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View Full Version : arca swiss z1 with 8x10 - how is it in reality!



Bush
3-Jan-2012, 09:32
This legendary head is my consideration when I come to 8x10 camera. I'm using deardorff 8x10 plus lens cooke 16ich 5.6. I wonder if I can used the head comfortably with that gear.
I'm also using a 3d head. I want to replace it with ball head because 3d one is so bulky.

Thank you for advices!!!!

vinny
3-Jan-2012, 09:45
Sure can but I happen to haven a B1 for sale if you're interested.

tgtaylor
3-Jan-2012, 10:12
I use the z1-sp with my MF and 4x5 field cameras and it works fine. But it would be suicide using it with the Toyo 810G.

Thomas

Bush
4-Jan-2012, 02:51
as the advertise, the z1 head have loading capacity of more than 130 lb which is more than enough for normal 8x10 camera plus lens in theory. I would like to ask if somebody try this head with 8x10.
Even with B1 capacity is nearly half of z1 is still good for 8x 10 camera.

Frank Petronio
4-Jan-2012, 06:00
I have some islands to sell you, they are over-rated in their descriptions too.

Noah A
4-Jan-2012, 08:51
I used an Arca Z1 with both a canham metal 8x10, an Arca F-Metric 8x10 and with a few 4x5 field cameras.

While the ballhead is more than sturdy enough for 8x10, I grew to HATE ballheads with view cameras. It's very frustrating to level the camera since when you get one axis level, it can be hard to get the other one level without affecting the first.

I'm only shooting 4x5 now with a Linhof 3-way leveling head. But I'd definitely recommend a 3-way head over a ballhead for large format. You're correct that a ballhead is compact (as well as very solid) but in my opinion it will be much harder to use, at least if you like to level the camera with any accuracy.

vinny
4-Jan-2012, 09:00
I bought Noah's z1 and I don't have any problems using it with my 8x10. I have bubble levels installed on my cameras so I level it to that and I'm done, no crooked horizons or buildings. That said, ballheads arent' ideal for fine adjustments as noah said. As soon as you pan left or right, re-leveling is often required. An ideal head would be a manfrotto 410/3275 that wasn't a piece of garbage (mine didn't last).

Peter De Smidt
4-Jan-2012, 09:08
I have a B1. I wouldn't use it with an 8x10 camera. Why add frustration to your life? I also have a Manfrotto 410. It's not sturdy enough for an 8x10 camera, unless it's some kind of superlight, wide angle type of job. For 8x10 field use, I use a Gitzo Rational Series 5 head.

Noah A
4-Jan-2012, 10:18
As vinny said, there is no problem with using the Z1 for 8x10 (though sadly the one I sold Vinny was my second one--I didn't learn the first time around). It's a matter of preference so some people don't find ballheads convenient for LF and some do.

I wouldn't trust a 410 for 8x10. I LOVE the convenience of the gearing but I don't find it all that solid compared to a sturdy 3-way head like one of the big gitzos.

There's always the arca cube or the new Linhof 3d Micro, I think those would be ideal but of course they're in a different league when it comes to price.

jeroldharter
4-Jan-2012, 18:22
I tried my Z1 with an older model Arca 8x10. Technically, it worked but i hated it. I had to crank it down too tight for my comfort and the camera could flop if i did not wail on it. Fine adjustments were tedious at best. I suppose if you were trying to save the last gram, never pointed the camera down, it would suffice. Same experience with Acratech.

In the end, i went with a Gitzo pan-tilt head which is a porker but it works great.

Bush
5-Jan-2012, 05:58
These're very useful advices and comments. I would try again with pan tilt head. May be gitzo g1570, how do you think about this gitzo?
Or could you recommend me what kind of pan tilt is suitable for 8x10?

One of think in head that I like is quick release plate.

eric black
5-Jan-2012, 07:22
I have a Gitzo 1370 which I find works just fine- the 1570 being a bit bigger ought to suffice as well

Rod Klukas
5-Jan-2012, 07:46
Have you seen the Arca-Swiss D4 or the Arca-Swiss Cube C1?
Either will handle the 8x10 with geared movements. Also the manual D4M will work as well. Any of these are compact and lighter than what you are looking at.
Information on rodklukas.com.

Rod

vinny
5-Jan-2012, 08:40
Have you seen the Arca-Swiss D4 or the Arca-Swiss Cube C1?
Either will handle the 8x10 with geared movements. Also the manual D4M will work as well. Any of these are compact and lighter than what you are looking at.
Information on rodklukas.com.

Rod

Who actually sells them?
B&h's site doesn't show it.
Google just turns up rumors.

Brian Ellis
5-Jan-2012, 08:47
I bought Noah's z1 and I don't have any problems using it with my 8x10. I have bubble levels installed on my cameras so I level it to that and I'm done, no crooked horizons or buildings. That said, ballheads arent' ideal for fine adjustments as noah said. As soon as you pan left or right, re-leveling is often required. An ideal head would be a manfrotto 410/3275 that wasn't a piece of garbage (mine didn't last).

Piece of garbage? Maybe you got a bad example but I've had mine for about 12 years. While it hasn't been used much in the last couple years, for the first 10 or so it went everywhere my 4x5 cameras went including some fairly rugged terrain. It doesn't look real pretty, having been dropped, bumped, and dragged all over the place on a wide variety of rocks and other hard objects but it's still perfectly functional. I didn't use it with my 8x10 cameras, only 4x5 and my DSLRs.

vinny
5-Jan-2012, 08:50
Piece of garbage? Maybe you got a bad example but I've had mine for about 12 years. While it hasn't been used much in the last couple years, for the first 10 or so it went everywhere my camera went including some fairly rugged terrain. It doesn't look real pretty, having been dropped, bumped, and dragged all over the place on a wide variety of rocks and other hard objects but it's still perfectly functional.

Yes. Lot's of play in the movements after two years of light use. I sent it in for repair, came back the same. Great idea but shouldn't use cast metal parts. If i only shot 4x5 (not a pentax 67, and 8x10) i'd probably buy another one.

peter ramm
5-Jan-2012, 10:21
No experience with the ball head, but I use the AS cube a lot for MFD. LF is another issue. OK with an 8x10 Kodak 2D and a compact lens. However, support is marginal with something like an Apo Sironar 300 on a light field camera. Useless with a studio camera. As things mass up, Sinar and Foba pan tilts do a much better job than any geared head I have tried.

Frank Petronio
5-Jan-2012, 11:24
It's not the weight rating that counts as much as the balance, support, leverage... the large platform of the Gitzo 1570M head works well with flatbed cameras and the long handles give you leverage and control. Although it is awkward to transport -- try removing the entire column or packing the head separately from the tripod.

Even better are the single axis tilt-only heads (or sometimes with panning) like the Ries, which are often associated with classic wooden cameras anyway. Granted that you may have to adjust tripod legs to get exact positioning, but these heads are very light, compact, simple, and most of all, strong!

I'd love something like the geared Arca-Swiss Cube for my other cameras but I think an 8x10 would out-leverage it.

mervynyan
16-Jan-2012, 21:34
z1 ballhead weight rating is more than sufficient, however the problem of ballhead in general is that axis movements are difficult to control. i am looking at d4/d4m but can't find it anywhere in stock.

mervynyan
16-Jan-2012, 21:36
Have you seen the Arca-Swiss D4 or the Arca-Swiss Cube C1?
Either will handle the 8x10 with geared movements. Also the manual D4M will work as well. Any of these are compact and lighter than what you are looking at.
Information on rodklukas.com.

Rod

no where to be found in us.