Lighter and Better Equipment for the Hiking Photographer

Short Description
The Canon professional digital bodies are heavy to carry, while lighter-weight consumer models do not offer the full-frame sensor and high megapixel count I need for landscapes. There is a niche for an EOS 20D-weight body (minus the optional vertical grip) with a full-frame sensor similar to the 1Ds. This would cut the camera weight down by 60%.

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Content
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For trips with a lot of hiking I prefer a lighter and smaller tripod than the Gitzo 1300 or 1500 series. The 1200 series has plenty of load capacity in a smaller, lighter, but still very sturdy, package than the larger Gitzo lines. One popular option is the carbon fiber Gitzo 1228, but the collar is plastic and not built for rugged trail use. After time, it cannot be fully tightened resulting in stability compromises.
When Gitzo announced the Basalt 1200 series nearly a year ago, I was intrigued but concerned it might have the same plastic collar, an impression I formed from its appearance in advertisements. Over time, my 1228 became nearly unusable and I had to resort to a heavier Gitzo 1348 as the center column just could not be tightened. This summer, when Gitzo finally started shipping the Basalt tripods, I ordered the Gitzo 1297.
The Gitzo 1297 is a three-leg basalt tripod that is much more stable than the slightly more compact four-leg model. I was very impressed when it arrived; this truly is a next generation of Gitzo tripods. The weight difference between it and the carbon fiber version is insignificant, yet is significantly more rigid and solidly built. The legs are constructed so that they do not rotate within their sockets. Since there is no need to fight the leg section to twist to tighten constantly, extension and collapse is a breeze.
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