gitzo tripod head 3/8" or 1/4"?

bugbear wrote:
> Dear all;
>
> I recently lucked into a small Gitzo tripod
> at a car boot sale.
>
> It was cheap enough that I took a risk...
>
> The head plate has multiple drillings that
> are all tapped for 3/8".
>
> The camera fixing bolt is mainly 3/8", with a short
> section of 1/4" at one end.
>
> I believe 3/8" is the size of fixing used for larger
> cameras, even though the tripod is quite small.
>
> Here are a coupla' photos.
>
> http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...gitzo_main.jpg
> http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...gitzo_head.jpg
>
> Can anyone tell me how I fix a "normal" camera with a 1/4" socket
> onto this head? Do I need an adapter of some kind?
>
> And (secondarily) can anyone ID the tripod as a whole?
>

It looks like the classic "Reporter" model: I have two of them (in
separate locations).

You use the screw for different sizes simply by turning it over.

I had the same head and, while not at all bad, I prefer more modern
Manfrotto heads to it - especially since they have quick release plates
and the old cork on your head may have hardened, making a firm
attachment difficult.
I like the Manfrotto 460 MG as a 3D head; light but can hold a Kiev 60 +
300mm or a Rolliflex SL 3003 + 400mm quite solidly (and costs lots less
than Arca Swiss).

I'm 100% satisfied with the legs themselves (excepting dreams of carbon,
etc.)

=> Correction, my "Reporter" only has 3 (longer) leg elements, not 4; so
yours must be the model just under that.
Current Gitzo models:
http://www.gitzo.com/products/metric...ghtscreen.php3

bugbear wrote:
> Chris Loffredo wrote:
>> It looks like the classic "Reporter" model: I have two of them (in
>> separate locations).
>
> Excellent. I have a name to google with.
>
>>
>> You use the screw for different sizes simply by turning it over.
>
> But the bolt is threaded (and hence "captive") in the plate.
>
> If it just passed though a hole in the plate, I would
> understand.
>
> My thoughts on a "fix" involves simply drilling
> out the hole, so the 3/8 bolt simply clears
> (so the 3/8 bolt has fere travel through the plate)
>
> I could then fix the 1/4" end into my camera, and pull
> the camera down on to the plate using the large plastic
> nut.
>
> But I just keep thinking I shouldn't have to...
>
> BTW, the camera that will go on this (in the short
> term) is a tiny light Canon A60, but I also
> use a Canon A510.
>
> Both digital compacts
>

Oh, well, than *any* head will do...

More seriously, the screw probably isn't the original. If you have an
old camera shop nearby, try finding a 1/4' screw & blocking ring - I
think that' still better than damaging what is practically a collector's
item (whatever you paid). Also, one of the weak spots of that head is
that you can really get a good grip on the tightening screw, so an
alternative could be nice.

Nicholas O. Lindan wrote:
>>
>> Can anyone tell me how I fix a "normal" camera with a 1/4" socket
>> [the plate is threaded for a 3/8" bolt?]
>
> Well, the first thing is to throw whole head thing into the dustbin and get
> the head and quick release plate _I_ use, I wouldn't use anything
> other than the best so you can take my recommendation as gospel.
> I recommend the PermaJam head and the SlipsOff QR plate. Last
> week I recommended the BalloWax head and the ThreadStrppr plate but
> that was before no.one@no.where set me straight and I now do what
> he tells me to do and so should you.

ROTFL!!

Seriously, I think that Bilbo J. Baggins III Esq. of Hobbiton (Gasp!
Really!) undoubtedly wanted to give good advice and not *communicate*
what he considers to be worthy of his use...

For myself, I think I'll start adding my academic degrees, titles & more
prestigious locations to my signatures.


> I think you have a non-standard bolt for the head.
>
> http://www.saeki.co.kr/shop/shop_01_...code=UE0010016
>
> is what the Gitzo bolt looks like.

I concur (the two such heads I have presently being in galaxys far, far
away...

My complaints about that head are:

1) The small size of the bolt head above (not the gray tightening ring,
which is original), which makes it difficult to sufficiently tighten
cameras (even of the weight of digital P&Ss) added to

2) The hardening/smoothening of the cork interface, which make a secure
camera fastening *somewhat unreliable*..

For these reasons I've relegated both heads to secondary uses (copy
stand & flash support) and replaced them with other heads. YMMV...

Just experiment: If you find the camera(s) are flapping around loosely,
then you need a new head, otherwise - enjoy!

Paul Furman wrote:

> BTW it is handy enough but the leg tighteners get jammed and the head is
> not strong enough for a long heavy lens. I use it for holding the
> projector now, with a wood plank bolted on as a platform.

?????

While I agree in that I don't especially like that head, I've never,
ever had the legs "jam" on me (2 'pods over nearly 2 decades).
I do take the legs apart & clean them every half-decade or so.
Admittedly, I haven't used them underwater, buried in sand or stuck in
molten lava...

The classic Gitzos are a bit like the Nikon F/F2 of the tripod world -
basically indestructable - though there was a nutter in this NG who
maintained that the F2 was the most unreliable camera ever made!

Paul Furman wrote:
> Chris Loffredo wrote:
>
>> Paul Furman wrote:
>>
>>> BTW it is handy enough but the leg tighteners get jammed and the head
>>> is not strong enough for a long heavy lens. I use it for holding the
>>> projector now, with a wood plank bolted on as a platform.
>>
>> ?????
>>
>> While I agree in that I don't especially like that head, I've never,
>> ever had the legs "jam" on me (2 'pods over nearly 2 decades).
>> I do take the legs apart & clean them every half-decade or so.
>
> I can't collapse them. Like there's air pressure almost. I opened up &
> cleaned the leather/carboard? slip things making sure the slot wasn't
> clogged to no avail. It was like this when I got it at the garage sale.
>

I just opened mine: The "slips" or gaskets are brownish but are
definitely synthetic.

