Congratulations with your new tripod.
I have one of Leofotos smaller models, and it work fantastic, sturdy and very lightweight.
I have been eyeing one if those for some time now. isn't it the same6as the "innorel" as in same tripod with different brand. The one I was looking at claims 30kg+.also with leveling plate and 75mm ball for adapter for video heads. How do you like it in general ?
Thanks for the comments Bent and Paco. I think I have seen mentioned before that the products of Leofoto and Innorel come from the same factories, but a quick check indicates that the products while pretty similar are not identical and I did not see a product like the Leofoto G4 Pro geared head (that I previously got) among the Innorel products.
The presence of a leveling platform was one of my initial criteria's as it greatly simplifies setup with a tracker. I was initially set on one of the systematic tripods with option for a 75mm video bowl. However the weight increase was considerable when the video bowl was added, bringing weight up to about 2.4 kg. Also the wide size of the spider would makes it less transportable. That is when I discovered that the Ranger series came in a version with 32mm upper leg segments, so I settled on the LS-324CEX Leveling Ranger Tripod legs with integrated leveling platform that seems like a good compromise. Nominal weight is only 1.61 kg, and packs very tight due to the narrow spider. The nominal carrying capacity at 15kg is much less than the systematic version with 36mm upper legs (LM-364C X) at 30kg, but I think it will be more than adequate for most uses. I was also looking hard at the sealed Poseidon versions, but they lacked the leveling platform*, and the more exposed metal of the leg locks might be uncomfortable in the cold.
Getting a tripod that fits one's needs is really like looking for a good pair of good hiking boots, and one can get pretty bewildered by the wide range of selections that does not always have the desired combinations of features. Here is a link to an interesting video showing how the modularity of the Leofoto components allow assembly of custom tripods (but requires purchases of multiple tripods):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLbvONDNFbY*And here is what is apparently a South-African dealer assembling sealed legs with integrated leveling platform that are not available elsewhere (at a price...) :
https://landscapegear.co.za/products/leofoto-agulhas-carbon-fiber-tripod-kit-lp-364cex-lh-47lr?srsltid=AfmBOoqEO9G--QOKOOpAhDozl2FkUuPgYVMerh6ccQZZTSlUVyuNhdmh BTW I have for some time felt that my old Gitzo is on borrowed time. A while ago, most of the threads for one of the lower leg locks broke off due to rough treatment after the leg segment got bent and stuck. I initially thought that was it, and the Gitzo would become my cut down travel-only tripod legs. But to my surprise the little that was left of the threads still worked. However that is when my tripod leg search became more serious, so it was an easy decision to go ahead now and beat the tariffs. Impressions so far are very positive. Added: Another event that made the final push was a hilarious lunar eclipse session with the Gitzo that do not have spikes and where leg locks are inactive by default (by my own chosen modification) on a slippy road. I purchased a set of sturdy claws for the Leofoto legs to supplement the included short spikes.
