Gitzo tripod and 100mm head

[Jack Lam]

I am trying to buy a Gitzo tripod to support a O'connor 1030D head with a 100mm bowl.

In fact, I own a Gitzo GT3541XLS + Sachtler DV6SB combo with 75mm bowl. I love how versatile it is with height. I can go super low and super high with one set of sticks. However, I feel the range of leveling adjustment a bit limiting. I only have less than 10-degree of movement on the bowl (my guesstimate), due to the rather small top ring of the series 3 design, where the bowl adapter ring sits on.

Although I don't have access to actually try it out myself, I can imagine a 100mm head will only have LESS leveling adjustment than my current 75mm combo. That will render the use of the bowl a moot point.
Can anyone verify this?

So do I have to move up to a series 4 or series 5 tripod to gain a wider range of leveling movement with a 100mm bowl?
I am not even sure if a series 4 tripod is an improvement over series 3 because they seem to share the same size of top plate (right?)

That will left me with only one option: the Giant GT5562GTS. With a max height of more than 9feet / 2.8m, it may be more sticks than I need.

I also like Miller's solo sticks - if only they would go as low as a Gitzo.

Suggestion? Idea? Experience to share?

 

[sander kamp]

I don't know about Gitzo but I have these legs http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/556158-REG/Manfrotto_536_536_4_Section_Carbon_Fiber.html and they serve me very well. It has a 100mm bowl, can go very high and very low and it's light. I also like the leg locks a lot better then the twist-type. And a lot cheaper than the Gitzo.

 

[Ketch Rossi]

Jack see below.

The Gitzo Carbon X series with the Gitzo 100mm Bawl adapter and the Miller Compass 25 Fluid head have been my winning combination for th e past few years now, and have traveled the world round with it, could not recommend a better combination!!

 

[Jack Lam]

Jack see below.

Hi Ketch: Can you tell me the specific model number of your Gitzo tripod? How much leveling movement do you get with a 100mm bowl on your Gitzo? (if you can measure the angle of keeling adjustment with a iPhone?)

Thanks

 

[Ketch Rossi]

Hey Jack,

it's the Gitzo 6X Carbon GT5541LS.

The leveling it is standard as with most 100mm Bawl adapters, very good I would say, but been that it is not as deep as some other 100mm Bawl heads mount might not be as wide in the range, yet I have not found a situation were I could not properly level my head.

 

[Mikko Suomalainen]

I also recommend the Manfrotto 536. You can go lower than hi-hat, and as high as 2 meters with the same tripod, and still it's lightweight and really well made. A lot better than the cheaper manfrottos. I used it on filming snowboarding on the mountains, and I could attach it to my backpack. Worth the price!

 

[Ian Planchon]

I had the same legs as Ketch but mated with a Sachtler video 18 head. I was running into a ton of problems with panning at higher speeds (shooting action sports). The head would spin loose and the camera would topple over (mostly with heavier setups). So I just bit the bullet and upgraded to Sachtlers ENG HD legs. they still get pretty low, and don't spin loose.