Phoenix
16-10-2009, 12:38 AM
Hi Folks
I'm not sure if this has been discussed but I thought I would let all of you Losmandy lovers know that they have redesigned their GM-8 LW Tripod.
This week I received a new replacement LWT from a local supplier for my GM-8 mount, which was pinched a month or so back. To my surprise and concern the new LWT was quite different to its predecessor. The tripod no longer comes with the brushed metal finish and the upper and lower legs are somewhat smaller in their width - particularly the lower legs - and I'm sure the tripod is lighter. Despite this, at the back of each leg there is a 'V' shape groove that seems to marry the upper and lower legs a little better than it's predecessor. The upper legs connect to the top of the tripod using open rather than closed metal 'shoes' (using the same old good quality levers) and the tripod now has small swing-away feet with thin rubber soles.
Many have complained that the LWT had no feet and open ends to the lower legs that are sharp, but I actually like the open ends as they dig into the top few mm of bare ground - otherwise you can place a block of wood or something under them, etc.
I really couldn't find any information on the new LW tripod and how it might differ from its predecessor so I thought I would send an e-mail to Scott Losmandy - here is his reply (I hope he doesn't mind me posting it here):
"It is more stable then the older one. With the "V" shape leg they now lock and will not move side to side and the swivel locking at the top removes the movement of the leg. The bottom of the leg has the swivel because we have been asked for the last 10 years for one."
OPT also confirmed that the new LWT still conforms to the original specs supporting up to 100lb with a weight of 15lb.
I did manage to find a basic description and some photos of the new LWT on Losmandy's Porta-Jib web page: http://www.porta-jib.com/portajib.htm While this looks exactly like the tripod I received, the feet are different on the porta-jib version.
Note that the photos of the LWT on the Losmandy site (not their porta-jib site) under both the G* Mounts and Accessories links still shows the old LWT (albeit with different Height Range specs between pages - my new tripod has a Height Range of 27" to 43" range).
So while the LWT seems a little lighter than the old with somewhat smaller leg width dimensions (not that I can compare the two directly), the new mount has improved fixtures/fastening points and a 'V' shape leg design that one would hope compensates for any reduced leg dimensional changes.
Then again.... you could just purchase the HD tripod.
Cheers
Steve
I'm not sure if this has been discussed but I thought I would let all of you Losmandy lovers know that they have redesigned their GM-8 LW Tripod.
This week I received a new replacement LWT from a local supplier for my GM-8 mount, which was pinched a month or so back. To my surprise and concern the new LWT was quite different to its predecessor. The tripod no longer comes with the brushed metal finish and the upper and lower legs are somewhat smaller in their width - particularly the lower legs - and I'm sure the tripod is lighter. Despite this, at the back of each leg there is a 'V' shape groove that seems to marry the upper and lower legs a little better than it's predecessor. The upper legs connect to the top of the tripod using open rather than closed metal 'shoes' (using the same old good quality levers) and the tripod now has small swing-away feet with thin rubber soles.
Many have complained that the LWT had no feet and open ends to the lower legs that are sharp, but I actually like the open ends as they dig into the top few mm of bare ground - otherwise you can place a block of wood or something under them, etc.
I really couldn't find any information on the new LW tripod and how it might differ from its predecessor so I thought I would send an e-mail to Scott Losmandy - here is his reply (I hope he doesn't mind me posting it here):
"It is more stable then the older one. With the "V" shape leg they now lock and will not move side to side and the swivel locking at the top removes the movement of the leg. The bottom of the leg has the swivel because we have been asked for the last 10 years for one."
OPT also confirmed that the new LWT still conforms to the original specs supporting up to 100lb with a weight of 15lb.
I did manage to find a basic description and some photos of the new LWT on Losmandy's Porta-Jib web page: http://www.porta-jib.com/portajib.htm While this looks exactly like the tripod I received, the feet are different on the porta-jib version.
Note that the photos of the LWT on the Losmandy site (not their porta-jib site) under both the G* Mounts and Accessories links still shows the old LWT (albeit with different Height Range specs between pages - my new tripod has a Height Range of 27" to 43" range).
So while the LWT seems a little lighter than the old with somewhat smaller leg width dimensions (not that I can compare the two directly), the new mount has improved fixtures/fastening points and a 'V' shape leg design that one would hope compensates for any reduced leg dimensional changes.
Then again.... you could just purchase the HD tripod.
Cheers
Steve