Slixtiesix
Member
Another vote for the Gitzo G2270m here. The movements of this head are so super-smooth you will hardly miss a geared head! I also have a Manfrotto 405, but I would choose the Gitzo over it any day.
Great to see you here. Join our insightful photographic forum today and start tapping into a huge wealth of photographic knowledge. Completing our simple registration process will allow you to gain access to exclusive content, add your own topics and posts, share your work and connect with other members through your own private inbox! And don’t forget to say hi!
mine was delivered today.does anybody already have experience with this leveling base?
Hi folks, my first post on getDPI.For those users of Gitzo Systematic tripods, there is a great leveling system available from Gitzo & Manfrotto, that uses common video-based support accessories.
With Gitzo's Systematic tripods, you have a removable column / flat plate to which you would normally secure your tripod head. As I am sure most of you have found, using the flat plate, instead of the movable column, provides a much more rigid, and secure camera platform.
For some time now, Gitzo has made both 75mm and 100mm 'Ball Adapters' for use with the systematic series of tripods (including Series N˚ 3, 4, & 5). The adapters provide a round, concave socket which acts as the leveling base.
To compliment the above tripod adapter, Manfrotto offers both 75mm and 100mm 'Half Ball Adapters' which are designed to be secured to the bottom of your tripod head. These half ball adapters act as the 'ball' that fits in the 'socket' of the Gitzo ball adapter. These half ball adapters included the necessary handle and locking mechanism to secure the entire adapter, tripod head, and camera to the tripod.
This type of head and tripod configuration has been in use in motion picture industry for close 50 years, and was adapted by the video/ENG very early on. The 75mm and 100mm specs are common to both. These adapter configurations offer tremendous leveling capability, while maintaining and extremely rigid camera platform, capable of supporting cameras weighing well over the tripods maximum load capacity.
Here are some links to the adapters I have described:
Gitzo GS5320V100 Systematic 100mm Ball Adapter
http://gitzo.com/cms/site/gitzo/accessories/adapters?code=GS5320V100
Gitzo GS5320V75 Systematic 75mm Ball Adapter
http://gitzo.com/cms/site/gitzo/accessories/adapters?code=GS5320V75
Manfrotto 500BALL 100mm Half Ball Head Adapter
http://www.manfrotto.com/Jahia/site/manfrotto/pid/3336?livid=107&lsf=107&child=2
Manfrotto 500BALLSH 100mm Half Ball Head Adapter - Short handle
http://www.manfrotto.com/Jahia/site/manfrotto/pid/3338?livid=107&lsf=107&child=2
Manfrotto 520BALLSH 75mm Half Ball Head Adapter
http://www.manfrotto.com/Jahia/site/manfrotto/pid/3337?livid=107&lsf=107&child=2
Manfrotto 520BALLSH 75mm Half Ball Head Adapter - Short handle
http://www.manfrotto.com/Jahia/site/manfrotto/pid/3339?livid=107&lsf=107&child=2
Having used most every leveling base out there, including the Gitzo GS5121LVL, Acratech Base, Manfrotto 3416, and a few others. All of which have either been worn out (as mentioned in earlier posts), or I have found them to be just plain slow and cumbersome. These 'half ball' solution using the above components, have proven to be one of most durable, and straight-forward systems available. Not to mention this is not adding any additional height to the tripod / head combination. If anything, it is lower profile, and brings the tripod head closer the legs.
I have used this system with all three series' of Gitzo tripods, and have found I prefer them with the N˚ 4/5 series tripods. It makes for a great setup when using and ARCA-SWISS Cube along with various technical cameras.
Dead right . No additional leveling gear is required , no extra weight in your backpack and it is a joy to work with the CUBE .I use the cube and don't bother with a leveling head any more
So if you want to shoot panoramics which are not level you would need an additional leveling base with your Cube/Multiflex (just bought a Multiflex, should be arriving today!)? I'm not sure what you mean by wanting to shoot panoramics which aren't level? And I thought one of the points about the Cube/Multiflex is that it doesn't need an extra leveling base for panoramics, no?Only true as long as you don't want to shoot panoramics which are not level.
The CUBE has two turn tables , one on the base to the tripod and the other one is leveled below the QC clamp .Only true as long as you don't want to shoot panoramics which are not level.
ChristopherIf you want to shoot a panopramic up or down, you need to use the turn table below the part which points the camera up or down. So you would need the Cubes lower turn table. However if now the cube itself is not level, it doesn't help at all.
I'm talking about panoramics if you are on a mountain and shoot down, or if you stand in a valley and want to shoot up. (or similiar)
Sorry for the digression:... I have stripped the Manfrotto levelling base from it's clunky QTVR rig and have it underneath the smaller of Manfrotto's geared heads. ...