Anyone know anything about geared heads that lie somewhere between the basic Manfrotto and the Arca-Swiss cube? Looking for something that's finely adjustable and reproducible but not in the four-figure range.
On my legs I use a Manfrotto 410 Compact head with QR plate and it's an effective head. The only major downfall is that you can't change the plate system to an AS type system without a machine shop or an additional plate mounted on the QR plate (I stand corrected!)
The action is clean and smooth, though the nobs are fairly firm to move. It locks in place positively and never shifts. The dials are numbered in degrees and are clear to read.
A minor nitpick is that it doesn't have the same range of action front and back on the pitch axis, which means you have to attach the plate to the base of the camera with that in mind.
Other than that I really like this head. It's cheap, stable, and has a nice positive, smooth lock/action.
Edit: I use it for both photography and video purposes.
I use the 410 geared head with a variety of systems, including A-S. This is discussed in detail here: https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/840150, including more than one way to mount an A-S base clamp on the 410 geared head.
Greg Feldman wrote:
Anyone know anything about geared heads that lie somewhere between the basic Manfrotto and the Arca-Swiss cube? Looking for something that's finely adjustable and reproducible but not in the four-figure range.
I may be misreading the data on the Manfrotto web site which say the 410 moves 7.2 degrees for each full turn of it's handle . This would not be suitable for my macro work. Can someone using this head tell me how precise movement can be adjusted ?
For a geared head I use a Majestic model 1600. I found it at Quality Camera Company in Atlanta -- http://www.qualitycamera.com -- but these show up on eBay regularly. Yo ucan different size platforms from about 3 x 4 inches up to about 5x7 inch. Much heavier duty and heavier than the heaviest duty Manfrotto heads, at least as precise, and a cheaper as well. Only the fore-and-aft tilt is geared, the lateral tilt is not but for my panoramic and studio work that is fine.
I usually have a Really Right Stuff PCL-1 Panning clamp mounted on the Majestic 1600 usually but have started testing of the similar in operation Sunwayphoto.com panning clamp DDH-001, which is smaller in diameter and seems a little different in other ways. No idea about the differences in internal workings. It might be useful for lighter weight cameras than the 1Ds, D3 and medium format cameras I use for single row panoramic work. As I said I've just started testing it.
The Arca Swiss Cube is terribly expensive and seems outrageous---at least at first glance. And then you get to use one. And it's magic. Sure you can use a leveling plate/base. But leveling with the Cube is a five second affair. Try that wearing gloves and shivering in the cold shooting landscapes with a ballhead and leveling base...
I believe Photo Clam has an exact "knock-off" on the AS Cube that is reputed to be very good, but substantially less expensive..... That might fit the bill if you're asking for something in between the Manfrotto and the Cube.
kdphotography wrote:
I believe Photo Clam has an exact "knock-off" on the AS Cube
Oooh ... That could fit the bill. One thing I need is excellent reproducibility of camera position when removing the camera and putting it back on the head. Even if the Manfrotto does adjust precisely, it seems to have more inherent play than I want.
Do some snooping over at www.getdpi.com Most threads on the Cube et al. seem to be in the medium format digital section.
There are a few threads on the Arca Swiss Cube, the Photo Clam Multiflex, and the Manfrotto too. Some got a bit heated even.
Those that did opt for the Multiflex over the more expensive Cube had nothing but good things to say about their version (which looks identical btw) including the responsiveness of the dealer/manufacturer. The Multiflex is still expensive, but then again there's also nothing like it. Except for the Cube.
Holy crap--the Clam knockoff is still four figures. Wow.
I see now that I was looking at the Manfrotto 410, and there's also a (possibly) sturdier one out there called the 405. It's almost twice the price, so I assume it's "better," at any rate.
Off to learn more about replacing the QR clamp with an A-S one.
jcolwell wrote:
I use the 410 geared head with a variety of systems, including A-S. This is discussed in detail here: https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/840150, including more than one way to mount an A-S base clamp on the 410 geared head.
OK--I read through that thread. Everyone's different use of terms like "plate" and "base" make the whole thing a little baffling. Two questions for you: (1) At the end of the day, do you recommend just attaching an A-S clamp to the Manfrotto QR plate? (2) When you do that, how much play is there in the system? Let's say you were to grab on to the camera body (or even lens) in this setup and try to wiggle it around. Is everything totally solid, or does the combination of multiple plates, rubber here and there, and Manfrotto's own clamping system--along with however it is that the geared head itself is constructed--allow for meaningful play?
As you have noted there is a little amount of play or creep, inherent in the gearing of Manfrotto geared heads (at least in my experience) which is why I switched from the Manfrotto heads to the Majestic. As an alternate to the Majestic 1600, Cambo makes or made a geared tripod head. The advantage opf the Cambo is that there is a paaning feature and it is built into the camera platform and not at the tripod base. The other really good but non geared double tilt and pan head I use and recommend is the Arca-Swiss B2 monoball, and there is the double tilt Foba head. Neither of these last two options is cheap, even used.
Hi Greg. The A-S to RC4 fitting is very solid, despite the rubber contact surface. Mine is fixed with a 3/8 screw that's well-cranked down. As Ellis notes, there is a bit of give in the 410 gears, and that's the only movement that you see with mine, when gripping & flexing a camera mounted in the A-S to RC4 adapter. On mine, there's no 'creep', as it doesn't change position over time, but you can get it to move a bit when you flex, and then it comes back when you release.
Gotcha. Any thoughts on the difference between the 405 and 410? The price of the larger one is nearly double, and any benefits (to me) are not stated in Manfrotto's specs.
I'm not uninterested in them, but I get the impression that the geared movement (at least on the Cambo) is in one plane only, and the other plane isn't geared. Am I mistaken?
E-Vener wrote:
no you are correct about that. What kind of photos are you making?
Very tight macro product shots. Currently using an Arca-Swiss B1 with a Velbon focusing rail. The rail works fairly well, but tiny adjustments with the B1 are a pain.
