Topic: Arca Swiss Z1 or Markins Q20 (Read 33793 times)

Robert DeCandido PhD · « **Reply #20 on:** May 16, 2012, 09:05:07 pm »

Yes people are people no matter what their sexual orientation...and deserve the same rights and opportunities and respect. That the owners of a business would be against that idea is bad business sense.

I don't buy RRS - I am voting with my cash. If and when RRS changes their political stance on this issue, I will go back to purchasing their products. Right now Kirk and Arca-Swiss and others get my money.

pjtn · « **Reply #21 on:** May 16, 2012, 09:32:08 pm »

Very interesting. Given that I don't live in the USA I had no idea about this law, but a good reason not to support their business. Rather backwards thinking and surprising they would make it publicly known.

My Arca Swiss Z1 has arrived and it seems like a very nice head indeed. Can't wait to see what it's like in actual practice but it looks very promising.

Ellis Vener · « **Reply #22 on:** May 16, 2012, 09:54:42 pm »

Mr & Mrs. Johnson's sizable donation automatically showed up in a required report on campaign financing, they did not ever try to publicize it.

While I strongly disagree with them politically I support their inalienable rights to speak their minds freely, to equally freely be part of the religion of their choice, and to associate with whomever they choose - as long as they support and stand up for my inalienable rights to do the same.

pjtn · « **Reply #23 on:** May 16, 2012, 09:55:39 pm »

Well said

NancyP · « **Reply #24 on:** May 24, 2012, 05:14:23 pm »

Nor has it been found in the guts of our larger catfish/carp locally. I bet some enterprising mussel now blesses you for providing a fancy "home".

Politics: The RRS owners gave $16,000.00 to the anti-gay-marriage California Proposition 8. I personally object to this, as one of my friends is a married gay Californian.

NancyP · « **Reply #25 on:** May 25, 2012, 07:22:59 pm »

Does this aspherical ballhead pan readily when the ball is flipped and a half-gimbal (Wimberley Sidekick, Custom Brackets Basic Gimbal) is mounted to it? Gear to be mounted: Canon 60D, 400mm f5.6 lens, 580 II flash on a bracket.

Also, can one buy the Z1 without a clamp, and later install Your Favorite Clamp on it (presumably with high strength loctite, the kind that only lets go when heated with a propane torch)? The Arca clamp looks good for those who swap between different width camera rails and universal "Arca-Swiss" plates , but I don't need that feature, and I do want a screw clamp with safety stop grooves to be used with plates that have detent screws.

Ellis Vener · « **Reply #26 on:** May 25, 2012, 08:06:35 pm »

Nancy P: with the stem of the ball all the way over so it is down in the notch and the ball loose it "pans" vertically very smoothly.

If you feel a need to replace the clamp it is dead easy to do. I've tried one clamp , an early Sunwayfoto, that does not fit the Arca-Swiss stem. You want to make sure your choice of clamp really fits what ever head you choose. Arca-Swiss makes several different clamps including a simple screw drive version. Whether it has safety stops I don't know.

NancyP · « **Reply #27 on:** May 29, 2012, 01:27:17 pm »

Thanks! The native Arca-Swiss clamp has two-level clamp jaws that accommodate the old (widely used) AS plates and the new narrow AS-brand-only "monofix" plates. The clamp has detent pins that work for the narrow monofix plates but not for the widely used AS-style plates. I expect that I will be replacing the plain platform with a Wimberley, Kirk, or similar screw clamp with the stop grooves on either side of the stem screw. All of my plates have stop screws on the ends.

I assume that you simply remove (perhaps with heat) original platform and screw in clamp with some strong locktite (the sort that you have to heat to remove).

Ellis Vener · « **Reply #28 on:** May 29, 2012, 01:41:09 pm »

Quote from: NancyP on May 29, 2012, 01:27:17 pm

Thanks! The native Arca-Swiss clamp has two-level clamp jaws that accommodate the old (widely used) AS plates and the new narrow AS-brand-only "monofix" plates. The clamp has detent pins that work for the narrow monofix plates but not for the widely used AS-style plates. I expect that I will be replacing the plain platform with a Wimberley, Kirk, or similar screw clamp with the stop grooves on either side of the stem screw. All of my plates have stop screws on the ends.

I assume that you simply remove (perhaps with heat) original platform and screw in clamp with some strong locktite (the sort that you have to heat to remove).

