6X Carbon Tripod at US$240

Photoskipper

Brought the Giottos MT8270 6X carbon light weight tripod at HK$ 1800 (US$ 240) only. Weight 2 Kg loading 13 Kg max 170 cm. Comes with padded carry bag.
Tried out during the New Year firework. The 170 cm height allowed me to have clear shot of the firework above the crowd. The tripod is light, stable and really good height. Used with Jabu arm carried the 500 F4 lens for bird photo is no problem.

The Price in Adorama and B&H is US& 437.95. Good to consider getting from Hong Kong.

ziggy53

Congratulations on the new tripod.

Martyn

Hi Photoskipper,

from which shop did you purchase the tripod?

Photoskipper

Martyn wrote:

Hi Photoskipper,

from which shop did you purchase the tripod?

Cannot remember exactly the name of the shop. According to my credit card record, it is Coxwell digital camera. The shop has a small outlet along Sai Yeung Choi street and has a big show room on 9th floor.

The tripod was on special promotion in Nov, not sure whether it is still available.

Martyn

Finally made it to the shop. It is branded Cam2. I have been in the smaller shop on the ground floor but I didn't know about the 9th floor showroom. Wish I'd known earlier, I bought the new Tamron 17-50 lens down stairs at Wing Shing on the way, paid HK$43xx. Cam2 have the same lens for HK$39xx. Both are Hong Kong guarantee. Wing Shing did offer me an international guarantee for the same price though.

Cam2 still have the MT8270 priced at just under HK$1800. They have several other tripods in the range all at similar prices. I went with the intention of getting the same tripod as you but having seen it it was too big and heavy. Walked out with the Gitzo GT1531 which is slightly smaller, lighter and unfortunately a lot more expensive. Paid HK$3500. No idea at the moment if this is a good price. I will look up the B&H price and add an edit later.

All-in-all an expensive trip to Mongkok. The GT1531 is very sexy though. Now I need a head for it.


Edit: Just checked with B&H. They have this tripod listed for US$549.95 . I paid about $450.

Photoskipper

thanks for sharing.

I will be back by end of Jan and hope to pick up some more "good bargains"

Do you have experience to shop of the "China made" stuffs in Apliu St, Sham Shui Po? I plan to get the cheap studio light stand and accessories there. Last time, I checked the price for 2 stand with head, reflectors, umbrella and other accesories for HKD 800 only.

Understand the quality may not be great but usable.

Want some advise.

Martyn

When I started with lights everything came from Ap Liu Street. I wanted to try for as little money as possible as I didn't know if I would keep at it.

I am still using the light stands and umbrellas which I paid very little for. I got the stands from from the market and the umbrellas from one of the shops. Do not remember which one. I think I paid HK$80 for the stands which go up to about 8 feet.
I also have many clamps, stands and other bits of equipment - all from Ap Liu Street. The reflectors I bought didn't last too long though, the metallic coating on the fabric wore away quiet quickly. These were very very cheap though (I repaired these myself with better fabric).


You might want to look in at Dragon Image in Wan Chai. They have similar equipment but a little more polished (and quiet cheap) as well as regular equipment at regular prices.


What head do you have/ did you get for your tripod. The only one Cam2 seemed to have (and tried to sell me) was the Benro one and this had too many dials for my taste. The quick release plate is not particularly quick to release either. They did show me the Gitzo catalog and recommended a Gitzo head but then wanted a month to order it for me.

What other camera shops are you aware of? I have been sticking to Wing Shing and Tin Cheung pretty tightly and I can't believe I didn't know about the 9th floor Cam2 shop. I am still kicking myself about the price of the Tamron lens.

Photoskipper

I am a bit series about the tripod and always go for the "good" stuffs as it needs to be really reliable. I am using the MH1000 ball head with the 6X legs for general use. The Jabu swing arm with the MT9160 aluminum leg for the 500 mm F4 with extensors.

Since the lights are mainly used in my home studio, I can afford to go cheap.

only got the bodies from HK. Used to buy everything from Wing Sheng in 80's but hardly get any thing from them since I moved our from HK.

I order most of the stuffs - lenses and flash gun from US as I travel to US every quarter and I can pick it up from the hotel with very minimal 10 days land shipment (most of time are free shipment) from B&H and Adroama.

Martyn

Minor update.

Just back from Tin Cheung. Bought the GH1780QP head to go with the new tripod. Paid HK$1650.00

They have the GT1531 for the same price as Cam2, HK$3500. So I didn't get a bargain but I didn't pay over the odds either.


On a side note didn't really enjoy the experience. The customers in the shop seemed to be an inconvenience to the staff on the 2nd floor. The staff on the ground floor were fine.