Arca Swiss Z1 owners chime in!

I've been planning to pick up an Arca Swiss Z1 but, I'm not sure if the one with the double pan is the best option. Will the extra cost for the double pan be worth it? If there's no advantage with the the double pan, I could always pick up the single pan. I'd appreciate any feedback. Thanks!

Here are the two that I'm looking at.

Single Pan:
http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …_Monoball_Z1_sp​_with.html

Double Pan:
http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …_Monoball_Z1_dp​_with.html

No Z1 here, but I've used a B1 for years and it's a great head.

Whether or not the double pan is worth it is up to you. Seems like it would eliminate the need for a leveling base if you were going to shoot stitched panos.

No help here.

Is the upper pan for panos (ie the RRS pano clamps)?

My c1 cube has panning upper and lower and at least in theory with the bottom level the upper pan swings level.

Some additional unsolicited opinion: in terms of the arca lever on my cube:

I (only) slightly prefer the lever on my bh-55 in that it only requires one motion. On the cube maybe I slightly prefer the arca lever.

The arca lever can be a little less accessible as it is tucked away and requires two releases - second one requires my body to be in a position to get my nail inclose to the clamp. But it does introduce a little more safety in the middle position and is a little more compact.

My new cube (guess older ones had a different clamp) adjusts to grab my RRS brackets perfectly.

Guess I am saying the arca lever isn't really the pain some say it is once one makes the mental adjustment. Never tried a screw adjuster.

Well you know I like mine so I won't go into the merits of the ballhead. I've had mine a year now and I'm as happy with it as the day it arrived; the best ballhead I've used.

I don't remember the exact details, but when I was doing my research last year the prevailing sentiment was for the single pan version, as the double pan didn't do a particularly good job as it still needed an additional RRS or Novoflex piece to do serious stitched pans. The second pan head is built into the clamp and has limited usefulness.

I use a panoramic 617 film camera (the negative is three 6x6x6cm long) so I have no need for the DP version and I bought the SP version, which I recommend to you. I'll link to the one I bought below. If you buy the DP version you have to buy the Arca-Swiss clamp, if you buy the SP version you don't.

Your choice of the SP version includes the A-S clamp. Take a look at the clamp, that's a double-decker clamp with the regular Arca-Swiss jaws that we all use on top and a proprietary jaw for a new rail system on the bottom. This design has caused concern for many users as the safety stops on regular A-S camera plates can no longer stop a camera sliding out of the clamp as the jaws are raised above the top surface of the clamp.

I bought this version of the SP Z1 and I recommend it because you won't have to deal with the weird A-S clamp. You can buy either a lever release or a screw knob clamp from Kirk, RRS or Wimberley; all are good. I have a fetish about Markins screw knob clamps so I got one machined to fit on the Z1 ball stem; it was an expensive custom job that I don't particularly recommend to others but I have several different brands of ballhead and they all have the same Markins clamp on them. Pic below shows the Z1 after I put the Markins clamp on it.

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I'd go with the double pan if the cost isn't an issue. It's not that much bigger and it gives you the bonus of being able to shoot a 1 row stitched pano. Even if you're not big on panos it's nice to have it should you find yourself in a situation where you want to do it. I picked up the RRS BH-55 PCL for that exact reason. By the way, the fact that it supports 130 lbs is just nuts.

peter_n wrote in post #13543243
Well you know I like mine so I won't go into the merits of the ballhead. I've had mine a year now and I'm as happy with it as the day it arrived; the best ballhead I've used.

I don't remember the exact details, but when I was doing my research last year the prevailing sentiment was for the single pan version, as the double pan didn't do a particularly good job as it still needed an additional RRS or Novoflex piece to do serious stitched pans. The second pan head is built into the clamp and has limited usefulness.

I use a panoramic 617 film camera (the negative is three 6x6x6cm long) so I have no need for the DP version and I bought the SP version, which I recommend to you. I'll link to the one I bought below. If you buy the DP version you have to buy the Arca-Swiss clamp, if you buy the SP version you don't.

Your choice of the SP version includes the A-S clamp. Take a look at the clamp, that's a double-decker clamp with the regular Arca-Swiss jaws that we all use on top and a proprietary jaw for a new rail system on the bottom. This design has caused concern for many users as the safety stops on regular A-S camera plates can no longer stop a camera sliding out of the clamp as the jaws are raised above the top surface of the clamp.

I bought this version of the SP Z1 and I recommend it because you won't have to deal with the weird A-S clamp. You can buy either a lever release or a screw knob clamp from Kirk, RRS or Wimberley; all are good. I have a fetish about Markins screw knob clamps so I got one machined to fit on the Z1 ball stem; it was an expensive custom job that I don't particularly recommend to others but I have several different brands of ballhead and they all have the same Markins clamp on them. Pic below shows the Z1 after I put the Markins clamp on it.

Thanks for making me aware of that Peter. Couldn't I just use the single pan if I didn't want to do panos?

wookiee2cu wrote in post #13544619
I'd go with the double pan if the cost isn't an issue. It's not that much bigger and it gives you the bonus of being able to shoot a 1 row stitched pano. Even if you're not big on panos it's nice to have it should you find yourself in a situation where you want to do it. I picked up the RRS BH-55 PCL for that exact reason. By the way, the fact that it supports 130 lbs is just nuts.

Thanks. I'll have to look at the RRS BH-55 PCL.

^Thanks for the feedback Randy and Turning.

jdizzle wrote in post #13546230
Couldn't I just use the single pan if I didn't want to do panos?

Yep.

peter_n wrote in post #13546903
Yep.

Thanks again. Looks like I'll just pick up the Z1 SP.

Sounds good. One last thing: Arca-Swiss make the Z1 with both the ball locking knob on the left side and the right side. With the drop slot facing the subject, I use the left sided version as I hold the camera with my right hand when orienting it and lock it down with my left. YMMV though.

peter_n wrote in post #13548325
Sounds good. One last thing: Arca-Swiss make the Z1 with both the ball locking knob on the left side and the right side. With the drop slot facing the subject, I use the left sided version as I hold the camera with my right hand when orienting it and lock it down with my left. YMMV though.

Really? How would you be able to tell the difference? Does B&H have both?

Yes they do. It's easy to tell the difference; look at the ballhead with the drop slot facing you and assuming you use it with the ballhead facing the subject if the knob is on the left side of the slot you use your right hand with it. In my picture above the knob is on the right side so I use my left hand with it. From the B&H web site, with this one you'd use your right hand to lock the ball, and your left hand with this version.

peter_n wrote in post #13551716
Yes they do. It's easy to tell the difference; look at the ballhead with the drop slot facing you and assuming you use it with the ballhead facing the subject if the knob is on the left side of the slot you use your right hand with it. In my picture above the knob is on the right side so I use my left hand with it. From the B&H web site, with this one you'd use your right hand to lock the ball, and your left hand with this version.

Cool! I've always been comfortable with tightening the head with my left hand. So, the first option I posted above is the one I would get. Thanks for pointing that out.

peter_n wrote in post #13548325
Sounds good. One last thing: Arca-Swiss make the Z1 with both the ball locking knob on the left side and the right side. With the drop slot facing the subject, I use the left sided version as I hold the camera with my right hand when orienting it and lock it down with my left. YMMV though.

Lest ballhead novices overlook the significance of the drop slot location vs. adjustment knob position, if you do not spend money on an L-bracket for your camera, the drop slot needs to be at 9 o'clock to permit you to turn the camera CCW into Portrait orientation, or at 3 o'clock if you prefer to turn the camera CW into Portriait orientation. That causes the adjustment knob position to be less/more suitable for different folks!