Help! Camera slips when mounted vertical on tripod...

MalteseParrot

:dunno HELP, please! I have a Canon 20D with a 24-70 lens. Not the biggest lens in the world, but has some heft to it. I screwed up and bought a SunPak tripod, one of the better pan head ones, but still... For one thing, the head wobbles on the center column even when every knob is completely tight; not good. Most frustrating. I shoot mostly portraits. Therefore the ability to shoot vertical is a must. (Yes, I know portraits can be landsape.) I specialize in tight head shots. This camera does a fast descend immediately when turned vertical on the tripod. It is the camera turning on the mounting plate that is happening. This is the mounting plate that came with the SunPak Tripod, of course. There's the problem.

Movement seems very limited with a pan-head, (SunPak admits this particular pan head is not really a "fluid pan head", rather that the literature only said "Fluid-Like"...nice, eh?). I have come to the conclusion that I should have gotten a ball-head for maximum manuverability; correct me if I'm wrong. :scratch But, even if/when I do get a ball head and the proper legs how do I solve the problem of the camera twrilling on the mounting piece? Or will that be solved when I purchase a better grade tripod head? Do all the heads come with mounting plates even if you purchase the ball head and legs separately? Additionally, does anyone have any counsel on what brand legs and ball head they would recommend. I did locate this one and it looks pretty nifty. The rep says it will hold 5.5 lbs in the vertical and 13 horizontal. Link: http://www.onecall.com/ProductDetails.aspx?id=23218&FEID=191&PMNID=838&srccode=cii_5784816&cpncode=08-5130965-2
(Bogen 322RC2 Grip action BAll Head)
It does appear a mounting plate comes with it, but what's to say IT won't let the camera slip? Surely somebody before me has had this problem and there's a solution. (Ever notice you can read and find out the equipment you probably want, but the equipment never comes with instructions on how to assemble and use it, with the exception of a camera itself.)

I got a 580 EX Flash and a bogen flip bracket for mounting it for Christmas. Not being able to shoot vertically negates the reason for wanting a flash and bracket in the first place. I do have studio lighting for sessions but I still will need to shoot vertically without a lot of hassel as I shoot lots of kids and pets.

Please help a blossoming portrait photographer...:cry

USAIR

I have the same ball grip and love it
I use it all the time on the 20d,24-70L f/2.8 and same 322RC2 never slips
I use it on 20d and 70-200L f/2.8 IS and it slips sometimes in the cold when shooting portrait.
Also you could get one of these
Vertaflip
Custom Brackets

Fred

wxwax

Trish, all these problems will go away if you throw money at them.

Hate to say it, but it's true. A better tripod and a better head will give you the stability you crave. And the 24-70 is a pretty chunky lens, I'm not surprised that you're having problems.

If you anticipate using a tripod a lot, I'd strongly suggest getting the very best you can afford. It will last and it will repay you over and over.

Personally, I wouldn't recommend a grip ballhead. Many here will disagree with me, I know. But far more have a standard ballhead, which is easier to set. I myself use an Acratec ballhead. And I lust after the Really Right Stuff ballhead, having seen it in action.

Sam

I think waht you need is an L bracket. I am not sure who manufactures it but It will allow you to mount the camera ether horozontal or vertical without having to flip the ball head over on it's side. I think it might be made by The Right Stuff.

Sam

wxwax

Yes, they make one. I have it and it's good stuff. There are others out there.

But the biggest issue is a tripod and head that are too flimsy for the gear Trish is using.

USAIR

wxwax wrote:

Trish, all these problems will go away if you throw money at them.

Hate to say it, but it's true. A better tripod and a better head will give you the stability you crave. And the 24-70 is a pretty chunky lens, I'm not surprised that you're having problems.

If you anticipate using a tripod a lot, I'd strongly suggest getting the very best you can afford. It will last and it will repay you over and over.

Personally, I wouldn't recommend a grip ballhead. Many here will disagree with me, I know. But far more have a standard ballhead, which is easier to set. I myself use an Acratec ballhead. And I lust after the Really Right Stuff ballhead, having seen it in action.

