Are Flashpoint (Adorama) ball head QR syatems Arca Swiss compatible?

I love my Velbon Sherpa tripod and Velbon ball head and pan head, but I may have to replace the heads because they are not Arca compatible (I want to use L-brackets for the 40D and XTi).

I'm looking at the Flashpoint line at Adorama. Can someone confirm that the QR system on the Flashpoint ball heads is Arca Swiss (and that brackets from RRS, Kirk, etc. will fit) compatible? (I'd like to fit an L-Bracket which will require this compatibility).

Maxdave

I do not see any mention of being Arca standard. Might want to call Adorama or just go ahead and buy a RRS 40 or 55, they are great heads, I love mine. You should treat yout support system as a one time investment and get the right thing the first time. $400 i scheaper than 40D and lens...

If you don't want to spend a lot of bucks on Really Right Stuff (RRS) ballheads initially, I'd suggest the Gitzo 1277M (link below). Looking at your gear list, it should be more than sufficient to provide proper support. On top of the head, I'd get either a Kirk or RRS lever clamp, then you shoud be all set. The clamp and Gitzo head (combined) will run about $300.

I'm using the same setup on my Velbon El Carmagne without any problems. All of my L-brackets are from Kirk, and they are totally compatible with my RRS lever clamp.

Here's the link for the Gitzo head:

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …ge.jsp&A=search​&Q=*&bhs=t

Thank you both for your quick replies! I am checking out your suggestions, starting with a inquiry to Adorama. Once I have that answer, I will balance the alternative methods as to quality, durabaility, performance and cost. If money was no object, I would already have the RRS BH-40 LRII with RRS or Kirk L-brackets for both bodies. I have been tempted to equip the 40D with an L bracket and the XTI with just a standard QR plate, just in case I sell it in the near future, or pass it on to another family member. This would save a bit.

I eventually will replace the Velbon Sherpa aluminum legs with a Velbon carbon fiber set, what model do you use, Argyle? How do you like them? How tall is the arrangement without extending the centre column?

Maxdave

Maxdave wrote in post #5045843
Thank you both for your quick replies! I am checking out your suggestions, starting with a inquiry to Adorama. Once I have that answer, I will balance the alternative methods as to quality, durabaility, performance and cost. If money was no object, I would already have the RRS BH-40 LRII with RRS or Kirk L-brackets for both bodies. I have been tempted to equip the 40D with an L bracket and the XTI with just a standard QR plate, just in case I sell it in the near future, or pass it on to another family member. This would save a bit.

I eventually will replace the Velbon Sherpa aluminum legs with a Velbon carbon fiber set, what model do you use, Argyle? How do you like them? How tall is the arrangement without extending the centre column?

Maxdave

Maxdave:

I have the El Carmagne 540 model. It stands 49.5" tall measured to the lever clamp when fully opened; with the center column pulled up, it stands at 60" measured to the lever clamp. If it helps any, I'm 71" tall.

The Velbon is a very good tripod...doesn't have the fancy Gitzo label, but its definitely not a slouch. Its a very good piece of hardware for the money. If the need ever arose, I'd most likely buy another one if it happened to meet my needs. Very satisfied with it.

I'm not 100% positive but in my research these tripods use the old style leg locks that most manufactures have gotten away from. Not sure if thats a bad thing but the newer style are sealed as to not allow dirt to enter into the locking mechanism.

Tsmith wrote in post #5048415
I'm not 100% positive but in my research these tripods use the old style leg locks that most manufactures have gotten away from. Not sure if thats a bad thing but the newer style are sealed as to not allow dirt to enter into the locking mechanism.

True or not, I really couldn't tell you. My only concern was getting a durable, lightweight CF tripod at a middle-of-the-road cost, with lever locks, as opposed to the the twist locks. I find that the levers make for very fast set-up and breakdowns. I recently took it on a nine-day hiking trip through the SW and had it in water, dirt, sand, etc. Never once had a lever lock bind up or fail on me. Right now, the Velbon seems to perform well and meets my needs. Until something better comes along or my needs change, I'll stick with it.

argyle _ I was intending that above comment toward the Flashpoint series. I just got away from the lever locks that the Manfrotto types uses and really am impressed with the Gitzo twist locks. Super fast, sealed, smooth and solid locking but they should be considering the cost difference I suppose.

