Well, I give up. My 503hdv has got to go. I am thinking of going with a different brand like Cartoni for my long shots. I put a sony z1u on it, mic and some other accessories.

I went to BH this past December, but their head displays had broken demos, so I never got a touch and feel that made me comfortable.

Can anyone recommend a head that is similar to the 503 but could handle long shots better?

Steven, get a Vinten Vision 3AS, it fits on the 525 legs perfectly.
I ditched my 503hdv head cos it's crap and fitted a vision 3 as head, it is so much better.
I can't recommend the vinten head enough.
I have to say that the manfrotto 525 legs aren't that bad, not any wind up that i've noticed.

Paul.

I'll do some research on it.

Hey Paul is it this one? Vinten | V4043-0001 Vision 3AS Fluid Head (Black) | V4043-0001 (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/614759-REG/Vinten_V4043_0001_V4043_0001_Vision_3AS_Fluid.html)

Hey Paul is it this one? Vinten | V4043-0001 Vision 3AS Fluid Head (Black) | V4043-0001 (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/614759-REG/Vinten_V4043_0001_V4043_0001_Vision_3AS_Fluid.html)


Yes that's the head.

You might want to read this review, from this site.

Vinten Vision 3 AS Tripod (1 of 4) at DVInfo.net (http://www.dvinfo.net/article/production/camsupport/vinten-vision-3-as-tripod-1-of-4.html)


This head really is that good, from what i can gather there's noting else to touch it in this price range.

Paul.

Nice review, head looks nice. Darn shame I live where I do, no touch and feel.

Steven

Pass me your contact details and ill get a loan system out to you so you can try before you buy.

Peter Harman
Product Manager, Vinten.

I need a new head too! It's the Cartoni Focus or the Vinten 3AS. The Cartoni seems like a safe call- I think I want the Vinten but I'm worried about weight. I use a Z5 and I often don't even put the mike on it so it's barly 5lbs. Sounds like that can be a problem on the Vinten since you can't change springs anymore. The camera can be a few pounds heavier when its got memory unit, wide lens, mike. etc but that not usually the case so I'd like a full range of adjustment. I'd also love to keep this head for quite a while (The largest camera that I think I would ever own is an EX3 or XL - 10lbs at the most)
I can't try before I but either
Any soothing words out there for my concerns?

Sounds like that can be a problem on the Vinten since you can't change springs anymore.

Wrong, the spring is very easy to change,(less than 1 minute) just not meant to be changed by end users.
I'm sure that Peter Harman will advise you on what spring to have.


See my previous post about what Peter did for me.

http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/tripod-sticks-heads/466033-vinten-vision-3as-manfrotto-legs-fits.html

Paul.

Rich

Pass me your details and ill get our US team to contact you in January with a V3AS loaner. If there is anyone else reading this thread and would like to try the new Vision AS, contact me directly and ill pass your details on to our customer services teams that covers your area.

Peter Harman
Product Manager, Vinten

Sachtler FSB is the way to go. I have Canon gear, but a Sony Z1U should work with an FSB-6. Some with Sony EX cameras move up to the FSB-8.

You will be astounded at the difference in pans and tilts.

Steven, get a Vinten Vision 3AS, it fits on the 525 legs perfectly.
I ditched my 503hdv head cos it's crap and fitted a vision 3 as head, it is so much better.
I can't recommend the vinten head enough.
I have to say that the manfrotto 525 legs aren't that bad, not any wind up that i've noticed.

Paul.

Hey Paul, I have a demo kit that comes with the Vinten legs. The main difference is that these legs don't have a center raise bar. Sooooo, I'm not sure if I want the legs or not. Any thoughts? I like my Bogen sticks.

What do you mean by a centre raise bar ?
Will the Vinten head fit on your Bogen sticks ?
My Vision 3as head i still on my Manfrotto/Bogen legs, working great.

Paul.

My bogen sticks have a crank that raises the center pole Manfrotto 3246 - 3246 W/O HEAD BLACK (http://www.bogenimaging.us/Jahia/site/bius/pid/6780?kindOfProductCollectionRequest=productDetail&productCode=3246&productDescription=3246%20W/O%20HEAD%20BLACK&curBrandId=MAN&market=MKT1)

I'm wondering what I would lose by putting the V head on the sticks. The V sticks have a spot for the center balance adjustment, I would lose that with the bogen tripod.

Update: So far so good on the action, it's miles from my 503dv. These sticks are probably high enough, although the feet are set for a spreader which I wouldn't need. I however run this camera on a dolly most of the time, so I'll have to toy with it a little. Also, I'll have to check into extension wands to see if V has those.

Well, the Vinten Vision 3AS is a nice head, and it's probably something I will purchase. My sticks don't work on it, so I might keep the Vinten sticks as well. Although, the trouble with this is, I will lose a middle shaft raise and if the addon feet don't fit my 'round hole' dolly I will have to get a dolly that will work with the flat feet. And that's more $$$$

Soooooo, I'll be adding Vinten to my gear which is all Bogen.

I ended up buying the kit. Thank Vinten. Good stuff.

While were on the subject :-)
what would a person do if they wanted to Keep thier Flat head Bogen legs And definatly wanted to keep the COLUMN , and say they didnt even like the usual professional type of tripods for various reasons, especially not thier versions of columns at thier versions of prices.
is there a Sure and non Kludgey way to get a Vinten or shatler popped on top of bogen sticks with flat heads, and still maintain all the functions of the bogen sticks.

I think colums are great for many things, like bodying up to the tripod to run "hand-Held" on the tripod without the tripods top in the way, plus they can be easily adjusted without dropping, sliding, and other stuff that makes that leg style easier to work with in bad situations.