Always start with a good foundation

Fred

Art Scott

MalteseParrot wrote:

HELP, please! I have a Canon 20D with a 24-70 lens. Not the biggest lens in the world, but has some heft to it. I screwed up and bought a SunPak tripod, one of the better pan head ones, but still... For one thing, the head wobbles on the center column even when every knob is completely tight; not good. Most frustrating. I shoot mostly portraits. Therefore the ability to shoot vertical is a must. (Yes, I know portraits can be landsape.) I specialize in tight head shots. This camera does a fast descend immediately when turned vertical on the tripod. It is the camera turning on the mounting plate that is happening. This is the mounting plate that came with the SunPak Tripod, of course. There's the problem.

Movement seems very limited with a pan-head, (SunPak admits this particular pan head is not really a "fluid pan head", rather that the literature only said "Fluid-Like"...nice, eh?). I have come to the conclusion that I should have gotten a ball-head for maximum manuverability; correct me if I'm wrong. But, even if/when I do get a ball head and the proper legs how do I solve the problem of the camera twrilling on the mounting piece? Or will that be solved when I purchase a better grade tripod head? Do all the heads come with mounting plates even if you purchase the ball head and legs separately? Additionally, does anyone have any counsel on what brand legs and ball head they would recommend. I did locate this one and it looks pretty nifty. The rep says it will hold 5.5 lbs in the vertical and 13 horizontal. Link: http://www.onecall.com/ProductDetails.aspx?id=23218&FEID=191&PMNID=838&srccode=cii_5784816&cpncode=08-5130965-2
(Bogen 322RC2 Grip action BAll Head)
It does appear a mounting plate comes with it, but what's to say IT won't let the camera slip? Surely somebody before me has had this problem and there's a solution. (Ever notice you can read and find out the equipment you probably want, but the equipment never comes with instructions on how to assemble and use it, with the exception of a camera itself.)

I got a 580 EX Flash and a bogen flip bracket for mounting it for Christmas. Not being able to shoot vertically negates the reason for wanting a flash and bracket in the first place. I do have studio lighting for sessions but I still will need to shoot vertically without a lot of hassel as I shoot lots of kids and pets.

Please help a blossoming portrait photographer...:cry

I have not been a fan of Sunpak for sometime (aside from their Flash units which I truly like)

here are some shots of my Manfrotto/Bogen 322RC ..............








As others stated the base is very important...I really like this Giottos M9180...(from philly photo on ebay including shipping was $164, I did a buy now,so may have paid a little more than if I had played the auction)...

The bracket is a Stroboframe R4B, flash-vivatar285, camera - nikon F70, Lens- Sigma 28 - 200.

Hope this helps your decision.

Justiceiro

I have the sunpack as well. I bought it after I bought my first digital camera, due to cash flow problems. (all my cash had flown into Fuji's pockets.)

It's not a bad tripod, for $30. But I have the same problem with vertical shots as well, and it is the quick release plate, not the tripod. I had thought it might just be a bad plate, but if you have the same problem, then its obviously endemic. Like the man said, you will likely have to throw money at the problem.

I am thinking about buying a used tripod at my local store. Does anyone know how Davis and Sanford quality is?

Art Scott

Justiceiro wrote:

I have the sunpack as well. I bought it after I bought my first digital camera, due to cash flow problems. (all my cash had flown into Fuji's pockets.)

It's not a bad tripod, for $30. But I have the same problem with vertical shots as well, and it is the quick release plate, not the tripod. I had thought it might just be a bad plate, but if you have the same problem, then its obviously endemic. Like the man said, you will likely have to throw money at the problem.

I am thinking about buying a used tripod at my local store. Does anyone know how Davis and Sanford quality is?

The few S/D pods I have seen were fantastic..but higher priced than some of the newer ones and heavy....if you can change your head..do it if you like ths Sunpak....a new head can work wonders.....sometimes.

Justiceiro

I think the sunpack is way too light, and changing the head is out of the question. Even if I could, it seems that the wind really pushes it around too much, and when I shoot my MF camera on it, it just can't take the recoil of that 2 lb. mirror!

Anyway, the S&D is on sale at my local camera stor for $100, used. I am very tempted.

