Arca swiss clamp for ball head.

[ian-83]

Hoping someone can help me. I have a Giottos tripod with a ball head. For the amount I use a tripod it does the job. Only downside is the QR plate it uses seems to be a Giottos only one.

I am considering getting an L bracket for my camera. And as these are Arca swiss, it won't be compatible with the tripod head QR clamp I have. Instead of replacing the whole head I have looked at Arca swiss clamps on Amazon and was wondering if anyone has done similar and could recommend one?

Thanks in advance.

 

[tijuana taxi]

First thing is to remove the existing clamp to see what sort of design the stalk for want of a better word is.
Might need a bit of heat such as a hair dryer or boiling water if a thread locker has been used.
Then its find a suitable clamp on Amazon or Ebay, plenty to choose from at a reasonable price.

 

[Nod]

Plenty of adaptor plates available that will fit onto your current QR plate to convert it to AS. Failing that, it might be easier to simply change the head of the tripod to a native AS one.

 

[ian-83]

First thing is to remove the existing clamp to see what sort of design the stalk for want of a better word is.
Might need a bit of heat such as a hair dryer or boiling water if a thread locker has been used.
Then its find a suitable clamp on Amazon or Ebay, plenty to choose from at a reasonable price.

I'll have a look tomorrow, I guess reasonable price one off Amazon and read the reviews first.

Plenty of adaptor plates available that will fit onto your current QR plate to convert it to AS. Failing that, it might be easier to simply change the head of the tripod to a native AS one.

Don't really fancy an adaptor plate as to me that's another possible area for failure. I'll see if Tijuana taxi idea will work first before replacing the whole trips head.

 

[Craikeybaby]

I managed to do a swap on my Manfrotto head, so that it worked with an Arca Swiss plate. It did involve a couple of adapters though.

 

[Box Brownie]

You haven't said which model of ball head you have but this Wimberly page might be of interest, plus I have found them responsive in regard to support enquiries.

Wimberley Professional Photo Gear - Giottos M-H 1301 - Retrofit

Wimberley, Inc is a designer and manufacturer of professional photography equipment

www.tripodhead.com

 

[Tricky01]

I can thoroughly recommend an L-bracket, and as per other comments, yes you absolutely can replace the top of the head. Only thing I would add to comments here is in reflection to your remark in your post of "For the amount I use a tripod it does the job". I'm a big advocate for spending money on a tripod. I see many photographers spend small fortunes on lenses and cameras but then buy budget tripods. A tripod is probably the only piece of photography kit that borders on ageless. Carbon fibre tech develops each year, but it's exceptionally marginal gains, and indeed my 12 year old Gitzo is still a fantastic piece of kit. Absolutely upgrade the clamp if you can, but also have one eye on upgrading the whole head and legs. If you buy one that is the right height for you AND light enough to mean you carry it more, you'll find the "amount you use a tripod" will increase, and the breath of photographic opportunities to increase dramatically with it.

 

[ian-83]

You haven't said which model of ball head you have but this Wimberly page might be of interest, plus I have found them responsive in regard to support enquiries.

Wimberley Professional Photo Gear - Giottos M-H 1301 - Retrofit

Wimberley, Inc is a designer and manufacturer of professional photography equipment

www.tripodhead.com

The ball head is a Giottos MH5400-652. The current QR plate is similar to a Manfrotto RC2 but different dimensions.
I'll take a look at the Wimberly page.

Had a look and that clamp is pretty much what I am after. Thank you.

I can thoroughly recommend an L-bracket, and as per other comments, yes you absolutely can replace the top of the head. Only thing I would add to comments here is in reflection to your remark in your post of "For the amount I use a tripod it does the job". I'm a big advocate for spending money on a tripod. I see many photographers spend small fortunes on lenses and cameras but then buy budget tripods. A tripod is probably the only piece of photography kit that borders on ageless. Carbon fibre tech develops each year, but it's exceptionally marginal gains, and indeed my 12 year old Gitzo is still a fantastic piece of kit. Absolutely upgrade the clamp if you can, but also have one eye on upgrading the whole head and legs. If you buy one that is the right height for you AND light enough to mean you carry it more, you'll find the "amount you use a tripod" will increase, and the breath of photographic opportunities to increase dramatically with it.

