Swaro PCT tripod vs Gitzo GT3542L Mountaineer Serie 3 (1 Viewer)

[yves0071]

Hi,
Swaro PCT carbon vs Gitzo GT3542L Mountaineer Serie 3 :
I guess it is the same tripods, right?
(as Gitzo is manufacturing tripod & heads for Swaroski)
Thanks in advance,
Yves

 

[johnf3f]

If you are sure they are the same then go for the cheapest. I haven't played (yet) with the Swaro tripod so I cannot be certain.

However if you can find a decent (used) Gitzo GT3530LS - I found, that to be a better (?) option. It is lighter and more rigid, yes you do loose the centre column - but that is why it is lighter and more rigid.

Glad to see that you are looking at "proper" tripods for you scope - more important than the scope in my opinion.

 

[yves0071]

Thanks John for your advice but I need a center column as I use tripod only with a scope and I need a quick height adjustment solution.
Swaro tripod & head (Gitzo) are beautiful but I do not need that level for my telescope

 

[Alexis Powell]

Thanks John for your advice but I need a center column as I use tripod only with a scope and I need a quick height adjustment solution.
Swaro tripod & head (Gitzo) are beautiful but I do not need that level for my telescope

You should be able to add a leveling base or center column to the GT3530LS (and most other Gitzo tripods) as an optional accessory.

--AP

 

[johnf3f]

Thanks John for your advice but I need a center column as I use tripod only with a scope and I need a quick height adjustment solution.
Swaro tripod & head (Gitzo) are beautiful but I do not need that level for my telescope

Whether you prefer a centre column or not is a personal choice, personally I have gone off centre columns for all uses - but that is me not you!

As to what level of tripod you need? Just my opinion - I am primarily a photographer but I do use scopes as well. Even though I use the longest lenses I can get (currently a Canon 800 F5.6 L IS) I find my old Kowa Prominar to be more demanding on my Gitzo tripods than my lenses ever are.

You are looking at top quality tripods (quite right too!) so try a couple out before you decide. Have fun choosing.

 

[yves0071]

Hi,
I do not need very tall tripods.
In deed, using the central column, you may loose a bit of stability.
Yves

 

[bioscope]

Whether you prefer a centre column or not is a personal choice, personally I have gone off centre columns for all uses - but that is me not you!

As to what level of tripod you need? Just my opinion - I am primarily a photographer but I do use scopes as well. Even though I use the longest lenses I can get (currently a Canon 800 F5.6 L IS) I find my old Kowa Prominar to be more demanding on my Gitzo tripods than my lenses ever are.

You are looking at top quality tripods (quite right too!) so try a couple out before you decide. Have fun choosing.

Your longest lens is a 800mm eek! - but calculate the focal length of your scope with 20x, 30x, 50x (depends with the focal lenght of the scope). You can reach 2500mm just by twisting your zoom-eyepiece. :t:

So, if your Gitzo come the the limit, try a Berlebach…

strong stands
Manfred

 

[johnf3f]

Your longest lens is a 800mm eek! - but calculate the focal length of your scope with 20x, 30x, 50x (depends with the focal lenght of the scope). You can reach 2500mm just by twisting your zoom-eyepiece. :t:

So, if your Gitzo come the the limit, try a Berlebach…

strong stands
Manfred

The effective focal length of scopes can be quite long and they have to be held steady for viewing - not a fraction of a second for a photograph as with a camera (though cameras do need very stable tripods at the longer focal lengths). Hence my suggestion to aim for very rigid tripods.

I am not familiar with the Berlebach tripods so I had a quick look, interesting. However they do seem a bit heavy for my uses, I am carrying far too much already!

As to my 800mm? Well it was simply the longest lens I could get + I was lucky on the price.