Think this works for Sachtler heads, but won't work for a Vinten, wrong type of bolt.

tripods, heads, monopods, light stands, camera supports, lighting supports, professional tripod 325N - ADATTATORE PER SFERA (http://www.manfrotto.com/Jahia/site/manfrotto/pid/3341?fullList=0|68|111|118&idx=118)


CS

PS: Adattatore per Sfera = adapter for ball (courtesy Google translate)

thanks that is what i needed to know.

So I got the Vinten 3AS - Fantastic head, amazingly smooth and alot of drag/tilt variation! As expected my Z5 when stripped down at 5 1/2 lbs only balances to around 1/3 tilt. When loaded up(6.5-7 lbs) it balances perfect. Can anyone tell me (Peter Harman?) If I can change the spring by myself to minimal and how? I really like this head and don't really want to switch to the Sachtler but I'd like to get alot closer to perfect balance in the 5.5-6 lb range

Rich, i've got the 3AS head, i too had a problem balancing my EX1, it was too light for the head, but after changing to a lighter spring it's perfect.
I've now got a big range of adjustment on one spring from too light all the way to too hard for my EX1.
Ther spring change is very easy but i don't want to post instructions on here for fear of upsetting Vinten.
The spring change is not meant to be user changeable but all i will say is that it takes about 30 secs and needs one tool, a tool which 99% of us have.

Paul.

Thanks for the email & instructions Paul. Vinten is sending me the replacement spring. Peter says all new heads are coming out like this. I backed the tension off the existing spring 2 turns and the camera balances close to perfect already. Still 5 turns left to no tension and several more to take the screw out. This head REALLY is very good and so is custormer support. Price can't be beat though I did see that B&H just bumped up pricing on several heads and sticks, satchler too

Glad to have helped Rich.

Paul.

Good evening,

A couple thoughts:

Even with the right spring sometimes you still need some extra weight to make it better. I have three weights I made out of 1 inch steel plate. I just pick the one that makes things close to perfect as possible and attach it under the camera. Works great and it really helps in the wind!! With my vv6 I always add a weight when I use a camera rig smaller than 8 pounds. It also makes for smoother movements.

Dale

Edit: Oh yea, I also use 525 legs and they are great.

Steven, get a Vinten Vision 3AS, it fits on the 525 legs perfectly.
I ditched my 503hdv head cos it's crap and fitted a vision 3 as head, it is so much better.
I can't recommend the vinten head enough.
I have to say that the manfrotto 525 legs aren't that bad, not any wind up that i've noticed.

Paul.

Hey Paul and all, (yeah yeah, it rhymes)

Since I got the kit, I've been trying hard to find a 3" wheeled dolly that would work with the spiked feet, and I've come up empty. I am going to try and return the tripod find one that has round feet. I'm a tad annoyed because I called Bogen tech support as well as BH three times asking them what I needed. Bogen told me to order the Bogen 181 Manfrotto | 181 Folding Auto Dolly | 181 | B&H Photo Video so I did. Well, I have to return it because it doesn't work. So now I have to find a tripod with round feet that will work with this head. Drat huh?

Take the booties off the tripod - the spikes are designed to go into the receptors on the dolly arm ends, then the rubber thong is pulled up over the back of the foot to clamp it.

My FiberTecs' fit all my Manfrotto stuff.

They didn't give you a bum steer after all, the 181 is designed to be used with double spiked feet but also work quite happily with Vintens single spike feet.

If the dolly you have cannot take spiked feet, it can't be a 181.


CS

Well, the people at Vinten are great. I kept the Vinten 3as head. I wasn't so successful with the sticks. I loved the fiber stick that come with the kit but I never could get a 3inch wheeled dolly to work with the dual spiked sticks. And trust me, it was a journey. I even called Bogen asking them what would work, they gave me wrong information that cost me shipping back to BH.

So what I ended up with was Manfrotto | 535 3-Section Carbon Fiber Tripod | 535 | B&H Photo sticks with the 3as head. The kicker for the sticks was I already have a dolly that takes single spiked feet.

Man was this a journey. The End.

Well, it's not quite the end, is it?

What about the part where you tell us how you wish the Manfrotto was as light, sturdy, and awesome as the Vinten, aside from the spiked feet problem.

Or maybe the story ends with "why would anybody pay so much more for the Vinten when the Manfrotto is every bit as good."

Or maybe you have another ending in mind. :)

""Well, it's not quite the end, is it?

What about the part where you tell us how you wish the Manfrotto was as light, sturdy, and awesome as the Vinten, aside from the spiked feet problem.

Or maybe the story ends with "why would anybody pay so much more for the Vinten when the Manfrotto is every bit as good."

Or maybe you have another ending in mind. :) "

Well, the dolly is huge for me, it's an integral part of my setup. I'll admit, the sticks and head look odd. The Vinten sticks I didn't keep are far superior to these Bogen sticks. What can I say. It was the best end I could find.

You've completely lost me with this dolly thing.

The Vinten sticks have/ had double/ single spiked feet?

You already had a dolly that took spiked feet?

You ordered another dolly which takes single/ double spiked feet and sent it back?

So, you have yet another dolly that only takes round based tripod legs and not spikes?

Yes, your new Manfrotto 'pod has round based legs, I still can't square this particular circle.

Why wouldn't the Vinten sticks fit the dolly you already had that was for single/ double spiked feet?

Confused, NZ.


CS

Thanks. I can totally appreciate that. Good to hear that the Vinten sticks really are superior. Too bad they didn't do the job for you though. Sometimes we want the Ferrari, but can get the job done better with a pickup truck.