how to mount ansco to a tripod

[stehei]

Ok. you'll probably think I've gone nuts, but I have a problem mounting
my ansco 8*10 to a bogen hectagon plate. I screw it in, tighten the thing
up and lock it on my rock-steady berlebach tripod with dito bogen 3-way head
(which is the largest available).

Now, my Ansco will stay put, but keeps moving a bit. I have had rubber under it,
tightened one of the little screws into the wood, but still I feel the camera is
nog rock solid in touch with the plate,

So I ordered a large-format plate, doesn;t make very much difference and much
more trouble mounting the thing,

any thoughts/solutions/resemblances? Or is it just how things work with an 8*10?

regards

stefan

[lenser]

Stefan,

I've had the same problem which I partly solved by replacing the pad on the plate with well tanned deer skin. It glues down quite easily with contact cement and I've done that on every plate and tripod head I own since it worked so well. I got a large piece from Tandy Leather (whatever they're called now) for just a few bucks and still have enough for about thirty more tripods so friends are reaping the benefits).

However, the real problem is in the design on the hex plates. The tightening ring is darn near smooth from the paint and finishing and unless you use a pair of vise grips to tighten it down seriously, you just can't get enough torque on it with finger pressure to lock it in place.

I work with a great machinist who has suggested simply planing off opposite sides on that ring until you've got a fairly narrow piece that gives you a real gripping surface, almost like the key that secures the rear bed to the base on your Ansco (but much thicker), and then you've got a real and robust item to really tighten down securely.

We do the deed next week. I can't wait to see the difference.

Tim

[wfwhitaker]

Stefan,

Is the threaded mounting hole in your Ansco blind (i.e., is it closed off at the other end)? If it is, the mounting screw in the Bogen plate may be bottoming out. One solution would be to use some gasket material between the plate and the camera to provide room for the screw. When I had a Bogen head, I used plates which didn't have the thumb screw device, but instead used flat-head screws which tightened more securely (with a screwdriver, of course) and were much neater. Come to think of it, some of those Bogen plates used gasket material instead of the rubber surface. The provided much better grip than the rubber ones which would slip.

More specifically to Ansco's, in the case of one 8x10 I had the tripod mounting screw had come loose and twisted around so that you could never tighten the camera down. For that one I had a machinist friend turn me a brass tripod button which I then mounted in place of the original. That worked like a champ, especially since it was a through hole so the screw wouldn't bottom out.

Personally, my impression of the Bogen 3047 is that it's OK for some 8x10's, but it's not as secure as I'd like for an Agfa/Ansco. I don't want to turn this into one of those endless tripod recommendation threads, though. If you do a search, I'm sure you find many, many posts on the subject.

[Jim Galli]

Stefan, it only has to be still for 1/15th of a second. My 2D flaps in the breeze. A Ries helps some but lately I've been using the Gitzo. I did a 14 minute exposure after lunch today. Indoors, I left the room. Came out fine.

[Turner Reich]

I put an aluminum plate on the bottom of my 8x10 C1 last year and just came in from the shop a few minutes ago after working on it some more. I found the 1/4 20 wasn't going to be as safe as the 3/8 16 and I had not drilled and tapped the hole in the plate for the 3/8 thread. Now I have both holes available but will use the 3/8 exclusively. I have the Bogen 3047 and the hex QR with a 3/8 screw so that's going to be on the camera. I tried it and it's really solid, no twist or flex at all. Are you using a 3/8 or 1/4 inch screw QR adapter?

[stehei]

Thanks all for your replies,

I use the 1/4 screw, since that is the only one available on my ansco,
the ground plate with a new hole might be a good idea. I'll go and try
some things, keep you updates. Jim, my exposures most of the time are
around 1/10 - 1/2. what makes it frustrating is that twice my composition
altered because of the 'swing' of the camera,

regards

stefan

[Gene McCluney]

The actual "Ansco" tripod (I have one) is a fairly lightweight wooden tripod, that has a big wooden platform with 2 holes for 2, 1/4-20 thumbscrews. The Ansco view cameras were designed to be affixed to this plate with 2 screws. Your Ansco should have at least 2 threaded inserts, one on the base, and one on the front track.

If you are going to use a Bogen, and one of the Bogen quick release plates, you could always drill a small hole in the bottom of the wood camera base, and put an additional screw thru the quick release plate into the camera bottom. This would positively assure the camera will not rotate on the plate. If you decide to sell the camera later, you can always fill the small hole with wood putty. (it comes in colors to match).

[goodfood]

I use a brass bar, 2"X12"X3/8", drill two holes screw onto the two !/4" holes on the camera base. Then, I drill and tap some 3/8" in line for balance point and sit on my majestic head, it solid. Hope this suggestion can help.

[John Cahill]

For my Ansco 5x7 I made a simple wooden plate from 1/4" oak, (about 3 1/2 x ca. 8 inches) drilled to screw into the Ansco holes with thumb schrews.

In the middle of that, I put a threated T adapter for the Manfrotto plate. Works just fine, with very little added weight to the camera.