Leica tribrachs

It depends on what you're doing with them. If you need to flesh out even the smallest bit of possible additional error then they are worth it. If "good enough" is good enough, then go with a knock off.

I run all Leica gear and in my humble opinion if you've shelled out the cash for one of their robots what's another $385 for the matching base to set it on?

My guess is they would not stand behind their spec sheet for distance or angle accuracy if you were not using their recommended setup.

Side bar, ever watched someone try to setup a Leica robot for the first time? Hilarious watching them try to find the optical plummet and try to figure out how to center it LOL.

Leica has different kinds. The good ones are (or used to be) made in Austria. I think maybe they are made in the Czech Republic now. The cheaper ones are made in China. The good ones definitely stay in adjustment much longer than the cheap ones. And if the good ones get damaged (ie/ dropped) they can be serviced, while the cheap ones are throwaways.

I don't have Leica gear, but do have their tribrachs.
They are older ones, but are excellent and I trust them above any others.
I have Sokkia tribrachs and whilst good don't hold adjustment or just continue to function like the Wild/ Leica
Clamps are easy to use and lack any slack.
When stocking up on gear in early days I would always prefer Wild/ Leica.
A tribrach is the foundation your TS etc sits on and a decent TS / Robot deserves the best.
My GPS purchases came with cheap Chinese "any brand you want." tribrachs and they are rubbish by comparison.
Resale value could be another reason to purchase.
That's my 2 bobs worth.

Richard, post: 362152, member: 833 wrote: That's my 2 bobs worth.

Aloha, Richard: Never heard this phrase before...learn something new everyday!:bye:

Save your money someplace else, quality tribrachs and tripods earn their worth.

The old Wild ones and the old Sokisha ones are good if you need to save some money maybe used is the route you should go.

It never ceases to amaze me that people will spend tens of thousands of dollars on a robot and then want to skimp on the accessories. That robot is only as good as the tribrach and tripod it's sitting on.

To answer the original question:
The GDF321/2 is manufactured in Singapore
The GDF111/2 is manufactured in China.

Both are very good tribrachs, the 111 is good for a 3" instrument and the 321 is good up to 1".

But like others have posted, most of the error will come from your trusty old tripod that is nice and easy to setup.

Expensive, yes. The 322s work very well and hold their adjustment. The rub begins when you have an issue with a measurement or traverse. Leica will stand behind their equipment when it is ALL Leica. Memory cards, cables, etc, that‰Ûªs just the way they operate.

We are a Trimble shop

Their tribrachs are terrible

We much prefer to use Leica

jim.cox, post: 362254, member: 93 wrote: We are a Trimble shop

Their tribrachs are terrible

We much prefer to use Leica

I have seen quite a few photos recently with yellow instruments on green tribrachs.
Mine is like that also.

Anyone know if there's a direct correspondence between the Leica part number and the GeoMax part number? The Zoom80 I bought in December came with a ZTR101 tribrach, Article No. 765617. It seems to be nice and sturdy, has met my accuracy needs to date, and appears to have been made in Switzerland (inferred from the "CH-9443 Widnau" notation on the part label).

Jim, i have always thought that Geomax tribrachs are the same as Leica 100 series tribrachs - GDF101 and GDF102 respectively. I'm not 100% sure though.

I've always been partial to the Wild GDF 06 Optical Plummet tribrach.

DDSM:beer: