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Levelling heads for Cambo WRS

cng

New member
Finally decided on a Cambo WRS for architecture. Anyone with hands-on experiences/opinions of the Cambo levelling heads like the WRS-333 or CLH-500, or similar like the Manfrotto 438 Levelling Base?

Do you find them helpful/indispensable?

Current tripod is a Manfrotto 055 with a 405 geared head.

Thanks,
C.
 

Don Libby

Well-known member
Cambo came out with their leveling head after I got the Cube so I don't use one. I've only seen the Cambo head once about a year ago and it looked like it might do the same job as the Cube with slightly less weight.

Not too sure what Cambo means by "Universal accessory spigot mount for adding useful accessories" for the WRS-333 as they don't show what these "useful accessories are....

Don
 

jlm

Workshop Member
i think they showed a compendium bellows attached to the accessory spigot; may be a cup holder as well ;)
 

thomas

New member
Finally decided on a Cambo WRS for architecture. Anyone with hands-on experiences/opinions of the Cambo levelling heads like the WRS-333 or CLH-500, or similar like the Manfrotto 438 Levelling Base?

Do you find them helpful/indispensable?

Current tripod is a Manfrotto 055 with a 405 geared head.
first, the Manfrotto 438 leveling base is not geared. It's a pain to level a camera with such a leveling base.
I use the WRS-333 all the time (i.e. the leveling base is constantly mounted on my WRS) and it replaces a tripod head for me. It's light and small and leveling is super easy, fast and accurate. The base is also rigid (I have yet to see any motion blur due to camera shake introduced by the leveling base or the tripod).

One of the WRS' design targets was small size and lightweight - the WRS-333 leveling base adds to this concept as you actually only need this:

http://www.cambo.com/Html/Images/WRS-333bs.jpg

... and a tripod.

RE the Manfrotto 438 (or similar non geared ball bases)... it can make sense to use such a base in addition to the WRS-333 (i.e. under the WRS-333 leveling base). The WRS-333 can level within 10 degrees or so - so it comes in handy to roughly level the camera with the 438 and fine adjust with the (geared) WRS-333 when you are working in an uneven terrain.
Amongst others I use for instance this tripod base: http://www.berlebach.de/bilder/produktbilder/456_mittel.jpg for fast, rough leveling and then fine adjust with the WRS-333. Works very well ...
 
T

tetsrfun

Guest
Finally decided on a Cambo WRS for architecture. Anyone with hands-on experiences/opinions of the Cambo levelling heads like the WRS-333 or CLH-500, or similar like the Manfrotto 438 Levelling Base?

Do you find them helpful/indispensable?

Current tripod is a Manfrotto 055 with a 405 geared head.

Thanks,
C.
Another upgrade path would be keep the 405 and upgrade the legs to Gitzo 3541xxx or RRS TVC-33 with RRS leveling base. That would be an upgrade path until the people "here" convince you to get the Cube. :>)

Steve
 

cng

New member
Thanks everyone.

they don't show what these "useful accessories are....
i think they showed a compendium bellows attached to the accessory spigot; may be a cup holder as well ;)
I wondered what accessories Cambo was referring to. A cup holder will definitely come in handy. I quite like the one that pops out of my MacPro. :eek:

first, the Manfrotto 438 leveling base is not geared. It's a pain to level a camera with such a leveling base.
Good point about the Manfrotto not being geared. I crossed off the Acratech levelling base from my list for this very reason. And I don't really want to start stacking bases/heads – I'm trying to be disciplined and keep things SIMPLE. And yes, I know we're talking about MF digital, so no such thing. :ROTFL:

Another upgrade path would be keep the 405 and upgrade the legs to Gitzo 3541xxx or RRS TVC-33 with RRS leveling base. That would be an upgrade path until the people "here" convince you to get the Cube. :>)
I was expecting everyone to start up another Cube love-in, but surprisingly not to be. Then again, we ALL know its the bees knees. :deadhorse:

I will definitely be keeping the 405 since I really like it. Not a fan of the smaller 410 though.
 

jlm

Workshop Member
just got my Cambo leveling base.

it is very well made, (weighs about the same as the Cube!).

has the option of selecting 180, 30 or 15 degree detents for the pan action.

it is intended to stay attached to the camera (two screws) and has only a 3/8 female thread for the tripod connection. Makes separating the camera from the tripod wonky, or else a quick release plate could be fitted in somewhere.

will post a pic later
 

rhsu

New member
Finally decided on a Cambo WRS for architecture. Anyone with hands-on experiences/opinions of the Cambo levelling heads like the WRS-333 or CLH-500, or similar like the Manfrotto 438 Levelling Base?

Do you find them helpful/indispensable?

Current tripod is a Manfrotto 055 with a 405 geared head.

Thanks,
C.
WRS-333 light and compact (per Cube and Korean look alike) - great if you like me, having to trek a fair distance. I too have Manfrotto 405, great sturdy outback/outdoor wilderness unit but after 3 hrs up mountain climbing, you start to feel the gravity pulling on the 405. The Cube (or the like) a bit concern with the "open" gearing being exposed to the elements ie sand (albeit the leather Louis Vuitton bag:)).

But I suppose those for own a Cube would be better to give s/he feedback to that.
 

jlm

Workshop Member
i decided to return the WRS-333 and stick with the cube, which has much more range of travel, two panning stages and a QR plate connection to the camera. To make the 333 work for me, i would have to add a QR clamp on the top of the 333; not so easy since that is the proprietary Cambo double screw connection. didn't seem worth the trouble.
 

Don Libby

Well-known member
WRS-333 light and compact (per Cube and Korean look alike) - great if you like me, having to trek a fair distance. I too have Manfrotto 405, great sturdy outback/outdoor wilderness unit but after 3 hrs up mountain climbing, you start to feel the gravity pulling on the 405. The Cube (or the like) a bit concern with the "open" gearing being exposed to the elements ie sand (albeit the leather Louis Vuitton bag:)).

But I suppose those for own a Cube would be better to give s/he feedback to that.
I've been using a Cube for little over 2-years now and have not had a moments trouble with it. While it has open gears they've performed well for me in snow, rain, sand, and sleet. I dropped the head on a sandy wet beach shortly after getting it and after my heard restarted just cleaned it off and kept shooting then cleaned it better once I got indoors. This thing is expensive, it's big, it's heavy but it works and for me in a landscape environment it's perfect.

Don
 
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