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.

<<<-- Originally posted by Jacques Mersereau : I think the plastic doohicky and the two screws for the plate are $35! -->>>

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=238155&is=REG

Man, B&H set yet another "street price" ;0

Only $29.00 for 50¢ worth of stuff!!!!

Strangely enough, that pricing probably truly represents the cost of providing the spares.

You have to be on the other side to understand how expensive spares management and delivery really is. Not only do you have to document and catalog the spare parts, you have to pay for that inventory, sometimes far longer that the product life, use a tech support person to ID the proper spare, process orders for it (industrial costs for processing an order is more than $25 each. Many companies have a minimum order amount just because of this) and ship it. All in all, the bad end of the business for both the customer and the company.

Couple that with having to import the Vinten spares.

That's why the Japanese attitude towards spares is frequently, "buy another unit if you want spares."

I have to admit that the cost of an extra Vinten plate got under even my skin a bit...and I'm generally pretty resilient on such petty larceny.

Mike is, of course, correct in his remarks concerning the costs associated with stocking and selling parts. But VInten's pricing on these plates goes far beyond reasonable excess. Plates for a Miller head, for example, are -nearly- identical to those for a V3. Yet, despite Miller being an Australian company, these plates cost half as much. ($80 -vs- $160).

I don't want to get down on Vinten. They make excellent products and apparently back them with service. But there's an impressive amount of profit being handed up to the Vitec Group (http://www.vitecgroup.com/Default.aspx?noflash=false&flashversion=6) (Vinten's parent) from these little pieces of stamped steel.

Guys, just to add to my wonderful experience at Vinten---the same guy who replaced the plate for free, gave me two screws in plastic housings! NO CHARGE---If someone really needs one, (considering the price) I would be happy to send it on-----First come first served!!!!

<<<-- Originally posted by David Mintzer : Guys, just to add to my wonderful experience at Vinten---the same guy who replaced the plate for free, gave me two screws in plastic housings! NO CHARGE---If someone really needs one, (considering the price) I would be happy to send it on-----First come first served!!!! -->>>

Wow, Vinten wouldnt even give me two plastic screw COVERS for free, let alone something useful like screws. $10 for each cover. Pssh.

Are you talking about the VHS pin plastic thing? What plastic housings are you talking about?

Sorry Andrew--just the plastic housings for the screws--little screw holders---LOL