The GetDPI Photography Forum

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!

The great tripod & head thread!

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
I've only had the Alpa GON system for a couple of weeks but here is some of my initial feedback based on field use.

1) Beautifully made. Once you lay hands on it there's an almost irrestible desire to own one. Irrational in much the same way all Alpa cameras have that certain quality, precision and solidity in their construction which makes them highly desirable. However, to be fair, that's testament to Alpa design but precision manufacturing by Novoflex for the tripod system (or Seitz for the camera system).

2) Individually each component is relatively light but when you assemble both GON modules you'll find that the head is surprisingly dense and results in a top heavy tripod system. I found the GON head assembly with panning clamp to feel heavier than my CUBE. I'm sure that it isn't but that's how it feels.

3) Knobs - be very careful to ONLY use the gold controls for adjustments. The black knobs, whilst smaller, are easy to grab by mistake and they are what hold the whole thing together. It's a matter of habit which is easiest with the GON modules but the panning head assembly has two similar sized knobs arranged one above the other. I would hope that this is something Alpa / Novoflex look at carefully because you need to be careful and getting it wrong can be disastrous.

4) The tripod base / legs - the tripod base is somewhat narrow compared to most larger tripod systems. It's not too much of a concern when the tripod legs are extended but if you're shooting low I find it more stable if I set the legs for a wider stance. With the pair of GON modules on top it is definitely top heavy which exacerbates the narrow tripod base design.

5) Leveling base - works as expected. The lock is pretty small and I'd prefer something a little bigger / easier to use. I guess it's size appropriate for the tripod base unit but just a little small for my fingers.

6) Legs - love the fact that Novoflex mark lines on the top leg segment which makes it super easy to adjust the legs to the same length compared to what I normally do which is calibrate using the width of my hand holding the legs to approximate the same top tube length.

7) Cost - erm, well it says Alpa on it. :facesmack: I now have arguably the world's most expensive travel tripod system ... hey, you only live once and see my signature line below! :thumbs:

8) I found that most of the time I only used the leveling base unit with a single GON module and panning head. It's a really nice travel kit when configured like this. I carry the other GON module in my bag and put it on if I need it. (Why? See #2).

9) The panning head has very easy to use smooth or clickstop adjustment. Very nice implementation without having to pull out/push in pins etc like some other head systems.
 

daf

Member
Whaou, this alpa minicube system look fantastic but i had a look at the price, and it's pretty expensive ;(

I had the chance to try the new arca P0 Hybride, it is a standart P0 and they put a mini cube on top of it, must say it is a very good idea, you can very quick adjusting with the ball, andmake your fine tuning with the cube...it is really great, the only regret i have regarding this ball/cube head is that i would have love the minicube to be removable a la Alpa one, but you know it is almost 3x cheaper than the Alpa system so i might go that road ....
https://www.google.fr/search?q=arca...ei=rEoMWaCPIMXwUsj4v-AJ#imgrc=zSs4AsJf8xXFYM:
 

daf

Member
Well, a quick search, and it looks like they made a solo version of this MINICUBE at 449€... i'm gonna order it right now :https://www.google.fr/search?q=arca...ei=rEoMWaCPIMXwUsj4v-AJ#imgrc=CM-D5tQ48r-srM:




Whaou, this alpa minicube system look fantastic but i had a look at the price, and it's pretty expensive ;(

I had the chance to try the new arca P0 Hybride, it is a standart P0 and they put a mini cube on top of it, must say it is a very good idea, you can very quick adjusting with the ball, andmake your fine tuning with the cube...it is really great, the only regret i have regarding this ball/cube head is that i would have love the minicube to be removable a la Alpa one, but you know it is almost 3x cheaper than the Alpa system so i might go that road ....
https://www.google.fr/search?q=arca...ei=rEoMWaCPIMXwUsj4v-AJ#imgrc=zSs4AsJf8xXFYM:
 
Whaou, this alpa minicube system look fantastic but i had a look at the price, and it's pretty expensive ;(

