Posted by Larry Corbett on October 24, 2006 at 6:26 AM
I echo Tom in his quest to find the perfect bag for his long lens, over the years I've searched for the perfect tripod head, when I had my big 500mm lenses I tried the video head..too heavy for me and tried the wimberly side-kick...tooo much movement. so settled on a combination of
1. for hide photography using an old secondhand Low-profile Gitzo 3-way Pan & Tilt head on my benbo 1 which gives me better control and stability than my ...
2. Arca Swiss B1Q Ball and socket head on my new gitzo 1325 which I use for all other types of photography
Call me old fasioned but i'm fed up of my ball & socket head and I want to swap to using a 3-way Pan & Tilt head for all my photography, but the Gitzo G1327? although brilliant in the hide with the 500/300mm super telephoto lenses isn't really up to the job for other types of photography as it is severly restricted in its ability to tilt back and sideways, it just won't go far enough as it's low profile won't allow much movement, so I am considering swapping over to a Manfrotto 3-way Pan & Tilt head (not sure which one yet..but maybe the 329rc4) which will give me alot more movement than the Gitzo in all directions.
Trouble is that I use Kirk macro and telephoto flash brackets alot which screw on to the front of my Arca Quick release plates and these just won't fit on to manfrotto QR plates
Has anybody managed to successfully mate an Arca style QR system on to the top of the QR plate of a Manfrotto QR 3-Way pan & tilt head ??
I will look at this with interest as i too use an Arca swiss B1 and although have used it for about 3 years have never been totally happy with it and to will be looking to replace it,at the moment the wimberly gimbal is top of the list
Posted by Rene de Heer on October 24, 2006 at 7:49 AM
a"t the moment the wimberly gimbal is top of the list "
Penney wise Pound foolish: get a Black Widow
Rene de Heer
Posted by Mike Smith on October 24, 2006 at 7:58 AM
rather than Manfrotto pan and tilt, I would be more inclined to investigate the low profile Gitzo P&T heads, much more stable with the reduced operating height, I used to have Manfrotto with Pentax gear, but was never satisfied with the construction or stability with the old bazooka 500 4.5 lens on top
Posted by Tony Anderson on October 24, 2006 at 11:46 AM
Im using a Gitzo 1325 / Black Widow combination and i find it works well with the canon 600mm f/4 lens
I think its worth a look
Tony Anderson
Posted by Larry Corbett on October 24, 2006 at 12:31 PM
Guys your going off on a tangent..
I never asked for a Black widow which appears to be a more expensive version of a wimberly sidekick which i already have and hate..
Mike please read the question again...I already have a gitzo 3-way pan and tilt which isn't up to the job..
Has anybody managed to successfully mate an Arca style QR system on to the top of the QR plate of a Manfrotto QR 3-Way pan & tilt head ??
I take it you have discounted just buying spare plates for the pan and tilt and fitting these QR plates to each lens? If so, try mounting a Foba Balso on to the head of QR Manfrotto plate - crude, expensive, but it may work.
Posted by Rene de Heer on October 24, 2006 at 2:25 PM
I never asked for a Black widow which appears to be a more expensive version of a wimberly sidekick which i already have and hate..
Point taken Larry but.........
You are wrong! The JOBU Black Widow is a similar design to the Full Wimberley!
Rene de Heer
Posted by Alan Bryant on October 24, 2006 at 3:02 PM
I've got the Wimberley Gimble version II, connected to the Gitzo 1548 legs for my 500mm.Its a awesome combination, with LOADS of movement .Oh and it makes the "heavy" 500 light weight .
I know this is not what you are asking.Just thought i'd say what i'm using with my 500 thats all
Posted by Mike Smith on October 25, 2006 at 2:32 AM
Larry
I have had several Manfrotto P&T heads in my time, They are designed for the mass consumer market and to hold small telephoto lenses. All the ones I had the construction for the panning movement had a cheap roller bearing in the centre and a small amount of friction grease. The build tolerances are rubbish allowing wobble when the panning base is slackened for movement.
If for general photography you mean small telephoto lenses then they can work, but any heavy telephoto lenses will not, the weight is just too much for them.
Yes sort of... I replaced the Manfrotto QR platform on a 393 with an arca swiss platform, purchased the platform from Kirk.... on my conversion I simply removed the old plate and attached the new one, however it did need a spacer plate so that the locking knob was clear for easy operation, Kirk make platforms with standard threads so you should be able to attach one to the QR plate that comes with the head, although I suspect you will be adding another point where the rig can flex, I'm no engineer so that is just an assumption.
