Thanks! I enjoy your rants... fun to watch. I look forward to the fall season photos!

Dang you got so fired up! Talked me out burning my money on a Gitzo so thanks for sharing!

thank you for a honest, thorough review.

It’s nice to find someone talking straight about this tripod and not the usual sponsored reviews talking wonders about it without criticizing its flaws, which for its price are serious ones. Some could say that it still enough to take long exposures but to expect only that on a tripod that expensive I Think is not acceptable.

I was expecting not to like the review as I have one of these tripods for years and its excellent. Your negative points are valid and well thought out. I still think its a brilliant tripod though. It's served me very well - very robust and travel friendly. It's been through the worst of conditions and still looks good.

Just saved me $1000 bucks.. Thanks for the honest review.

When hanging weight on the tripod to stabilize it, there is an attachment point where the legs come together on the tripod "spider". You could also attach the cord to that area so it doesn't get in the way when folding the tripod down. That way it won't tug on the center column. I don't know why they decided not to put a hook on the column, but at least they gave a provision. The feet are way too easy to unscrew, that's for sure. A little bit of loctite would be good for those. The tripods I have from Gitzo all have the set screw, but they also have bigger platforms so there is more room for it. When it comes to Brock wrenches, what I've found is that the Gitzo tripods hold their friction very well on those legs. I only recently had to tighten down one of the legs on my 3 series which is now 4 years old. I throw the wrenches in my shooting bag, but have not needed to use them in the field. The Gitzo head is designed to be on the tripod when fully collapsed. The knobs are designed to tuck within the legs and still fold down to it's smallest possible size. Since all the heads from other manufacturers are designed differently, they really can't design it to fold down with every design. Though it's expensive, you might consider getting the Gitzo head. It'll fold down small, and for whatever reason they don't seem to come loose as easily. My only complaint on their ballheads is that the knobs are not captive. If you keep unscrewing a knob, it will eventually fall off.

Thanks for the review Alan. I agree completely & have the same tripod for those same exact reasons. May I ask what model was the disc (I might be wrong, but I think Gitzo calls it a “Power disc”). The one you used to replace the gitzo one with? I’ve been so frustrated that it has no locking mechanism Thanks for all the great content

Thanks for the review. My Gitzo GT1545 arrived today. I was in love when I pulled it out of the box. As I used it, I appreciated the construction, design and materials even more. No more checked baggage if I want to take a tripod. It fits perfect in my small carry on bag (along one side). I don't have to put it in on the diagonal. I am 5'8" and it's a good height. The constructions is solid. I have a plastic coated metal hook with a loop and some nylon strap strapping. I used a sewing machine to create a strap 8.5" long. It has a loop for the hook to slide through. I hang it from the tripod. It works really well and I like it better than the regular hook. For me, the Gitzo was a good purchase even at the steep price. It's all about this fitting into a carry on bag and not having to check luggage. It's so lightweight. I took a chance and ordered this case from B&H for $15. The tripod fits inside perfectly (only when it's fully compact to the smallest size). Seems like it custom made with the right amount of wiggle room. The material is stronger than the cloth one they give you. It has a pocket for the various L-Wrenches. And, it can hold my hook strap. At B&H. Pakpod Tripod Bag with Accessory Storage and Strap (Black) B&H # PATPDBG MFR # 019962654435 Gitzo does sell a small bag for $79.

Really good review, refreshing to hear some unbiased constructive criticism. Keep it up

Excellent points! Thank you

good review man, you go street to the point, but tell me please, are you using a ZV-E10 camera with "product showcase" turned on ? coz the autofocus is so reactive and accurate, it lock very well on your eyes, and then when you show some details on the tripod, you don't have to hide your face, camera switch automatically ...

Thanks for the review man! I was thinking of getting a Gitzo until this :)

Excellent review, Alan. I have 2 Gitzo Travelers. As you point out, they are light and yet very sturdy for their weight - an important factor for hikers. BUT, I completely agree with your complaints. Luckily, I found the foot that unscrewed on me and since then have (tried to remember to) frequently check those. But... seriously, they could have threaded the feet opposite to the leg threads and eliminated the problem. I don't mind removing the head to make it more compact, but like you I don't get the lack of a ballast hook. The most annoying feature is the lack of a hex-wrench sleeve. A screw on one of the legs is always loosening itself - that's just the nature of these things. Hard to believe that Gitzo doesn't employ any field photographers who have noticed that it would be really handy to have a place to easily keep the appropriate tool with the tripod. I do sometimes fully extend the leg with my Traveler II model - almost unbelievable stability in a tripod this light. So... ultimately, that's why I own a couple of these.

the folding head thing was really useful!