The tripod itself is a Giottos VGRN 8255. It's carbon fibre, 4 section legs and weight is about 1.4kg with the head. It will go to 1.4m centre column down and 1.6 with it up. Never found it to be too little for what I need.

 

[Box Brownie]

The ball head is a Giottos MH5400-652. The current QR plate is similar to a Manfrotto RC2 but different dimensions.
I'll take a look at the Wimberly page.

Had a look and that clamp is pretty much what I am after. Thank you.

I have looked......and cannot find any details or manual for the head or indeed the tripod

For sure, I would ask Wimberly if they can advise or help to confirm their conversion works with that head. However, you might have removed the current clamp to photograph the elements?

Of another option previously suggested is to use the current QR plate attached to something like the Wimberly C-12 clamp. I use that clamp attached to my Black rapid strap. IMO one advantage (no idea if the cheaper similar clamps have the same?) is the 3 grub screws in the clamp for ensuring is "fixed firmly" to the plate (in my case driven into the rubber washer on the BR bolt.

The tripod itself is a Giottos VGRN 8255. It's carbon fibre, 4 section legs and weight is about 1.4kg with the head. It will go to 1.4m centre column down and 1.6 with it up. Never found it to be too little for what I need.

 

[sk66]

Had a look and that clamp is pretty much what I am after. Thank you

The Wimberley clamp will fit, but you can find other clamps that are just as good for less. The Giottos uses an alignment bar to keep the clamp from twisting on the stem... the clamp you get just needs to have a recess on the bottom to accept it. This Andoer clamp can be mounting in two directions (which makes zero difference on a ballhead). The Giottos Arca Swiss clamp is part number MH667; if you can still find one.

 

[ian-83]

I have looked......and cannot find any details or manual for the head or indeed the tripod

For sure, I would ask Wimberly if they can advise or help to confirm their conversion works with that head. However, you might have removed the current clamp to photograph the elements?

Of another option previously suggested is to use the current QR plate attached to something like the Wimberly C-12 clamp. I use that clamp attached to my Black rapid strap. IMO one advantage (no idea if the cheaper similar clamps have the same?) is the 3 grub screws in the clamp for ensuring is "fixed firmly" to the plate (in my case driven into the rubber washer on the BR bolt.

There used to be a bit of information about on the Giottos website but that looks to be long gone now. I still haven't had the time to take it apart yet.

The Wimberley clamp will fit, but you can find other clamps that are just as good for less. The Giottos uses an alignment bar to keep the clamp from twisting on the stem... the clamp you get just needs to have a recess on the bottom to accept it. This Andoer clamp can be mounting in two directions (which makes zero difference on a ballhead). The Giottos Arca Swiss clamp is part number MH667; if you can still find one.

View attachment 444116

I've had a Google for that clamp but can't find any for sale. Will have a look on eBay also.

 

[sk66]

I found one in the USA, but shipping/VAT probably makes it overly expensive. I would get something like this.

 

[Hadron]

I purchased this Link recently for similar reasons and I believe it’s the same one @sk66 refers to. It’s nothing special but gets the job done

 

[ian-83]

Thanks for the suggestion, will get one order along with an L bracket for my camera.

 

[Box Brownie]

I purchased this Link recently for similar reasons and I believe it’s the same one @sk66 refers to. It’s nothing special but gets the job done

Thanks for the suggestion, will get one order along with an L bracket for my camera.

Though how will it 'behave' without an alignment bar that @sk66 mentions and is illustrated on the Wimberly one I linked to?

 

[Hadron]

Though how will it 'behave' without an alignment bar that @sk66 mentions and is illustrated on the Wimberly one I linked to?

It has a groove for the alignment bar

 

[Box Brownie]

It has a groove for the alignment bar

Ah! I misunderstood one aspect i.e. that the alignment bar was a separate(?) component required between the clamp and the stub on the ball head when the current clamp is removed

 

[sk66]

I purchased this Link recently for similar reasons and I believe it’s the same one @sk66 refers to. It’s nothing special but gets the job done

It's the one I referenced to show the alignment recess, but not the one I would buy.

Ah! I misunderstood one aspect i.e. that the alignment bar was a separate(?) component required between the clamp and the stub on the ball head when the current clamp is removed

The bar is part of the ballhead stem (if it has one).