Old tripod, female thread on the ball head. How to connect to Linhof?

[dazdraperma]

Hi all,

got this old but super-strong tripod on Ebay. It ends in a female thread on top of the ball. What would be a recommended way to attach a Linhof 3 camera to it? 219701

The simplest way that came to mind would be a male-to-male adaptor (as in the below screenshot), then a quick-release mounting plate. What do you think?
219702

[Bob Salomon]

Bad idea. That space between the two different threads is all that the camera would be resting on. No real support. Best way would be to order a LInhof dual thread top plate. That would give you a 77mm diameter base for the camera.

[dazdraperma]

Bad idea. That space between the two different threads is all that the camera would be resting on. No real support. Best way would be to order a LInhof dual thread top plate. That would give you a 77mm diameter base for the camera.

Thank you! Ordered the dual thread plate. Now, regarding the quick release - can you give a recommendation? Or you don't recommend quick release plates for Linhof?

[Bob Salomon]

Thank you! Ordered the dual thread plate. Now, regarding the quick release - can you give a recommendation? Or you don't recommend quick release plates for Linhof?

Novoflex make excellent quality plates in a very wide choice of lengths and thickness. For less money Giottos also has a wide selection of plates.

[maltfalc]

just cut the head off a bolt that's almost long enough to bottom out at both ends.

[Jeff Keller]

If your Linhof 3 camera is a Technica, I would just get a quick release clamp with a hole that you can put a screw through into the ballhead. RRS has made them, krosno65 (https://www.ebay.com/itm/330644198511?hash=item4cfbee146f:g:3~QAAOSwDFBZ-kiN), and many Chinese companies make them. I believe you can get them with a 3/8 16 size countersunk hole. You wouldn't even need the dual thread plate. The quick release plate could be fairly large if you want more surface area. Kessler Crane makes some fairly large ones.

[dazdraperma]

Bought the quick release plate you mentioned. Can you now please point me at a quality top plate (the one that screws into the camera)? Thanks!

[Jeff Keller]

I'm not as knowledgeable as others about the Linhof Technika III as other people on this list. I believe there are several different models. I think they all have a single 3/8 - 16 mounting hole typically surrounded by a fairly large flat area.

If yours has a 3/8 - 16 mounting hole one possibly good choice would be https://www.ebay.com/itm/233243947093?hash=item364e6c3055:g:SKUAAOSwy5xc8cfK which has a 2.625" round surface for the camera to be mounted to. I've bought quite a few plates from ebay krosno65 (aka Hejnar) and have been happy with their quality.

Others have recommended Kessler Crane plates which look very good but I haven't bought one yet. One which looks good, again with a 3/8 - 16": https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1088273-REG/kessler_crane_mg1016_kwik_slider_plate.html which is 3" square

I actually have a slight preference for RRS plates because they are certain to work with their lever clamps. Their website doesn't do a good job of showing all of the plates they have. I think they have made a plate that is about 2.5" or 3" square but I couldn't find it.