Tripods

Could do with some help re - tripods. What will be the best to hold the Pentax k3 with Sigma 150 - 500

I used my Redsnapper and Manfrotto Ball Head with my Sigma 150-500 and all was well and secure.

Check out Feisol.

Has anyone got any views on a Gitzo 1227? I'm looking for something reasonably lightweight that I can assemble quickly and am not too fussed about having the latest version. They look well designed but am wondering if there are any more modern alternatives that can be had for similar money to a second hand Gitzo in good condition.

I am a fan of Gitzo tripods and have a number of them in various sizes (I prefer the twist locks to the lever locks that Manfrotto use). All were bought second hand - some nearly new, others 20 or 30 years old. All are perfectly functional. They are designed to be easy to dismantle and repair if necessary and you can get a whole range of spare parts and accessories. A number of other makes seem to be Gitzo clones. For example I have a Redged table top tripod that is a very close copy of the Gitzo design. Unfortunately I have no experience of Red Snapper so cannot offer an opinion. If you do decide on Gitzo the only advice I would give is do not be too hung up on carbon fibre - it is better to buy an aluminium tripod in good condition than a carbon fibre one that has been abused. If you can afford carbon fibre in good condition - even better, but the difference in weight and stability is really not that much. Secondly, while Gitzo heads are fine there are others that are better, including some by Manfrotto that cost a bit less.

Thanks. I'm just trying to decide between the Mountaineer and the Traveler at the moment. The former looks to be that little bit more sturdy and not too heavy, so is probably my preferred choice.

Agree with all smudge says about Gitzo, though I do think carbon fibre is worth holding out for, particularly for winter use! If you have the chance to get a 2nd-hand head made by Really Right Stuff you'd have a winning combination.

Has anyone got or tried the Traveler version from Gitzo? How do you find it? It looks amazingly compact, but those legs look somewhat skinny when extended fully.

I looked across the range of Gitzo tripods and in the end decided to get the 3532LS one, which I had used previously (borrowed) so knew I was happy with it. It is rock solid and will do any job asked of it. It is probably overkill, but a tripod (unlike a camera) is for life. The Gitzo Travellers - there are variants - are more portable, but inevitably there is some compromise. Any tripod with a centre column must be less rigid than one without, and if you extend a Traveller to full height the last set of legs you unlock will look pretty thin. In many circumstances lightness counts, and if you do a lot of hiking these are the compromises that will make carrying the thing in the first place bearable.

4 travel tripods in AP that came today.