Care & Feeding of a Gitzo GT2542: I've had a Gitzo GT2542 tripod for a couple of years, and I'm pretty happy with it, say B+ to A-, but I'm not clear on its care. I've got a pond...

cbtsam Loc: Monkton, MD

I've had a Gitzo GT2542 tripod for a couple of years, and I'm pretty happy with it, say B+ to A-, but I'm not clear on its care. I've got a pond filled with fresh water and plants and frogs, but no fish. Can I safely put the Gitzo legs into that water? Can I safely put them in sea water? Is there anything I should do after immersing it in the pond water or the sea water? Or should I just avoid putting the legs into water entirely?

ken_stern Loc: Yorba Linda, Ca

For the past 20+yrs have been using a Gitzo G1127 Mk2 - It's been in fresh & saltwater -- It actually spent a full day 12ft down in a glacier-fed lake in Patagonia that is until I got help to fish it out -- In all cases, I always disassemble it washed it off in clean water & let it dry out using a toothbrush carefully cleaned all the screw threads then applied VERY small amounts of Gitzo grease (see Amazon) on the threads then reassembled -- Important to get all the sand/stuff out of the threads -- My only Tripod!!

cbtsam Loc: Monkton, MD

ken_stern wrote:

For the past 20+yrs have been using a Gitzo G1127 ... (show quote)

Thanks so much Ken! I can check Amazon for Gitzo grease, but can you suggest where I'd find out how to disassemble my gitzo?

Bill_de Loc: US

When I lived on L.I. my Gitzo was routinely in salt water. Thirty years later all is well. I separated and cleaned the leg sections every few years. Mine is a G1548 and is still my primary tripod with the original Wimberley gimbal still on top. These things last a long time and don't need to be babied.

Care and feeding of Gitzo 2542 tripod.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRsiidANKBI

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ken_stern Loc: Yorba Linda, Ca

cbtsam wrote:

Thanks so much Ken! I can check Amazon for Gitzo grease, but can you suggest where I'd find out how to disassemble my gitzo?

Super Easy --
"Think" they are called locking rings?? (black rubber rings - Mine has 4 per leg yours may have more) -- By twisting clockwise to extend the leg sections -- Just keep twisting until the leg comes off --

cbtsam Loc: Monkton, MD

Thanks again to Ken, and to Bill. I am now ready to be a Gitzo expert! Or, at least I'll know enough to clean it and how that's done. This thread is bookmarked!

Soul Dr. Loc: Beautiful Shenandoah Valley

cbtsam wrote:

I've had a Gitzo GT2542 tripod for a couple of years, and I'm pretty happy with it, say B+ to A-, but I'm not clear on its care. I've got a pond filled with fresh water and plants and frogs, but no fish. Can I safely put the Gitzo legs into that water? Can I safely put them in sea water? Is there anything I should do after immersing it in the pond water or the sea water? Or should I just avoid putting the legs into water entirely?

You might want to Google how to disassemble and clean the model Gitzo tripod you have.
There are probably videos on YouTube to guide you in this.

Will

Bill_de Loc: US

Soul Dr. wrote:

You might want to Google how to disassemble and clean the model Gitzo tripod you have.
There are probably videos on YouTube to guide you in this.

Will

Already been done. See link above.

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I filled the lowest tubes with "Great Stuff" expanding foam sealant. For quiet shallow water (below the first lock ring) just wipe off the legs before collapsing them and no other precautions or cleanup are needed.