I loved my 2543L to pieces - amazingly sturdy, light, super compact for the overall height, and versatile in ways no other tripod was (namely a twist-off center column for low-level shooting, sealed legs so you don't get dirt/salt in them). And then it got stolen. So I bought one used to replace it, but the seller failed to mention it was missing parts (*ahem* that convenient bottom part of the center column) and had some broken anti-twist locks in the legs. And that's when I realized I wouldn't be buying Gitzo again. $200 for a new center column. $30 for o-rings and little plastic pieces. $30 for a HOOK on the bottom of the center column. Plus shipping. Plus a two month wait time for it to be delivered to Italy. If you want the best performance, by all means buy a Ferrari. But when it breaks, don't be surprised when it's hard to find a mechanic who can fix it, and the parts cost you more than a Honda. My next tripod? Probably an Induro or Sirui (the 'waterproof' versions are mighty appealing)

Hi, I have the GT1555T with stock head. I love it and was expecting to hate your review. But I think you made some good points. I'm happy with its base config, stock head, but I can see how these things would be annoying for you. Btw you can buy a centre colum hook from Gitzo. They're about 20 bucks.

Great honest and straightforward review Alan, but, I'd like to point out a few areas where we may disagree. First off, I agree about the feet,,, in this price range, I believe they should supply permanently-mounted spiked feet with pull-off rubber caps, or, the retractable screw-type spiked feet that have rubber surrounds. Second, the reason they don't provide a column hook is most likely due to the design of the folding legs. When fully closed, the bottom of the column is flush with the end of the tripod. Adding a hook would mean that the hook protrudes, and risks being an annoyance that catches on things. You'll notice that the non-folding Mountaineer series, does include a column hook, because the legs don't fold like the Traveller-series, and the hook can't protrude.I believe that hanging weight from the spyder is a far better way to go anyway, and that method works with the short column as well as the main column. Regarding the head diameter/tripod folding issue,, Gitzo has heads that specifically match the different Traveller models, and allow complete folding of the tripod legs without removing the head, and those heads are available separately, or, included when purchasing your tripod in "kit" form. I believe the 1-series Traveller uses the GH-1382TQD head,,, and the 2-series uses the GH-1382QD. (no letter "T" in the name). These are superb heads with excellent friction control and zero "droop", plus, they have a built-in panning base, each with its' own dedicated lock-knob. I have four Gitzo tripods; series 3, 4, and 5 Systematics,,, and for portability, I went with the 2-series Traveller "kit" GT2545T-1382QD with heavier capacity legs than the 1-series. I'd like to see a reasonably priced kit-bag available,, and I'd like to see Gitzo offering a levelling base specifically designed for use with the Traveller series heads.

Hey Alan, I watched your video on the Gitzo GT1545T. I own the same tripod, but with the Gitzo matching ball head. I listened to your concerns about this tripod, but please allow me to share my thoughts as well. Price you paid $708. Is that US Dollars? And since you are using a Giottos ball head, I assume that the $708 price is just for the legs. Right now (Aug/2022) B&H Photo in New York has the tripod listed for $529.88 and with the matching Gitzo ball head, $679.88. Is it really necessary to have the Allen keys strapped to the tripod? I don't think so. I wouldn't want them attached to my tripod, regardless of tripod brand. They're small. Just put them in your camera bag. I tried to unscrew the feet on my Gitzo. I needed to turn them many times to unscrew them. These feet are not going to spontaneously fall off when loosening the leg locks. I don't think it is fair to blame Gitzo for user error. You complained that when folding the legs up, the ball head doesn't allow the legs to completely fold. Hey, you're using a Giottos ball head (not designed for the Gitzo) and complaining that the tripod doesn't fold up properly! Try using the Gitzo ball head. I did and my tripod legs fold up very nicely into a neat package. I don't see the need for set screws on the platform. My Gitzo ball head sits securely onto my Traveler tripod. Maybe the Giottos ball head is not machined very well and therefore lacks a tight enough fit when used on your Gitzo tripod. I believe that Gitzo makes a hook for the center column that cost only $15 bucks. I'm looking into that now to confirm that that the G--2020 hook will fit on my GT1534T. Look, I own a BMW 330ix and I love the car. Yet for $48K there are still some things that maybe another car manufacturer does better. Certainly any car for half the price will still get you from A to B, right? But if you want a BMW, you get a BMW. If you lust after one of the best tripods that money can buy, you get it, even if there are some small issues - which is subjective because I don't see these faults with my Gitzo GT1545T. One final thought, I have enough products made in China. I no longer wish to support Chinese products and I’m willing to pay more for non-Chinese products whenever I can. By the way, your website has some gorgeous photos! Best regards, Steve (New Rochelle, NY)

