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The great tripod & head thread!
- Thread starter danlindberg
- Start date
What Don said. Plus, one advantage to the QR tripod-head mount is that it shortens the length of the tripod for traveling. With the head removed, my TVC-24 fits neatly in my 22" carry-on Rollaboard. The Cube (and in the future my L60 "mini-cube," which just arrived today!) gets packed separately in a pouch protected by clothes etc.
John
John
glenerrolrd
Workshop Member
I have these for each of my tripods and they are a terrific way of separating the head from the tripod for travel or to use different solutions . For example ...you may want a Gimbel in addition to your Cube for use with Sports,Wildlife etc .
May I know from where you purchased Quicklinks, and approximate cost?
Godfrey
Well-known member
I've equipped both my tripod legs and heads with these so I can swap the P0 for the P0h very quickly now. They work well and only add a couple of ounces to the total weight of the tripod.
The L60 Mini-Cube looks very appealing too. Sigh. But no, not right now... I'm gluing my wallet shut.
G
MGrayson
Subscriber and Workshop Member
I always detach my tripod head when traveling. Cube or RRS or P0- they screw on to the tripod. Is this a matter of saving the 15 seconds it takes to unscrew the head? Dropping the head while attaching or detaching? Unscrewing a camera with lens is much more cumbersome, so I appreciate the QR plates on the camera, but on the tripod/head?
Is it one of those "once you try it you'll wonder how you lived without it" things? I really do begrudge every ounce on the tripod - it's way too easy to leave home without it.
And how much DO the QuickLink pieces weigh? For the RRS plate and clamp, I can get weights, but I've been unable to find such specs on the Arca-Swiss.
Matt
dchew
Well-known member
Matt,
I use the RRS quick connect because it mates with the RRS leveling base. That base provides an additional 10 degrees of tilt angle, which makes heads like the L60 Leveler more useful.
Sometimes I even go out without a head at all, like I did last week on a morning hike. I attach the camera plate directly to the leveling base. Can’t get much lighter than that. Of course you have to know you will be taking relatively level images. Having a camera that can shift helps with this to position the horizon where you want it.
Basically, I use it for the increased flexibility.
Dave
I use the RRS quick connect because it mates with the RRS leveling base. That base provides an additional 10 degrees of tilt angle, which makes heads like the L60 Leveler more useful.
Sometimes I even go out without a head at all, like I did last week on a morning hike. I attach the camera plate directly to the leveling base. Can’t get much lighter than that. Of course you have to know you will be taking relatively level images. Having a camera that can shift helps with this to position the horizon where you want it.
Basically, I use it for the increased flexibility.
Dave
Don Libby
Well-known member
I dislike the idea of always screwing and unscrewing the head directly to a tripod. The main reason I dislike it is that I had found the constant use of the screwing begins to wear down the threads on the base and soon or later I'd have a problem; I actually had to rethread one head due to this. The QR between the tripod and head solves the issue. I don't have an issue with any additional weight between the QR and dovetail and enjoy the convenience and peace of mind knowing the head is stable and secure. The addition of the dovetail and QR adds slightly more than 1-inch in height which again is no issue. This may well be try it and see for yourself however if you're satisfied with what you're currently doing then why change. I like the system and it has worked well for me over 8-years now.
MGrayson
Subscriber and Workshop Member
Dave,
I have the Novoflex Triobal and Triopod units. The Triobal has a built in 15-degree leveling base, and I tried just it and the superb Q-base. I found that just slightly too little for the Leica S, so usually took a P0 and the non-leveling base Triopod. The mini-cube and Triobal is possibly a great and more stable solution, with 25 degrees of tilt.
Don,
Good point, and I'll ask Rod about the QuickLink weight
Best,
Matt
GrahamWelland
Subscriber & Workshop Member
Once you have your cube stuck on top of your tripod, and can’t remove it before flying home and have to pack it in a tripod bag, and then the airline cause $450 of damage ...
