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Can't decide Arca Swiss D4 or Cube,

MedShooter

New member
Hmmm,
I know that at least 50% of my shots will be at angles greater than 30°...
I really love that I can get repeatable results with the cube. It seems like it's as precise as a Swiss watch.
Also, I'm wondering if in the future I decide to install a bellows system like the Nikon PB-4 whether the D4 could handle the extra weight.
Do you guys know what the different lock mechanism options mean with the D4?
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
Btw, just to be clear, I have L brackets on all cameras or in the case of my Alpa there are plates on the bottom & side so no extended tilts really are necessary.
 

MedShooter

New member
Btw, just to be clear, I have L brackets on all cameras or in the case of my Alpa there are plates on the bottom & side so no extended tilts really are necessary.
I didn't understand.
Do you have something that allows the til go past 30° without using the flip on the back of the head?
 

MedShooter

New member
Thanks everybody for the help.
I've changed my mind once again and I've ordered the D4. It should be in in a couple of days.
The reason was that I've been assured that the precision is the same since both the cube and D4 use the same gears. The D4 has finer markings for the tilts. Also, since I'm not a landscape photographer sometimes I need to use sharper angles to really get on top of the item. The D4 would allow me to do that a bit more easily. I did like the more centered gravity of the cube but the other things outweighed this advantage.
 

Don Libby

Well-known member
Just dropped by while on break.

Glad you made up your mind and placed the order. Just a couple thoughts - and before I get too involved I still feel that you'd be happy with either the Cube or the D4.

I personally feel the markings on the Cube is better than the D4; maybe not by much but its there. You are correct that to get to the full extended mode the D4 is easier/faster.

So there you have it. You've ordered the D4. Stop worrying/thinking about it until it's in your hands and then give it a spin.

Congratulations and best of luck.


Don
 

gazwas

Active member
I think you've made the right choice for the style of photography you'll be using it for.

Now............... tripod legs...............:facesmack:
 

danlindberg

Well-known member
I just realized something...

The cube only has a swing of 30°.
With that quote my suggestion is ofcourse a no-go, but for those who do not need steep angles, the Linhof 3D is sweet. It really only is a levelling head, but the buildquality is second to none, very sturdy and quite compact size. I post it simply because it seems this head is often forgotten as an option. For hiking I put it on my featherlight gitzo 2 series and in the studio or when ultimate rigidity is needed I put it on a gitzo 1500.

 

jotloob

Subscriber Member
The LINHOF Levelling Head costs 1100€ here in Germany .
That is slightly above the cost of the D4 .
 

cly

Member
With that quote my suggestion is ofcourse a no-go, but for those who do not need steep angles, the Linhof 3D is sweet.
Dan, could you perhaps post a picture of the camera plate attached to your TC? I'm wondering how small/large it is.

And is this Linhoff mount system really as rigid as they say? You put the camera with the plate onto the head, it says click, and there is no play whatsoever?

Chris
 

cly

Member
One more Linhoff head question: Are the bubble tubes really level? It seems to me that (the lack of) precision when gluing the bubble tubes/levels is a major problem with a lot of tripod accessories :) (In this respect, my Alpa Max isn't perfect either.)

Chris
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
One more Linhoff head question: Are the bubble tubes really level? It seems to me that (the lack of) precision when gluing the bubble tubes/levels is a major problem with a lot of tripod accessories :) (In this respect, my Alpa Max isn't perfect either.)

Chris
In my experience every level seems to be different! The levels on my Arca Cube don't match the levels on my Alpa STC nor any level on top of my DF, D800 or X-Pro1 bodies. Before you could adjust it, the level in my IQ160 didn't match any of them accurately either. :mad:

It is frustrating and not necessarily related to cost ... I pick one and stick with it.
 

jotloob

Subscriber Member
In my experience every level seems to be different! The levels on my Arca Cube don't match the levels on my Alpa STC nor any level on top of my DF, D800 or X-Pro1 bodies. Before you could adjust it, the level in my IQ160 didn't match any of them accurately either. :mad:

It is frustrating and not necessarily related to cost ... I pick one and stick with it.
Same experience here .
No level matches the other , ALPA , ARCA , any camera or tripod .
So I use an EBISU DIAMOND Level . They are the best available .
You can easily use the camera body , a surface , where you know it is perfect . These levels are light and small and can be put in your pocket .
Prices are decent .
Have a look here :
CRYSTAL LEVEL?Clear Levels?PRODUCT CATALOG?Ebisu Co., Ltd.
 

kdphotography

Well-known member
In my experience every level seems to be different! The levels on my Arca Cube don't match the levels on my Alpa STC nor any level on top of my DF, D800 or X-Pro1 bodies. Before you could adjust it, the level in my IQ160 didn't match any of them accurately either. :mad:

It is frustrating and not necessarily related to cost ... I pick one and stick with it.
It's because the levels are meant to be just decorative. :ROTFL:

More troublesome is that my Cambo WRS, RRS and Gitzo tripods have yellow bubble levels and the Cube uses white bubble levels. Such a fashion faux-pas! I just can't get them to match! :D

So much angst over whether to buy the Cube or the D4. It's easy: simply buy the one with the bubble level colors that match. :p

ken
 

jotloob

Subscriber Member
It's because the levels are meant to be just decorative. :ROTFL:

More troublesome is that my Cambo WRS, RRS and Gitzo tripods have yellow bubble levels and the Cube uses white bubble levels. Such a fashion faux-pas! I just can't get them to match! :D

So much angst over whether to buy the Cube or the D4. It's easy: simply buy the one with the bubble level colors that match. :p

ken
:ROTFL::ROTFL::ROTFL:
 

stephengilbert

Active member
Graham,

I didn't know that the level on the IQ backs can be adjusted. I have three levels that are very close, but the back was quite a bit off. No longer.

Thanks, Steve
 

jlm

Workshop Member
what is important to me is that the pan axis (top plane of rotation of the cube) is truly plumb AND that the mounted camera stays square to that. in between them I have the RRS clamp, the RRS camera plate and the camera; basically 3 or 4 possible places for error to creep in.

what i have been doing is using the cambo levels to judge camera level, but the camera can be level and the pan axis can still be off plumb. best way would be to level the cube L/R, rotate 180 degrees (top plane of cube) and see if it stays level, repeat at F/B for the other axis.

one of these days i will get around to calibrating the setup
 
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