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The great tripod & head thread!

HiggsSinglet

New member
I'll never be able to touch Dan Lindberg when it comes to tripod porn, but that won't stop me from trying!

Recently put together double rig for shooting film and digital at the same time, the beauty is that I can use the same lenses in different combinations to match the FoV roughly between the two formats.

View attachment 135293
Nice porn!!! Tastefully done!!!
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
You guys are so far beyond me in the creation of tripod porn I've just thrown up my hands ... :D

Must say though: I finally bought a decent copy stand (the Novoflex Magic Studio Repro-Copy Stand) after a lifetime of make-do junk and, my oh my, how nice it is to finally have a stand which is quick to setup and tear down, incredibly stable, and easy to work with! I've decided to add to that with a Novoflex Castel-Q Focusing Rail (one of which I see in one of the above porno shots :)) so perhaps I'll have some decent equipment at last for my close-up and macro interests.

fun fun fun...
G
 

Frankly

New member
OK you @#$% got me. Now I'm trying to decide between the Arca D4 and D4m.

1. Are these sized to mate pretty well with something like a RRS 24L, which I have? Or are they better suited for beefier tripods?

2. From what I gather of the D4m it isn't geared so how is it any different than a conventional 3-axis head albeit with adjustable "drag"?

3. I'm only occasionally precise so other than GAS why should I buy these over say a nice RRS BH40?
 

JGBaldwin

New member
I use my D4 on a RRS 33 where it seems well balanced, but heavy. Used previously on a Gitzo 2541L which I believe is very similar to the RRS 24L. I would not be interested in the D4M - it's the precise framing the gears provide that is so addictive. BTW I like very much the ARCA P0 hybrid with an X1D even my GT 1532 light tripod. Same functionality as the D4 in a slightly lighter but more compact format. The P0 hybrid has the advantage of self locking gearing, one control for each axis, and a single dial around the circumference to loosen the ball. Very elegant. The D4 has two controls in each axis, a lock (thats the tear shaped dial), and the gear (round dial). Loosening the locks turns the D4 into a pure ball head, but the gears cannot be engaged until the locks are tightened. Hope this helps.

Jim
 

ejpeiker

Member
With tips from EJ and general encouragement from the participants ("enablers") in this thread, I have now modified both my Arca-Swiss p0 Hybrid and L60 Leveler heads with RRS B2-40-LR quick-release clamps and the Graham Welland Tripod Head Quick Release System. Thread locker (aka Loctite) is no match for an Allen wrench in the tight grip of Vise-Grip pliers. :thumbup:
Ha, now that looks familiar :)
 

jng

Well-known member
With tips from EJ and general encouragement from the participants ("enablers") in this thread, I have now modified both my Arca-Swiss p0 Hybrid and L60 Leveler heads with RRS B2-40-LR quick-release clamps and the Graham Welland Tripod Head Quick Release System. Thread locker (aka Loctite) is no match for an Allen wrench in the tight grip of Vise-Grip pliers. :thumbup:

Joe
Joe,

LOL, it takes one to know one!

I am now newly motivated to attempt a swapping out of the top clamp on my L60, certainly before I see Dave Chew and his acetylene torch!

Serious question: do you still maintain the 90 degree panning detents on the L60 with the new top clamp?

John
 

dchew

Well-known member
Serious question: do you still maintain the 90 degree panning detents on the L60 with the new top clamp?

John
You do, but it was a little tricky for me. The AS clamp has two pins that register the thin top plate so it aligns and the little ball falls directly into the hole as it spins around. I used the clamp I had on my BH40, perhaps there are other RRS clamps the come with registration pins? IDK.

Without pins, there is no registration with the top plate, so you have to align it N/S/E/W as you tighten down the RRS clamp. It took several tries tightening up the clamp to get the feel correct, but the detents are there.

Dave
 

ejpeiker

Member
Joe,

Serious question: do you still maintain the 90 degree panning detents on the L60 with the new top clamp?

John
Yes but you have to make sure that the tiny little ball bearing doesn't go flying off when you take off the stock clamp. That is its only function and is nearly microscopic in size - if it drops on a carpet, it is likely gone forever. The registration pins are irrelevant with this mod as none of the RRS clamps can receive them. Instead you just need to make sure that you are in one of the detents with the tiny ball bearing and the clamp is set to either a zero degree or 90 degree mark when you lock down the clamp with an allen key. Even if you don't do that, you still get the detents, they just don't occur at 0, 90, 180, etc on the scale. It's pretty obvious what you need to do when you have it apart.
 

ejpeiker

Member
Which RRS clamp would be the one to order for the L60?

This one with 1/4-20 flathead screw B2-40 LR Quick-Release Clamp

Or this one with Metric 6 flathead screw: B2-40 LR Quick-Release Clamp

Would this bigger clamp fit as well?: B2 AS II Quick-Release Clamp (also comes with Metric 6 flathead screw)

Thanks
Peter
The one that I used is the B2-40-LR-M6. Joe used the same one.
The large one probably would work but will look pretty odd on top of an L60 where the one I used is essentially the same size as the rest of the L60/p0-Hybrid - see Joe's photo above.
 

Steve Hendrix

Well-known member

MGrayson

Subscriber and Workshop Member
Well, right from your friends at CI, though we haven't yet added that item to our db.com site:

https://www.digitalback.com/product-category/arca-swiss/

I don't know that we have stock of the Quick Link (I had AM pinky toe surgery so not in office), but even if we do not, we would order direct from Rod anyway.


Steve Hendrix/CI
Steve,

Good to know. I've gotten great service from CI on difficult to find Novy/Alpa tripod bits.

Matt
 

Bill Caulfeild-Browne

Well-known member
A lightweight solution.

I normally use a Gitzo GT3530LS with the Arca Swiss Cube and an RRS bracket. This is an excellent combo for my Phase XF and continues to serve me very well. But it's bitch of a combo to carry for long distances!

As I will be going on an expedition next month that will require frequent hopping in and out of Zodiacs and long hikes, I decided to research some lightweight alternatives. I ended up with the Sirui T-2250X. I added an Acratech ball head. I have been using it for six months now and am very pleased with it. Of course it does not have the wind-resistant heft of the Gitzo and I'm cautious about leaving it standing alone if there are others around who might jar it.

Folded, with the head, it measures just 38 cms. or 15 inches. Extended it brings the eyepiece of my XF to 145 cms. or 57 inches - a slight stoop for me as I'm 6 feet tall. With the centre column extended (which I rarely do) it brings the eyepiece to 165 cms. or 65 inches. With the head the combo weighs 1.65 kilos or 3.6 lbs.

I have tested the Sirui against the Gitzo using the XF's Vibration Delay and the files are identically sharp - even when not using the electronic shutter. The recent posts I've made to the Fun thread were all taken using the Sirui.




 
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