It comes with a small metal piece that screws onto the bottom of the camera. That then snaps into the plate that is mounted on the tripod head.

Chris

I have one for sale if you are interested. Its listed here

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...hlight=KA-551U

Regards


Andrew

Hi Mack, I'm also in Seattle and use the JVC. I bought a basic Manfrotto tripod and plate, and it works great.

HD100 Owner Choosing between Bogen 503 and 516
 

I’m I the market to buy a tripod very soon and I’m especially concerned about the tripod head. Among other manufacturers I’m considering, I’m looking at Bogen / Manfrotto.

I own a JVC HD100. It's clear that a Bogen 503 would handle the weight adequately, but I'm also interested in the 516 mostly because I want to be prepared should I add on a lot of extra weight like a matte box, a 35mm prime converter, wireless receivers, etc. But I’m also curious about overall quality which accounts for one of my two questions.

Except for its ability to handle a greater weight, is the 516 a better head than the 503? If so, why?

And, if I had a 516 but was using the HD100 pretty much as it comes stock (except with the noted addition of an AB Dionic 90 and possibly the Titan 70 charger attached as well) would it actually be worse for pans and tilts than the 503 because the camera would be too light (although not by much with the battery attached)?

Thank you for your help.

Can't help with the bogans but can Help with the sticks. The monfotto sticks are solid and will work well with bogans as a lot of folks here use that setup. I have monfotto sticks and a monfotto 701rc2 head. It is alright for a second camera setup but not for panning or tilting without it sticking. Im now going for a miller 1511 solo sticks and a ds10 head setup, this may be outside your budget but these will probley last 10 to 20 years if not more and will give you clean movement with verible stiffness for fast or slow pans or tilts. Oh and it also can go down on all three's to get you 25 cm off the ground. Think long and hard on your sticks as they will probley last a life time.

I use the 501 head with my hd100 with all the add ons matte box rails follow focus wireless receivers and it handles the weight fine.

I personally think the 501 is a better head than the 503, the 501 is more fluid and smooth.Never tried the 516.

andy.

I'm rather reluctant to bump my own question here up to the top, but I need to get this tripod soon and sadly, have nowhere nearby to test one. Basically I'm trying to choose between several Bogens: the 501, 503, and the 516. The 526 is too expensive for me right now.

From what I've read around here about the 501 it doesn't seem quite sturdy enough, and has been said to start and stop with some jerking motion.

I've heard both good and bad about the 503, but its counter-balance spring weight isn't quite right for the HD100 especially if I add some accessories. And so that has lead me to the 516, so I'm asking again if anyone here has any specific experience with it.

It is somewhat ironic that I am looking at the Bogen / Manfrottos since the only tripods I've ever used were Sachtlers and Vintens. But those models cost thousands of dollars and I have no idea about their lower end products, while I have at least heard some comments about the sub $1000 Bogens.

So... after this shameless bump of my post-- any help before I make my buy later today (within 12 hours most likely)?

Maat,

Have you seen this review on Studio Monthly; http://www.studiodaily.com/studiomon...list/5997.html? It covers many of the heads in your price range. You may need to register to see the review however, but it's free.

On another note, I use the 505 with the HD100 and love the option of interchangeable springs. Unfortunately, this head has been discontinued but is similar to the Gitzo.

501 vs. 503
 

I don't have the same equipment as above, but I do agree that the 501 is more fluid than the 503, having done a side by side with both. A Bogen representative told me that the 503 has an additional fluid cartridge.

However, I don't think the 501 is such a great head either, and I am considering getting a Sachtler, Vinten, or Cartoni system. Doing smooth moves with the 501 is very tricky, especially in HD.

I use the 503 head with the HD100, loaded with an IDX kit at the back, I find it's good for most purposes, although I find it difficult to do a fast pan followed by a sharp stop, as the head seems to always creep on a tiny bit at the end of the movement

It is exactly the opposite. The 503 is the more fluid head and has a price to prove it.

Mike

There is still the 519. It has 2 different springs you can interchange. One is maybe 2 to 10 lbs and the other is 10 to 20 lbs. I forget the exact weights.

I'm very interested in the 519. I've heard its "fluidity" is better than the 501 and the 503 too, but I can't get my hands on one around here to give it a test! Hmmmmm.... airfare to NYC to do tryouts at B & H just to buy a $800 to $1300 tripod......

Not to offend anyone, but I just wanted throw this in there since I own a 501 and its being discussed. I really thought it sucked. I eventually stopped using it for any kind of professional work, and just rented better tripods. There's a new Gitzo that some guys are really liking (1380 or something like that?). I know funding can be tough, but I swear, its better to wait and buy something that really works well. I felt that in the end my 501 was just a waste of money. Again, I'm just one opinion, others may not agree, and that doesn't mean they're wrong. I should mention that I like a really nice heavy feel to my head. I find its hard to get smooth movement with light action. Some people are just the opposite.

What tripod head & legs are you using for HD100U?
 

What tripod head and legs are you using for HD100U?

Thank you,
Lisa

Vinten Vision 3, Vinten Vision 6 and Libec LS38, depending on how rigged up with gear the camera is. If cam/lens alone Vision 3 and Libec, if rigged with extra battery packs, long lens and matte box system etc I use Vision 6