I recently purchased a used Gitzo GT3541LS tripod and want to place the Ries J-200 (or J-250) head on it. Will this be possible without any additional fittings?
Thanks!
I recently purchased a used Gitzo GT3541LS tripod and want to place the Ries J-200 (or J-250) head on it. Will this be possible without any additional fittings?
Thanks!
Assuming the Gitzo has a standard 3/8" mounting bolt for the head, the Ries head should be fine.
First of all I have no experience with this Gitzo tripod. On some tripods the stud that the head attaches to is fixed and the head is screwed on tight. Panning requires that the head has a base that allows rotation; something that is not the case with the Ries J- (or A-) Series heads. Hoping someone with actual experience with this tripod can clarify this.
David
One can always call Ries: 360-627-8795
They answer my phone calls with expert knowledge and tips.
Plus they’re friendly and fun to talk with.
As David pointed out to pan the Ries head, the bolt attaching it to the platform of the legs is loosened and the whole head rotated. The Ries legs have a non-threaded hole going through the platform allowing the long mounting bolt which has a "star" knob on the end of it to be loosened. The mounting surfaces are smooth allowing easy rotation.
All of the Gitzo heads I've seen have a platform with a fixed bolt extending upward. As suggested call Ries, they may have a solution.
Alternatively, the Chinese copy of the Ries head made by Luland appears to have built-in panning.
Jeff
Thank you Jeff for this excellent description of what I had in mind.
I have three J- series Ries heads of various ages, two bought new from Ries. I also have one of the equivalent size from Luland and it does have an integral panning base.
David
The Luland LD115 does have integral panning as previously mentioned and fit great on my Gitzo 3533LS, but be aware that it is designed to only use Luland-made QR plates. While the Luland plates will fit any Arca-compatible clamp just fine, the LD115's clamp will not accommodate plates from RRS, Arca, Kirk, Sunway, etc (at least the plates I own). If this head is meant for one camera, then this is probably a non-issue and you can just use the plate that comes with the head. Great build quality though.
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