MGrayson
Subscriber and Workshop Member
Graham,
I've done much more damage WITH my cube than has been done TO my cube (or tripod), but your point is well taken.
Matt
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MGrayson
Subscriber and Workshop Member
Shashin
Well-known member
That is one of the nice things about my Manfrotto tripod. It has retaining screws in the plate where the head mounts so you you can increase friction without over-tighten the head. But I don't remove my head that often. But it did get me to wonder if I should replace those headless screws with ones with caps where I can release them with my fingers.
One things that is interesting about these threads is the different approaches folks take. I can certainly see the advantage of quick release systems for tripod heads. I actually find that more compelling than systems for the camera.
It is also nice to be in a place where talking about traveling with a head in your bag or the length of your center column with your set of legs is not misunderstood...
One things that is interesting about these threads is the different approaches folks take. I can certainly see the advantage of quick release systems for tripod heads. I actually find that more compelling than systems for the camera.
It is also nice to be in a place where talking about traveling with a head in your bag or the length of your center column with your set of legs is not misunderstood...
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Godfrey
Well-known member
My Manfrotto 190 legs I usually use around the house and locally for field stuff, I don't tend to travel with them.
When I take a tripod on a long trip, I take the Feisol CT3442 legs: They're stronger, taller, and more versatile. These legs reverse fold and go into their carrying case. With P0 or P0h heads, the head is inside the legs with the tripod folded up, protected from any damage that the airlines might inflict on the case and legs. (The case is actually sized just right to fit inside my rollaway luggage, preventing all kinds of problems if I cannot use a carry-on bag strategy in transit.)
G
When I take a tripod on a long trip, I take the Feisol CT3442 legs: They're stronger, taller, and more versatile. These legs reverse fold and go into their carrying case. With P0 or P0h heads, the head is inside the legs with the tripod folded up, protected from any damage that the airlines might inflict on the case and legs. (The case is actually sized just right to fit inside my rollaway luggage, preventing all kinds of problems if I cannot use a carry-on bag strategy in transit.)
G
JonMo
New member
Thanks goodness we don't have to deal with a tripod version of "equivalence"! Shudder.................. :banghead:That is one of the nice things about my Manfrotto tripod. It has retaining screws in the plate where the head mounts so you you can increase friction without over-tighten the head. But I don't remove my head that often. But it did get me to wonder if I should replace those headless screws with ones with caps where I can release them with my fingers.
One things that is interesting about these threads is the different approaches folks take. I can certainly see the advantage of quick release systems for tripod heads. I actually find that more compelling than systems for the camera.
It is also nice to be in a place where talking about traveling with a head in your bag or the length of your center column with your set of legs is not misunderstood...
Frankly
New member
Since you're talking about limited range leveling type heads this new Really Right Stuff head being developed for precision rifle shooters could be interesting:
SOAR Anvil-30
What is interesting is that they are designing it to replace the center plate of the tripod so you bolt the legs on. This minimizes the layers of mechanical connections, lightening and tightening the entire set up. So a counterpoint to people stacking multiple clamps upon clamps....
The "dual clamp" that you see is meant to work with both the Arca rails and the narrower Picatinny rails that have slots. The cool thing is that on my PRS chassis rifle I can install a longer 11" Arca base under the foreend and slide it along the clamp, or move accessories easily.
Shooting from tripod mounts is a growing trend. Between the RRS SOAR and the Cinema stuff there are a lot of interesting solutions to problems we haven't invented yet ;-p
Here's a RRS to M-Lok rifle plate from a couple seasons ago:
SOAR Anvil-30
What is interesting is that they are designing it to replace the center plate of the tripod so you bolt the legs on. This minimizes the layers of mechanical connections, lightening and tightening the entire set up. So a counterpoint to people stacking multiple clamps upon clamps....
The "dual clamp" that you see is meant to work with both the Arca rails and the narrower Picatinny rails that have slots. The cool thing is that on my PRS chassis rifle I can install a longer 11" Arca base under the foreend and slide it along the clamp, or move accessories easily.
