Gitzo question

[tasadam]

About 6 months ago I purchased a Gitzo GT2542L tripod. I have removed the centre column and use the low-set. It works great.

Today marks the arrival of the newest addition to the kit - a Gitzo GT1541 tripod.

So I have removed the centre column and I find that to get the remaining pieces joined together, they are loose in the neck of the tripod, and the centre column locking collar needs to be loosened to make the gap in the neck larger, to get the pieces tight. Also the top plate of the tripod is smaller diameter than the one that came with the GT2542L tripod, and it has no locking screw to lock the ballhead to it.

Are these things normal? They don't even sell Gitzo tripods anywhere in Tasmania, so it's a bit hard to get info on them.
If there are any Gitzo experts here, I'd really appreciate your thoughts on this.

I got online at the Gitzo website and asked the following, hopefully they can respond...

Hello. I have owned a Gitzo Gt2542L tripod for more than 6 months now, I bought an Acratech GP Ballhead to go with it. I have just purchased a Gitzo GT1541 tripod. The instructions clearly show a locking screw in the top plate, that is tightened against the base of the ballhead as is the case on my GT2542L tripod. The top plate that came with the GT1541 is a smaller diameter than the one that came with the GT2542L, and it has no locking screw to tighten it to the ballhead as indicated by this diagram. Also, I have noticed that when removing the centre column of the GT1541, the reassembly of the inner bits (the pieces from the top and bottom of the centre column) to reattach the ballhead are longer than the space allowed with the centre neck tightened. The only way to attach the low-set centre workings without the column is to partially unscrew the centre column locking collar so as to make the gap of the neck wider. Then, when tightening the ballhead to the top plate, it twists the neck mechanism and the centre workings come loose again, it is very difficult to get the whole set tight without the centre column. I do not use the centre column so it is important for me to get this sorted. Can you advise what I am doing wrong? I do not have the opportunity to take it into a store, there are no distributors of Gitzo in the whole state where I live. I can take detailed photos if it helps explain this. Tasmania is an island so I would need to fly or catch a ship (either way is expensive) if I want to see a Gitzo dealer. As the top plate does not have a locking screw to attach the ballhead securely, is it possible to get another of the larger top plates as used on my GT2542L tripod? It does have the locking screw, this would suit me and my 2nd Acratech ballhead better anyway. Perhaps a part number would be useful, as I will need to purchase one online. Sorry for the long explanation and thank you for your time.

[wendellt]

ive had the same issue
i find it hard to tighten my column because a piece of plastic maybe a washer type of thing has fallen out
im kind of pissed that a manufacturer selling expensive tripods would have such items like plastic washes to hold in place a very important junction on a tripod

[DaveB]

Ok, two useful PDFs to download...

Go to the 1541 page at gitzo.com. Down under the picture of the tripod on the left there are links to the "manual" and "spare parts" PDFs. Both useful documents.
On all the Gitzo and Manfrotto products I find the break-away diagrams in the "spare parts" PDFs provide useful insight into how the products operate and should be serviced!

The manual is a generic manual for all the Mountaineer tripods.
There's a note on Figure 7 (the one about "low angle adapter": removing the centre column) that "grub screw not supplied on all models". Thus I suspect the 1541 doesn't have the "locking screw" that your 2542L does.

Looking at Figure 7 my reading (not having this tripod in front of me) is:

1. Remove grub screw (not extant on this model).
2. Remove top plate.
3. Remove bottom end of column including hook.
4. Loosen the column lock an extra quarter turn? Not sure about this step, but are you doing something like this?
5. Remove centre column.
6. Insert top plate.
7. Screw bottom end in (to underside of top plate?).
8. Tighten top plate clockwise.

Does that match your interpretation of the diagrams?

[tasadam]

Hi Dave, thanks for the detailed reply.

• Loosen the column lock an extra quarter turn? Not sure about this step, but are you doing something like this?

Yes, though it needs more like 1 and a half turns to lengthen the space so that when it's put together again it doesn't slop about... I think they are talking about a quarter of a turn necessary to loosen the centre column enough for its removal, that's how it appears to me in the manual.

• Remove centre column.
• Insert top plate.
• Screw bottom end in (to underside of top plate?).
• Tighten top plate clockwise.

Does that match your interpretation of the diagrams?

