p.1 #1 · Solved - Gitzo 3542LS - fragment preventing locking lever from holding the flat base down securely
Note: Solution is below
I've just received a Gitzo 3542LS tripod in the mail.
When I unpacked it, I noticed that the flat base of the tripod was had a slight wobble to it.
The ring around the flat base at the top of the tripod has an expansion joint in it so that the flat base can be swapped out.
In that expansion joint, I noticed that there was a tiny fragment / scrap of metal. That fragment / scrap of metal prevents to the sides of the expansion joint from meeting completely together, thus providing a small amount of looseness in the collar which holds the flat base in place.
As this is my first Gitzo tripod, I am unsure whether the fragment / scrap of metal is meant to be there, has broken off from elsewhere in the tripod, or was just a leftover from the manufacturing process.
Should I remove the fragment with a pair of needle-nosed pliers, or leave it in place?
I've attached some photos of it and would appreciate the insights of other Gitzo Tripod owners as to what I should do. Forgive the slight softness of the images - I obviously couldn't use my tripod to take them ;-) I put a 36mm extension tube on my Sigma 85mm lens to take the shots.
Anakha
Edited to indicate the solution had been found
View from underneath looking up at the tripod ring
p.1 #3 · Solved - Gitzo 3542LS - fragment preventing locking lever from holding the flat base down securely
that chunk looks like it would make locking down the platform rather difficult. i would say thats a no it should not be there, or anywhere on that setup. loosen the clamping mechanism up and remove it. should actually work then w/o the wobbles. things happen event to the better products.
p.1 #4 · Solved - Gitzo 3542LS - fragment preventing locking lever from holding the flat base down securely
Thanks for your input.
I removed the fragment.
There is still a little play in the flat base - with a Wimberley mount and my long lens on it, I can wiggle the camera about 1mm from side to side. The wimberley and my markins Q10 have no wiggle in them - it comes solely from the looseness of the flat base in its ring.
Any suggestions for how to tighten the ring around the flat base?
p.1 #6 · Solved - Gitzo 3542LS - fragment preventing locking lever from holding the flat base down securely
Hi EBH,
I used the allen key provided by Gitzo to tighten up the screw which joins my Markins Q10 to the flat base.
There is still a little wiggle in the flat base. This is especially noticeable with the Wimberley attached. I can hold the legs of the tripod rock steady and the top of the Wimberley will rock back and forth a couple of millimitres in my hand - despite the Markins Q10 being fully locked down.
The issue is not with the Q10 or the Wimberley. There is a little play in the ring around the flat base of the 3542LS. I just don't know how to tighten the locking level mechanism a little more so that when it is locked it prevents the flat base from wobbling.
Suggestions appreciated.
Anakha
EB-1 wrote:
The base of a 3 series should be rock solid. With the detrius removed, is it not possible to tighten the center clamp with the Gitzo tool provided?
p.1 #8 · Solved - Gitzo 3542LS - fragment preventing locking lever from holding the flat base down securely
EBH,
The flat base is not out of round.
I did find the solution :-)
I used my headlamp to peer inside the locking lever mechanism. There was a tiny allen key socket inside it (about 2mm across or thereabouts). I hunted through my tools and found a ring of allen keys. Fortunately, the second smallest one was just the correct size. So after a few turns to the right, I was able to shrink the gap between the edges of the ring which the locking lever contracts further when it closes.
This adjustment now means that even with my head and the wimberley mount loaded onto the tripod, there is no movement :-)
I don't know whether the correct factory adjustment of the tolerance for the locking lever was prevented from occurring by that tiny fragment of metal that I found, but given the price of this tripod, I would have expected it to be in perfect condition out of the box. Neither the paper manual provided by Gitzo nor their website made mention of the tension of the locking ring around the flat base being adjustable.
That said, now that I have a stable tripod, I'm happy.
Anakha
EB-1 wrote:
Damn, it sounds like there is a defect. Is something out of round or is there any other debris?
p.1 #9 · Solved - Gitzo 3542LS - fragment preventing locking lever from holding the flat base down securely
I suspect you are right about the errant piece of metal being in the way when it was 'calibrated' by Gitzo. My new(ish) GT3532LS doesn't have the issues you have described here.
p.1 #10 · Solved - Gitzo 3542LS - fragment preventing locking lever from holding the flat base down securely
Thanks Neilvan...
Glad to hear it is not a systemic (systematic - ba doom tish) problem with Gitzo's newest range of tripods.
Anakha
neilvan wrote:
I suspect you are right about the errant piece of metal being in the way when it was 'calibrated' by Gitzo. My new(ish) GT3532LS doesn't have the issues you have described here.