I had the chance to try the new arca P0 Hybride, it is a standart P0 and they put a mini cube on top of it, must say it is a very good idea, you can very quick adjusting with the ball, andmake your fine tuning with the cube...it is really great, the only regret i have regarding this ball/cube head is that i would have love the minicube to be removable a la Alpa one, but you know it is almost 3x cheaper than the Alpa system so i might go that road ....
https://www.google.fr/search?q=arca...ei=rEoMWaCPIMXwUsj4v-AJ#imgrc=zSs4AsJf8xXFYM:
I recently bought a Arca-Swiss P0 Hybrid and I love it. It's lightweight and precise :)
 

danlindberg

Well-known member
+1 to Grahams take on it. I like a lot that it is modular and have used it mostly complete, but also several times with only the basic levelling head and one Gon module for finetuning horizontal level after rough aiming!

Have not experienced difficulty in assembling them other than centred. Once I did fiddle around with the black nobb instead of the gold on the top panoplate, which gave me a slight scare, but I only done that once.....:toocool:
 

vjbelle

Well-known member
I recently bought a Arca-Swiss P0 Hybrid and I love it. It's lightweight and precise :)
I haven't seen it anywhere here in the US..... not even a price. Would love to see more from the big boys like B&H.

I will not buy another head...... I will not buy another head...... I will not buy another head.... Not even this head.... well, maybe....

Victor
 

glenerrolrd

Workshop Member
I haven't seen it anywhere here in the US..... not even a price. Would love to see more from the big boys like B&H.

I will not buy another head...... I will not buy another head...... I will not buy another head.... Not even this head.... well, maybe....

Victor
Robert White Cameras in the UK has them in stock . I have used them several times for hard to get Arca gear and they are great . Even saved money due to the exchange rates (maybe not anymore ).
 

glenerrolrd

Workshop Member
It's hard to find Novoflex tripods in the US - no one has them in stock. I've managed to accumulate some over the past month - a TrioPod and a TrioBal head, a set of three-section carbon legs, and a set of 5-section travel carbon legs.

While there is a lot more flex in the 5-section, and it doesn't get as high, it's not uncomfortable to use with an Arca P0 head. I did an experiment with The Leica S and 120 lens. The good news is that - with 2 second delay, which includes mirror lockup - there is no difference in sharpness between the two sets of legs *indoors*. I only tried a 1.5 second exposure, but in both cases, there was plenty of Moire on the Angostura Bitters label across the room, and no blurring.

The TrioPod head with the 5-section legs weighs 30 oz. With the p0 and RRS clamp, the total is less than 3 lbs. Of course, the big legs are only a pound heavier, but they are not as easy to get around with in the city. The TrioBal leveling head with a pano clamp is wonderful for the Graflex. The S needs a bit more flexibility, and the P0 head is very light and strong.

Oh, and the tiny ball and stick legs are brilliant. Perfect for window sills.

Really a nice kit.

--Matt
where did you find them ?
 

RodK

Active member
I haven't seen it anywhere here in the US..... not even a price. Would love to see more from the big boys like B&H.

I will not buy another head...... I will not buy another head...... I will not buy another head.... Not even this head.... well, maybe....

Victor
I have been filling preorders and now have P0 Hybrid Fliplock ($939) and Classic quick release ($913) in stock.
The heads will be great for travel as they weigh 1.2 lbs. No assembly required



Our new D4 GP and Cube GP (with geared pan) are now in assembly and about 2 weeks out from filling preorders in the USA.
 

Christopher

Active member
If the pan base would be between the ball head and geared pared it would be the best head I could think of. However, like this it's only partly useful.

Same with the Alpa GON, why is the pano head made for the top end of the head ? I know I could put it at the bottom, but it has all the nodal point middle marks so it's clearzmade for the top. (As the modules them self have no Marks)

I really don't get why they left them out. With a 2k head every detail should be perfect.

Arca has the problem that their top clamp isn't placing the normal Arca Swiss clamp in the middle. 😬 At least there is a workaround by changing the clamp.
 

gerald.d

Well-known member
So I thought it would be fun to share how I'm using my Cube now that I'm solely concentrating on watch photography. Seemed a shame to have it sat on the shelf, and I knew there would be some way of using it, so...



