Gitzo Series 1 Traveler 6x Carbon Fiber Tripod & Markins Q-Ball Q3 Traveler Ballhead

It’s true what they say, when you skimp on a tripod you’ll end up with more tripods then you know what to do with. Maybe that’s why I currently have 4 sitting in my office. Two of those tripods are just not stable enough for my kit especially with a 70 – 200mm zoom attached to my DSLR. A couple of these tripods set me back under $100 a piece.The 3rd, which I thought was going to be “the one” was priced at about $200 with the ballhead. unfortunately on a trip last summer one of the leg sections broke off 😦 Now I don’t want anyone accusing me of not being able to learn from my mistakes, which is why my most recent purchase was one where “quality” and “reputation” of the tripod was the deciding factor not price. It took me awhile to save but it was well worth it.

Gitzo GT1542T Series 1 Traveler 6x Carbon Fiber 4-Section Tripod

The latest addition to my arsenal is the Gitzo GT1542T Series 1 Traveler 6x Carbon Fiber 4-Section Tripod. The Gitzo Traveler is lightweight and designed for hiking and, as the name implies, traveling. I had a difficult time deciding on which tripod to purchase but I had to be honest with myself and determine what were the important factors that were going to drive my decision. I wanted, no I needed something that was going to be easy and lightweight enough for me to carry when I was traveling but sturdy enough to hold a DSLR with a 70 – 200mm 2.8 lens attached. After doing much research and speaking to many photographers I landed on the Gitzo Traveler.

Gitzo has an excellent reputation in the world of photography and their tripods offer excellent stability, durability and are extremely reliable.

Product Specification & Features

Load Capacity	15.43 lb (7 kg)
Head Attachment Fitting	1/4″-20 & 3/8″-16 (reversible stud)
Maximum Height	58.66″ (149.0 cm)
Maximum Height w/o Column Extended	45.87″ (116.5 cm)
Minimum Height	8.66″ (22.0 cm)
Folded Length	16.73″ (42.5 cm)
Weight	2.2 lb (1 kg)

Why I Love My Gitzo Traveler

Yes I do love it and I finally feel that I’ve made the right choice with this tripod. I’ve been using it for a few months now and it has exceeded all of my expectations.

I’ve taken numerous trips with it by air, car and even ship. The Gitzo Traveler folds up to a length of just under 17 inches and fits nicely in my small carry-on bag for air travel. I’ve been on photowalks and hikes with it and have had no issues of feeling weighed down.

I primarily use my tripod for shooting landscapes, seascapes, cityscapes and HDR work especially in low light. At a height of  46″ this suits my purposes perfectly. With the center column extended it does reach a maximum height of 59″ although I wouldn’t recommend shooting with a fully extended center column except in rare situations as it does give you less stability. There is a built-in hook at the bottom of the center column which you can hang your camera bag from for extra stability. This really comes in handy when you’re out shooting on a windy day.

My previous tripods were all aluminum so having a carbon fiber one is a real treat. In addition to it being very lightweight the legs don’t get as cold as aluminum and therefore more comfortable when you’re carrying it.

The Gitzo Traveler also has a new G-Lock anti-leg rotation system which contributes to its stability and which also means that you can twist open all 3 sections of each leg with one smoot twist of your wrist. This means opening and extending the tripod takes only second.

The Rapid Centre Column has a column just above the tripod chassis for easy and quick adjustments. The centre column is both removable, for low to the ground shooting, and reversible for even lower macro work.

The tripod comes in the box packaged inside a black dust bag. Also included is an instruction manual, 2 L wrenches and a small tube of head grease.  Given the price tag of $680 it would have been nice if it had included a carrying bag or tripod strap but I quibble.

All in all this tripod lives up to the reputation of the Gitzo name.

Markins Q-Ball Q3 Traveler with Knob Release Ballhead

While the type of tripod you have will play a vital role in how stable your set-up is the head you use is the cherry on the top of this sundae. The type of head you need will be determined by the type of photography you do. For my needs I was looking for a ballhead with a panning base that would fit the Gitzo Traveler and support my DSLR fitted with a mid-size zoom lens.

I did a considerable amount of research, flip-flopping between a few different ballheads until I had the opportunity to try out the Markins ballhead courtesy of someone in my Photography Club.

Product Specifications & Features

Model	Markins Q-Ball Q3 Traveler w/ Knob Release (Black)
Camera Connection	Screw-Knob Style Quickshoe (QR-48S)
Maximum Load	65 lbs (30 kg)
Maximum Torque	130 lbf·in (150 kgf·cm)
Weight	0.83 lbs (375 g)
Height	3.50 in (89 mm)
Housing Diameter	1.89 in (48 mm)
Panning Base Diameter	1.97 in (50 mm)
Ball Diameter	1.50 in (38 mm)
Friction Control	Bi-Axial Progressive
Panning	Yes
Panorama Index	Yes
Tripod Mount Hole	3/8″–16 UNC
Available Colors	Black

At under a pound this ballhead is strong and provides excellent support. The knobs are smooth and  easy to control which makes adjusting your camera to get that perfect composition a breeze.  The mounting plate is compatible with the Arca-Swiss type quick release clamp.

The Q3 is made specifically for the Gitzo Traveler so when you fold up the legs for traveling the head is narrow enough to allow the legs to be folded tight against it. The Q3 Traveler retails for just under $300 and is well worth the investment. You’ll also need a plate for your camera or lens and the Markins site has a great tool help you find the plate you need.

All in all I am thrilled with this set up. This combination is not inexpensive by any means but so far the build quality of both the tripod and ballhead has surpassed my expectations. I predict we will be together for a very long time.