Does anybody own a Giottos MG 8240B tripod?

Mainecoonmaniac · Feb 25, 2011

I've been wanting a carbon fiber tripod for a while and Adorama has the Giottos MG 8240B tripod for only $249. I checked out BH photo and they have it for $110 more. So I'm sitting on the fence and I'm hoping some helpful APUGer will help me decide. Is the tripod a decent one? I've had a Bogen 3021 for long time and it's getting heavy as I get older.

5stringdeath · Feb 26, 2011

I don't but I'm also in the market for a new tripod so I'm following this thread

Mainecoonmaniac · Feb 26, 2011

I put the order in for it

5stringdeath said:
I don't but I'm also in the market for a new tripod so I'm following this thread

I'll probably get it by the end of next week, so I'll post my first impressions on this thread. I'll probably will post usage in the field with my Mamiya RZ.

lxdude · Feb 26, 2011

I have an aluminum Giottos, an MT 9371, and am happy with it. Very well built.

TheFlyingCamera · Feb 26, 2011

I thought about the Giottos tripods when I was looking for a carbon fiber tripod to replace my old Manfrotto carbon-fiber. I ended up getting an Induro for several reasons - I'm mostly shooting large format (sometimes VERY large) and wanted a tripod that had a fixed center column. I also liked the leg lock style (twist locks, instead of lever locks), and the Induro had anti-rotation legs which makes it faster and easier to set up and collapse. Also, the center column is grooved so it will not rotate when raising or lowering the head. Many of those features may also be on Giottos tripods, I don't know - but the ability to flip the center column horizontally, while nice to have for small cameras, was very worrisome when thinking about stability for bigger/heavier cameras.

paul_c5x4 · Feb 27, 2011

Can't say anything about the 8240 tripod, but I do have an MTL-8361 that I use with a 5x4 camera. Just a few comments about this particular model:

The lever locks on the legs are easy to operate and haven't let me down yet.
With the stubby column, getting close to the ground for a low level shot is real easy.
In use, it is reasonably rigid, although there is some flex in the legs - This can be taken up by hanging a weight from the centre column hook.
The "three-way head" built in to the top of the legs is rather pointless with MF/LF and lacks rigidity for anything other than a lightweight 35mm camera. On balance, probably not worth the extra weight.
At 27" closed length, it is a bugbear to fly with, but being fairly light, a shoulder strap makes it reasonably easy to carry (just be carefull on crowded metro trains )

For the price I paid, I think it was good value for money. That said, the 8240 is quite a bit smaller on the diameter of the legs - I would be concerned about flex and rigidity with a heavy MF camera.

lxdude · Feb 27, 2011

Then "three-way-head" is really there to provide a tilting center column. Its usefulness as an actual 3 way head is limited. The 82 and 92 have a standard column-no tilt. Lighter, simpler.

Mainecoonmaniac · Feb 27, 2011

Thanks Paul C. I hope I could use the Giottos MG 8240B with my Mamiya RZ. The tripod has a 7lb load limit. The weight of the tripod of only 2 lbs is sure appealing.

5stringdeath · Mar 4, 2011

Mainecoonmaniac said:
I'll probably get it by the end of next week, so I'll post my first impressions on this thread. I'll probably will post usage in the field with my Mamiya RZ.

So did you get it yet

Mainecoonmaniac · Mar 5, 2011

Not yet

5stringdeath said:
So did you get it yet

I'm gonna get Monday. It's being shipped from New Jersey and I live in Cali. I'll report to to APUG when I get it. Hope it's good n sturdy. It has a capacity of about 6.5 lbs.

Mainecoonmaniac · Mar 7, 2011

Just received the tripod. My first impression is it's a very nice tripod. It weighs less than 3lbs and it's pretty sturdy. The fit and finish are also excellent. I installed my ball head on it and mounted my Mamiya RZ, a prism and a 65mm f/4.5 lens. The tripod seems to hold that combination steadily. The tripod comes with a nice bag, a strap and a tiny pouch that hold the Allen wrenches for the tripod. All well thought out. There's so a button that allow the legs to spread for the low shots. The legs extend or lock with a slight twist of the locking knobs. But the real test is using it on location. I will report my field usage on this thread.

Mainecoonmaniac · Mar 25, 2011

Here's my report so far on my new tripod. Sorry for not posting earlier, but here in Northern California, we've had weeks of rotten weather. I was able to shoot with it today with my Canon F1n with a 200mm f/2.8. I have an Arca Swiss ball head mounted on the tripod. So far, I'm pleased. It was easy to carry around and just as easy to extend and collapse the tripod. It's really sturdy. However, I don't think I can use it with my Mamiya RZ with lenses and a prism. The tripod is sturdy enough, but not stable enough. I would think the next model up would be better. For cameras under 5lbs it's perfect. So it will work well with my Rolleiflex Automat 4. Weather permitting, I'd like to shoot with my heavy RZ with this tripod in the field and report back. I hope to be surprised.

Mainecoonmaniac · Aug 1, 2011

I finally got the chance to use my Giottos MG 8240B carbon fiber tripod with my heavy Mamiya RZ and a 50mm f/4.5 lens on a hike. I'm very surprised on how steady the tripod is even though it was a little more than 2 lbs. I carried it with a strap that it came with during my hike. One feature I like is a loop to hook a weight on the center post to add stability. I carried a water bottle with a carabiner which I used water bottle to stabilize the tripod. I didn't extend the tripod to the maximum height of 54" I think if I did extend the tripod of it's maximum height, I think my RZ won't be stable. But over all, I'm pretty pleased.

benjiboy · Aug 2, 2011

I have a Giotto large ball and socket head and I'm very pleased with it, the company's products are very good, the only thing that bugs me is the companys name " Giotto" that is meant to sound Italian like Manfrotto, when they are in fact made in Taiwan

5stringdeath · Aug 2, 2011

benjiboy said:
I have a Giotto large ball and socket head and I'm very pleased with it, the company's products are very good, the only thing that bugs me is the companys name " Giotto" that is meant to sound Italian like Manfrotto, when they are in fact made in Taiwan

Oh I thought it was made by the mob

benjiboy · Aug 4, 2011

5stringdeath said:
Oh I thought it was made by the mob

There in Taipei not New Jersey, they may "make you an offer you can't remember"

Does anybody own a Giottos MG 8240B tripod?

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