Yes, but when tightening the top plate (part 8 of section 7 in the manual) it grips the D0804.02 column lock, which makes it turn as well and lowers it (does it up), so you need to hold it whilst trying to twist the top plate tight. And as there is no locking, I see that if I go to rotate the ballhead in a hurry or without loosening the rotating knob, it will easily loosen the whole thing which would allow it all to quickly work very loose in the field.
It all just seems a bit mickey mouse for something that is supposed to be the rolls royce of tripods, there is no such problem with the 2542L but it seems to me they have used the same centre pieces and the length of the ground level set (long threaded metal bit with hook on bottom, D0703.04) and in the case of the 1541 it is too long.

Worst case would be to reinstall the centre column and carry the extra 83 grams, but would still need to remove it for low stuff and macro work. It's designed to be able to use it like I'm trying to, but something doesn't seem right to me.

Logical explanations to me at this stage are either that they used the wrong D0703.04 (too long) - unlikely, or that you're supposed to be able to hold everything in place while you do it up and hope you can get enough grip on the top plate to get it tight without it screwing the column lock. But the instructions clearly show that all is necessary is to turn the top plate, nothing about having to undo the column lock to expand the gap, nothing about having to hold the column lock while tightening the top plate...

Experience with the Gt2542L will allow me to share one point with readers now - if using this in the field, make sure you pull it apart when you get home, I had a bit of trouble undoing the low set after a 2 week remote walk.

[tasadam]

Well I figured something out.
If I tighten the column lock, then I assemble the low-set pieces, then I undo the column lock to the point that it takes up the slack and I crank it til it really gets tight against the top plate, that makes the whole assembly tight.
But then when you tighten the ballhead down on the top plate it all comes loose again.
So then you repeat the process and it is possible to get it all tight enough not to have to worry about it slackening off or dropping off in the field.
Not ideal, but workable. The top plate with locking screw would help.
Will be interesting to hear the response from Gitzo.

[DaveB]

Am I right in thinking that D0703.04 (the hook assembly) screws onto the underside of the top plate (specifically onto D0702.01)?
That's the reversible (1/4" or 3/8") bolt at the top (Figure 9 in the manual describe reversing it).
Is it possible that this is somehow protruding further down into the tripod than it's supposed to?

Any more straws we can clutch at?

[tasadam]

Is it possible that this is somehow protruding further down into the tripod than it's supposed to?

No Dave, the reversible thread sits in the correct place with the correct protrusion, the top plate has a hex shape to accommodate it and it only goes down into the hook assembly so far, if you remove the top plate an do the thread up by finger into the hook assy it will go in further, so there's plenty of room to accommodate it.
The top plate and thread screws into the hook assembly correctly, it's just that when done up tight, they are too long for the space allowed in the tripod neck / column lock area, so it is necessary to undo then column lock to expand the gap in the neck area so it tightens against the plate/hook assembly.
Nice clutch tho.

If I get a top plate with a locking grub screw, that will allow me to attach the top plate to the ballhead more permanently, thus when I assemble the hook to the top plate in the neck, I would need to just hold the ballhead and undo the column lock until it tightens against the top plate / hook assembly.
The point is, it's nothing like the iunstructions, and I am wondering whether this is a flaw in this particular one (for whatever reason - wrong pieces used or something), or whether that's just how they are and the instructions are rubbish...
Hopefully Gitzo can shed some light.

[DaveB]

No Dave, the reversible thread sits in the correct place with the correct protrusion, the top plate has a hex shape to accommodate it and it only goes down into the hook assembly so far

Just wondering if somehow ( ) there was a difference in behaviour when the bolt was reversed. Which thread do you have at the top?

If I get a top plate with a locking grub screw, that will allow me to attach the top plate to the ballhead more permanently, thus when I assemble the hook to the top plate in the neck, I would need to just hold the ballhead and undo the column lock until it tightens against the top plate / hook assembly.

I don't see how this would work. The grub screw in the top plates is for screwing down onto the rim of the housing that the top plate is screwed into (to stop it from unscrewing). But first the top plate needs to screw tightly into something. Your problem seems to be that the housing in this case (D0703.04 ?) isn't tight.

The point is, it's nothing like the iunstructions, and I am wondering whether this is a flaw in this particular one (for whatever reason - wrong pieces used or something), or whether that's just how they are and the instructions are rubbish...

<confused> It sounds to me exactly like the instructions. </confused> With the exception that it's not tight, of course.
Note that the instructions are for a range of models, with notes such as the interchangeable feet aren't on all models, and the grub screw isn't on all models. As per the spare parts diagram for the 1541, it seems that's one of the models without those features.

Hopefully Gitzo can shed some light.

Indeed.

[tasadam]

Hi again Dave, thanks for your time.

Which thread do you have at the top?

