Upgrading from 501HDV: Vinten VB or Sachtler DSLR/FSB-6?

[Richard D. George]

Wind up? Could you explain?

[Owen Kilgour]

Tripod legs flexing when panning so at the end of the pan the camera springs back a few degrees.

[Richard D. George]

No, this does not happen.

[Zexun Tan]

Well I ended up renting the Vinten Vision Blue sticks for some shoots and realised that the problems I had with the particular copy I tested didn't show up on the rental tripods. It's now safe to say that I'll definitely stick with the vinten VB (as well as the new Vision Blue 5 for heavier loads next time, head only) when I rent or buy in the future.

[Paul R Johnson]

I've now decided that I won't ever buy a new tripod and head, but buy second hand Vintens - of the quality I could never afford. I've got two Vinten tripods, one single stage and the other two stage, and despite scratches and dings, they're solid - and the broken knob on one was replaced easily from Vinten's service department. I've got an old Cygnet post head, and a 5LF head and are just so good compared to other products in my price range. Compared to the usual budget Vintens/Manfrotto heads there is simply no comparison. You can operate with no drag or loads of drag and all that happens is that the resistance is greater, starting and stopping is no problem. On cheap heads, if you turn up the drag, you have to use too much effort to start a pan or a tilt and it jerks. Stopping also is abrupt. Even with heavy loads you don't get windup - it just doesn't happen. With the locks on, even fully zoomed, touching the pan handle doesn't make it jump!

[Chris Soucy]

Hi, Paul............

Your post raised an interesting question.

There's Vinten stuff out there that must be 40 years old, maybe more.

I wonder what Vintens attitude is to maintaining/ repairing same if it's still doing quality service.

I realise they have no moral/ legal duty to keeping that kit going, the original business owners (most probably) having written the gear off financially in about 5 years (or less), but just what will they do if asked by a desperate current owner?

Over to you, Peter.

Just to show balance, the same could be said of Sachtler, the circumstances of Pro kit out there being almost identical (and boy, there must be a heap of it), what's Sachtlers take on keeping geriatric support systems going?

Over to you, Barbara.


CS

PS: BTW, Paul, that's the whole point of buying such gear, it is simply bomb proof and always will be.

[Peter Harman]

Good morning world, hope you are all well.

The Vinten support commitment is clear - we will provide full after sales support for a period of 10 years for all Vinten products and 5 years for Protouch products after the last product has come off the production line. For example, Vision 5AS and Pro-10 have just (April 2012) been discontinued and replaced by Vision blue5. Therefore, support will continue until the end of 2022 for Vision 5AS and 2017 for Pro-10.

[Victor Nguyen]

so how many people have problem with 501 getting stuck? mine got stuck to my konova slider and I don't know how to get it out. I have try putting some wd 40 but it hasn't been working. Does using a strap wrench work?

[Chris Soucy]

Stuck? How? What bit of what is stuck to what bit of what?

Gonna have to give us more to work on Victor, well, me, anyway, my Crystal Ball is fresh out of batteries.

And no, I've never heard of a 501, of any flavour, getting stuck to anything.


CS

[Victor Nguyen]

it is stuck to my konova slider. I cannot for the life of me take the head off of the slider

[Chris Soucy]

Do you mean the clamp bolt is jammed in a threaded hole of some sort?

You're gonna have to help us out here, as most of us wouldn't know a Konova slider if it sat up and bit us.


CS

[Victor Nguyen]

You just put the head on the konova slider as if you would put it on a tripod. Then I try taking it off but it seems like the locking brake is not working. Sorry I suck at explaining. If you still don't get it I'll just make a video

[Chris Soucy]

Um, Victor..............

If it goes on just like a tripod, why do you need the "locking brake" (I assume you mean the Pan Lock) to take it off?

A video would be a good idea.


CS

[Mike Beckett]

I think a picture might paint 1000 words here. My 501HDV just screws down onto the slider carriage, there's nothing to lock it on. Plenty of brut force can be needed!

[Zexun Tan]

I always engage the pan lock and twist it counter-clockwise hard. If that doesn't work, I put on the pan handle and use more leverage. Always works!