501 head - Mounting problem's.

[Kevin Galliford]

Hey everyone,
I want to purchase a Bogen 501 fluid head for my Canon GL2.
Right now I have a crappy $60.00 tripod from Ritz Camera it's a Quantary by Sunpak. I'm so sorry I purchased it.

Anyhow, I can take the head off that and attach my new 501 head, that way I only need to spend $ on a 501 head and not legs as well. But I have a problem.

1. The 501 Bogen head has a female 3/8" thread? Is that correct? -thats what it says on B&H's websight.

2. My tripod I assume has a 1/4" Male thread, Its a cheap ritz Camera Quantary tripod, by Sunpak.

How am I going to fit the 501 3/8" female thread onto my tripods 1/4 " male thread?

I found this part on B&H....
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=283696&is=REG

Bogen / Manfrotto 148 Tripod Reducer Bushing 3/8-1/4" Will that work?

Please let me know your ideas..Ide appreciate all the help I really want a 501 head.


Help me!!!!

[Jeff Donald]

This is a standard accessory and almost any camera store (even the larger Ritz Camera stores) will carry the adapter. The #148 adapter bushing is the part you need. It screws into the bottom of the head and the center hole is 1/4-20 thread for your tripod. I would also advise you to find a better set of legs than the Quantaray legs you currently have. I would save for a complete set from Bogen.

[K. Forman]

Jeff is 100% correct- You need new legs too. I have the 501 head and cheaper Manfrotto legs, and the head is less than fluid in my opinion. And because the legs aren't as rigid, they tend to twist when I pan. Someone here was selling a 501 and legs pretty cheap. Check out the marketplace.

[Kevin Galliford]

Keith, What are you saying? the 501 head isnt that great?

[Reid Bailey]

the 501 head is a good head, but not a great one.
But its very usable and probably the best option in it's price range.

The tricky thing I've found with the 501 is getting the drag adjustment "just right". It takes a little patience but it's not a huge deal.

I also agree, get new legs, no sense in having a nicer fluid head if the legs sway with the slightest movement.

[K. Forman]

My 501 does tend to stick going into pans, unless I release the drag all the way, which allows the head to jiggle. Otherwise, my 3001 Pro legs start to twist a little.

My only other option, is to hold the tripod as I pan. This is my norm. It's a pain, as I usually need 3 hands anyways... I can't wait to get a nice lanc controller!

[Robert J. Wolff]

The 501 is a fine head if you are not doing professional work. It is made and sold by Manfrotto, as a head for advanced amature's (2K2 catalog).

Step up to the 510, or, better yet, if you are a professional, the 516.

Kevin. Don't delude your self. There is no way out. If you are going to shoot professionally, you have to have pro tools. Expensive yes. Results, YES!

Save them pennies.

[Jeff Donald]

Kevin, the move from the Quantaray tripod to the Bogen 501 is only a slight improvement. Your changing one set of problems (with the Quantaray) for a different set of problems (with the bogen 501). Robert has given good advice, save your pennies.

[Jeff Toogood]

I have absolutely no problems with my 501 head and 3046 legs. Maybe with the heavier legs (3046) I don't experience many of the above problems.

[Kevin Galliford]

I just recieved my 501 head. Its alot better than the head I previously had. Its metal!!!! Not Plastic. The problem I had with my cheap head is that the quick release plate giggles around in the slot when locked in. This release place is solid.

Thanks,

[Boyd Ostroff]

Kevin,

You might want to do a search on the 501 here. It's funny that each time the topic comes up "the usual suspects" all repeat the same things pretty much and I am as guilty as everyone else on this.

Bottom line is that some people like it and others don't. Clearly it will be a huge improvement over a plastic Quantaray or anything by SLIK. I have one but don't use much anymore personally. There are certainly much better heads out there, but as you might expect the quality is pretty much correlated to the price.

I think Jeff Donald's and Robert Wolff's advice is right on the money FWIW.

[Chris Thomas]

I use the 501 head on 3021 legs, and I am pleased with the performance overall, but it does have a little trouble when trying to start a slow pan. I combat it by starting my frame early, and cutting out the first few frames of the pan in post, leaving a nice fluid shot. I used a Velbon cx585 before, that I still believe has a more fluid pan to it, but the legs are not sturdy at all, and the head is simply too small to balance the loaded GL2. Poor drag control on the old one too...

I am very happy with the 501/3021 setup and certainly worth the $300 CAD pricetag. Can't beat the performance in that bracket!

[Mike Hanlon]

I have the same pan issue with my 501 as nearly everyone else, so when I was in the Bogen booth at NAB this year I checked out their floor model. I couldn't get it to reproduce the same "stiction" problems that I experience.

I asked the Bogen rep if he had heard of this problem and he said no. He suggested that I have the head in for service if I was experiencing such a problem. I offered that the 501 head had something of a reputation on the chat boards for being sticky. He did not respond to that.

I should also note that when I recieved my tripod (I have the 3221 legs too) I found the whole head to be somewhat stiff. This was a second hand unit purchased on ebay, so my first thought was that I had bought a damaged unit. I decided to take it apart to see what I might find, which turned out to be nothing. However I noticed that when removing the four screws that connect the top plate to the rest of the head, it seemed to release some tension in the head so that after reassembly it felt smoother (not perfect, but better) when tilting.

And no, I haven't yet sent my 501 in for service, but I'm considering it.

[K. Forman]

Mike- If you should look further into having Bogen service your head, please keep us informed... Of everything. I'm curious what it will take to get it fixed, if that is an option.