Manfrotto tripod (190D) question

Hello,

 

I have a 190D Manfrotto tripod. In order to splay the legs of the tripod as wide and flat as possible, it's necessary, of course, to remove the main shaft. On the end of the shaft, at the opposite end to the head, there is a detachable "grommet", which can be mounted on the "shoulders" of the tripod in place of the shaft with head as shown in the attached photo below.

This piece has a threaded bolt protruding which I suppose must attach to some form of secondary (or the same?) tripod head.

 

Can someone please explain what I can do to make use of this feature? I know I can upside-down mount the existing head/shaft, but I wish to use a TLR camera low to the ground.

 

Thanks a lot!

 

 

Manfrotto used to make a converter from the 3/8" tripod mounting screw to 1/4" camera thread. It was a 1/2" thick threaded disc with a 1/4" screw on top. I don't know if they still make it but there is probably something like that on the market or you could countersink and glue a 3/8" nut in a piece of wood with a 1/4" machine screw driven through to allow your camera to mount. You should also look at your camera--it might have a 3/8" mount already with an adapter for 1/4 " screwed in. My Rolleiflex 3.5 E is set up this way.

Thanks AJG. The camera is a Mamiya C330, I have the parallax correction bracket too. I'll try and see if something is available for these. I wonder if there is an adaptor with a simple ball joint?

This is the Manfrotto adapter AJG mentioned.

 

I wonder if there is an adaptor with a simple ball joint?

Look for a short ball head.

Brilliant, thanks to you both!

If the tripod in question has a Manfrotto head already, then it's almost certainly also 3/8 inch threaded, and should fit the plastic piece. Most Manfrotto heads are retained on their posts by three small set screws coming up from below, whose heads are on the bottom of the post flange, and these must be loosened in order to unscrew the head from the post. Take the post out of the tripod and look for those screws, and it should be fairly easy to remove the head and put it on the stub.

 

When you reattach the head to the post, do not screw it down gorilla-tight, and use the set screws to keep it from loosening, and this should make it fairly easy to switch posts as needed, as long as you remember to carry the right sized screwdriver.

If the tripod in question has a Manfrotto head already, then it's almost certainly also 3/8 inch threaded, and should fit the plastic piece.

 

It does indeed. Thank you for saving me some $$!

All the best!