I currently use a Bogen/Manfrotto 3011 tripod with their 3028 two-way head and it has worked fine for me with my old B&J 5x7. There has always been something of an issue with the camera rotating on top of the head, however, and lately I've been shooting more 5x7 with a back which has very powerful springs, so powerful that in prying the ground glass holder away in order to insert a 5x7 film holder, it is almost impossible to insert the holder without the camera rotating around the mounting bolt on the 3028 head.
I originally bought this tripod/head combination back when my "big" camera was a Mamiya 645 and when I went to large format and tried it, the tripod/head worked fine and has for years, at least for my B&J. The camera would occasionally rotate a bit when using the 4x5 back (with weaker springs) and when it did I just tightened the bolt holding the camera to the head and that seemed to be fine. Not so with the 5x7, however: it just doesn't seem possible to tighten the bolt enough (by hand, anyway,) to prevent the camera from rotating when using the mighty 5x7 back.
The top of the 3028 head is covered with what appears to be cork: I've thought that it may have worn smooth over the years, or possibly just isn't "sticky" enough to hold the camera firmly enough to prevent it from rotating. One idea is to cover the top plate of the head (the cork part) with thin rubber, possibly from punctured bicycle inner tubes. Has anyone else had this problem, and does the solution sound reasonable? Another thought was to give up the minimalist approach and get Bogen's hexagonal quick-release plate for the 3028 head: I suppose I could tighten the plate to the head with pliers or something, making it a rather permanent assembly.
On a slightly related topic, does anyone make an add-on bail release assembly which might be added to my 5x7 back? Those springs really are pretty tough!
Thanks for your help!
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