Arca Swiss Z1 owners chime in!

jcothron wrote in post #13554964
Hehe! I currently run a Markins M10 and Q20. Both are great but, I want the holy grail of ball heads!

I've got an old Gitzo 1325 MkII with an Arca B1 on it. Love the ballhead still. Love the tripod too but I'm feeling the pull of leg locks that are much easier to operate.

Yeah, it's all preference in the end. I personally like the twist lock over lever.

jdizzle wrote in post #13557953
I've got an old Gitzo 1325 MkII with an Arca B1 on it. Love the ballhead still. Love the tripod too but I'm feeling the pull of leg locks that are much easier to operate.
Yeah, it's all preference in the end. I personally like the twist lock over lever.

The ALR and G-lock of the current Gitzos is far, far superior to the older Gitzo locks!!! I rejected the Gitzo purchase in the early 90's in favor for the Bogen because of the difficulty of the Gitzo locks. A sold my aluminum Bogen and bought a carbon fiber Gitzo after experiencing the ALR and G-lock improvement in operation over the Gitzo design of the 90's

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.

I prefer to have the knob at either left or front…

Thread with me pondering choices: http://www.photography​-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=436074

I'd decided to get a Markins M10 R version, but got sent an L version. Not a big issue, but one I do bump into occasionally.

A lot of confusion at the beginning of that thread. Don't understand why you didn't send the L sided Markins back...

I was also interested to read that Wilt uses a Linhof Profi II, as do I although it's a backup now I have the Z1. Not too many here use that ballhead I think.

peter_n wrote in post #13563379
I was also interested to read that Wilt uses a Linhof Profi II, as do I although it's a backup now I have the Z1. Not too many here use that ballhead I think.

My Linhof Profi II with QR was purchased as the primary head used with my medium format film camera, when I was routinely shooting weddings. I had largely abandoned 35mm as a professional format! I still have my Linhof Profi II and will mount that head on a tripod if I happen to (rarely, now) use the medium format kit.

When I purchased my dSLR kit, I had already abandoned doing weddings professionally (yup, let the young kids abuse themselves doing this! :lol .
I effectively became an 'amateur shapshooter' in the majority of my uses of the dSLR. Since the Profi II QR release plate is much too deep and sticks out to the rear of a dSLR body -- and I didn't want to chip my front teeth bringing the camera to my face suddenly -- I invested in an RRS BH-40 for dSLR mounting on my Gitzo tripod.

I also have a large, heavy Manfrotto 3038 with Manfrotto QR ballhead for use on my very large, very heavy Manfrotto 3236 tripod, which is used to support my very heavy large format Horseman monorail camera system for studio shooting.

peter_n wrote in post #13563379
A lot of confusion at the beginning of that thread.

Yeah, it was quite a mess…

peter_n wrote in post #13563379
Don't understand why you didn't send the L sided Markins back...

because they no longer sold the R version…

jdizzle wrote in post #13557953
I've got an old Gitzo 1325 MkII with an Arca B1 on it. Love the ballhead still. Love the tripod too but I'm feeling the pull of leg locks that are much easier to operate.
Yeah, it's all preference in the end. I personally like the twist lock over lever.

My first decent tripod was a Bogen 3221w (still have it somewhere). I liked it okay but couldn't stand that Bogen ballhead. Still that tripod was pretty heavy with all the hiking I do. I've never been bothered too much by the Gitzo older design twist locks by DESIGN, but over the years (repeated submersions, etc. etc.) they just don't work as well as they once did. I've already rebuilt and replaced bushings twice.

The tripod works fine still, but not as quick as it would be with the upgraded Gitzo locks.

The B1 is rock solid and always has been. I don't imagine I'll be anything but Arca next time.

jcothron wrote in post #13564016
Yeah, it's all preference in the end. I personally like the twist lock over lever.

My first decent tripod was a Bogen 3221w (still have it somewhere). I liked it okay but couldn't stand that Bogen ballhead. Still that tripod was pretty heavy with all the hiking I do. I've never been bothered too much by the Gitzo older design twist locks by DESIGN, but over the years (repeated submersions, etc. etc.) they just don't work as well as they once did. I've already rebuilt and replaced bushings twice.

The tripod works fine still, but not as quick as it would be with the upgraded Gitzo locks.

The B1 is rock solid and always has been. I don't imagine I'll be anything but Arca next time.

Gitzo has an Ocean traveller tripod if water is an issue for you. The twist locks are water sealed but, it comes at a cost.

jdizzle wrote in post #13564050
Gitzo has an Ocean traveller tripod if water is an issue for you. The twist locks are water sealed but, it comes at a cost.

Its not that tall from memory either

I think if I can get the same 15 or so years life... I'll just stick with the normal ones

Elill wrote in post #13564293
Its not that tall from memory either

It's still an option.

jcothron wrote in post #13564397
I think if I can get the same 15 or so years life... I'll just stick with the normal ones

Maybe look into RRS.

René Damkot wrote in post #13563811
because they no longer sold the R version…

OK, so I would have sent it back and said "I asked for an R and you gave me an L and I want a refund" and you would have got one, they're a decent company. Then you could have bought an R sided Z1 and been very happy!

jdizzle wrote in post #13564643
Maybe look into RRS.

hey I have an idea, you buy one of each....evaluate and let me know which one you like the best lol

RRS makes some good stuff, but I think I'll stick with Gitzo/Arca for tripod/ball head. I use RRS everything else though. They DO have a small ground level tripod I like a lot. Their ball heads just look too darn big to me, nicely made I'm sure, but big.

jcothron wrote in post #13564717
hey I have an idea, you buy one of each....evaluate and let me know which one you like the best lol

RRS makes some good stuff, but I think I'll stick with Gitzo/Arca for tripod/ball head. I use RRS everything else though. They DO have a small ground level tripod I like a lot. Their ball heads just look too darn big to me, nicely made I'm sure, but big.

Hehe! You can Arca on RRS too.

jcothron wrote in post #13564717
but I think I'll stick with Gitzo/Arca for tripod/ball head. I use RRS everything else though.

This is exactly what I decided on. Everything on top of the Arca will be RRS

i concluded that the Arca is simply just better with the eliptical ball.