Last year I traded my much-loved and well-used Gitzo GT5531S for a taller version. My old Gitzo got the camera to eye level for me, but increasingly I found situations where a taller version would work better:
Obstacles
Be able to shoot over hedges, fences, walls etc. Just basically giving yourself a slightly different viewpoint. Helps also to separate out foreground objects when the terrain is fairly flat. Obvious really, but best suited to shooting close to the car, because you'll probably need some steps. A geared head and tilting LCD make shooting with camera above head height much easier. I first got this idea from watching Nick Carver on Youtube.
Steep slopes
On hills and mountains, a tripod that just gets to eye level on flat ground can easily become a tripod that only gets your camera to waist level, which can mean that foreground objects get in the way. Longer legs can be extended down the slope, maintaining a higher working height.
High winds
A couple of years ago my old tripod did blow over, with camera on, in NW Scotland, despite being tethered to my rucksack. Fortunately no damage was done, but that did set me thinking. With the new taller version, I can splay the legs out to a wider angle and create a massively stable platform, while still having a good range of working heights.
*There aren't so many options in tall tripods, but for those looking for something more economical, the Benro Mach3 TMA48CXL gets to 90% of the height (higher with column extended) but at 40% of the cost and saving about 0.5kg in weight. I can't vouch for it's stability but Benro generally seem to make solid (haha) products.
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