Hi Mate, Good review and you made valid points and I do agree with them all. I own this tripod and also felt that I paid more than what it was worth. Good tripod, but just damn expensive, and for that price, I did expect better. On a practical note, you can actually fold the head (I got the kit version with the Gitzo tripod head) and legs to be compact and proper. before folding the legs into position: I loosen all the locking knobs on the tripod head so it can move freely. I position the head is in Portrait orientation. I turn the arca swiss locking knob facing straight down in the same direction as the centre column. Whilst the head is still loose you can now fold the legs and wriggle the head so it slips snug behind it.

I really enjoy your videos and reviews. I'm not far away from the GSMNP, and love that area. Keep up the good work (and I hope KZfaq realizes they need to cater their policies to the contributors).

Regarding your comment about the legs not folding in tight with a head on it. Using the Gitzo 82TQD head is not an issue. It folds in snug & is an outstanding head & can hold 10kg & does not move once locked.

Didn't even know about these set screws to secure the tripod's platform to the ball head... I don't think they are needed really, specially in a lightweight travel tripod.

Your Oben looks pretty good. Can you talk about it?

You've made some good points about tripod features, but I think you are missing the intention behind the design of the GT1545T, which is extreme portability. Different tripods are designed for different types of photography. As you tell us what you don't like about this travel tripod, you compare to a heavier tripod with more features, such as the little tool holder. To me, this is like comparing a sub-compact car to a Jeep. (Personally, I'd never want my tools on a leg, as they'd snag and pop off.) As for the feet coming loose, yes, that is annoying if you don't know about it ahead of time, so you've helped viewers by pointing it out! But, once we know that grabbing a foot with the rest of the leg sections can twist the foot loose, it is very easy to just not include the foot when twisting. Furthermore, it takes only a second or two to check the feet. A drop of Loctite would also prevent accidental loosening and still allow removing the feet when necessary. Set-screws? Yes, I can see your worry, but, again, size is everything in this tripod, and increasing the diameter of the base plate would add weight and also limit which ball-heads would fit AND still allow the camera with a macro lens to point straight down. Again, checking tightness is important. Set-screws come lose and get lost too, so they are not something that can be set and forgotten: They also need to be checked, and often. I have another Gitzo, a very large one for using with heavy gear, and I use a little Loctite. I've never, in four years, had a single issue with loosening. And I'm having no issues on the GT1545T without Loctite. The lack of a hook is something to think about, which I did. When traveling, on my own or with family, I've never bothered hanging a bag from my larger tripod--the tripod which really started to become a burden after our kids came along. Could there be some long exposure opportunities along a seawall in the wind that I miss without hanging a bag from my tripod? Maybe, but, wow, this little, sturdy Gitzo is such a pleasure to have walking around cities or hiking up and down mountain trails! As for folding up to store, to minimize how much space it takes, yes, they've designed the legs to meet, which means there must be a very tiny head--or one you take off before putting the tripod in your luggage. That's by design, and one of the reasons I've chosen this model. And I'm glad I don't have to deal with set screws. Again, you've made important points about tripod features, but I think you are complaining that a tripod designed to be as compact and light as possible doesn't have the features of a bigger jack-of-all-trades. I think the tripod does what it was designed for better than any of the other many, many tripods out there. Finally, authorized dealers give us enough time to try a product and decide if its features meet our needs. Your anger expressed at the beginning of your presentation makes me wonder if you knew what you were buying.

