It does appear to be yet a good deal lighter than the 1227 that I have been using for a few years now.

Any feedback?

Together with a D200, it will end up being at least one lens lighter than my current D2x set up.

Regards,
Bernard

Darn it, I have just bought a 1227 last week . No wonder my dealer has a sale going on for these older models. I wish I knew of the new 1257 last week.

No worries, the 1227 is an amazing piece of equipment and won't let you down.

The only problem that I have with the Gitzo tripods is their tendency to lock when used at very low temperatures.

I don't know if the new tripods are for sales already or not. I saw an add in a French magazine last week that led me to check out their webpage where they have a PDF introducing the new offer.

I find their ability to keep innovating simply amazing.

Regards,
Bernard

It is for sale at http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller...oughType=search
But I have been checking the Gitzo web site every week during the past month while I pondered which model to buy. Yet they never alluded me to their upcoming new product offerings. What is the purpose of spending money on advertising when they don't even announce upcoming new products to customers knocking on their doors ?

I have used Gitzo 1128 a few years ago but find the twisting lock very hard on my skin in cold and dry climates. I have since switched to Manfrotto Carbon 441 in favour of their snap locks. While setting up is speedier, the snap locks require frequent adjustments using a screw driver which is not provided. On several occasions out in the field I have found myself scrambling to find something to tighten the lock without a screw driver.

The other issue is sturdiness. Somehow I feel the Gitzos give a little less than the Manfrottos. This could mean the difference between an image that is crisp or mushy. I cannot prove it but it is just my gut feelings. So I decided to give the Gitzos another try. God I wish I had bought their latest and the greatest .

I bought a Gitzo Explorer G2228 - very robust, versatile and light - until you put the RRS ballhead on it - gets a bit heavier, but remains very sturdy as it is meant to carry this weight plus a DSLR, plus some.

One option would be to check out the Kirk or Markins replacement baseplates that get rid of the center column. If you can live w/o the center column, you could get a roughly equivalent weight reduction to the 1257, plus the benefit of some added stability. The other option is to evaluate the ballhead you're using. The Acratech Ultimate and Markins appear to be the best lighter ballheads, with the Kirk BH-3 being a few ounces heavier.

The weight difference between the old Gitzo and the new Gitzo is only 0.3 lbs. That's roughly a cheeseburger for us Americans...

Interesting hints and reference point.

I do have an Acratech ballhead, now used with my Gitzo 1028, but find it to be a bit too much of a compromise as a serious set-up. Besides, I use a lot the panoramic head of the BH55-PCL.

My best guess for a lighter high end tripod combo would now be the Gitzo 1257 with a Markin replacement base place and a RRS BH40 with PCL... I don't think that I can afford to spend again this kind of money though.

Regards,
Bernard

Curious, I happen to feel the opposite. I agree the bogen locks are crap. I have a bogen tripod but probably will be switching to gitzos. I use an acratech ballhead and the tripod which is the 3021 is not steady enough. And the leg spikes get lost very easily especially if you stick them in mud. I think its a flawed design.

Does anyone know the diameter of the tripod legs of the new G1257? And if it is less than the 1227?

Stefan

I couldn't find the answer to this one anywhere. On the other hand, based on the images, I feel that it is very close to the diameter of the 1227.

The main difference appears to be in the thickness of the carbon walls that they managed to decrease from 1.5 to 1 mm thanks for a new 6 layers manufacturing technique. This reduction of thickness appears to be responsible for the weight reduction.

Regards,
Bernard