The longer skinny thread points down. If it was to point up it would either be too long to screw into the ballhead and damage it (according to Acratech instructions), or the thread would be too small for the ballhead to grip. Or, likely, both. Not sure which as I know that's not the way it goes from my experience with the GT2542L. Both heads are Acratech, the GP on the GT2542L and the Ultimate on the GT1541, the base of the ballheads are the same and their instruction has a maximum intrusion allowance of this thread. So all's good there.

The grub screw in the top plates is for screwing down onto the rim of the housing that the top plate is screwed into (to stop it from unscrewing).

I see the grub screw you are talking about, I had forgotten about that one, I just pulled my GT2542L apart again to take a look.
There are two grub screws. The inner one, accessed from the top of the top plate, is to screw down as you describe and as described in diagram 7-1 of the manual, only useful when using the centre column, and non-existent on the GT1541 anyway. Without the centre column, if you tighten it (on my GT2542L), the screw will fall down into the cavity of the tripod neck (the centre of the column lock).
The other one, the one that would be useful on the GT1541 if the plate was larger diameter, is the outer one, accessed from the underside of the top plate and bites into the ballhead to stop it coming loose from the top plate.

The other thing I found when I pulled the GT2542L apart was that it suffers the same problem, and I had obviously forgotten (since I don't use the centre columns), I tighten the column lock, then I insert the hook and top plate and thread assembly, and tighten them as best I can by hand. As in the Gt1541, the top plate and hook go together tight, but they still wobble about in the neck. To make the assembly tight in the neck, I need to unscrew the column lock on the GT2542L two and a half turns to tighten it up against the top plate. It is also necessary to hold the top plate to stop it from turning as well.
So it seems this is a normal thing with the way the ground level set feature works with these Gitzo tripods. I have written to the Australian agency of Gitzo and have made them aware of this discussion, hopefully they will reply to me.

Your problem seems to be that the housing in this case (D0703.04 ?) isn't tight.

The housing is tightened to the top plate, but it stays loose in the tripod neck if you don't unscrew the column lock to expand the neck gap.

<confused> It sounds to me exactly like the instructions. </confused>

I was perhaps a bit harsh on their instructions, though it does not mention the need to unscrew the column lock up against the top plate to make the ground level set assembly (removal of the centre column) tight in the neck.

I think I will just wait to see whether Gitzo make a response.
I am being verbose so that others can read and understand, no doubt posts like this generate lots of hits in google so will hopefully be a good resource for anyone using the low set in the Gitzo's.

[Matt. K]

You guys all got ripped off. Don't you know that Gitzo is a cheap copy of the fine 'BENRO' tripods? My Benros have never given me any problems.

[aim54x]

You guys all got ripped off. Don't you know that Gitzo is a cheap copy of the fine 'BENRO' tripods? My Benros have never given me any problems.

I prefer the solid reliability of my Manfrotto though!

[photohiker]

Hey Adam,

Hows it going? Dare I suggest spending more money?

Kirk seems to have a solution



I have one of these on my Gitzo. Not sure it would work well as anything other than a permanent mod though. It doesn't have the grub screw either, but comes with some loctite to reduce the unwind possibility.

Michael

[tasadam]

Benro, yeah, very funny Matt. Been there. See here.
Note, that was an M-128, and the photos were to source replacement leg inserts for an M-128. But they still sent me inserts for a C-128 which I still have and are useless to me, particularly now that I do not have my Benro any more (and they didn't fit anyway), it is still attached (as far as I know) to my D200 and my Nikon 17-35 under the rapids in the bottom of a ravine.
Let's not go there...

Thanks for the suggestion Michael. Yeah, all's good here.

Just to reiterate I have found a work-around, in that after assembling the low-set centre column, I then unscrew the column lock against the top plate to tighten it all up, but that the instructions don't say this is necessary. And both my Gitzo tripods work the same way - necessary to unscrew the column lock.
The thing is, when unscrewing the column lock up against the top plate, the column lock can grip the top plate and unscrew that with it, so it can be tricky to get it all tight.

I got a response from the Gitzo agents in Australia, but they thought my problem was because I was swapping bits between the two different models, which I am not, so I have asked again and await an answer.

[aim54x]

Benro, yeah, very funny Matt. Been there. See here.
Note, that was an M-128, and the photos were to source replacement leg inserts for an M-128. But they still sent me inserts for a C-128 which I still have and are useless to me, particularly now that I do not have my Benro any more (and they didn't fit anyway), it is still attached (as far as I know) to my D200 and my Nikon 17-35 under the rapids in the bottom of a ravine.
Let's not go there...

OUCH! I never did like Benro after my first experience with them at Photo Shop Studio....