So which tripod would you recommend for ultralight?

Did you use a gitzo ballhead ? Mine never got loose.

I lost the foot on my (cheaper) Gitzo tripod the first time I went out. They did kindly send me a free replacement so I can't complain, but I agree it is a design flaw.

Arrived at this review years later because there's not a lot of criticism besides all the fanboy raves about the Rolls Royce of tripods. Was aiming to use the sticks for the video head but am convinced that the tiny base without any anti-twist, and the folding problem around any non-Gitzo head, would be a nightmare.

i was about to click Buy Now on this...but damn you right...

I have a friend who swears by gitzo for no other reason than they are expensive. I have a gitzo traveler that I dislike, it is way too light for me to feel comfortable with its sturdiness. I have a manfrotto that I use that is a bit heavier that I much prefer. The point about the traveler folding up I could not agree more with, having to remove the head seems backwards, but what do we know, we just use the gear. My head also slips off all the time. Ugh.

It seems to me that the zevenhundred dollar came by the marked of other manufacturers, and the Gitzo-crew did not realy wanted to act on that, like 'Kodak'..?

wish have watched this earlyier, I have just ordered this tripod....as a second tripod. I own the Gitzo mountain and it has a hook...:)

can you not take off a leg foot and throw the allen wrenches in the leg? Honestly don't know.

Picked up the GT1545TA yesterday. It comes with a strap, a carrying case and hook. The salesperson put locktite on the feet. About to go shoot with it this morning. Oh, and I registered it online to warranty it until 1/28!

A lot of the Chinese tripods are making names for themselves at low(er) cost, Sirui (pronounced 'see-ray') in particular. I have a Benro, no complaints except the bubble level had no fluid in it. Punched it out and bought a pack of 10 bullseye levels the same size off eBay. Glued one in and it's fine. It's really hard to justify the extra these days when you will mostly be paying for the brand. Having said that, I pair it with an RRS ballhead.

Meanwhile the GK1545T has set screws. However I do not understand for what I need it. For me it seems completely useless. This tripod is for me really the best choice, even there is room for improvements. But it fulfils what it is made for. Best compromise between stability and mobility.

Good review Alan, however if the stability is asked I wouldn't recommend generally a tripod with a middle section. It's make a huge difference, especially if you're using it for heavy stuff like large format camera

Yo I'm wearing the exact same shirt right now!

Cheap fix would be to add some red Loctite to the threads on the feet.

All your complaints are down to user error. I have used gitzos for over 25 years and never had these ‘issues’

At a certain point you're paying for the beauty of the mechanism - never a NEED for an $800 travel pod. So love for the intangibles - or yeah - get Oben or something and go shooting.

While I can understand your unhappiness in not liking a tripod you just spent $700 for, I think your review is unfair. First, except for the lost feet it seems that your other criticisms were all discoverable before you took the tripod into the field. So you likely had plenty of time to return the tripod to the dealer (or maybe Amazon) for a refund. If you chose not to do so then you haven't helped yourself. As others have pointed out, the removable feet were meant as a feature to enable attaching spiked feet but obviously it is a design fault if they are so easily lost. Gitzo is a "top of the line" name brand and takes advantage of that status by charging top dollar.Perhaps other brands give better value either by providing similar or at least sufficient quality at a lower price, including "extras" such as the tools as part of the tripod, or both. But as you yourself point out, your research did not come up with a better alternative at a better price, and you mention that the tripod is as stable and otherwise performing as expected. I have owned a 3 series Gitzo for almost 25 years and have traveled with it all over the world. It has provided excellent service, not failing even once. My Arca Swiss ballhead (another piece of gear that I've owned for 25 years) has never loosened from the platform and set screws have not been needed. BTW, when packing the tripod away when traveling, I first remove the ballhead. That not only makes the tripod easier to pack but also makes it less likely that one of the knobs on the ballhead will be jammed or bent. Doing so would make your Gitzo more compact. So although I do not own that specific model Gitzo, based on your video the tripod is not "a piece of s**t", even if the too easily detachable feet is a design flaw. That label goes too far and is unfair.

