Finding a Better Tripod

[rodeo_joe1]

I think it unscrews if you loosen the three locking screws that come up from the bottom...

Yes it does. Revealing a 3/8" bolt and flat circular plate.

You should be able to fit almost any head from Manfrotto or Gitzo to it. Probably from many other makes too.

 

Just a 'heads up' (sorry, couldn't resist that). The worst tripod head I've ever owned was one of Manfrotto's vertical pistol-grip ball heads. Definitely not recommended!

I don't know when tripods got so expensive

The minute that makers found photographers willing to pay that amount!

 

Surveyor's tripods fetch about 1/4 the price for something just as substantial and rigid. They generally only come in bright yellow though.

Edited May 22, 2021 by rodeo_joe|1

[John Seaman]

I think it unscrews if you loosen the three locking screws that come up from the bottom, but I've never tried it.

 

Yes, except that in my experience, if it's an older tripod and the head has never been off there's a good chance that the head is seized on to the legs - even if the screws are loosened. I've freed them up by spraying lubricant into the holes and leaving it overnight. Then replace the screws and successively tighten and loosen them again one at a time. I think this imparts a rocking motion which eventually frees up the seizure.

[JDMvW]

The worst tripod head I've ever owned was one of Manfrotto's vertical pistol-grip ball heads

My version of this can be "flipped." did you try it that way?

 

I have the 322, but I mostly use my Manfrotto 222 on a monopod.

 

For really heavy duty I like the U-form 393 on my "iron-boy", heavy and steady tripod.

Edited May 22, 2021 by JDMvW

[rodeo_joe1]

My version of this can be "flipped." did you try it that way?

Not sure what you mean by flipped.

If you mean using the scalloped finger-grip toward the palm of your hand, then yes, I tried it that way as well. It didn't make the ball movement any less jerky, nor the design any less ridiculously unbalanced.

 

It came with a used tripod, so no real loss - just annoying that its designer should ever think it was a 'good idea'. And yet another piece of total junk to sell on!

[AJG]

Not sure what you mean by flipped.

If you mean using the scalloped finger-grip toward the palm of your hand, then yes, I tried it that way as well. It didn't make the ball movement any less jerky, nor the design any less ridiculously unbalanced.

 

It came with a used tripod, so no real loss - just annoying that its designer should ever think it was a 'good idea'. And yet another piece of total junk to sell on!

I also owned one of these briefly and never liked it since it didn't lock down reliably in the position that I wanted it to. In theory it might be a useful idea but in practice this head wasn't ready for prime time.

[JDMvW]

Not sure what you mean by flipped.

 

in my notes somewhere:

One small tip: If you want to put the camera on vertical it's possible with no problems. However, if you want to put the camera on vertical and then to tilt it up or down you need to move it to the handle's edge, thus using it like the original 3265. This involves unscrewing the two screws which hold the base and then screwing them to the other location. Inconvenient to say the least.

[stanley_sizeler]

That was my first hopeful thought, and though it does come apart, the top of the center shaft is formed to accommodate the Slik head and adjustment etceteras. But perhaps I don't know what the interior of a new ball head looks like.

The new ball assembly, arriving today, has a flat bottom with a removable base screw for either 1/4" or 3/8".

When I've got it in hand I'm still going to try for that direct mount option - If possible.

 

Thanks RJ -

Hello Eric,

 

The mini 'Artcise' ball head you ordered has a maximum weight limit of what it can hold, but if your camera/lens rig is less than 8-9 lbs the ball head should be adequate. I assume that you have a metal 'Arca-Swiss' style metal plate screwed into the bottom of your camera boldy. You will be much happier if you attach the plate to the ball head using a metal 'Quick Release' clamp. The clamps have knob that closes a front and rear jaw that hold the plate. Most (not all) clamps have a threaded centrally located hole that twists on to the threaded bolt sticking up from the top of your mini ball head which itself is attached to the threaded bolt on the top of your tripod. If you use the rig that I described, you can release the camera from the clamp by turning the clamp knob. You can then carry your camera separately rather than always on the tripod. I use a thread locking liquid ( clear nail polish will also work, but less well) on the threads of the tripod and clamp central bolt to prevent them from getting loose. You can get a clamp from China on the internet for $12-150. Make sure that the clamp you order has threaded hole to attach it to the tripod.

