any cheap tripod head for Sinar F2?

[danielmk2]

I got an Sinar F2 today and I'm going to use 90mm and 150mm lens on it. But when I was about to mount it on the tripod, I found my tripod plate is too small for the F2. I have to buy another tripod head for it.

I'm a student so price is very important to me, I've been searching a bit via internet but still have no idea, is there any very economical choice? Ball or 3-way head are both ok and I don't mind buying second hand or older type, if the head can hold the F2 it'll be good enough.

Much appreciated.

[Frank Petronio]

You can, of course, simply forget the head and screw the camera onto the tripod. Not only is it lighter, but it's a lot more solid. You can rotate the camera rail for yaw, adjust the leg height for tilt, and rotate the tripod for pan. The only thing it isn't good for is extreme downward shots.

When you can, save up for the wonderful Sinar Pan-Tilt Head to use with your Sinar.

[Bob Salomon]

"adjust the leg height for tilt"
And bump a leg accidently in this configuration and watch the whole thing fall over!

[danielmk2]

Thanks Frank, the tips is really inspiring me. I didn't realize I actually don't need a 3-way head because I can adjust the yaw with the rail and a pan-tilt head is good enough.

But I just tried it, the tripod mount is not big enough for the F2 base, That base is just so large and it's not a flat surface, the space between the screw hole and the outside rim is empty...

Bob, I think Frank means adjusting the leg of the F2 instead of the tripod leg.

[Joshua Dunn]

Listen to Frank. Get a Sinar head as soon as you can afford one. They are not cheap but once you use one you will understand. I have seen them go for as little as $250 (if you can call that little).

In the meantime what kind of tripod head do you have now? Do you mean by "my tripod plate is too small” that the tripod head will not physically fit the Sinar on it or the threaded screw is too small? Depending on the head you have you may be able to get a different screw to fit the Sinar rather than replacing the entire head.

If you can’t replace the screw and assuming the head / legs combination will support the Sinar than you can get a reducing bushing (like this (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/503797-REG/General_Brand_NPTRB_3_8_to_1_4_20_Tripod.html) one) that will allow you to use the smaller screw on the tripod head with the larger socket on the F2 rail clamp.

The only other thing I would add is if you do get another tripod head my experience is that ball heads are a real pain with large format.

Hope this helps,

-Joshua

[Frank Petronio]

It sounds like you have a seriously undersized tripod....

You need something starting with a Manfrotto 190, Tiltall, Gitzo #3-series... a little $39 plastic job won't cut it.

[Bob Salomon]

Thanks Frank, the tips is really inspiring me. I didn't realize I actually don't need a 3-way head because I can adjust the yaw with the rail and a pan-tilt head is good enough.

But I just tried it, the tripod mount is not big enough for the F2 base, That base is just so large and it's not a flat surface, the space between the screw hole and the outside rim is empty...

Bob, I think Frank means adjusting the leg of the F2 instead of the tripod leg.

I am pretty sure he meant the tripod leg. The F2 does not have legs. It has uprights and they don't tilt.

[E. von Hoegh]

It sounds like you have a seriously undersized tripod....

You need something starting with a Manfrotto 190, Tiltall, Gitzo #3-series... a little $39 plastic job won't cut it.

+1 on the Tiltall. Get a good used Leitz or better yet Marchioni for under $100. If you don't like it you can get your money back. I've been using one since the mid 1980s, yes the same one and it was old when I got it.

[Drew Wiley]

You can do everything with just the ordinary Sinar rail clamp except shoot straight
down. No need for a separate head. But if you do decide on one, the Sinar version
already mentioned would be the best choice.

[danielmk2]

Thanks everyone for the information. I'm currently using a Benro 3-way head which is quite solid with a Linhof Technika. The problem is the size of the plate. The base of the F2 has a diameter of 74 mm and the smaller plate won't hold the camera because the area between diameter 20mm and 66mm in the base is totally empty, so this area won't have any contact with the plate... And the Manfrotto 190 that I use is also out of luck, the tripod mount is also smaller than the camera base unfortunately......

I just saw a 3-way head from Gitzo G1570 which does have a very large plate and seems to have a price of lower than $200 and perhaps much lower for used or older version? I hope I can get a usable head as cheap as possible, budget is quite a limit.

