Replacing Arca Swiss Monoball Z1sp pan lock knob

Hi,

I have an arca swiss z1 sp monoball ballhead. I had given to authorised service center for attaching quick release clamp to it.

There were some scratches / paint chipped off the panning lock knob. The knob is functioning fine. Does it make sense to

replace the knob ? will the replaced knob still have the same smoothness in operation as the originally fitted knob? Thanks in advance.

Leave it be.

Hi Sanjay. Glad you got your head back, although I'm a little unimpressed that the panning lock got chipped - I don't know how they managed that. (Well, it probably fell off a table, but still...)

 

Honestly, if it works, I'd leave everything alone. These things are designed to be used, and if the tripod falls over with the head on it ("friends" have been known to knock mine over when it's been left in a corner, fortunately without visible damage yet...) it's always possible that worse could happen to it. If it hurts your hand or can't be turned properly, worry. Otherwise, it's a tool, and the pretty thing you're supposed to be taking a photo of should be in front of the camera, not under it. I like having scuffed gear - it makes it a little less likely that someone will try to steal it off me.

Hi, thanks for the reply. There is a slight miscommunication here. I am yet to receive the ballhead from the service center. I went for bird photography trip and the ballhead tipped on a rough surface and the panning lock got scratched. This was prior to sending my the ballhead to the service center for attaching the kirk release clamp. When I asked the service center, they offered to do touchup on the housing and the knob. However, they said the touchup would not look similar to the anodised finish . On the knob, they said that changing it might be a better option than to do a touchup, considering the cosmetics. With a functional knob, I am not sure if I should really risk replacing it ?

Oh! That makes more sense than having to send it off for another repair! It happens to us all, as I've indicated. :-)

 

I think it's entirely up to you (and how much they're thinking to charge you for doing it). It's a knob; I'd be moderately impressed if they managed to do anything to it which wouldn't work afterwards, especially if (and I'm not clear on this) they're talking about replacing it with an Arca part. We're talking the fiddly little teardrop-shaped bit of plastic next to the main tightening knob, yes? (That manages both to be inconveniently small to grip and inconveniently close to other bits of the head?) I've never been all that impressed by the design (my d4 is DP, so I have two of the things); I'd really like those axes to be geared as well, like the 405/410 Manfrottos. Besides, I keep forgetting that I've failed to lock one, and suddenly realise I've got the camera sliding around. I doubt any replacement could make the design significantly worse, even if it's not an identical replacement. I don't believe it's designed for variable friction like the main ball, so there shouldn't be much for the engineering to get wrong.

 

So... I doubt it'd hurt to replace it, but if it isn't actually broken, it's up to you whether it bothers you enough to pay whatever they're asking. Unless there's actually a crack in the plastic that might make the whole thing break and leave the head either locked or (worse) unlocked, it sounds like an aesthetic decision.

 

I quite like the main release knob on my Triopo - it's a teardrop shape that's easy to apply force to, but it's spring-loaded over a hex nut so you can rotate it if the orientation is awkward. It doesn't have a separate panning clamp, though - it just rotates if the head is sufficiently loose, which is a little awkward. I'd really like the RRS levelling base for my tripod legs, but the lack of anti-rotation screw worries me (and I switch heads too much to want to use thread lock). Must... not... spend... more... money... on... accessories...

Singing words of wisdom, let it be, let it be

 

LINK

 

Any how, such things are a badge of honor, not something to be ashamed of. ;)

I have learned not to get concerned about knobs. If it locks the pan base then it works. If it is really ugly get a cost estimate. i do not see how the company could screw up. Yet it may be more work to replace the knob which is an internal brake then it is is to just put on a clamp where there is a nut or a swaged fitting...I think it has a nut and incidentally this is supposed to be user accessible if I am correct. I could be wrong. If there is a stud on top then one can put on any clamp that has a suitable thread like the ones from Really Right Stuff in California...they come on lots of sizes and varieties..... But the service center can surely check it out and snazzy it up tight and you have a good ball head there.