You should have bought the Gitzo balhead as a kit, then the legs would fold perfectly, I mean this is to be expected when using a aftermarket ball head I wouldn't blame Gitzo for 90% of the things you bring up, some interesting point do, don't get me wrong

It doesn’t do windows either. 😕

I've found that the best solution to the tripod strength weight paradox is to join the Marines. After a few weeks your heavy tripod somehow becomes much lighter.

I was watching this thinking there might be something wrong with the tripod, all your complaints are that it isn't like your 200$ tripod. A lot of the weaknesses are strengths. Hanging from the centre column puts it on the same limb as the camera so you get shakes, the feet come undone so you can replace them with specialist feet or when they wear out. High end heads don't play well with those silly grub screws and you don't need them. You may need to swap heads out for Panos, macro or video and you don't want to be messing around with little screws. Finally again use a decent head and it folds just fine. Gitzo are probably objectively too expensve but they don't have gimmicks. They are designed to hold you camera steady.

Gitzo legende has lifetime warranty👍

Mountaineer series 2 and 3 have all the features that you're whining about. All this info is in their catalogue.

GREAT REVIEW! I am so sick of these useless reviews where people just gush about how wonderful a product is. Being that no product is perfect, I LOVE to hear about the minor (and not so minor) things, the idiosyncrasies, pet peeves, and annoyances too. Everybody giving you a hard time about, "It's in the manual...………..blah, blah, blah." Well, unless you were an extremely experienced photographer, who would even know that it's preferable to have set screws to assist in securing the head to the base? I agree with you 587%. It makes no damn sense for a +$700 tripod to have these silly annoyances and omissions. Make the damn diameter of the platform a little larger (to accommodate set screws). Other companies are doing it, so it CAN be done. Equally silly is not having a better way to keep the leg tips (feet) from unscrewing so easily. I'm not an engineer, but commonfuckingsense tells me that (other than the fact that Gitzo, like most companies today, WANT to nickel and dime you to death selling you accessories and replacement parts), Gitzo could have easily deepened the length of the screw threads, so that when the feet become loose, you would KNOW it by feel and could tighten them BEFORE they actually fell off and got lost. As to the Allen wrenches, while I have never really had to use mine (I have a 10 year old, full-size aluminum Giottos tripod, that has given me my money's worth), they did come in a removable pouch attached to the tripod, because...………………….get this people......…….sometimes I get all nutty and walk to a location with NO BAG, just the camera and the tripod. Not to mention, I use a relatively small holster style bag, that while it suits my purposes, does not have a ton of storage room. So, again I agree with your point. Please post more reviews about products you like and do not like, along with your pet peeves. On another semi-related note, one thing I notice about a lot of German made products, is that while they are often expensive, in addition to the German reputation for craftsmanship, I have found that very often, they employ a much more thoughtful design process and design elements to their products. Whereas, the Chinese and damn near everyone else is simply competing on price, and to hell with the consumer. I too was seriously considering a Gitzo carbon fiber travel tripod, however, if I spend a $1,000 on a tripod and head, I do NOT expect to have to be calling the company to request additional parts that have fallen off or constantly be (re)tightening parts within the first year or so of ownership. I just read a Gitzo review on B&H where the customer claims that the controls on Gitzo heads do not have a "stop" on them, and if you unscrew them enough, they just fall out into your hand (or onto the ground, to be lost forever). No thanks Gitzo, I can get those same annoyances with a $200 tripod. I do not own one, and nowadays, 14 out of 11 people want 'lightweight', but I think Berlebach may very well make the best tripods available, however, they're not light or inexpensive.

Feet fell off mine too.

HI

For $700 I would expect them to thread the feet opposite to the legs.

Sorry Bruh. Seems like there is nothing wrong with the tripod, or it's design. You just don't seem to like it. Because of things other tripods have.

I don't understand how you can blame the tripod for you losing a foot. The removable feet help for cleaning and so you can put spikes, or replace the feet. That's 100% user error, and while it always sucks to lose something and have to spend the $ to get it replaced, that's not an indictment on the product.

Gitzo head locks into gitzo tripod no need for screws

dude blue locktite or plumbers tape. gitzo and markins make a ballhead for this tripod. do your research next time or stick with the Chinese pods

As the owner of a Ries wooden tripod and Ries head, and of a Gitzo carbon fiber tripod (a G1325 Mk 2, now over ten years old and still my go-to tripod when I don't want to use the Ries) and Manfrotto and Arca Swiss heads, and of a MeFoto Backpacker tripod with integral head, I can only say that this is without doubt the most long-winded and ignorant video on tripods that I have ever seen. Before buying, do some basic research on tripod styles and accessories, which apparently this guy didn't.

