Photo Clam ball head / tripod users?

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peter_n
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p.3 #1 · Photo Clam ball head / tripod users?

Lars Johnsson wrote: I have the Z1 with the original screw clamp. And it's great. Nothing wrong with that one. As good as my RRS, Markins or Kirk clamps

I'm sure this is true.

pmiller228 wrote: Do you mean just the flip lock clamps or the thumb screw ones too? Which clamp do you recommend?

I mean all the "double decker" clamps they now sell with the Z1. If you look at the clamps they have two sets of jaws, an upper and a lower. The upper is the regular good old Arca-Swiss clamp that we all use, the lower is their new Slidefix clamp with different dimensions. The problem for "regular" clamp users with this double decker design is that the stop screws on a camera plate have nothing to catch on because the jaws are raised way above the surface of the clamp.

I would recommend that you get a 3rd party clamp and buy the very basic Z1 SP with the circular base. That model comes with a choice: you can have the main knob on the left side or the right side. Most choose the left because they hold the camera with their right hand. For clamps I suggest the RRS lever clamp or the Wimberley screw knob clamp.

Feb 08, 2013 at 05:54 PM

pmiller228
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p.3 #2 · Photo Clam ball head / tripod users?

Thanks! I will look into that. I am trying to buy once and buy the right thing.

Feb 10, 2013 at 01:01 AM

ffstory
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p.3 #3 · Photo Clam ball head / tripod users?

I had Markins Q3T and did't like the panning base. No matter how firmly I tighten the panning screw I felt it was always too loose. Since I often used the head in horizontal orientation it was an issue for me. Perhaps this is a problem on Q3T only as the standard Q3 seems to have different panning base.

I downgraded to cheaper Photo Clam PC-36NS and it works perfectly. I believe that its manufacturing quality is as well as Markins.

I used also other ball heads. Manfrotto 488, Gitzo GH2781, Giottos MH7001 and Benro ball-head. Photo Clam PC36 is the best out of these followed by Markins. I would not hesitate to recommend it.

Mar 04, 2013 at 05:29 PM

huddy
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p.3 #4 · Photo Clam ball head / tripod users?

I have a PC44-NS. I bought it used a year ago and it has served me well holding lenses up to a 300/2.8 and D700 without any difficulty. I accidentally left it outside in a rainstorm about 9 months ago and that hasn't seemed to cause any problems.

Mar 04, 2013 at 05:44 PM

peter_n
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p.3 #5 · Photo Clam ball head / tripod users?

ffstory wrote: I had Markins Q3T and did't like the panning base. No matter how firmly I tighten the panning screw I felt it was always too loose.

It's designed as a brake and not a lock. I believe all Markins heads exhibit the same behavior. I have only owned three Q3T heads and they were the same. To some it matters, to others not.

Mar 04, 2013 at 06:40 PM

ffstory
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p.3 #6 · Photo Clam ball head / tripod users?

peter_n wrote:
ffstory wrote: I had Markins Q3T and did't like the panning base. No matter how firmly I tighten the panning screw I felt it was always too loose.

It's designed as a brake and not a lock. I believe all Markins heads exhibit the same behavior. I have only owned three Q3T heads and they were the same. To some it matters, to others not.

Yes. For me this is a big issue if you want to use the head in every other orientation than vertical or on surface other than perfectly flat. I'd love Markins heads but this is a big problem.

Photo Clamp heads are considered as clones, but they don't suffer from this problem.

Mar 04, 2013 at 08:59 PM

peter_n
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p.3 #7 · Photo Clam ball head / tripod users?

Yes the Photo Clam heads have a regular panning lock, as does the Arca-Swiss original that Markins and Photo Clam copied. The Markins panning behavior wasn't an issue for me, but I can see where you had the problem the way you were using the head.

Mar 05, 2013 at 02:42 PM

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