If I hold my 'pod upside-down and loosen the rings, the legs easily &
smoothly collapse from their own weight.

Something isn't working properly...

Dear all;

I recently lucked into a small Gitzo tripod
at a car boot sale.

It was cheap enough that I took a risk...

The head plate has multiple drillings that
are all tapped for 3/8".

The camera fixing bolt is mainly 3/8", with a short
section of 1/4" at one end.

I believe 3/8" is the size of fixing used for larger
cameras, even though the tripod is quite small.

Here are a coupla' photos.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...gitzo_main.jpg
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...gitzo_head.jpg

Can anyone tell me how I fix a "normal" camera with a 1/4" socket
onto this head? Do I need an adapter of some kind?

And (secondarily) can anyone ID the tripod as a whole?

BugBear

"bugbear" <bugbear@trim_papermule.co.uk_trim> wrote:
>
> http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...gitzo_main.jpg
> http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...gitzo_head.jpg
>
> Can anyone tell me how I fix a "normal" camera with a 1/4" socket
> onto this head? Do I need an adapter of some kind?

Get an Arca Swiss clamp and plate system, either from Really Right Stuff or
Kirk Enterprises. They'll have "plates" that go on your camera, and clamps
that go on the head. (Get a clamp with the larger screw size, Doh!)

Clamps:
http://www.kirkphoto.com/platforms.html

Plates (click your camera mfr):
http://www.reallyrightstuff.com/body_plates/index.html

I've purchased stuff from both Kirk and RRS, and it's all really good stuff.

David J. Littleboy
Tokyo, Japan

David J. Littleboy wrote:
> "bugbear" <bugbear@trim_papermule.co.uk_trim> wrote:
>
>>http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...gitzo_main.jpg
>>http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...gitzo_head.jpg
>>
>>Can anyone tell me how I fix a "normal" camera with a 1/4" socket
>>onto this head? Do I need an adapter of some kind?
>
>
> Get an Arca Swiss clamp and plate system, either from Really Right Stuff or
> Kirk Enterprises. They'll have "plates" that go on your camera, and clamps
> that go on the head. (Get a clamp with the larger screw size, Doh!)
>
> Clamps:
> http://www.kirkphoto.com/platforms.html
>
> Plates (click your camera mfr):
> http://www.reallyrightstuff.com/body_plates/index.html

OK; that'd work.

Thanks for the pointer. What a lot of money

Assuming I don't want an auxilliary Q/R system,
my questions remains - is this tripod/head
directly usable (and how...) with a camera
with a 1/4" mount?

And cheaply ?

The tripod cost me 3.00 pounds sterling...

BugBear

"bugbear" <bugbear@trim_papermule.co.uk_trim> wrote:
> David J. Littleboy wrote:
>> "bugbear" <bugbear@trim_papermule.co.uk_trim> wrote:
>>
>>>http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...gitzo_main.jpg
>>>http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...gitzo_head.jpg
>>>
>>>Can anyone tell me how I fix a "normal" camera with a 1/4" socket
>>>onto this head? Do I need an adapter of some kind?
>>
>>
>> Get an Arca Swiss clamp and plate system, either from Really Right Stuff
>> or
>> Kirk Enterprises. They'll have "plates" that go on your camera, and
>> clamps
>> that go on the head. (Get a clamp with the larger screw size, Doh!)
>>
>> Clamps:
>> http://www.kirkphoto.com/platforms.html
>>
>> Plates (click your camera mfr):
>> http://www.reallyrightstuff.com/body_plates/index.html
>
> OK; that'd work.
>
> Thanks for the pointer. What a lot of money

I thought you'd say that. But then you'd have a Q/R system that you could
use on any tripod.

> Assuming I don't want an auxilliary Q/R system,
> my questions remains - is this tripod/head
> directly usable (and how...) with a camera
> with a 1/4" mount?

Since 3/8 is larger than 1/4, you're stuck; you basically need both parts of
a quick release system.

The only alternative would be if one of those quick-release system camera
plates happened to have a 3/8" threaded hole in the bottom of it. The Really
Right Stuff _generic_ L bracket (that works on things like the Nikon FM2 and
Mamiya 7) has a 1/4" hole. Oops. No cigar.

Both Kirk and RRS can be quite helpful, and would be willing to sell you a
camera plate with 3/8 threads if they had one, if you called them or emailed
and asked. (I think they owe me a commission<g>.)

(Also, check B&H or the like for cheaper Q/R systems.)

David J. Littleboy
Tokyo, Japan

"bugbear" <bugbear@trim_papermule.co.uk_trim> wrote:
>
> The head plate has multiple drillings that
> are all tapped for 3/8".
>
> The camera fixing bolt is mainly 3/8", with a short
> section of 1/4" at one end.

Dumb question: What happens when you put the bolt through the head with the
1/4" end sticking up?

Another dumb idea: chuck the head (it looks as though it's nicely made (the
markings on the base are really pretty) but it's probably pretty poor as a
head) and buy the smallest RRS head. I have one, and it's quite nice. You'll
need a plate (since it comes with a Q/R clamp) for each of your cameras,
though.

> http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...gitzo_main.jpg
> http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...gitzo_head.jpg


--
David J. Littleboy
davidjl@dumbideas.com
Tokyo, Japan