When did they make the Bogen 3039 under the Bogen name?

When did they make the Bogen 3039 under the Bogen name? I know it's still made as the Manfrotto 229, but mine says it's a Bogen 3039, so I think it's an earlier one.

I have one of each. They're the same.

Like "Honeywell" Pentax, I think Bogen is just an importer name. They are the same, in any case.

Bogen never made it at all. Ever. It was always made by Manfrotto, and AFAIK Manfrotto gear is/was only sold under the "Bogen" badge in the US. To the rest of the world it is and always was Manfrotto - made in Italy.

 

I presume Bogen was just a badge-engineering outfit like Vivitar.

So when did they Bogen start selling it, or Manfrotto start making it then? I knew that Manfrotto made it, and the head does say made by Manfrotto, meaning it could've been made during or after 1993, as I think Manfrotto bought Bogen then.

The Manfrotto 229 replaced the 029 mkii head sometime after 2008. I came across this old classified ad.

 

About 20 years ago I bought a used 028 tripod with 029 head. So the 029 (mki) obviously pre-dates 1997. The head was a bit tatty with a bent control arm when I got it, and I recently had the opportunity to buy an old stock 029 mkii at a price I couldn't refuse. The 029 mkii now appears to be discontinued in favour of the 229. So I'm guessing that a 229 can't be much older than 10 years, and probably more recent than that.

 

I wouldn't worry about your Bogen head's age. My old 029 served me well for 2 decades, and I expect the mkii to outlast me. Just use it and clean and regrease it occasionally.

 

BTW, the 029 head has supported everything I've thrown at it, from a DeVere 5x4 monorail and an MPP 5x4 technical camera through various MF cameras and down to full frame DSLRs. The 229 looks even sturdier.

Edited April 10, 2017 by rodeo_joe|1

The Manfrotto 229 replaced the 029 mkii head sometime after 2008. I came across this old classified ad.

 

About 20 years ago I bought a used 028 tripod with 029 head. So the 029 (mki) obviously pre-dates 1997. The head was a bit tatty with a bent control arm when I got it, and I recently had the opportunity to buy an old stock 029 mkii at a price I couldn't refuse. The 029 mkii now appears to be discontinued in favour of the 229. So I'm guessing that a 229 can't be much older than 10 years, and probably more recent than that.

 

I wouldn't worry about your Bogen head's age. My old 029 served me well for 2 decades, and I expect the mkii to outlast me. Just use it and clean and regrease it occasionally.

 

BTW, the 029 head has supported everything I've thrown at it, from a DeVere 5x4 monorail and an MPP 5x4 technical camera through various MF cameras and down to full frame DSLRs. The 229 looks even sturdier.

I'm not worried about the age, I'm just curious. I know that the legs it's on are from 1978 to 1982. What's the difference between the 029 Mk1 and the MK3?

They only made the #029 up to a mkii, and the differences were in having a red rubber grip on the levers/twist locks, a plastic QR safety latch rather than all metal and a slightly smoother action.

 

I think I got confused by the Bogen numbers. It looks like the 3039 was in production in parallel with the 029 model for some time, rather than replacing it. The 029 and 3039 look quite similar, but aren't exactly the same. The 3039/229 has bronze bushes on the locking grips and a slightly beefed up tilt pivot. In operation and carrying capacity they're about the same and take the same hexagonal "quick" (not!) release plate. The hex plate is the worst part of the design and can be mislocated if you're not careful, with a risk of popping off the tripod unexpectedly. It's secure enough as long as you double check that it's seated properly. The hex plates were available with either rubber or cork facing. IMO the rubber facing is more resistant to the camera twisting.

They only made the #029 up to a mkii, and the differences were in having a red rubber grip on the levers/twist locks, a plastic QR safety latch rather than all metal and a slightly smoother action.

 

I think I got confused by the Bogen numbers. It looks like the 3039 was in production in parallel with the 029 model for some time, rather than replacing it. The 029 and 3039 look quite similar, but aren't exactly the same. The 3039/229 has bronze bushes on the locking grips and a slightly beefed up tilt pivot. In operation and carrying capacity they're about the same and take the same hexagonal "quick" (not!) release plate. The hex plate is the worst part of the design and can be mislocated if you're not careful, with a risk of popping off the tripod unexpectedly. It's secure enough as long as you double check that it's seated properly. The hex plates were available with either rubber or cork facing. IMO the rubber facing is more resistant to the camera twisting.

I mistyped MK3, and mine does have black rubber grips with red centers, My release plate is rubber, or at least it's black.Mine appears to have bronze bushes where the handles enter the tripod head.

In case one is not familiar with the 3039, it's similar to a 4047 in size and shape, but the bronze bushings and extra nuts allow one to adjust the drag, making for smoother movement and less flop when using heavy lenses. You can set it tight enough to be safe even with a big telephoto.

 

The hex plates are big and a bit clumsy, but because they use only a single layer of material, and the screws are allowed to protrude through the bottom, they lend themselves very well to custom fabrication. If you're equipped with some machinery to mill aluminum, you can make your own, using any number of screws from old tripods and camera cases. When I was using these regularly, I made several to fit specific cameras, lenses and scopes. If you mill the top of the plate even a millimeter deep to fit the contour of a camera base, it mounts tightly enough not to sag or rotate, without having to overtighten the screw.

 

If you're not equipped to make your own you could also buy an "architectural" plate that has an extra bracket that prevents the camera from twisting.

I've not seen the architectural plate Dieter. Is it still in production?

 

I've come across the hex plates in a number of variants - rubber or cork facing and with a removable or set-screw, but not with an anti-twist bracket. The large square plates only seem to come in one type - cork faced and with an interchangeable 1/4" or 3/8" screw.

I've not seen the architectural plate Dieter. Is it still in production?

 

I've come across the hex plates in a number of variants - rubber or cork facing and with a removable or set-screw, but not with an anti-twist bracket. The large square plates only seem to come in one type - cork faced and with an interchangeable 1/4" or 3/8" screw.

 

 

Those plates are still available - I used to have a couple. The main issue with them is that the metal that prevents twist is pretty crude and sharp - I put gaff tape over it when I used them.

 

Manfrotto 030ARCH-14 Architectural Quick Release 030ARCH-14 B&H

 

Eric Sande