On my Arca-Swiss B1 Monoball head a simple 11mm Craftsman socket wrench head and wrench was all that was necessary to remove the existing clamp and replace it with either a Really Right Stuff PCL-1 Panning clamp or B2-Pro II clamp. I did not use any Loctite and have had no problems with the clamp loosening. this is with the latest model of Craftsman socket which has thin enough walls to fit into the shallow and not very wide recess around the bolt head.

NancyP · « **Reply #29 on:** May 29, 2012, 05:31:26 pm »

Thanks!

I really do like safety stops on QR clamp systems.

Ellis Vener · « **Reply #30 on:** May 29, 2012, 05:46:25 pm »

Quote from: NancyP on May 29, 2012, 05:31:26 pm

Thanks!

I really do like safety stops on QR clamp systems.

You are most welcome!

I'm not a fan of safety stops on plates or clamps as I find they get in my way.the exception being in the new Arca-Swiss SlideFix system. For some reason they work for me. I like the SlideFix QR system but am already heavily invested in the "classic" Arca-Swiss QR ecology to switch over.

Rand47 · « **Reply #31 on:** June 04, 2012, 05:24:58 pm »

Quote from: Robert DeCandido PhD on May 10, 2012, 10:01:18 am

We had the BH-55. In the field (Nepal) while a 500mm F4 lens was mounted on it, the knob for lock-down came undone - it simply became loose and then fell out of the socket!...Fortunately one of us caught the lens before it hit the ground.

When we returned to NYC we contacted RRS - they told us that was a known problem to them. The glue that holds the knob in place can disintegrate...or was not applied correctly in some cases.

Given their political stance on certain issues in California and the problem we had with their equipment, we do our best to purchase from other manufacturers now.

Deborah Allen and Robert DeCandido PhD
NYC

Do a google search for: Really Right Stuff Prop 8 California (the anti-gay marriage bill)

http://www.flickr.com/groups/865962@N20/discuss/72157612473243424/

I don't know what your motive is for dragging politics into a discussion of photo gear. Not a good one, I suspect.

At any rate, I'm a user of the BH-55 and have found it excellent, rugged, and have had zero problems with it or any of the other excellent equipment I've purchased from RRS. I've pretty much owned one of every kind of head, except for the ARCA Cube. The BH-55 is far and away the best ball head I've ever used.

I am not affiliated with RRS (in case I'm suspect). I've researched this issue of knobs falling off and cannot find one other instance of this kind of report on any of the many sites I visit.
I doubt it is a problem that you'll encounter if you purchase one of their heads. And certainly if it "was" a known problem, I suspect it has been corrected. There is usually a waiting list for RRS equipment since it is all made at one location and only available through the manufacturer.

Robert DeCandido PhD · « **Reply #32 on:** June 04, 2012, 07:02:58 pm »

Hello:

I called them - since I had never had a problem like this with a ball head before - or since...and that is what the fellow on the other end of the line told me. It was a known problem to them. Apparently others have had this happen....So I am relaying their words/response and not "putting words in their mouth." I was surprised too because it sure was shocking that the lock down knob would fall out of a ball head - especially one that looked more or less brand new.

So I stand by what I wrote 100%.

I refuse to buy any more RRS products because of this catastrophic failure - and their stand on prop 8 in California. You make your choice; RRS is free to do what they want - and I am free to vote with my feet. I will not spend any money on a company that gets involved in politics that do not support equal rights or opportunities for people who don't happen to be heterosexual.

Are you familiar with Prop 8 in California?

Robert DeCandido PhD
NYC

JohnBrew · « **Reply #33 on:** June 04, 2012, 08:23:53 pm »

Quote from: NancyP on May 16, 2012, 08:55:36 pm

Robert, I have to say that although there are some attractive items in the RRS catalogue, I am inclined to avoid RRS stuff due to the owners' Prop 8 support. There are several other good US-based manufacturers of plates, clamps, rails, brackets, and so on. An RRS item has to be absolutely unique to earn my business.

You go, Nancy. I'm behind that attitude 100%. I sent back my L-bracket for an upcoming D800 and will look elsewhere.

Ellis Vener · « **Reply #34 on:** June 04, 2012, 08:50:48 pm »

Quote from: NancyP on May 24, 2012, 05:14:23 pm

Nor has it been found in the guts of our larger catfish/carp locally. I bet some enterprising mussel now blesses you for providing a fancy "home".

You live in Davenport IA? it would have to be a really, really big catfish or carp to swallow that thing. It was really big.

Rand47 · « **Reply #35 on:** June 05, 2012, 07:19:24 pm »

Quote from: Robert DeCandido PhD on June 04, 2012, 07:02:58 pm

Hello:

I called them - since I had never had a problem like this with a ball head before - or since...and that is what the fellow on the other end of the line told me. It was a known problem to them. Apparently others have had this happen....So I am relaying their words/response and not "putting words in their mouth." I was surprised too because it sure was shocking that the lock down knob would fall out of a ball head - especially one that looked more or less brand new.

So I stand by what I wrote 100%.

I refuse to buy any more RRS products because of this catastrophic failure - and their stand on prop 8 in California. You make your choice; RRS is free to do what they want - and I am free to vote with my feet. I will not spend any money on a company that gets involved in politics that do not support equal rights or opportunities for people who don't happen to be heterosexual.

Are you familiar with Prop 8 in California?

Robert DeCandido PhD
NYC

Yes, I live in California and am familiar with what the majority voted to pass in CA's referendum process.
But my point is that I don't think a discussion of politics is appropriate in a gear forum.

There is a quite nice "Coffee Corner" page on this web site for you to proselytize any political positions.

Robert DeCandido PhD · « **Reply #36 on:** June 05, 2012, 09:59:28 pm »

Hello:

Really Right Stuff equipment had a CATASTROPHIC failure while I was using it - and this problem is known to them with that item - the BH-55 Ball Head. Yes I should dwell on that. However, I sure wish they would have included in their catalog a statement to the effect of, "We use some of the profit made in our operations to fund anti-gay legislation."

Now if I would have known about that and/or their stance on Prop 8 in that wonderful state of California - I never would have purchased their equipment in the first place...problem solved for me.

But a larger question looms - and since you raised it, let me explore it: through history lots of groups have been outvoted by a majority: women once could not vote; people who were not white once did not count as human - that is in this country (it has been worse and remains worse, in other places). So yes, california voted in the majority against Prop 8 and the right for all people, no matter their sexual orientation to wed - in the legal sense. However, the tidal wave of time will change things - California will go the way of the great state of New York (my home state) - where gay marriage is now legal. It has been an economic boom for my state - so many people coming here to get married - they spend their money...they are happy, businesses are happy...and people have equal opportunity under the law for justice they would not have if they could not get married in the eyes of the law. California will see the light - wouldn't that be nice?

Why would the nice people at Really Right Stuff be against that? I would think that being inclusive would net them more money. I bet if more people knew about their stance on prop 8, they would lose money...why lose money? I bet a significant number of the people who purchase their equipment are not heterosexual. In fact, I bet they have people who are gay that they are related to..I know I do. And you know what Mr. Rand? I bet there are folks related to you that are gay. Don't you believe that those folks deserve the same rights as you or me?

However, as I state above and say again, if RRS would just include a note in their catalog about their political stance on Prop 8 - I could have avoided the problem in the first place...but I suppose this all happened for a reason. There are indeed larger issues than photography (occasionally).

Finally, I respect your right to say what you want and where you wish to say it. Would you be so kind to respect my right to do the same?

Robert DeCandido
NYC

Tony Jay · « **Reply #37 on:** June 05, 2012, 10:19:51 pm »

Rob, there is space for you to discuss political issues of this nature on this forum - it is called "The Coffee Corner".
May I suggest that you initiate a thread there.

Regards

Tony Jay

Robert DeCandido PhD · « **Reply #38 on:** June 05, 2012, 10:25:51 pm »

Sure you may suggest it BUT the issue of the RRS ball Head was raised here in this forum - and in passing in my response I mentioned I would never buy RRS equipment again for two reasons: (a) the catastrophic failure of their ball head - due to a problem known to them which they have never mentioned or publicly acknowledged...and (b) their (RRS) political stance on Prop 8. I mentioned the latter in passing - it has been others who keep bringing it up. That is fine with me.

Tony Jay · « **Reply #39 on:** June 05, 2012, 10:33:11 pm »

I am not trying to shoot you down.

Nonetheless, if you feel strongly about the political approach that RRS has taken, then raise it as a post in "The Coffee Corner".
No issue with the the failure of the head been discussed in the current forum.

Regards

Tony Jay

Author Topic: Arca Swiss Z1 or Markins Q20 (Read 33793 times)

pjtn

pjtn