I'm now using it horizontally coming off a c-stand, and have a selection of custom-built watch holders that I simply screw into the plate and then lock in the Cube.

The great thing is that I can position the watch how I want; read off the horizontal and vertical axis angles from the scales on the Cube; and then simply type these angles into the CapCAM software as focal plane tilt and swing angles; et voila, the camera sets the correct tilt and swing lens axis angles to get the watch face in focus :)



Kind regards,


Gerald.
 

danlindberg

Well-known member
@ christopher
I suppose we all have different preferences and needs, but for me I need the pano on top (obviously you can put it anywhere since it is modular) for the simple reason I want the cam level in all directions if I am doing a pano/nodal stitch. (And tweak composition with rise/fall).

@ gerald
Incredible in that I am 'as of yesterday' experimenting with my Linhof 3D head and have mounted a wooden platform (~30x30cm) on this for tabletop images. We sell Georg Jensen design items and they are all in polished stainless steel - in other words - a true hell to control reflections. Being able to move the item as well as the cam slightly in any direction to control light/reflection seems to be very helpful. So, same purpose as your idea :thumbup:
 

vjbelle

Well-known member
@ christopher
I suppose we all have different preferences and needs, but for me I need the pano on top (obviously you can put it anywhere since it is modular) for the simple reason I want the cam level in all directions if I am doing a pano/nodal stitch. (And tweak composition with rise/fall).
This is exactly what I like so much about the cube and p0. With the panning on top once leveled the head stays leveled while panning.

Victor
 

dchew

Well-known member
For those of use with techical cameras, there is less benefit from a panning feature below. But lacking the ability to rise/fall, if you angle the cube (or whatever) up to adjust the horizon position, you would want the panning to occur below.

I think what Christopher really wants is both, like the current Cube sitting on top of a leveling base.

I just ran into this last week. A cohort was shooting with the XF, lining up a shot with more sky. He had the cube directly on a tripod, struggling to adjust the base of the cube to stitch a pano. We quickly swapped tripods since my cube was mounted on the RRS leveling base. He could level the bottom of the cube, aim the camera up a bit using the Cube pitch, then swing the base of the cube around to stitch without any roll.

I didn't care because I stitch by sliding the back.

Dave
 

vjbelle

Well-known member
For those of use with techical cameras, there is less benefit from a panning feature below. But lacking the ability to rise/fall, if you angle the cube (or whatever) up to adjust the horizon position, you would want the panning to occur below.

I think what Christopher really wants is both, like the current Cube sitting on top of a leveling base.

I just ran into this last week. A cohort was shooting with the XF, lining up a shot with more sky. He had the cube directly on a tripod, struggling to adjust the base of the cube to stitch a pano. We quickly swapped tripods since my cube was mounted on the RRS leveling base. He could level the bottom of the cube, aim the camera up a bit using the Cube pitch, then swing the base of the cube around to stitch without any roll.

I didn't care because I stitch by sliding the back.

Dave
Thanks, Dave for bringing out this valuable distinction...... there really is a need for both if you 'Pan' which at times can deliver better results than shifting. Once leveled both top and bottom panning will work the same but, as you point out, if there is angling upward or downward then a bottom panning mechanism is needed to prevent any roll. My Z1 accomplishes this......

Victor
 

Christopher

Active member
Sh**, I'm an idiot... i meant paning on the bottom below the geared head. Here the market is failing us. There are many great options for paning at the top of one used a technical camera with rise and fall. However, if you have a normal camera a paning option at the top won't help at all. It the worst thing you can try. ( mind you, not true if you use a full panoramic head, but when I'm hiking with the XF for longer trips I really don't have the urge to carry around a heavy pano head. )

Just using a nodal rail the pano base has to be below the head. For it to work.

I love my cube, I just hate the two things. No pano scale at the bottom and the Arca Swiss clamp at the top isn't in the center...
 
Top