HTH
Phil
Posted by Tony Anderson on October 25, 2006 at 4:39 AM
Hi Larry
Im sorry for misunderstanding your question, I don't know if this is of any help to you
but as a mechanical engineer, and not wishing to teach you to suck eggs, have you approached a local (one man band) small engineering shop with a sketch / drawing if poss to get a price from them to construct a bespoked plate / spacer or whats needed for your requirements as this often gets you what you actually need and not a "of the shelf not quite right make do item"
I would approach at least three engineers and get three prices as well as ideas from them, as they often come up with new ways to see a problem solved
Tony
West Sussex
Posted by Larry Corbett on October 25, 2006 at 8:39 AM
Thnks guys, I'll see what Kirk has to offer
I've always been at a loss to know why either Kirk / Really Right Stuff / Arca have never made a 3-way pan and tilt with an arca QR head on it, I guess the markets just too small for such an item..those americans just love their big ball+socket heads so that's all they seem to make. If john shaw or art morris started using a 3-way pan & tilt head surely everyone would follow wouldn't they...
Posted by Elliott Neep on October 25, 2006 at 11:49 AM
Hi Larry,
I had a Manfrotto 329RC4 and have just retired it. It was not stable enough for a 1DSmkII & 300mm F2.8, so I would advise against this. I have just bought an RSS BH-55LR and plates to match all my collared lenses and camera bodies. Its rock solid... like concrete... imovable... Wonderful!
If you're shooting with the big guns (400mm+), then the G1548 would probably be the best bet, plus the wimberly/blackwidow gimbal head. I know what you mean about the Fluide heads. I trialled one for a week and that was enough for me to know that it was fairly impractical many aspects of my photography.
Posted by Larry Corbett on October 25, 2006 at 12:18 PM
i've seen the BH-55LR..it's just a lower profile version of the Arca ball+socket, which I have and yes it's rock solid...but it doesn't allow for really fine tuning of composition like you get with a decent 3 way pan and tilt which i am looking for (with an acra QR fitting)
I just sold my Gitzo 1548..and I don't like the wimberly head (which I already have!)..I don't want a black widow..I don't think it would be that suitable when used with an eos5d and a 28mm lens!!
did any of you actually read my question ?
Posted by Mike Smith on October 26, 2006 at 4:10 AM
Larry
There is no one stop solution, for big glass and lightweight landscape work. The nearest tried and tested single lightweight compromise is a decent ballhead and a Sidekick (or equivelent)
If you have your heart on trying Manfrotto, Kirk sell a QR AS style clamp with the Manfrotto Hex bottom plate mount to fit the Manfrotto hex clamp system
Really the only solution is to have two heads for the Gitzo mountaineer on seperate mounting plates, it takes 30 seconds to swop over - the gitzo ball leveler and gimbal for big glass work and the lighter head on a regular gitzo flat plate.
Posted by Larry Corbett on October 26, 2006 at 5:52 AM
That's what i've been doing for sometime Mike using different set ups for different jobs
Gitzo 1327 3-way Pan & Tilt on Benbo 1 in the hide for 300mm/500mm ...superb
Gitzo 1327 3-way Pan & Tilt on Benbo 1 for 300mm/500mm at somewhere like bradgate ...superb
Arca B1q on Gitzo 1548 for general suff (now downsized to a 1325..(which isn't as rock solid on grass as the 1548 was...& not as high..it's amazing what you miss when you sell something)
Arca B1q on sidekick fon Gitzo 1548 (1325) or bean bag for places like Slimbridge
It all gets a bit confusing sometimes
recently for everything Gitzo 1327 3-way Pan & Tilt on Gitzo 1325 (which is why i sold the 1548 'cos the gitzo 3-way was snagging on the large top plt of the 1548)
Unfortunately the Gitzo 3-way pan & tilt to camera/lens is screw fitting only and it takes an age to change lens/camera setup.
which is why I was hoping to find an arca Quick release style 3-way Pan & Tilt..to save time.
coincidentally..my benbo 1 has had it's central column shortened to about 6" so that is will give full pan and tilt action at ground level like a gizo tripod would do..
guess I'll just have to stick with what i've got for now..until someone invents what i'm after!
Discussion
16 replies1. for hide photography using an old secondhand Low-profile Gitzo 3-way Pan & Tilt head on my benbo 1 which gives me better control and stability than my ...
2. Arca Swiss B1Q Ball and socket head on my new gitzo 1325 which I use for all other types of photography
Call me old fasioned but i'm fed up of my ball & socket head and I want to swap to using a 3-way Pan & Tilt head for all my photography, but the Gitzo G1327? although brilliant in the hide with the 500/300mm super telephoto lenses isn't really up to the job for other types of photography as it is severly restricted in its ability to tilt back and sideways, it just won't go far enough as it's low profile won't allow much movement, so I am considering swapping over to a Manfrotto 3-way Pan & Tilt head (not sure which one yet..but maybe the 329rc4) which will give me alot more movement than the Gitzo in all directions.
Trouble is that I use Kirk macro and telephoto flash brackets alot which screw on to the front of my Arca Quick release plates and these just won't fit on to manfrotto QR plates
Has anybody managed to successfully mate an Arca style QR system on to the top of the QR plate of a Manfrotto QR 3-Way pan & tilt head ??