My own tripods, ball heads, clamps etc are much more costly than yours, but I need that level of performance .

 

An experienced, knowledgeable camera store sales clerk cold have told you all of the above, shown the products to you and made a profit. I assume that there is no one like that in your area.

[ericphelps]

Thanks Stanley, you're quite right, no camera stores available locally except a big box selling some new popular digital brands and SD cards.

My simple non-elegant solution was to screw the Artcise directly to the Slik locking plate using blue Loc-Tite. I can now spin the assembly quickly onto the iShoot bottom plate on the Fuji. It's much quicker, no fiddling with a quarter to connect/dis the Slik lock plate to the camera, and it allows for some fine directional adjustments once in place.

Here's what it looks like - Thanks again for your thoughts on this!

[Ed_Ingold]

A ball head is no stronger than the load it can hold 90 degrees from vertical. Secondly a ball head is most useful if it can apply tension to the ball and still move by hand without slip-stick action. Ball heads with this ability are generally 2" or so in diameter with gradual lockup tension. The price will be in the range of $300 to $450.

 

The head in the previous illustration would be appropriate for a GoPro camera.

[rodeo_joe1]

The price will be in the range of $300 to $450.

Yeah, it makes perfect sense putting >300 bucks worth of ball head on a 50 dollar tripod that's only rated at 4.5lbs capacity. :cool:

[Ed_Ingold]

Yeah, it makes perfect sense putting >300 bucks worth of ball head on a 50 dollar tripod that's only rated at 4.5lbs capacity. :cool:

How much sense does it make to put a $$$ camera on a $50 tripod?

[rodeo_joe1]

How much sense does it make to put a $$$ camera on a $50 tripod?

It depends on the camera, and we don't know what Eric is using. Just that it's IR converted and therefore needs long shutter times.

 

A lightweight MILC with kit lens or, say an adapted 50mm, is going to be perfectly safe on that Slik. And as long as the weather's calm and it's on firm ground, and it's not cranked up to full extension, it'll perform 'adequately'. Probably as well as some far more expensive CF abominations that I've looked at.

 

I doubt that the OP is using a super-telephoto for IR shots.

Edited May 29, 2021 by rodeo_joe|1

[ericphelps]

It depends on the camera, and we don't know what Eric is using. Just that it's IR converted and therefore needs long shutter times.

 

A lightweight MILC with kit lens or, say an adapted 50mm, is going to be perfectly safe on that Slik. And as long as the weather's calm and it's on firm ground, and it's not cranked up to full extension, it'll perform 'adequately'. Probably as well as some far more expensive CF abominations that I've looked at.

 

I doubt that the OP is using a super-telephoto for IR shots.

 

True that, I'm using a Fuji X100T, tiny really with a fixed 23mm lens. It weighs only 15.5oz, and thats with an iShoot metal base. One wag referred to it as 'Like a Leica'................

[Robin Smith]

In my experience there are 2 things that get photographers worked up into a lather: whether to use UV filters or not, and tripods for which there are 2 schools: 1. you should always buy the best (i.e most expensive) you can afford, or 2: get what you can afford and the differences between brands are not all that profound (it's not rocket science). The tripod population has two further subdivisions: a "real" photographer always tries to use a tripod, because they believe that any photo with a tripod is bound to be better than the same shot taken without one, and those who think this is a gross exaggeration and use them only rarely (if at all these days). If you belong to the "real photographer" category, then you probably will own a Gitzo or an RRS or something similar with a huge price tag. If you are in the latter category then an Asian knockoff is just fine.