Will a Manfrotto 338 work beneath a 410 Head ?

[Ken Lee]

Thanks for the heads-up. It doesn't have to be perfect, just close enough to let me pan without going off on a tangent, so to speak. Anything is better than what I have now, which is nothing.

[falth j]

Save your money on the 338.

I've tried many leveling base/heads.

The manfrotto 338 was too fiddly besides being a pia.

Found true love with the Gitzo GS5121LV Leveling Base.

Of course you'll have to have a tripod that will accept the base, but once you buy the tripod you'll be done fooling around trying to get to a state of phantasmagorical level.

Instead of minutes fooling with the manfrotto 338 adjusting each base screw independently, trying for level only to run out of adjustment, and then having to fool with tripod leg lengths, I put it away for good.


I now spend less than a few seconds with the Gitzo to get to level.

[Dan Fromm]

Ken,
For what it's worth, I have found that the leveling bubbles on the Manfrotto tripods and heads are not very accurate. The will get you closer than eyeballing it, but they can't be relied on for accurate leveling. They also are not adjustable.

Funny, when I put a cine camera on a 3047 on a 138 and carefully centered the 138's bubble the horizon didn't move when I panned.

Faith j wrote:

I now spend less than a few seconds with the Gitzo to get to level.

That's where I am with my Manfrotto 138 on a Berlebach. A leveling ball is, I think, a necessity. As you've pointed out, there's more than one make/model that will do very well.

[Ken Lee]

Thanks Dan - I got the Manfrotto 438: it fits my tripod and head perfectly, and it works perfectly: fast, strong, easy to read, etc.

It's quite light, to I won't have to go on a diet either