Thanks for your time
Penney wise Pound foolish: get a Black Widow
Rene de Heer
I think its worth a look
Tony Anderson
I never asked for a Black widow which appears to be a more expensive version of a wimberly sidekick which i already have and hate..
Mike please read the question again...I already have a gitzo 3-way pan and tilt which isn't up to the job..
Has anybody managed to successfully mate an Arca style QR system on to the top of the QR plate of a Manfrotto QR 3-Way pan & tilt head ??
I take it you have discounted just buying spare plates for the pan and tilt and fitting these QR plates to each lens? If so, try mounting a Foba Balso on to the head of QR Manfrotto plate - crude, expensive, but it may work.
Point taken Larry but.........
You are wrong! The JOBU Black Widow is a similar design to the Full Wimberley!
Rene de Heer
I know this is not what you are asking.Just thought i'd say what i'm using with my 500 thats all
I have had several Manfrotto P&T heads in my time, They are designed for the mass consumer market and to hold small telephoto lenses. All the ones I had the construction for the panning movement had a cheap roller bearing in the centre and a small amount of friction grease. The build tolerances are rubbish allowing wobble when the panning base is slackened for movement.
If for general photography you mean small telephoto lenses then they can work, but any heavy telephoto lenses will not, the weight is just too much for them.
Mike
Yes sort of... I replaced the Manfrotto QR platform on a 393 with an arca swiss platform, purchased the platform from Kirk.... on my conversion I simply removed the old plate and attached the new one, however it did need a spacer plate so that the locking knob was clear for easy operation, Kirk make platforms with standard threads so you should be able to attach one to the QR plate that comes with the head, although I suspect you will be adding another point where the rig can flex, I'm no engineer so that is just an assumption.
HTH
Phil
Im sorry for misunderstanding your question, I don't know if this is of any help to you
but as a mechanical engineer, and not wishing to teach you to suck eggs, have you approached a local (one man band) small engineering shop with a sketch / drawing if poss to get a price from them to construct a bespoked plate / spacer or whats needed for your requirements as this often gets you what you actually need and not a "of the shelf not quite right make do item"
I would approach at least three engineers and get three prices as well as ideas from them, as they often come up with new ways to see a problem solved
Tony
West Sussex
I've always been at a loss to know why either Kirk / Really Right Stuff / Arca have never made a 3-way pan and tilt with an arca QR head on it, I guess the markets just too small for such an item..those americans just love their big ball+socket heads so that's all they seem to make. If john shaw or art morris started using a 3-way pan & tilt head surely everyone would follow wouldn't they...
I had a Manfrotto 329RC4 and have just retired it. It was not stable enough for a 1DSmkII & 300mm F2.8, so I would advise against this. I have just bought an RSS BH-55LR and plates to match all my collared lenses and camera bodies. Its rock solid... like concrete... imovable... Wonderful!
If you're shooting with the big guns (400mm+), then the G1548 would probably be the best bet, plus the wimberly/blackwidow gimbal head. I know what you mean about the Fluide heads. I trialled one for a week and that was enough for me to know that it was fairly impractical many aspects of my photography.
I just sold my Gitzo 1548..and I don't like the wimberly head (which I already have!)..I don't want a black widow..I don't think it would be that suitable when used with an eos5d and a 28mm lens!!
There is no one stop solution, for big glass and lightweight landscape work. The nearest tried and tested single lightweight compromise is a decent ballhead and a Sidekick (or equivelent)
If you have your heart on trying Manfrotto, Kirk sell a QR AS style clamp with the Manfrotto Hex bottom plate mount to fit the Manfrotto hex clamp system
Really the only solution is to have two heads for the Gitzo mountaineer on seperate mounting plates, it takes 30 seconds to swop over - the gitzo ball leveler and gimbal for big glass work and the lighter head on a regular gitzo flat plate.
Gitzo 1327 3-way Pan & Tilt on Benbo 1 in the hide for 300mm/500mm ...superb
Gitzo 1327 3-way Pan & Tilt on Benbo 1 for 300mm/500mm at somewhere like bradgate ...superb
Arca B1q on Gitzo 1548 for general suff (now downsized to a 1325..(which isn't as rock solid on grass as the 1548 was...& not as high..it's amazing what you miss when you sell something)
Arca B1q on sidekick fon Gitzo 1548 (1325) or bean bag for places like Slimbridge
It all gets a bit confusing sometimes
recently for everything Gitzo 1327 3-way Pan & Tilt on Gitzo 1325 (which is why i sold the 1548 'cos the gitzo 3-way was snagging on the large top plt of the 1548)
Unfortunately the Gitzo 3-way pan & tilt to camera/lens is screw fitting only and it takes an age to change lens/camera setup.
which is why I was hoping to find an arca Quick release style 3-way Pan & Tilt..to save time.
coincidentally..my benbo 1 has had it's central column shortened to about 6" so that is will give full pan and tilt action at ground level like a gizo tripod would do..
guess I'll just have to stick with what i've got for now..until someone invents what i'm after!