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What makes the Cube so wonderful?

J

Jeffg53

Member
I probably missed the start of the Cube reverence and my only experience with geared heads was an old Manfrotto which I was happy to dump in favour of a B1. This leave me wondering what is so great about it compared to any ballhead. Is it usability? Is it able to be moved with the ease and speed of a ballhead?

I am asking here because I doubt that I could see one in Australia. In all that I have read, I am yet to see what makes them so great which makes me nervous about shelling out all that cash without ever seeing one. A Utube video of one in use would be great.

Cheers,

Jeff
 
PeterA

PeterA

Well-known member
Hi Jeff - I have had one and used it for some time down here in Melbourne - the best thing about it is the ease in which one can achieve a level level - and the solidity of it as a base for heavier gear - matched to a suitably strong load bearing tripod - it is a great combination..



you can buy a knock off that is probably just as good - and there is a thread about same called "saving money" in the forum...
 
Guy Mancuso

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Be careful you could get assimilated here just by asking the question. I consider myself a loser here and don't have one. :ROTFL::ROTFL::ROTFL:
 
J

Jeffg53

Member
Thanks Folks, It's not how stable or whatever, I take that as a given with an AS product.

What I don't understand is how do you go about composing with it? With a ballhead, I can go left /right and up/down simply by moving the ball around. With the Cube, I can see the left/right bit but how do I get the up/down with the easy fluid motion of a ballhead? It's that fluid ease of movement that I don't understand.
 
Bob

Bob

Administrator
Staff member
You have two sets of goniometers left right and up down as well as two rotations and a fore/back or left/right "rapid" adjustment that gives you 60 degrees more.
YOU WILL BE ASSIMILATED
ASSIMILATE ASSIMILATE...
 
Don Libby

Don Libby

Well-known member
Strong and sturdy with ease of movements. Extremely easy to level off surface. Very easy to work both in the heat of the desert and the cold of a winter storm while wearing gloves.

Besides all that it just looks kick ***! It’s also a chick magnet. :eek:

Don

Guy – I noticed you were eyeing Jack’s and my Cube last week! :ROTFL::ROTFL:
 
kdphotography

kdphotography

Well-known member
Guy Mancuso said:
Just checking to see if you guys are working them correctly. LOL
Click to expand...

Guy,

Don's talents as the Master-Assimulator are usually strongest in person, so after meeting him I expected you to finally succomb! I made the mistake of touching the Cube...

You must have an unusually strong resistance to abstain from the Cube---it obviously hasn't worked on your other purchases! :ROTFL: And congrats again on the new Phase DF and P40+----it had your name all over it!


Jeff---The ease to which you can level your camera platform with the Cube is magnified exponentially in the cold. Pretty chilly here in the Central Sierra's right now in the early hours---shivering with gloves, the Cube made leveling an exercise done in seconds.
 
Guy Mancuso

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Only part way I bought a Arca P1 this morning. I'm taking baby steps so i can fully appreciate the assimilation to the cube. LOL
 
stephengilbert

stephengilbert

Active member
Guy,

I was reading about the P1 the other day. Maybe you could PM me you impressions. You wouldn't want to talk about the P1 here in Cubeland; you know how the assimilated can get when you talk about other gear. :angel:

Steve
 
Guy Mancuso

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
I will give a full report Stephen looks interesting and worth a try. Several things I like and one is the lever release has a safety on it and the lock down does not matter which way the ball head is turned.
 
Jack

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
It's biggest features IMO are it is "Omni-directional" -- doesn't matter which way your pod is pointed, you have full access to the lock ring -- and has a built-in panning head.
 
Guy Mancuso

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Exactly what Jack said right here" It's biggest features IMO are it is "Omni-directional" -- doesn't matter which way your pod is pointed, you have full access to the lock ring -- and has a built-in panning head."

The other is real simple I want that double safety release on the mount. I almost lost it 3 times now with a screw down on the panning head. That is not a Gitzo issue but with the weight of this system it gets a little more a critical part. I get absent minded sometimes or in a hurry and don't lock down good enough.

So I want to try it. I do like the Gitzo very much though the gearing on it is very nice and that has never been a issue. But the only safety quick lever release is made by Arca. It's on the cube and the P1. Honestly that is what I am really after is that. And hard to get just the plate with the proper mounting on a 3/8 thread, I don't think it is made actually
 
carstenw

carstenw

Active member
It seems like you have gone through a very long sequence of expensive heads, including the RRS BH-55 (IIRC, ~$400), Gitzo 3870 ($325), and now an Arca P1 ($450). Those three heads plus one more similar head and you are within a small amount of a Cube. Isn't it time to cut to the chase? ;)
 
J

Jeffg53

Member
I may be thick but I'm still wrestling with this. With a B!, I plonk it down loosen the ball and compose by moving the ball around. If I can't level it that way, I can use my levelling base to fix it. Getting very fine adjustments with a B1 can be tricky. If I want to do the same with a Cube, can I loosen it move it around and then lock it as easily, or am I using multiple locks to achieve it. I hated teh Manfrotto thing that I had because I had to make adjustments one at a time.

As an aside, I am using and H3D with L bracket so I have no interest in the standard weird extreme things that it can do. I also have no taste apparently as I don't mind it being grey so chick magnet isn't a criteria.
 
Guy Mancuso

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
carstenw said:
It seems like you have gone through a very long sequence of expensive heads, including the RRS BH-55 (IIRC, ~$400), Gitzo 3870 ($325), and now an Arca P1 ($450). Those three heads plus one more similar head and you are within a small amount of a Cube. Isn't it time to cut to the chase? ;)
Click to expand...
Cube simply won't work for my style of shooting I need a head that is fluid and not tightened down. It needs to move with friction. The cube will not do that
 
carstenw

carstenw

Active member
Aaaaahhh, it all comes together. I thought you weren't getting one because of the price. Yes, my 405 also cannot move with friction, and this doesn't bother me, so I guess I am a potential Cube victim.
 
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