Vinten 3 Mounting Plate
 

Any Vinten 3 owners figure out a way of securing the plate to their prosumer camera (ie. Pd-150) so that the plate doesn't move about.?

I simply use the plate with the "VHS locking pin", supplied. The camera does not move on the mount at all.

Does your extra pin not fit into the hole that is suppoed to fit in David?

The original pin I got would not fit into my XL1's hole.
That meant that I had to really torque on the single threaded screw to
keep the camera from spinning.

I went to the Vinten booth at NAB this year and complained.
I was told that Canon does not publish
and won't give a spec for that hole. In any case, I was treated to a nice
new screw, pin and plastic "open ended wrench" piece that do now work.

You could probably complain and have them send a new one a little or no
cost.

Would you Vinten Vision 3 owners care to make a report on your long-term impressions of this tripod system? I'm just about ready to add one to my inventory.

Mainly because it is of reported high-quality and can handle my DSR-300 and PD150 or so they say.

If you can compare it, will I like the head as measured against my old but very nice Miller head?

I think you'll be extremely pleased. If not you can always send it back.

Mike,
Three words coined by Nike: "Just Do It" (if you can).

Handling the varied masses of the DSR300 and PD150 are a bit of a unique specialty for the Vision 3. I think you'll find the Vinten a real dream rig.

I'm just beginning to prepare a review of the Vinten Vision 3, Sachtler DV-6 and Miller DS-10 for our library. But, cutting to the chase, go for it!

Very funny story---for two years I have had movment in the plate of my Vinten 3---called Vinten, they sent me a new lock etc--- but the problem continued----I wrote it off as a problem in the system.

About two days ago, I decide, I can't live with the nonsense anymore so I cross the river (literally) and head to Vinten USA headquarters in Nyack, NY. I enter the waiting room, tell the receptionist I need to see a technician. The tech comes out five minutes later, asks me what the problem is then says--"give me a couple of minutes"---Ten minutes later he returns with my PD-150 and a secure plate. It turns out that the plate that came with the camera was defective--I feel so stupid! Why the hell didn't I head across the river two years ago? Anyhow, he was a nice guy and didn't charge me a thing----By the way, now my Vinten 3 system is PERFECT.

That's quite a hoot!

What a good public relations story for Vinten, too.

That's interesting. I would have never thought that the plate would
be bad. I don't think you should blame yourself on this one.
Castings and machined metal are hardly ever BAD.

Boy, we just never stop learning (the hard way usually) in this business do we?

"Castings and machined metal are hardly ever BAD."

You clearly haven't seen the mistakes I can make on my lathe and mill!

<<<-- Originally posted by Mike Rehmus : Would you Vinten Vision 3 owners care to make a report on your long-term impressions of this tripod system? I'm just about ready to add one to my inventory. -->>>

My Vision 3 kicks ass. I feel as though I'll never need to buy another tripod. Very happy. My only gripe are the prices of accessories. I called in for a quite to get replacement screw caps (plastic, about the size of a dime, and used to keep dirt out of the screw access) because two of mine had cracked. $10 usd. EACH. No thanks, I'll make do with a piece of duct tape.

but Mike, you're not German! :)

I wanted to buy another vinten plate to keep the 2nd camera
ready to rock, that is until I learned they cost $135 (probably more now).

I think the plastic doohicky and the two screws for the plate are $35!

<<<-- Originally posted by Jacques Mersereau : but Mike, you're not German! :)

-->>>

German & Danish

I make my own plates too

For the vision 3?! Cool, how much (for a good one)? ;)

I don't yet have a Vision 3.

I make specific applicaiton plates for my tripod heads so I don't have to swap them around.

Right now I'm rebuilding the head of a massive Hercules tripod for use as the support for my boom. The legs are about 3" in diameter. Must weight 30-40 Lbs and has a very massive set of wheels on its detachable dolly.