type plates, of which there are many custom anti-rotation options. Gitzo sells an adapter, but I suspect from the looks of it that it is awkward to use).

--AP

dominic.patagonia · Feb 27, 2015

henry link said:
Dom,

Please report your B&H experience with the GH1 and GH2. I own an early production GH2 unit with a balky pan action. In spite of that I've lately been considering the GH1 for use with a light scope, hoping that the the sticky panning has been improved. Oddly enough, I discovered in the cold wave here last week that the panning of my GH2 works smoothest in very cold weather.

Henry

So, i took delivery yesterday of the GH27 head (from B&H), and put it on a gitzo GT1542 tripod, and compared to my old manfrotto head on a FLM tripod. I have to say it's a nicely engineered head, and whilst i found the tilt very smooth - tracking gulls in flight i would find it would stick very marginally - though this was only on the panning, not tilt. It could be due to the diameter of the horizontal plate - which is smaller than in my manfrotto. But then it is lighter, and I like the large knob for locking off. To be fair I'm going to test it out more over the weekend. So far it's been on my balcony pointed at the Hudson river, although canvasbacks and bald eagles in NYC were pretty nice to see! I have a feeling it may smooth out with practice.

henry link · Mar 1, 2015

Dom,

This sounds like my GH2720; smooth tilt motions, but somewhat sticky panning. After about four years the panning on mine has not smoothed out. It's particularly irksome at high magnification where there is enough backlash to make centering an object difficult.

Alexis,

Just to be certain I understand you, are you saying that the pan motions on your GH1720 are just as smooth as the tilt motions? no sticking or backlash?

Henry

Alexis Powell · Mar 2, 2015

henry link said:
...Alexis,

Just to be certain I understand you, are you saying that the pan motions on your GH1720 are just as smooth as the tilt motions? no sticking or backlash?

Henry

Yes, that is what I am saying. My 1720 allows perfectly smooth motion on both axes.

--AP

henry link · Mar 2, 2015

Thanks Alexis. I may have to give the 1720 a try.

Henry

pietrod · Mar 9, 2015

henry link said:
Dom,

Please report your B&H experience with the GH1 and GH2. I own an early production GH2 unit with a balky pan action. In spite of that I've lately been considering the GH1 for use with a light scope, hoping that the the sticky panning has been improved. Oddly enough, I discovered in the cold wave here last week that the panning of my GH2 works smoothest in very cold weather.

Henry

Hi all,
This weekend I tried both of them (GH1720QR, GH2720QR) , comparing them in a shop.
I have been birding for 16 years but owned only one tripod head (Manfrotto) so I cannot really compare them with other heads...

I preferred the smaller one.
To be honest, both of them were not extremely smooth as I would wish for.
For a scope or a small lens (like a 400mm) the GH17 is steady enough, I have not tried it yet in windy (extreme) condition but it definetely gave me the impression of firm head that does not transmit much vibration.

I also noticed the different levels of smoothness between tilting and panning in the bigger head...but maybe was just that speciment!

All the best,

Alexis Powell · Mar 9, 2015

An update to my previous post:

Alexis Powell said:
...My only complaints are... ...(3) that Gitzo does not supply anti-rotation plates (Some day I'll consider how to retrofit it for Arca-Swiss type plates, of which there are many custom anti-rotation options. Gitzo sells an adapter, but I suspect from the looks of it that it is awkward to use)...

Writing the above reminded me that I wanted to look into doing away with Gitzo plates wherever possible, so I looked into the Gitzo adapter to the Arca-Swiss standard, quickly found that it was ~$55 but that another company makes a clone (Desmond DGZA-1) for less than half that price. I got one of those and it works perfectly. It slips onto my Kirk and RRS plates and holds on with enough tension not to slip off casually, or it can be left on the head even more securely since it is captive until button-released (like the Gitzo plates) once inserted. In short, I love it! No more Gitzo plates! I'm not a fan of the Gitzo plates, with their sloppy rubber top and floppy video pin (not rigidly fixed because it is designed to spring down out of the way when used with something that lacks a pin socket) that consequently doesn't lock-out all rotation. I can now use my much better precise non-rotating plates from Kirk and RRS, with the added benefit of being able to use my scopes on my camera heads and vice-versa in a pinch since they all follow the same standard.