Dani

I agree that a better tripod and ballhead are needed!! It need not be expensive though.

the Bogen/Manfrotto legs are very good for the money.
such as these:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=353244&is=REG&addedTroughType=categoryNavigation

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=353246&is=REG&addedTroughType=categoryNavigation

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=353322&is=REG&addedTroughType=search


then go here>> http://www.reallyrightstuff.com/clamps/index.html

and use the clamp selector pop-up and find your ballhead to see the recomended clamps you can use (fyi you cannot get a replacement clamp for the grip action... only certain manfrotto heads.... if you go this route.. check the list first to make sure your ballhead is compatible)

Pick a clamp, then go to the body plate page http://www.reallyrightstuff.com/body_plates/canon/index.html

and get an L-plate


you'll have no regrets!!

I just sold my old tripod and 3-way pan head and got a gitzo 1257, really right stuff bh-40 ballhead and an L-plate and its absolutley one of the best buys I've made yet

heres photos of the L plate in action

landscape mode



portrait mode



no flopping the head on its side or having to deal with the plate twisting... I just release the clamp, rotate the camera on its side and reclamp!

Art Scott

Justiceiro wrote:

I think the sunpack is way too light, and changing the head is out of the question. Even if I could, it seems that the wind really pushes it around too much, and when I shoot my MF camera on it, it just can't take the recoil of that 2 lb. mirror!

Anyway, the S&D is on sale at my local camera stor for $100, used. I am very tempted.

For few dollars more you can have the one in my pics...I really like the foam covered legs also...but I shoot out doors in very cold weather also....my whole tripod and ball was around $250 total....Tripod came off Ebay - Philly Photo Shop ( I beleive I gave link to them) and at them time no one had the 322RC on Ebay so I went to BH and paid a higher price...at time I purchased mine it was $150..now they are down to $104 at a lot of retailers upto $130......

BH is very good...but also very high....there are very reputable companies on EBAy Philly, CAmeta and others.....

The name of the game for me is too save as much money as possible and still get the best quality I can.

You can get extra plates and bases for the 322RC2 from bogen they range in price from $10 to 35 depending on waht you need.

As I just custmized a monopod to have a bogen quick release base so I can change from tripod to mono and also I am adding a QR base to an adorama macro focusing rail so the camera can be quickly attached and removed.

ian408

Nothing wrong with a fluid head. All the fluid does is dampen head movement
for panning. But it is more suited for video work.

As far as the tripod goes, avoid using the column if you can. No good will
come from it--except shake. And like Waxy says, a good tripod will last you
a long time. Dani's got a sweet setup. And a good value too.

Incidentally, ArtScott, that last shot of yours showing the adapter plate isn't
meant to be screwed into the camera body. It's a screw meant to line up
the plate up with the front of the lens on a video camera. If you do use it
on a camera body, do be careful not to damage the camera's base plate.

Ian

Dani

I've even gotten rid of my center column... it was the first thing I did! Replaced it with a Kirk baseplate. Its more solid now... and slightly shorter... so I don't have to stand on my tiptoes to see through the viewfinder when the legs are all the way extended :uhoh

ian408 wrote:

As far as the tripod goes, avoid using the column if you can. No good will
come from it--except shake. And like Waxy says, a good tripod will last you
a long time. Dani's got a sweet setup. And a good value too.


Ian

Justiceiro

Dani wrote:

I've even gotten rid of my center column... it was the first thing I did! Replaced it with a Kirk baseplate. Its more solid now... and slightly shorter... so I don't have to stand on my tiptoes to see through the viewfinder when the legs are all the way extended :uhoh

I have exactly the opposite problem, I have to scrunch over to see through the viewfinder without using the column.

Thanks for the offer Art, but I already told the guy at my camera shop to hold the D&S for me, so I'm pretty much committed right now.

USAIR

Justiceiro wrote:

I have exactly the opposite problem, I have to scrunch over to see through the viewfinder without using the column.

Thanks for the offer Art, but I already told the guy at my camera shop to hold the D&S for me, so I'm pretty much committed right now.

It helps

Fred

MalteseParrot

Thanks to everyone for your input. I'm busy checking out your suggestions. That Really Right Stuff site is wonderful!