New tripod head from Arca Swiss:the C1 Cube.

[Ellis Vener]

I just got an e-mail from the Arca-Swiss factory about a new tripod head, the C1 cube. It is a rational (double tilt) head with self locking micrometer drives, a panoramic base atop the tilts. It "offers yaw free horizontal panning ...allowing 360 degree turns which leaves the camera set-up perpendicular or yaw free. As the camera is being tilted in the center of the circle the object-distance barely changes and the photographer's eyes do not have to follow the camera." To me it sounds like this might be perfect for stiched together panoramics or those situations where you've set everything up but realize you want the camera pointed in a slightly (or greatly) different direction but dont want to relevel. The head is equipped with an Arca-Swiss QR shoe. No specs wereprovided as to price, size or weight.

[Glenn Kroeger]

Does this head get along with more strobe systems than the B1?

[Ellis Vener]

too soon to tell...

[Larry Huppert]

Sounds like it saves you the trouble and weight of a leveling base. There was a discussion about a year ago on leveling bases where this notion of a pan head on top was discussed. Some of the physics/engineering oriented folks who participate here thought that putting the pan on top was a difficult thing to do well. Still, can't wait to see this new head. Thanks for the info.

[Bill Smith]

Sounds very cool. Any idea when they will be available and the price? I want one!

[J.T.]

We were told this head will cost around $2000 but the actual street price has not been set yet. Jeff

[Ellis Vener]

Yowsa!

[Bill Smith]

WOW! MSRP $2000, Sheesh I think I will buy the new Schneider Super Symmar 80/4.5 XL and a new Arca B1......and still have money to take my wife out for dinner.

My Reis head looks better and better all the time.

Bill

[Struan Gray]

Great news. I've been waiting for a product like this for a long time now.



Incidentally, if you've mailed in enough registration cards for Arca-Swiss products in the last three years you get automatic access to their amazing website at www.arca-swiss.ch (http://www.arca-swiss.ch/). It has detailed information on the C1, as well as other prototypes like their innovative darkslides with o-ring seals for underwater large format photography. Recommended.

[Larry Huppert]

I received an answer from Arca Swiss regarding the C1 Cube and the website mentioned above. They said the URL: www.arca-swiss.ch doesn't actually belong to the company arca swiss, and their official website (www.arca-swiss.com) will be going live at the beginning of next year. They emailed me a pdf doc with a little picture and description of the C1 Cube. True to its name, it really is a cube. No weight, size or capacity specs were in the pdf doc. Doesn't look like any tripod head I've ever seen. They indicated it will be shown at Photo Expo East next month. Of course, if the price is actually $2K, it's really just an academic exercise in creative mechanical design.

[Struan Gray]

Just to be serious for a bit. At this sort of price similar things are available from the companies which make precision rotation stages and goiniometers for research optics. As an exmple, look at this PDF file from www.mellesgriot.com:

http://www.mellesgriot.com/pdf/0028.24-28.25.pdf

[Glenn Kroeger]

Straun:

Say it ain't so! I was already saving up for my neoprene bellows.