Headless Bowl Video Tripod?
 

Ok so first thing - I have good fluid heads. I want to keep these fluid heads.

I also want to start using video bowl tripods. All I can find is either full video tripods including heads, or video tripod legs with empty bowls!

Is it not possible to get a tripod with the bowl and the part that goes into it with the 3/8 20 thread for a third party head to be screwed on??

Anyone know of any? I can't believe there doesn't seem to be many options for this?

Re: Headless Bowl Video Tripod?
 

Clive,

Is this any good?

520BALL 75Mm Bowl With Knob 520BALL - Other | Manfrotto

That gives you a bowl leveller that you add to a 75mm bowl tripod and can screw a flat-based tripod head like a 501HDV to it.

Re: Headless Bowl Video Tripod?
 

Might be what I'll have to do! Cheers!

£50 is a bit steep though. Legs plus that would add up. Arguably i could buy a full system, screw the head off and throw it in the corner and it could work out the same if not cheaper!

Re: Headless Bowl Video Tripod?
 

Clive,

You can probably get it cheaper. Amazon UK have it for £40. It might be worth trawling eBay for those rip-off Indian versions.

If you buy a full system with a bowl-mount head, then you may as well just buy a whole system (unless it's really cheap). Also, if you buy a complete kit, don't assume that you can part the bowl from the head and use the half bowl from it as an adapter.

One puzzle is that I don't know your budget, or your existing legs or head!

Re: Headless Bowl Video Tripod?
 

Mike, just seeing your in Antrim! Thats crazy!

Yea I have three Weifeng 717-AH heads so I could transfer my camera between tripod/monopod/slider real quick.

Wishing now I had got one Weifeng 717 full sytem, and two spare heads. I can get the legs seperate I guess. And the Manfrooto half bowl if I find out which size the 717 bowl is.

I'm happy enough with the 717 head, i just wasnt sure on the quality of the legs. Also, I think I would miss the centre column on my current tripod for extra height.

Would you highly recommend the bowl for levelling?

Re: Headless Bowl Video Tripod?
 

Well, I may have found one!

It would appear Manfrotto offer legs with the half bowl included!

Pro Lightweight Aluminium Video Tripod VGI547B - | Manfrotto

Re: Headless Bowl Video Tripod?
 

Hi Clive,

Well I'm from Antrim... don't judge me on that. <grin>

That tripod seems to have some sort of leveller similar to the 520BALL built in. Maybe not exactly the same, but it looks like it will do the job. If you're levelling your camera, then it's invaluable. I can't imagine having to adjust individual legs to get a tripod level now.

I'm kind of dubious about the stability of those Manfrotto legs, they look a bit spindly to me. It depends on your needs and your camera, if it's lightweight and you're not doing telephoto work, then it might be OK.

There's another group of Manfrotto tripods (I think they are called "MDve" or something like that) that have a built-in leveller that isn't a bowl, but does a reasonably good job. for lightweight work, and it does the job. Not a patch on the Vinten of course, but then it was considerably cheaper.

I honestly get a bit worried about products that include the word "Pro" in their name. Normally this suggests they are trying too hard to look pro. The real "pro" makes tend not to have the word "pro" in their product names. Until someone comes along and proves me wrong here!

Re: Headless Bowl Video Tripod?
 

Cheers Mike!

Re: Headless Bowl Video Tripod?
 

There's a big "gotcha" with those 547 sticks guys, apart from not looking all that robust.

The supplied/ attached half ball leveller is 60mm, which means you're stuck using flat bottomed (read: Manfrotto or similar) heads for ever and a day.

All half ball heads (well, semi and pro, anyway) use either a 75mm or a 100mm half ball, so can never be used with those sticks if you want to grow beyond your current needs.

If you want to "future proof" your investment, you have to go full 75mm and use a 520ball leveller with your existing flat bottomed heads.


CS