Gitzo GT2531 Series 2 6x Carbon Fiber 3 Section Tripod with G-Lock System, Maximum Height 63", Supports 26 lbs.

2013-12-16T19:00:00

All the mechanisms are quality and work very well. The construction is also quality and the weight i was looking for.

Glenn

2013-11-16T19:00:00

I researched all tripods 3 lb and less. I thought this was the best combination of support capacity, ease of use, maximum height, overall size ,and weight. I can carry it, my gear,and hike all day. I use a Really Right Stuff medium size ball head. Total weight 4 lb.

DAVID B.

2013-08-04T21:00:00

Very strong and easy to set up when the opportunity presente itself, Extremely light to carry on those long hikes in the back country.My only complant is the instructions must have been written by a child,they are fuzzy to say the least.I know good instructions as I have written many myself.

Redtooth

2013-07-18T21:00:00

I travel quite a bit and I've been using Bogen aluminum tripods with ceramic leg locks for 20 years. My main tripod gets put into a duffel bag with a folding cart and rolling dolly for my tripod. It's gotten banged up quite a bit and thanks to dings and dents the legs stick going in and out. A newer Bogen tripod with plastic flip leg locks didn't survive it's first trip packed this way and I ended up with a cracked and broken center column platform for my pistol grip head and a broken leg lock. Lesson learned. I bought this tripod for the light weight in order to pack in my suitcase. My trips often have my suitcase packed and close to the 50 lb. weight limit for checked bags on airlines so light weight was a must. This thing is light! I used it for the first time for several days this week. I have to get used to the leg locks but they are easy to use, but appear to be very fragile. I don't know if this tripod would survive my normal packing with the way the airline baggage handlers throw bags around (My second trip with a new suitcase and the handle is already non-functional thanks to a bend in the frame). So far I'm pleased with the tripod, but I'm used to the older Bogen pistol grips that lock in place with 3 screws. That head is wider than the base and won't lock down. Concerned about this, I bought an Argraph Sirui ball head. It's lightweight and has a smaller base, but also no way of locking it in place and the base of the head can come lose if turned when the rest of the head is tightened up. If Gitzo could design a mount that could lock down my pistol grip it would be great. I may have to use the pistol grip as it's much easier to use than a ball head and see how it does. Overall, the tripod seems to be a good purchase. Fairly sturdy despite it's light weight. As a side note, I originally boutht the GT0541 with 4 sections. It was way too small and flimsy for my needs. The bottom leg segments were so thin it wouldn't work for my needs.

DAVID A.

2013-05-13T21:00:00

I've been wanting an upgrade to my tripod. This has long been on my "list". The rebate offered by Gitzo closed the deal! Service by Adorama was top notch. Much improved over a few years ago.

JOHN J.

2013-05-06T21:00:00

This was a perfect solution in terms of weight supported and the actual weight of the tripod.

MICHAEL H.

2013-05-06T21:00:00

Excellent Gitzo quality!! This my second Gitzo tripod.My first one was an aluminum model. They both work much smoother than any other brand that I have used. A little pricey but great quality. If used with commonsense it should last a lifetime.

MICHAEL M.

2013-01-28T19:00:00

The tripod delivered its performance as I expected. My night shots are sharper now than before. I still am amazed at the high price on whatever that went into the design and production of this simple tripod, somehow it seems to work better than my old cheap tripod. It is expensive, but if you use it often,it is worth it.

WING L.

2012-06-27T21:00:00

This is a good tripod. Sure it's not as solid as the big Gitzos, but it works fine with my biggest lens, a Canon 100-400. Even without the removable center stem, it is tall enough for me (at 5'10") without any stooping unless it is aimed high in the sky. Longer leg sections make it fast to set up. I was concerned about the screw-type leg joints, but the Gitzo system means you don't have to have the higher joints tight before tightening lower section, and it is actually faster and easier than my old flip-lock Manfrotto. It is a pleasure to use, and the only negative is that the longer leg sections make it less than ideal for travel, and it's a bit tall when collapsed - but I can usually splay the legs if I need to get closer to the ground.

heronsong

2012-02-26T19:00:00

Sets up 1. 1/4 turn CCW unlock and extend 2. 1/4 turn CW locks firmly Equally easy break down. Repeat 1. and 2. to clllapse the legs. Solid in heavy winds.