[danielmk2]

+1 on the Tiltall. Get a good used Leitz or better yet Marchioni for under $100. If you don't like it you can get your money back. I've been using one since the mid 1980s, yes the same one and it was old when I got it.
Oh new words for me. What is Tiltall and Marchioni? And does Leitz also have some large head?

[rdenney]

"adjust the leg height for tilt"
And bump a leg accidently in this configuration and watch the whole thing fall over!

Depends on the tripod and the spread of the legs.

It's good for some tilt. But the F2 has adequate movements to simulate a fairly pronounced downward tilt by lowering the front, raising the rear, and tilting both standards to the same angle. Focusing will require a lot of readjustment, though.

For most landscapes, the rail will need to be level and you'll only need enough leg movement (or extension) to make it that way. After turning the whole tripod to point the camera in the right direction, rise, fall and shift can adjust the image in view.

A Bogen hex-plate with a 3/8" bolt is just big enough to barely seat well on the Sinar tripod adapter. The Bogen 3047 (Manfrotto 029) is the basic, very large 3-way head that was used on the big Bogen tripods for years. It takes the hex plates, and used ones are cheap and plentiful. Prices on ebay are all over the map, but under $50 for a decent looking example is common. You can often buy a big Bogen tripod (ex. 3036) with a 3047 for a hundred bucks or a bit more, and then sell the legs alone for the same amount. Or use it and sell your current tripod, which is probably not as big.

Edit: Bogen made a hex-plate with a 4" square platform. Probably hard to find though.

Edit Again: Yup. The wide hex plate is no longer available. But the standard hex plate with a flush 3/8" bolt is only $16 at B&H:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/552326-REG/Manfrotto_130_38_130_38_Hexagonal_Quick_Release.html

No ball head in the same price range as the 3047 will do, and this camera doesn't work wonderfully with ball heads in any case.

When you can afford the Sinar tilt head, buy it and sell the Bogen head. You'll probably get your money back.

Rick "for whom 3047 heads seem to multiply like rabbits" Denney

[Frank Petronio]

That Gitzo 1570 head is like 8" long, it is best for wooden flatbeds like Deardorffs. Most professional tripod heads are going to be large enough.

The Sinar head is truly the best for that camera though. Sometimes they sell for $200 if you are patient.

[E. von Hoegh]

Oh new words for me. What is Tiltall and Marchioni? And does Leitz also have some large head?



http://tiltallsupport.blogspot.com/
Possibly the best tripod of it's capacity ever made, first by Marchioni, then by Leitz.

[danielmk2]

I didn't know the Gitzo would be so large, 8'' is longer than my hand :)

The manfrotto 029 really attracts me at the moment, but I'll keep an eye on the Sinar head and buy one as soon as I can afford it.

Thanks again for helping.

[danielmk2]

http://tiltallsupport.blogspot.com/
Possibly the best tripod of it's capacity ever made, first by Marchioni, then by Leitz.

Thanks E. von Hoegh, it's really a nice tripod.

[John Koehrer]

It wouldn't be too hard to fabricate 4X4 plates for the Tiltall would it?
Likely to be too small a market to make it worthwhile though.

[Jon Shiu]

I once made a steel plate for a B&J Grover so it could fit on medium size tripod head. It was kind of like a big washer, only with a little hole in the middle.

Jon

[r.e.]

danielmk2,

Have a look at this current thread too: http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=81881

[cdholden]

Here's a Sinar pan/tilt head. The seller is also a member on here, but I have no connection to them or the sale of this gear. It seems like a deal at $80, even with the caveats, if you're on a tight budget.
http://www.apug.org/forums/forum379/97381-fs-sinar-pan-tilt-head.html

[Frank Petronio]

Better hurry. Good thing APUG is full of old geezers who like their wooden-toothpick-cameras a little too much to recognize a really great deal ;-p

[E. von Hoegh]

It wouldn't be too hard to fabricate 4X4 plates for the Tiltall would it?
Likely to be too small a market to make it worthwhile though.

Not at all. IIRC the round plate is about 3" in diameter. It is held on by 4 countersunk screws. I can give accurate dimensions if anyone needs them.

[danielmk2]

Oh oh I'm late, hope it's still available :)

A good news is that I have a friend going to sell his Manfrotto 029, I can still get a 029 for a low price if I miss the Sinar head.