John Russell
Well-known member
Some five years ago I bought a Series 2 Gitzo basalt tripod, a GT2942L. There were then fewer alternatives and the choice was determined by the requirement for light weight, but also height for my 192 cm and the 65 mm straight Diascope I was then using. Basalt was a compromise, 200 g heavier than carbon fibre but about €200 cheaper. Nevertheless, the tripod cost about €450.
I now use a Swarovski ATM 65HD (angled) with 30x eyepiece but on a trip to the North Sea coast this spring, the limitations of the Gitzo were very apparent. In strong winds the vibrations could not be damped sufficiently, although I hung my bin bag over all three legs. Despite the angled scope I still needed to use some of the 16 mm bottom leg sections, which would only have about 50% of the rigidity of the 20 mm sections above them.
A good alternative would have been a 3-section CF Gitzo Series 3 but the price of around €800 was a deterrent. The CP30 from FLM looked interesting but had one significant disadvantage. The legs can be folded back through 180° over the extended centre column (and ballhead) to reduce the packed length, but the catches on the leg tops are not spring-loaded. Now birders move around with a folded tripod much more than photographers and it would be a PIA tohave to have to reset the retaining catches every time I wanted to set up the tripod.
The alternative CF tripods from Benro, Induro and Slik were cheaper but appeared less well made than Gitzo and although Feisol enjoys a good reputation, I didn't like the look of the weave-pattern carbon fibre "wallpaper." I don't think carbon fibre tubes are made that way.
I then looked at Sirui. The M-3204 was the winner in a test in a German photography magazine and in stability second only to a Manfrotto 057 costing twice as much and weighing over 1 kg more. I considered the ability to detach one leg to use as a monopod something of a gimmiick, and would have preferred 3 leg sections instead of 4, but at 32, 28, 25 and 22 mm they promised vastly better stability (Gitzo has 4 mm steps), and a Youtube video of a Polish tester doing a pullup on the 18 kg rated Sirui convinced me.
I paid €350 for the Sirui and it came complete with cordura case, carrying strap, alternative short 9 cm centre column and a second top plate. Unfortunately the case is dimensioned for legs folded back over an extended centre column (and ballhead) and this is not possible with my video head, so I shall be using the felt bag I had made up for the Gitzo for transport.
Finish is excellent, the rubber feet offer plenty of grip on smooth surfaces and can be turned to expose stainless steel spikes - much better than the rattly and dirt-gathering accessories I bought for the Gitzo. An ingenious minor detail is the ability to attach the second top plate and reversible 1/4", 3/8" thread to the short centre column (each with its own little bag) without tools.
Maximum height was measured at 146 cm with another 30 cm available with the centre column and, despite much thicker leg sections than the basalt Gitzo, the weight at 1710 g is 80 g lower. Stability is in a different category to the basalt Gitzo, more in line with an old Series 4 Gitzo aluminium tripod weighing 3,6 kg.
I can unreservedly recommend Sirui. The M-3204 is for me the best compromise of stability, weight and cost.
John
I now use a Swarovski ATM 65HD (angled) with 30x eyepiece but on a trip to the North Sea coast this spring, the limitations of the Gitzo were very apparent. In strong winds the vibrations could not be damped sufficiently, although I hung my bin bag over all three legs. Despite the angled scope I still needed to use some of the 16 mm bottom leg sections, which would only have about 50% of the rigidity of the 20 mm sections above them.
A good alternative would have been a 3-section CF Gitzo Series 3 but the price of around €800 was a deterrent. The CP30 from FLM looked interesting but had one significant disadvantage. The legs can be folded back through 180° over the extended centre column (and ballhead) to reduce the packed length, but the catches on the leg tops are not spring-loaded. Now birders move around with a folded tripod much more than photographers and it would be a PIA tohave to have to reset the retaining catches every time I wanted to set up the tripod.
The alternative CF tripods from Benro, Induro and Slik were cheaper but appeared less well made than Gitzo and although Feisol enjoys a good reputation, I didn't like the look of the weave-pattern carbon fibre "wallpaper." I don't think carbon fibre tubes are made that way.
I then looked at Sirui. The M-3204 was the winner in a test in a German photography magazine and in stability second only to a Manfrotto 057 costing twice as much and weighing over 1 kg more. I considered the ability to detach one leg to use as a monopod something of a gimmiick, and would have preferred 3 leg sections instead of 4, but at 32, 28, 25 and 22 mm they promised vastly better stability (Gitzo has 4 mm steps), and a Youtube video of a Polish tester doing a pullup on the 18 kg rated Sirui convinced me.
I paid €350 for the Sirui and it came complete with cordura case, carrying strap, alternative short 9 cm centre column and a second top plate. Unfortunately the case is dimensioned for legs folded back over an extended centre column (and ballhead) and this is not possible with my video head, so I shall be using the felt bag I had made up for the Gitzo for transport.
Finish is excellent, the rubber feet offer plenty of grip on smooth surfaces and can be turned to expose stainless steel spikes - much better than the rattly and dirt-gathering accessories I bought for the Gitzo. An ingenious minor detail is the ability to attach the second top plate and reversible 1/4", 3/8" thread to the short centre column (each with its own little bag) without tools.
Maximum height was measured at 146 cm with another 30 cm available with the centre column and, despite much thicker leg sections than the basalt Gitzo, the weight at 1710 g is 80 g lower. Stability is in a different category to the basalt Gitzo, more in line with an old Series 4 Gitzo aluminium tripod weighing 3,6 kg.
I can unreservedly recommend Sirui. The M-3204 is for me the best compromise of stability, weight and cost.
John
