Geared head and self levelling base interfering with each other.

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rd6743

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rd6743
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Hello, need some help on this one.

I got a koolehaoda PA-55 tripod levelling base and a k&f concept gearer tripod head for doing pano's with.

Frustrates me levelling the tripod as bit of faff and don't like sacrificing height. Both arrived and went on tripod and a nice by product with the two one is the eye piece is at eye level now.

Issue I have is the controls to the geared head catch the levelling bubble on the levelling base.

Has anyone overcome this problem without spending £40 on the manfrotto solution? manfrotto £40 solution
 
I had to look up what each item 'looked' like.

Is it not possible to rotate the levelling base to ensure the 'levelling bubble' isn't in the way of the geared head controls?

If not then as you point out the only likely option is to put a spacer piece in to lift the geared head.
 
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Rotate the head so that the leveling bubble is opposite the offending control before starting the pano. You could also rotate the camera 90˚ so that "tilt" becomes the topmost adjustment; or 180˚ so that the tilt moves the knob up rather than down
 
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I had the same problem a few years ago and after much head scratching and searching, found the the Manfrotto solution was the cheapest and easiest. (y)

Good luck with finding another . . .
 
 
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sk66 said:
??? It's just a spacer...
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:-) yup. Lot of money for one too.


With the geared head being screwed down to the leveling base, I can't rotate either to avoid the issue entirely. Was looking to make my life easier not harder!
 
rd6743 said:
With the geared head being screwed down to the leveling base, I can't rotate either to avoid the issue entirely. Was looking to make my life easier not harder!
Click to expand...
FWIW

I have just checked my Manfrotto 438 levelling base and once unlocked I can rotate the mobile element.

So, to me it is a mystery as to why the one on your make & model is not rotatable :thinking:

PS I saw a video about the usage of the geared head, where the person showed using the freeing knob to quickly do the gross positioning and then use the gear drive wheel.
If that means you can in effect rotate the whole head around to any desired position that would too allow you to (if I understood your problem?) move the gear knob away from impacting on the levelling base lever lock :thinking:
 
Sangoma said:
Interested to learn why a geared head for panos?
Click to expand...
Figured might be easier turning the number x times between each shot. And then if doing multi layercan turn the other number for some height and repeat.

Plus hoping I'll prefer it over ball head for landscape shots; as flexible as ball heads are, can be a bit of faff getting the framing spot on as wanted. Figure with geared head can just do one axis at a time.
 
So what's happening is the bubble level on the left of the levelling base is fixed in that position.
The orange knob on the bottom right which is the quick release for freely rotating horizontally can get stuck on it.

61z1M8vmcHL._AC_SL1500_.jpg

71NNTHu3XvL._AC_SL1500_.jpg
 
How wide of a pan are you doing? I would think placing the tripod so the bubble is towards the subject/scene before beginning would resolve a lot of the issue.
 
rd6743 said:
So what's happening is the bubble level on the left of the levelling base is fixed in that position.
The orange knob on the bottom right which is the quick release for freely rotating horizontally can get stuck on it.

61z1M8vmcHL._AC_SL1500_.jpg

71NNTHu3XvL._AC_SL1500_.jpg
Click to expand...
Just for clarity.....
You are saying even when the PA-55 locking lever is released, the section with the bubble level does not rotate.....it will only "roll" so to speak to level, yes?

So, when you mount the geared head on the PA-55 that once wound on nice & firmly the orange ring (you refer to) is fouling on the bubble level.

The question in my mind is that in principle you have at least 300degrees of rotation available where the orange knob will not foul the bubble level
Therefore, if you are saying that when you mount it, it fouls immediately? Then why not preset that orange lever to different location so that when screwed on it does not foul?
 
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I had similar issu3# in past and ended up with Manfrotto option. It felt expensive for what it was but bot job done

I see benro now have relatively cheaper alternative

www.parkcameras.com

Benro GDHAD1 Geared Head Adapter | Park Cameras

The Benro Combination Geared Head Adaptor (GDHAD1) creates a raised platform to use the GD3WH Geared Head on combination tripods. Shop now!
www.parkcameras.com www.parkcameras.com

Or if you google tripod spacer plate 3/8 inch some other options might be worth considering, just look out as i suspect tarrifs/ brexit might bring import costs and check you get a decent dia 3/8 to 3/8 rather than 3/8 to 1/4

To me one of these is relatively cheap when you consider the cost of tripod, pano. Base, geared head, camera and lens and the faff of finding out to late you cant finish a sequence where you want and have to start again.

Good luck
 
rd6743 said:
Figured might be easier turning the number x times between each shot. And then if doing multi layercan turn the other number for some height and repeat.

Plus hoping I'll prefer it over ball head for landscape shots; as flexible as ball heads are, can be a bit of faff getting the framing spot on as wanted. Figure with geared head can just do one axis at a time.
Click to expand...

I like to take all the shots as fast as possibles, more often photospheres than panoramas, reason being clouds move, light changes and people/cars etc move.

I use a pan and tilt head with a level added, and white marks made with a fine Posca on the azimuth and elevation. Camera remote in left hand and turn from mark to mark with the right.
The marks allow a generous overlap, helps with the processing, and means that absolute accurate positioning on each shot is totally unnecessary.

I sometimes use a ball head for levelling, but usually just the tripod legs.

I agree it is very simple and primitive compared to your setup, but it works and at little cost :)
 
Sangoma said:
I like to take all the shots as fast as possibles, more often photospheres than panoramas, reason being clouds move, light changes and people/cars etc move.

I use a pan and tilt head with a level added, and white marks made with a fine Posca on the azimuth and elevation. Camera remote in left hand and turn from mark to mark with the right.
The marks allow a generous overlap, helps with the processing, and means that absolute accurate positioning on each shot is totally unnecessary.

I sometimes use a ball head for levelling, but usually just the tripod legs.

I agree it is very simple and primitive compared to your setup, but it works and at little cost :)
Click to expand...
Am sure I can make it equal based on my own primitiveness.

Probably does no good to the ball head that I'm the crank down on it until its seized type. Anything else seems to allow for sag
 
Sangoma said:
Interested to learn why a geared head for panos?
Click to expand...
this. It is a wrong tool. OK, it will work for distant views - in fact even handheld will work there just fine. Introduce anything even remotely approaching foreground - and now you are in a world of parallax errors.

You are looking at manfrotto 303sph or similar to do this properly. It is a heavy and nasty-to-carry piece, otherwise excellent. Probably not a great idea to mount it on a geared head either...
 
Am sorted now, found these...Benbo spacer but for about half the price. Adds bit extra height to the tripod too! :)

Really happy with the set up and is working really well the whole combination.
 
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