A deeper question. "Ringing" fluid head

Alastair Traill · November 22nd, 2013, 05:39 PM

Hi Steve,
I am glad you have solved your problem.
However just to clarify things for me, in your thread of Nov 10th you were looking for a head with a flat base that you could use on a tripod with a center column. Are you using your new Sachtler on a center pole tripod?

Bryce Comer · November 22nd, 2013, 05:46 PM

That's great news Steve. Give the foam a try on the pan handle, it certainly makes a difference!
Bryce

James Kuhn · November 23rd, 2013, 03:01 PM

Allastair...the Sachtler FSB 8 has a 'flat bottom' along with a 3/8" threaded socket to attach any standard 'flat-based' photographic tripod (with a 3/8" stud). I supposed you could also 1/4" to 3/8" thread adapter if you needed to.

I hope this helps.

Regards,

J.

Ronald Jackson · November 24th, 2013, 01:23 AM

Re "flat bottomed" tripod heads. I know people using DSLR lenses on video cameras who don't bother with bowl mount tripod heads, they level via the lens foot, rotating the lens (but not the cam) to level off. Need a guide line in the viewfinder though and not on for rigs using rods etc.

Ron

Alastair Traill · November 24th, 2013, 05:34 AM

Hi James,

Thanks for your reply, my question for Steve was more out of curiosity than any thing practical. I would expect a weighty head to oscillate for a longer time after disturbance if it was mounted on a tripod with a column as compared to a well-matched ‘standard’ tripod. Basically I was wanting to know if Steve had changed tripod style as well as the head.

Paul R Johnson · November 24th, 2013, 05:44 AM

There is a reason people spend lots of money on legs and heads. If you do up the pan and tilt locks on a cheap rig and then touch the pan bar, you see the moment your fingers touch. With the locks off, the transition from rest to moving always give a jerk as the head starts moving. Once you invest in legs that have rotational stability - as in leg wind up which creates the spring back - the head can start moving much more cleanly as the friction is overcome. Long lenses, make this so much worse. With decent legs and heads the problem goes away. Cheap kit keeps your cameras off the ground, and keeps them level. Moving smoothly takes better engineering, and higher cost. Let's be honest - sticking some grease between two parallel faces does NOT constitute a fluid head. Always worth remembering that the very best studio heads, capable of supporting very heavy cameras and lenses historically have used, cams, bearings and mechanisms to provide stable movement - not fluid!

Steve Siegel · November 24th, 2013, 05:44 PM

Alastair,

The 75 mm hemispherical base and handle screw onto a 3/8" stud. This stud, in turn screws into a 3/8" female connector which is set in a flat base on the head. The stud is held in place (rather tightly) by a single nut. With a little effort and a long-handled wrench, I removed the nut, no damage done. Then the stud simply screws out, leaving the 3/8" female connector for the similar stud on the tripod to screw in. It works perfectly.

Alastair Traill · November 24th, 2013, 07:32 PM

Hi Steve,

i.e. a new head on the old tripod?

November 22nd, 2013, 05:39 PM	#16
Alastair Traill Major Player Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Melbourne Australia Posts: 626	Re: A deeper question. "Ringing" fluid head Hi Steve, I am glad you have solved your problem. However just to clarify things for me, in your thread of Nov 10th you were looking for a head with a flat base that you could use on a tripod with a center column. Are you using your new Sachtler on a center pole tripod?

November 22nd, 2013, 05:46 PM	#17
Bryce Comer Trustee Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Rossland, British Columbia Posts: 1,024	Re: A deeper question. "Ringing" fluid head That's great news Steve. Give the foam a try on the pan handle, it certainly makes a difference! Bryce __________________ There's never enough hours in the day!

November 23rd, 2013, 03:01 PM	#18
James Kuhn Major Player Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Merritt Island, Florida Posts: 865	Re: A deeper question. "Ringing" fluid head Allastair...the Sachtler FSB 8 has a 'flat bottom' along with a 3/8" threaded socket to attach any standard 'flat-based' photographic tripod (with a 3/8" stud). I supposed you could also 1/4" to 3/8" thread adapter if you needed to. I hope this helps. Regards, J.

November 24th, 2013, 01:23 AM	#19
Ronald Jackson Major Player Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Southport, United Kingdom Posts: 723	Re: A deeper question. "Ringing" fluid head Re "flat bottomed" tripod heads. I know people using DSLR lenses on video cameras who don't bother with bowl mount tripod heads, they level via the lens foot, rotating the lens (but not the cam) to level off. Need a guide line in the viewfinder though and not on for rigs using rods etc. Ron

November 24th, 2013, 05:34 AM	#20
Alastair Traill Major Player Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Melbourne Australia Posts: 626	Re: A deeper question. "Ringing" fluid head Hi James, Thanks for your reply, my question for Steve was more out of curiosity than any thing practical. I would expect a weighty head to oscillate for a longer time after disturbance if it was mounted on a tripod with a column as compared to a well-matched ‘standard’ tripod. Basically I was wanting to know if Steve had changed tripod style as well as the head.

November 24th, 2013, 05:44 AM	#21
Paul R Johnson Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Lowestoft - UK Posts: 4,015	Re: A deeper question. "Ringing" fluid head There is a reason people spend lots of money on legs and heads. If you do up the pan and tilt locks on a cheap rig and then touch the pan bar, you see the moment your fingers touch. With the locks off, the transition from rest to moving always give a jerk as the head starts moving. Once you invest in legs that have rotational stability - as in leg wind up which creates the spring back - the head can start moving much more cleanly as the friction is overcome. Long lenses, make this so much worse. With decent legs and heads the problem goes away. Cheap kit keeps your cameras off the ground, and keeps them level. Moving smoothly takes better engineering, and higher cost. Let's be honest - sticking some grease between two parallel faces does NOT constitute a fluid head. Always worth remembering that the very best studio heads, capable of supporting very heavy cameras and lenses historically have used, cams, bearings and mechanisms to provide stable movement - not fluid!

November 24th, 2013, 05:44 PM	#22
Steve Siegel Major Player Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA Posts: 839	Re: A deeper question. "Ringing" fluid head Alastair, The 75 mm hemispherical base and handle screw onto a 3/8" stud. This stud, in turn screws into a 3/8" female connector which is set in a flat base on the head. The stud is held in place (rather tightly) by a single nut. With a little effort and a long-handled wrench, I removed the nut, no damage done. Then the stud simply screws out, leaving the 3/8" female connector for the similar stud on the tripod to screw in. It works perfectly.

November 24th, 2013, 07:32 PM	#23
Alastair Traill Major Player Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Melbourne Australia Posts: 626	Re: A deeper question. "Ringing" fluid head Hi Steve, i.e. a new head on the old tripod?