I'll give you $200. for it!!!

sorry to say, all 'flaws' you mentioned, are the user problems ...

1.) Center column hook: Yeah, it's about time for the big high-end brands (Gitzo, RRS) to start including a center column / platform hook on EVERY tripod, period, in order to compete with the abundance of center column hooks on all the junk brands. They're just trying too hard to make $$$ on aftermarket accessories, and that era is over. 2.) Detachable feet: Same thing. It's just a money grab of the big RRS / Gitzo brands; wanting that aftermarket accessory $$$. 3.) Lack of head set screws: Another dumb omission on Gitzo's part. But I'm starting to wonder, 4.) Lack of wrench clip: Okay that's a little silly, and probably in Gitzo's opinion, downright tacky. Do what the rest of us do, and just toss the wrenches in your camera bag's "small random junk" compartment. 5.) Reverse-fold fail: Yeah, this is why I hate hate HATE ballheads with a third knob for tension / fluidity. Such a setting does not belong on a dedicated knob, period. For this reason, I prefer heads like the RRS BH-25 and BH-30. It's possible that your Gitzo would fully compact when used with a head like the RRS BH-25 or BH-30, the latter of which would be more than enough for even your big 8x10, if you're using a cable release / exposure delay. Having said that, I honestly find that reverse-fold isn't really that exciting as a travel trick, anyways. It just doesn't save you very much space. If I'm traveling and trying to cram a tripod into a suitcase or an overhead compartment, I often never bother reverse-folding my tripods that offer that feature. Taking off the ballhead entirely can be helpful, but is only really necessary for airline travel which is something I'm OK with. 6.) Oben tripods: I've owned two or three, and have destroyed at least one of them so far. They started off as total junk, but might be slightly improved quality by now. (I first tried them in 2013/2014) However, as a general rule I hate all tripods that have such small, captive rubber grips on the leg locks, because they inevitably get melt-y and start slipping, making it extremely to use the tripod at all because you never know if the legs are truly fully locked. This has happened on Oben, and literally every other brand that EVER tested that uses a "captive" rubber design, aside from RRS and Gitzo. (As opposed to a fully rubber-ed lock design, such as on Induro tripods) Then there's the ballhead knobs. Living in the American West, with extremely low humidity and high heat much of the year, if any rubber part on a tripod is designed hard enough NOT to get slippery, it's going to suffer the opposite fate: dry, crack, and fall off completely. I have three or four ballheads right now with knobs covered in gaff tape, instead of the original grip rubber, for this exact reason. All in all, instead of Oben, I'd recommend a different course: Slik. They're the one "OG" brand that many people overlook, or completely forget exists. In reality, Slik is roughly as old as Gitzo or Manfrotto. (or Bogen) Also, they have a much, much better selection of height-to-weight-to-strength ratio tripods, from ~2 lb tripods that are still stiff and strong enough to hold a full-frame DSLR and a big lens, up to my 6'2" eye level, ...to slightly bigger and heavier tripods that get even taller, and hold a lot more weight, (maybe an 8x10?) ...for just a marginal total weight increase. I'd check them out. If you need something even sturdier for 8x10, but are still on a serious weight budget, then I would recommend the Feisol Tournament CT-3342, FEISOL CT-3441T Traveler, or similar. Few other tripods can get that tall at such a low weight.

There's no excuse for designing a tripod where the foot unscrews when you unlock the legs. Since the beginning of time (well, since mankind invented the screw thread) it's been possible to make a screw thread work in the opposite way to the norm. Commonly known as 'left hand thread' it has its place in the engineering world. It's successfully stopped one of your bicycle pedals unscrewing when you pedal since bicycles were invented. Come on Gitzo, up your game 🙂

Agreed… no more gitzos for me. Overpriced and underwhelming.

Amazing piece of equipment. Not sure why you whining about it. You did not do the research went and just bought it, and now when you realize its not for you you bash it. Again its great tripod highly recommended

Never EVER assume..

You can fold it! Bud get off drugs.