Got it. It was an FLM CB-48FTII, which is a bit smaller than my Arca B1. For your use, I'd lean towards the bigger head.
Got it. It was an FLM CB-48FTII, which is a bit smaller than my Arca B1. For your use, I'd lean towards the bigger head.
“You often feel tired, not because you've done too much, but because you've done too little of what sparks a light in you.”
― Alexander Den Heijer, Nothing You Don't Already Know
I've used a Ries A series tripod with the A series head with my 8x10 and 8x20 and I am very fond of them. However, I have had very bad experiences checking equipment and carry on for the large 8x20 is not very feasible. So, I wanted something lighter for use with a smaller format that I could use when travelling by air. I recently got an FLM tripod and head from Ari. These are very well made tripods and heads. They are very steady and solid. I was dubious about ball heads because I need the individual axes locks. The tilt lock function on the FLM head works very well and actually makes it as straightforward to use as individual axes lock designs. These are very thoughtfully designed.
I should also mention that the workflow method, or the 'feel' of working with them, is slightly different. I think that is what Ari meant when he was suggesting trying it to see if it works for you. For what it is worth, I believe it only takes a bit of time to get used to the 'feel' and keep in mind that I have years with the Ries and barely any time with the FLM.
I should also give a shout out to Ari - a gentleman and a pleasure to deal with.
Cheers, DJ
Thanks DJ, very helpful. The feedback from this thread is really confirming what I'd hoped would be true, so just about ready to order one.
That Arca Swiss P0 is still nagging though. Unusual designs like that always lead me down the garden path... I'm tying not to let myself get suckered in.
Didn't manufacturers and retailers used to specify what the intended format range of their tripods and heads were, and not just by weight? The FLM site is helpful, but doesn't list the diameter of their heads at the base and platform. You can sort of guess at these sizes by the diameter of the ball I suppose. But it would be nice to know the exact diameter at the base and the head, to see how well it matches up with tripod and camera size. The panning base flares out at the bottom and the plain/non-QR platforms look undersized on the larger heads, so it's difficult to tell what type of cameras they are intended for.
Anyway, sorry to ramble. Thanks again all for the help with this. It's been 10 years since I shopped for a tripod head, and much has changed.
I don't think I have that measurement. The 48 looked fine on a Gitzo series 3. It looked a little smallish sitting on a series 5.
One thing to remember, especially if you have a field camera, is how stiff the bed of your camera is. A friend of mine has a Zone VI 8x10. He uses it with a Really Right Stuff Bh-55, a head in the same class as those we've been talking about. The head is plenty strong, but with a small quick release plate on the camera, he had sharpness problems. In looking the system over, it was due to flex in the 8x10's bed. His fix was to use a long Arca Swiss compatible mounting plate.
“You often feel tired, not because you've done too much, but because you've done too little of what sparks a light in you.”
― Alexander Den Heijer, Nothing You Don't Already Know
Yeah, that's a really good point- I've gotten really accustomed to having the 4"x4" platform of the Ries head. The bed on my camera seems really rigid, but then again what wouldn't on that size of platform? Before I buy anything maybe I'll make a simple spacer disc to emulate the size of the FLM platform, to see if I have any flex or vibration issues. I'm not wild about QR plates, but might have to reconsider that bias as well.
I have a mill and suppose I could make an oversized adapter plate out of aluminum if needed, but would prefer not to have to do any mods on a $500+ head.
This is what I use on my 8x10
http://www.jobu-design.com/Surefoot-NX4--70_p_28.html
then the longer and more old fashioned an arca compatible clamp you put on the head the better.
Thank you Bill, good to know that there is an aftermarket plate already available that will fit.
The RRS ball heads are well made although they don't isolate the movement in any plane. I use their smallest BH-25 with my 4x5 Chamonix. The FLM heads look really interesting if I was buying anew. Arca Swiss makes the D4 which is a completely geared head fairly light weight that I would say is good for 5x7 - another direction of course. Ries heads only really work with their tripod and are overkill for most applications except ULF given the weight penalty of the wooden tripod. My 2 cents.
There are a whole bunch of Arca compatible plates available. A quick search on Ebay will bring up a tremendous amount of sizes. I just bought an 8" one for use on a macro rig. If your camera has two screw sockets, you can use two screws to secure an Arca style plate to the bottom. You'd never have to worry about the camera spinning on the head.
“You often feel tired, not because you've done too much, but because you've done too little of what sparks a light in you.”
― Alexander Den Heijer, Nothing You Don't Already Know
For those looking for a less expensive solution, I've been eying the Vanguard SBH-300. Under $100 retail and rated up to 70 lbs. Not sure, but I imagine it would work ok for 5x7. 8x10 would be much more difficult. I think it'd be perfect for 4x5. I'm currently getting by with a smaller ballhead but would like a larger ball for finer adjustments.
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