Michael P.

2012-01-22T19:00:00

Quite a step up in rigidity vs other CF tripods I've seen. It is priced accordingly. Leg stiffness adds to stability. Tripod base is weakest link and I suppose why some replace with Markins base. Wish legs are easier to fine adjust length but can't have speed as well. Overall, solid support and highly recommended.

Mei Y.

2012-01-15T19:00:00

I use the tripod mainly for landscape photography. My older tripod wasen't quite tall enough, nor was it as stable - and I picked this model after quite a bit of research. I paired it with a really right stuff BH40 ball head and love the combination. It's light and fits my needs perfectly.

ROBERT T.

2011-11-27T19:00:00

If you know the history, you will buy this for sure, beautiful made and very nice to touch, also very light! Made in Italy, same place they made supercars.

Jin W.

2011-08-10T21:00:00

This is a perfect tripod for all kinds of uses!!

CHUNYEN L.

2011-03-13T21:00:00

Holds my Pentax 6711 like a champ

Alex E.

2011-01-11T19:00:00

I've been thinking of buying a light-weight but steady tripod for some time, and I am really happy that I finally bought this one after a lot of online research. I've shown it to many friends and everyone liked it.

QIWU L.

2011-01-11T19:00:00

Very sturdy solid tripod. Legs are easy to extend/retract, with an easy twist. Feet seem come unscrewed a little too easily ... I have not lost any yet, but I would not be surprised if I did. The instructions are just awful. Pictures with just a few words that cover several models with different features. It took me a little while to figure out how the features actually work, although admittedly tripods are not all that complicated. I just can't believe on a tripod this expensive they can't spend a few extra cents to print understandable instructions.

Chuck

2010-12-08T19:00:00

As a professional photographer, I consider the tripod to be on par with great lenses as the most important items in the kit. In fact, considering that the tripod is the "foundation" to provide a stable platform, without using one, you will NEVER get the absolute maximum performance out of the great lenses. When I went to the Gitzo series tripods, I never looked back. As Dr. Campbell below, I use this one with the Really Right Stuff BH-40 head. A really sweet combination. Mostly use this setup for travel and as a second (or third) tripod when needed. With the BH-40 head, it handles everything up to my 300mm f2.8 lenses with aplomb. For day to day use, I prefer my 35 hundred series (the next step up) with the BH050 head. I like those so much, I have two of them! Even more stable. Hey, if I could pour concrete around the camera, and shoot that way, it would be even better. All kidding aside, one of the above mentioned setups will do more to improve your photography than anything. More important than camera body. Equal to lens. If you have really great lenses, try one of these with a RRS head, and you will see the quality of your lenses for the first time!

photoguy

2010-02-15T19:00:00

I have used Manfrotto triods for years, they were economical and did the job...but i never really enjoyed using them![$] seemed a lot of $$ for a Gitzo carbon tripod and i scratched my head over it for quite some time. Then i read several reviews that generally said stop thinking and just buy it..you wont regret it. So i did. Workmanship is outstanding. Usability is outstanding. It is light and incredibly stable.I use a pro SLR and max of 200mm glass..i could put two on it and it would still be stable!I also took a deep breath and purchased the new Z model Arca Swiss ball head with flip lock release..MAGIC piece of kit.It is the best money i have spent on my photo gear for years.Stop thinking, just DO IT!