Shooting from tripod mounts is a growing trend. Between the RRS SOAR and the Cinema stuff there are a lot of interesting solutions to problems we haven't invented yet ;-p
Here's a RRS to M-Lok rifle plate from a couple seasons ago:
Attachments
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This has been a fascinating and informative thread. Alas in Europe we lack a Rod Klukas though he has been willing to offer advice and help more widely though our dealers here seem sometime to hear about AS products from their customers before they hear it from AS.
I have just returned from a trip to Japan and am looking for a lighter tripod/head combination in addition to my Gitzo Series 4 plus Cube that has served me well for many years. The camera is Phase or Rm3Di. So I am looking at a Gitzo Series 3 plus lighter head. Which leads to a comparison in my mind between the P0 Hybrid and the L60 (and just possibly the D4). The former allows the camera to be turned through 90 degrees from horizontal to vertical whereas the L60 does not. Both have the ability to pan. So my question becomes what the distinctive benefit of the L60 is over the P0 Hybrid. Cost ? Weight ? Outrageous beauty ? Or something else that I have missed ? I get the limited adjustments possible with the L60 but I can live with that.
Apologies if I am being slow but in the absence of much information from the manufacturer I figure that the collective knowledge of the members of this forum is probably as good as it gets. Thanks.
I have just returned from a trip to Japan and am looking for a lighter tripod/head combination in addition to my Gitzo Series 4 plus Cube that has served me well for many years. The camera is Phase or Rm3Di. So I am looking at a Gitzo Series 3 plus lighter head. Which leads to a comparison in my mind between the P0 Hybrid and the L60 (and just possibly the D4). The former allows the camera to be turned through 90 degrees from horizontal to vertical whereas the L60 does not. Both have the ability to pan. So my question becomes what the distinctive benefit of the L60 is over the P0 Hybrid. Cost ? Weight ? Outrageous beauty ? Or something else that I have missed ? I get the limited adjustments possible with the L60 but I can live with that.
Apologies if I am being slow but in the absence of much information from the manufacturer I figure that the collective knowledge of the members of this forum is probably as good as it gets. Thanks.
Godfrey
Well-known member
As I see it, the P0h permits more positioning freedom and greater speed in the field at the expense of a bit more weight and size (and the potential for a little less absolute stability) compared to the L60 Leveler. The L60 is shorter, likely a bit more secure and stable, but more limited in use.
Picking which one suits your needs better depends upon your needs. The lack of a 90° turn on the L60 can be accommodated with an L-bracket for many cameras, and is irrelevant for square format cameras/shooting. More important that you must evaluate is its absolute range of movement and whether that is sufficient for your needs.
The L60 Leveler, and the L60 Mini Cube, both appeal to me a lot. But in all honesty, the P0h and P0 that I already have are both excellent and more than sufficient for my current uses. They're both reasonably light, small, and very convenient in use. The control paradigm for both is excellent and fluid, and I've not had any problems with stability for my gear. The P0h in particular has permitted extremely fine control of the big, heavy, long Leica SL90-280 lens for use with tabletop setups ... exactly why I bought it.
You just have to figure what you need, objectively, and then act upon that.
G
Picking which one suits your needs better depends upon your needs. The lack of a 90° turn on the L60 can be accommodated with an L-bracket for many cameras, and is irrelevant for square format cameras/shooting. More important that you must evaluate is its absolute range of movement and whether that is sufficient for your needs.
The L60 Leveler, and the L60 Mini Cube, both appeal to me a lot. But in all honesty, the P0h and P0 that I already have are both excellent and more than sufficient for my current uses. They're both reasonably light, small, and very convenient in use. The control paradigm for both is excellent and fluid, and I've not had any problems with stability for my gear. The P0h in particular has permitted extremely fine control of the big, heavy, long Leica SL90-280 lens for use with tabletop setups ... exactly why I bought it.
You just have to figure what you need, objectively, and then act upon that.
G