are carbon fibre tripods worth the $$

[cimman]

There are two differences here.

For audio, you need better damping because the operation is continuous. Speaker stands, for example, need to damp vibration while speakers are vibrating. For photography, typically for those that require tripods, the actual capture takes up only a very small fraction of time. You can almost always afford to wait for vibration from mirror slap to die away before you open the shutter.

In audio, there's also a lot of high priced scams. This one is my all time favorite:

http://www.boingboing.net/2005/11/07/astronomically-overp.html

yes, that's what I like about the audio world. All the snake oil stories. Can learn a lot from their marketing literature. How to market a stone and sell it like a diamond. Where once there was no demand, now there is a lust for it.
Having said that, lots of people buy into the snake oil to keep these companies afloat.

 

[Deadpoet]

This is thread getting funnier and funnier.

Compaing a tripod rated for 5KG vs one that is rated for 12KG!

Comparing bikes with tripods!

Determining the tripod's quality by the "ringing" or sound of the tripod when band onto something!

Using audiophile's measurements for tripods!

And last but not least, not really knowing what is happenning, how one would use the tripod, and what kind of photography is involved.

Granted, when travelling or transporting a tripod, weight is a factor.

However, that said, a feather light tripod, CF or whatever exotic materials are used, even if the tripod is rated for 12KG, you put that much weight on op of a lightweight base (the tripod) the entire set up will be top heavy and therefore, unstable. Addithe a weight ontoa hook off the center column is a compromise, if used correctly, can work, if not, worst.

At the end of the day, it's not aluminum vs carbon fiber, it's weight. It' light vs heavy. The heavier the tripod, everything else constant, the sturdier it will be. Simple physics.

 

[attap seed]

wat is 500g weight difference?

during road march, some ppl carry jus M16 w sharpshooter scope.

some carry GPMG, some carry 84RR.

in the end, all survive, despite the "unfair" weight difference.

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also depends on need.

if u take public transport or walk around a lot, CF will be better... ...lighter mah.

if u drive and dun walk around a lot, aluminium will do. but if u can afford a car, wat is a CF tripod?

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i love my 055.

 

[cimman]

And why do you have to carry 5 extra lenses and an extra bodies ... or was it 6.

All too often, I see photographer dragging all those equipment with them, all sitting in the bad, all not utilised, only purpose is weight.

Determine what you are shooting, bring only what you need. And if a tripod is needed, bring it. Btw, a good tripod is invaluable.

The key is only bring what you need, and buy only things you will use. For me, Carbon Fiber is jsut not stable enough, and the ergonomics and usability of the NeoTec wins hands down.!

the NeoTec is rated at 8kg while the Gitzo 2541 is rated for 12 kg. Though the Gitzo 2541 is lighter, I would suspect that it should fare just as well as the Neotec in terms of stability, just judging by the maximum weight that it can support. I wouldn't consider the Gitzo 2541 light at 1.8kg. Of course, in terms of ergonomics, it will lose out to the Neotec. I wonder why not more manufacturers are pushing for push pull concept for their legs. Even Manfrotto only has 1 tripod that has this concept. They should put the push pull lock concept on a CF pod.