--AP

henry link · Mar 10, 2015

Alexis,

Which Kirk/RRS plates do you use with your scopes?

Henry

Alexis Powell · Mar 10, 2015

henry link said:
Alexis,

Which Kirk/RRS plates do you use with your scopes?

Henry

I'm sure that both companies make a number of models that would work, but since I don't use my beloved film SLRs these days, each of which was fitted with a generic SLR anti-rotation plate, I own a small cache of Kirk PZ-17 and similar RRS B21 (discontinued; current equivalent is the BP-CS) plates, so those are what I use. I think a smaller plate, like the RRS B9 (which is the other most handy generic anti-rotation plate to own) or B6 would also be large enough for the small foot of the Nikon Fieldscopes, but the PZ-17 and B21 are the size of a normal Arca-type QR clamp (and long enough to fully engage the Desmond DGZA-1 adapter), so they are elegant in use.

--AP

henry link · Mar 10, 2015

Thanks Alexis. After reading both your and pietrod's impressions I ordered a GH1720QR today to take advantage of the $50 rebate. I guess the next step will be the Desmond adapter with one or another of the Kirk or RSS plates. For my purposes I think one of the long plates will be needed for balancing. I do like the idea of a large flat metal contact area instead of the rubber pads.

Henry

rdcny · Mar 10, 2015

check the B/S forum - I have a GH2720QR for sale for (what I think is) a good price. If you can think of a better price, make an offer

Alexis Powell · Mar 10, 2015

henry link said:
Thanks Alexis. After reading both your and pietrod's impressions I ordered a GH1720QR today to take advantage of the $50 rebate. I guess the next step will be the Desmond adapter with one or another of the Kirk or RSS plates. For my purposes I think one of the long plates will be needed for balancing. I do like the idea of a large flat metal contact area instead of the rubber pads...

I'll be interested in your impressions of the head. My set-up is kept simple by the fact that the 82ED and 50ED scopes are balanced. Since you need a long plate, I think you will want one of the RRS multipurpose rails. The MPR-1 is a handy one to own (152 mm in length; $65), but depending on the length you need, the shorter MPR-113 or longer MPR-192, named for their lengths in mm, might be better. If the MPR-113 is long enough to achieve balance, it is the best value because it is $55 and for some reason comes with a free MPR-C anti-twist flange. Otherwise, for the longer rails, you will have to buy one of those separately ($5). Kirk probably has equivalent parts, but I am not as familiar with their catalog.

--AP

rdcny · Mar 11, 2015

don't overlook Hejnar - available on Ebay...an independent US fellow - does the same arca-swiss compatible plates and such:

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...H0.Xhejn.TRS1&_nkw=hejnar&ghostText=&_sacat=0

some of his offerings are better designs - they are also significantly less expensive.

As Alexis mentions, if you can find an Arca-Swiss plate with a flange (slight ridge) - that will prevent twisting of the plate on the scope foot. In the Manfretto design, there are two screws...in Arca-Swiss world only one screw will work (a 1/4 inch screw that will fit into the 3/8 in female part that has a bushing). You will see once you get it in your hands and try different fittings/hardware...

I have on order the Acratech Video Head - an A-S head that supports up to 50 pds yet weighs about 1.5pds...I'll let everyone know if this is a worthy upgrade from the Gitzo birdwatching series pan-tilt heads.

Here are two A-S compatible plates for less than $50 that should work fine for your Nikon Field scope:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/4-plate-wit...916?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35d339bbe4

http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-25-plate-...187?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35d339ebd3

Gitzo GH1720QR- Gitzo's 'birding' head (1 Viewer)

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