Large panning bases- what's available?

[Colin Graham]

Does anyone make a low profile panning base that's ~ 4" in diameter? I'm getting tired of the yogurt lid under my Ries head...

[William Whitaker]

Colin,

Are you looking for a panning base to use by itself or do you want something to go between the tripod and the Ries head?

[Colin Graham]

Hey Will,

Yeah, looking for something to go under the head. I found a Feisol 90mm panning base, but it's fairly tall and under 4". I'm not sure if the larger diameter base of the Ries head mounted on top will interfere with operation of the panning, or even make the whole assembly unstable.

[William Whitaker]

I tried a Feisol panning base (70mm, I think) under a Ries J250 so that I might use it on a Gitzo tripod. I was not impressed. It worked, but the whole assembly looked clunky and felt awkward. The Feisol base is collecting dust now and I stuck with a Gitzo head.

Are you using the Ries head on a Ries tripod? Or is there more to this?

[Colin Graham]

It's a home made tripod, with a recess under the tripod's yoke that alllows me to unscrew the Ries head for panning with a 3/8-16 screw that has a knob attached. Not a bad setup, but nowhere near as smooth as a head with an integrated panning base.

Thanks for your impressions of the Feisol base- sounds like a pass.. What I don't need is more clunky and awkward, so appreciate the warning.

[William Whitaker]

In all fairness to the Feisol base, it would probably be fine for a small digital for panning and stitching. I think that's what it was designed for. But not for LF.

I've had no problems at all panning a Ries head on a Ries tripod. But I always get into trouble trying to use a Ries head on something other than what it was intended to go on.

And Ries does make a plastic "washer" that's better than a yogurt lid. :)

[Peter De Smidt]

I have the bigger Feisol base, which I bought through Kerry Thalmann at Really Large Cameras. It's well made and works ok for me, but it isn't in the Arca Swiss/Linhof/Really Right Stuff league of fine machining. It's more like Giotto level, which isn't a bad thing. I'm sure Kerry would send you one that you could try out and return if you don't want it. While they cost a lot more money, you might also check out what Really Right Stuff offers.

[Colin Graham]

Great suggestions. I'd forgotten about RSS, and even forgotten to check to see if Ries themselves had a workaround. Thanks.

[cdholden]

That Arca Swiss Cube looks very functional. Very depleting on the wallet too.