Gitzo tripod head

**MadJake** · 9-Aug-2023, 08:47

Hi gang

I picked up a tripod head at a local auction for the princely sum of £10. On one of the arms, it has two 'things' (where my hand is in the photo) and I have no idea what on earth they could possibly be. Can anyone enlighten me?

Thanks!

John

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**Alan Klein** · 9-Aug-2023, 15:00

Maybe the original owner added them for his purposes. My Gitzo handles unscrew for storing the tripod more easily.

**Jeff Keller** · 9-Aug-2023, 15:57

The French made Gitzo Rationnelle heads seem to have them frequently. I saw one picture which showed a cable release on top of or clamped in the metal accessory. The Gitzo spare parts don't list it as part of the G470 (R.No4) head even though the photo appears to show it on the head (https://www.gitzospares.com/g470-parts.html).

Perhaps a convenient way to keep your shutter release easily reached from behind your camera.

jeff

**Drew Wiley** · 9-Aug-2023, 19:23

Just an amenity to keep the cable release from dangling. It can be removed.

**MadJake** · 10-Aug-2023, 03:50

Thanks for your help gentlemen

**Alan Klein** · 10-Aug-2023, 05:27

Originally Posted by Drew Wiley

Just an amenity to keep the cable release from dangling. It can be removed.

Clever idea.

**Robert Opheim** · 10-Aug-2023, 12:52

Yes it is a clamp to hold the cable release and a ring to slide over the cable plunger to activate the cable release. I have one on the first Gitzo tripod head I purchased.

**phdgent** · 15-Aug-2023, 11:38

This was to use when filming (16mm, 35mm and others).
You attached the cable release in that clamp and pushed the plunger with the ring without to let go the handle of the head/camera.
Interesting when panning.
Oil damped heads ware rather rare at the time, and as you can see the surface of the head's plate is rather large, so you could easily pout an Eclair camera on it...