Maxdave wrote in post #5038320
I love my Velbon Sherpa tripod and Velbon ball head and pan head, but I may have to replace the heads because they are not Arca compatible (I want to use L-brackets for the 40D and XTi).

I'm looking at the Flashpoint line at Adorama. Can someone confirm that the QR system on the Flashpoint ball heads is Arca Swiss (and that brackets from RRS, Kirk, etc. will fit) compatible? (I'd like to fit an L-Bracket which will require this compatibility).

Maxdave

If you read the owner's comments for the F-1 Ball Head on the Adorama site, The 7th review by Traveling Cat states: "You have to be careful to fit the QR plate properly (I use a Kirk plate), otherwise it won't lock securely, and the safety pin is a bit annoying."

From pictures of the clamp, it looks very much like a Giottos clamp in that the safety lug slips over to the side when the safety catch button is depressed allowing the Giottos plate to slide off. When attaching a non-Giottos plate to the Giottos clamp you need to open the clamp all the way and fit the plate in from the top. The Giottos plate has a groove to allow sliding the plate into the clamp from the rear.

It is a bit of a pain to use a non-Giottos plate on this type of QR clamp but, once it is fastened, it is secure and the safety lug ensures the plate will not slide out of the clamp.

I use both a Kirk lens plate and a Really Right Stuff L-bracket with my Giottos MH-1300 head with MH-657 quick release.

It would be possible to modify the Giottos clamp by removing the safety stud. This would negate the safety feature but it would not be any less safe than the Kirk clamp I have on the Kirk MPA-1 monopod swivel head which has no safety stud at all.

An alternate possibility would be using a dremel type tool to carve a channel in the plate to bypass the safety stud. This would still allow you to utilize the safety feature.

I just open the head and insert the plates from above.

I just purchased a Flashpoint F-1 head to place on a set of SLIK 330 Pro legs which I have modified by switching the center column to the shorter optional version. This reduces the weight of the legs set to exactly 2 pounds. Add the additional 11.6 ounces for the F-1 head and I have a "boonie tromping" tripod which weighs only 2 pounds 11.6 ounces.

I use the SLIK 330 Pro legs right now with my Giottos MH-1300 head but, I will save 3/4 pound by switching to the Flashpoint F-1 head. The old law of "boonie tromping" states, an ounce at the beginning of the day will weigh a pound at the end of a long-long hike over rough terrain.

The heaviest load I will support with the "boonie tromping" tripod is my 30D with 70-200mm f/4L IS lens and/or my 17-55mm f/2.8 IS lens. Either of those two packages are well within the capability of the SLIK 330 Pro leg set and I would imagine within the capability of the F-1 head.

Thanks RP. Great to be able to learn from a Giottos user.

Since I wrote the original question, I have sold the Velbon equipment and bought the MT-7371 & MH-3300 combination, with the MH-658 QRA. I am most pleased with it, except it is too heavy to carry any distance (I estimate 3.6 kg or almost 8 lbs).

I decided to see if I could get a Giottos leg set and ball head that is significantly lighter, but at least 153cm (60") tall without the centre column being extended (this measurement is the total of the ball head and the leg set), Arca Swiss compatible and reasonably priced.

I don't mind if the Giottos QRA limits me to inserting some brands of plates only from the top, as I plan to use Giottos plates and their VR bracket (I already have these), and if I got some other brands in the future, I would simply mount them from the top, like you do ...

So the following is the summary of choices if i stay with Giottos:

My Baseline: MT-7371 & MH-3300/MH-658 (what I have now) 72" tall (I need 60") & 7.9 lb

MT-9260 & MH-1300/MH-657 ($280 to buy) 60" tall & 6.2 lb (32 ounces less)
MT-7371 & MH-1300/MH-657 ($140 to buy) 71" tall & 7.3 lb (~10 ounces saved)
MT-7371 & MH-1301/MH-656 ($130 to buy) 68" tall & 6.8 lb (~17 ounces saved)
MT-7271 & MH-1301/MH-656 ($410 to buy) 63" tall & 5.9 lb (27 ounces saved)

Since I am also buying a 50D in a day or two, to replace my XTi, the first and last choices are out, for financial reasons.

My next step is to investigate the Flashpoint heads, SLIK leg sets, and compare combinations of them to this data. My aim will be to save more weight, keep the minimum height I need, and spend a reasobale amount. It looks like the MT-7371 legs are just too heavy, and I fear I may have to buy another leg set, sacrificing some height to get the weight down substantially.

Maxdave