Nicksouth

2009-12-23T19:00:00

Over the years I have owned a broad range of tripods. Some were junk and others offered great stability; but at the cost of being extremely heavy. Tripods must give rock solid stability for those long exposures and/or macro shots. They must also be capable of holding your equipment and not blowing over in a strong wind, or getting knocked over accidentally. This and other "quality" tripods are expensive, but consider how much the equipment you are going to place on top of it is worth. With the hook under the center column you are able to hang a weight from it and add considerably to the stability and prevent accidents. Trust me, if you value quality, this tripod is worth every penny! The legs open very smoothly with just a slight twist of the collars to open and lock. I opted for the three secton rather than the four and have not regretted it. The extra few inches in length is not that big of a deal and adds to stability. All sections of a leg can be loosened with one hand, extened and tightened due to the anti-rotation feature in the legs. When fully extended and with a Gitzo GH3750QR off-center ball head, my D300 is eye level. I am 6'2" and this is quite a convenience. I was a professional photographer for 14 years. I used Hasselblad cameras and the value of a stable platform for expensive equipment has always been important to me. If you have the bucks to purchase this equipment, you will never regret it. Don't think about it any more, just order it from Adorama and begin getting those sharp macro and low light masterpieces. I highly recommend the GH3750QR to complete this set of legs. You do get what you pay for. This is my first Gitzo, and it is worth every penny!

Mike M.

2009-09-01T21:00:00

Top quality and engineering. Rock-solid stability. When paired with a RSS BH-40 tripod head-unstoppable combination. Probably the lightest pro setup available for larger telephoto lens.

Kalei P.

2009-08-09T21:00:00

Before upgrade your lens, you should have Gitzo tripod first, if you want to take really good pictures.

Yoyo

2009-07-07T21:00:00

This tripod is truly a work of art. It's expensive but worth it. I combined this tripod with a Manfrotto 486RC2 ballhead, a combination that provides excellent stability for long exposures. I like shooting using natural light and often need a tripod. This tripod offers a nice mix of light weight, strength, ease of use, and rapid set-up and take down. And it's beautiful too! [...]

ROBERT W.

2009-06-23T21:00:00

This is a great tripod, period. I started off ordering a Slik 500 and Manfrotto midi-size ballhead that was just not right for my needs (Nikon D700 with 80-200 and other similar lenses). The original set up was somewhat stable but there was ridiculous ball creep, and I was definitely disappointed in having to use an adapter screw to go from 1/4 to 3/8, and highly recommend against doing it... a very weak link. If you've spent the kind of money that a semi-pro outfit requires, then do yourself a favor and don't try to skimp and add an inferior link to your gear. Buy right, buy once. I highly recommend the RRS BH55 ballhead also (Google it), this is the setup the pros are using. The 2531 will fit in my carry-on for travel but is also the perfect balance of brawn and reasonable weight. Expensive, yes, but get used to it in this arena of photography. It's worth it, trust me. If you don't have a tripod like i didn't before (was new to the hobby) then you will really appreciate the importance of it once you start using one. I'm 5'9' and this combo is the perfect size also, fully extended, without the center post up, the camera comes right up to my eyes. If you're taller, go with a 4 section tripod. Comes with a thin, non-padded sack and allen-type keys you will use for initial set-up. This thing is rock solid and built like a Ferrari. It's made in Italy.

Schwim

2009-02-05T19:00:00

After reading Thom Hogans Tripod 101, I wanted a solid dependable tripod. This Tripod is not only rock solid but very lightweight. Holds my D300 w/70-200mm f/2.8 like its not even there.

JDY

2009-01-20T19:00:00

I combined this excellent tripod with a Markins Q-10 ballhead and find this combination to be far superior to my previous Manfrotto tripod and 3-axis head

Tijeras A.

2008-12-28T19:00:00

Telescoping legs sometimes stick slightly.

IRVING H.

2008-12-28T19:00:00

A very well designed and constructed tripod, I use it mainly for landscape shots. It is expensive but I think it is the best tripod available.

TIMOTHY S.