Cartoni's Focus is a nice head with silky moves. Their Actionpro 10 seems like a Mani 503 with the infamous 'fluid effect' and should be avoided. With the Focus, I'd upgrade the standard bundled sticks to something more substantial. I'm sure you've run across this review:

http://www.studiodaily.com/main/searchlist/5997.html

I'm partial to my Miller Solo CF's for their versatility (beefy Gitzo's) or an old set of Peter Lisands for something with more mass.

Currently cold testing a Arrow 30 from Miller. Very solid, no motion artifacts, stiction or overshoot. Only minor point: between each of the 7 discreet levels of pan/tilt friction there is a semi-defined click stop. It's easy to avoid once you realize it's there. Any pan/tilt motion started when mid-stopped results in a friction-free motion for a few degrees. Other than that, it's on par with anything on the market sub $5000.

The Focus has a very nice head but they really aren't very well made. I have been using mine every day for the past six weeks from new. I am not careless but it does get thrown around a bit. Doing a lot of one man band stuff means it sometimes gets knocked whilst carrying etc. My previous Vinten vison 100 has been bashed, dropped, exploded, shot into space and used to tow a ten tonne tuck with no probs. My Focus has lost a foot, had a spring drop off the leg, the head has got cracked and now has a huge amount of play in it. So it is off to the repairers. For the money it is still a good tripod but if you want a tripod that can withstand the rigours of a hard life on the road I couldn't recommend it. Still with the sachtler or vintens, as they seriously are tripods for life!!!

I have just bought a second hand vision 11 and fibertec legs from B and H. Just over £2,200. Perfect condition.

Hi Phil,

I ended up with a Sachtler DV 6 SB, great head. For my Sony V1 I will need however a so called COG plate, as the plate base does not allow balancing the cam (other cams might work well).

Vinten Vision 3/Gitzo combination
 

Does anyone have any experience with Vinten Vision 3 head and the Gitzo GT3540XL legs. I am using a Canon XH-A1 camera with the Canon wide angle lense and really like the Vision 3. I just bought the new Gitzo systematic tripod for my still photography and like the Gitzo's light weight and compactness. I was going to buy the Gitzo 75mm ball adaptor and fit the Vinten to the sticks. I know this is not the optimal platform for the Canon. However cost, transportability and compactness is a concern. Does anyone have any experience with the Vision 3 and the Gitzo systmatic tripod?

I successfully use a Gitzo tripod with Sachtler head, but my Gitzo is the video version - not sure about your model. If the specification says its suitable with video heads, I think you wont have any problem.

I don't have a Vision 3 but I'm using an OConnor on an old series 3 systematic Gitzo tripod. You just remove the top flat plate on the Gitzo and install the Gitzo bowl adapter. It's a little cramped where you tighten the bowl tie-down knob, but other than that, it works fine. This should be less of a problem for you because the Vinten tie-down knob is elongated, unlike OConnor's, which is short and stubby. I wish my legs were more torsionally stiff, but I think the carbon fiber versions, like the 6X one you have, are better in that area--although probably not as stiff as a 5 series.

Also, you might be interested to know that on March of the Penguins, the cinematographers used a big, old Vinten Vision series head on what appears to be an old series 5 Gitzo aluminum tripod. So a Vinten/Gitzo combo is actually not bad at all, considering they were shooting with that combo in -70°F/150 mph winds at the bottom of the Earth!