Giottos MT7303-730 Ball Head Question

Grantsteve

Grantsteve

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Just taken delivery of one of the above with MT9250 legs (from Aspen of Hereford on Ebay - very good service BTW).

I've found that when I screw on the plate to the base of my camera body that there is still a bit of movement between the body and the plate - i.e. even when the screw is turned to the max I can still move the plate.

I can see this causing problems if I use it in anything but dead calm conditions as the the body moves quite a bit (both up and down and side to side).

Any ideas anyone?

Thanks
 
Have a good look at the plate. There may be some adjustment for how much the screw is allowed to protrude. Generally speaking the screw shouldn't go all the way home into the camera body anyway as you can actually pierce the bottom of the camera - so be careful!
 
Thanks, I'll check but I'm pretty sure that its a standard lengh screw to fit a standard thread in camera bodies.

I'm only hand tightening the screw and there is no 'foldable wing' thing to get a better turn on it. Should I be trying a screwdriver?
 
I usually use a 2p coin which gives enough leverage without cocking up the screw slit. It needs to be fairly firmly screwed home to stop the lens or camera twisting about anyway.
 
I have just got a giottos MH 1001 ball head and have had a similar problem. My plate has the wing on it and have found that I have to firmly tighten it or the camera will rotate a bit. Does it have a cork or rubber bit on your plate? Mines cork and I think that doesn't help, I'm on the lookout for a rubber one.
 
I have four small rubber pads which aren't very thick.

I'm going to try and tighten the screw with a coin or something to see if I can get a snug fit.

Otherwise its back to the drawing board ... :thinking:
 
Back to the drawing board it is ....:thinking:

I've tightened the screw as far as it will go with a coin and still the plate will move under the body.

Really starting to pee me off now - this is supposed to be pukka gear but my flippin Hama Star 42 can do a better job :razz: :bang:

Anyone else got any ideas?
 
Pretty sad really because the Giottos equipment gets very good reviews..:(
 
busterboy said:
Pretty sad really because the Giottos equipment gets very good reviews..:(
Click to expand...

Yeah tell me about it. I can't believe that there isn't an easy solution to this though.
 
It sounds like the screw is too long? Any chance of a pic? I can't say I've come across this problem before.
 
I asked Aspen about that but apparently they are all a standard length to fit a standard thread size in all camera bodies :thinking:

Anyhow, I'll try and get a picture up shortly.
 
Can the screw be removed from the plate? It sounds to me like if you can get a washer(s) on the screw on the underside of the plate the screw will effectively be shortened and should close the plate tighter with the body. Often there's a captive split washer on the screw for just this purpose - to adjust how far the screw protrudes.
 
Pics as promised ...













:thinking:
 
CT said:
Can the screw be removed from the plate? It sounds to me like if you can get a washer(s) on the screw on the underside of the plate the screw will effectively be shortened and should close the plate tighter with the body. Often there's a captive split washer on the screw for just this purpose - to adjust how far the screw protrudes.
Click to expand...

There is a little washer on the top side of the plate to stop the screw from falling out, but it looks like it could be removed.
 
There you go! I think if you hold that split washer firmly with a pair of pliers, then just screw the screw outwards a little so it doesn't protrude quite so far above the plate, you might well have it cracked. :)
 
The washer won't go past the first turn of the thread on the screw! :bonk:

This is getting silly now! Thanks for all your suggestions though :)
 
LOL Have you taken the washer off then? If so you should be able to spring it back on from the side of the screw, but you should be able to turn the screw in the washer as long as you hold the washer firmly. That washer is really there to retain the screw and adjust for just the problem you're having.
 
I can't get the washer off without either bending it or breaking the thread on the screw.

Surely if I managed to get it further up the thread on the screw it would only wind its way back down when I tightened the plate against the camera body?

:shake:
 
There's only one way to find out mate and it's the only answer I can see to your problem, short of getting a washer on the screw underneath the plate. Don't bust it though, if you have a mate who's handy with stuff like this get him to have a look. I'm sure it's sortable. :)
 
:lol: I normally am good with this sort of thing. It does sound as if it should be easily sorted as well. There is no way that washer is moving in one piece though. :bat:

I'll wait and see what bright ideas Aspen comes up with, otherwise I'll send it back.

Thanks for your efforts CT :)
 
Aspen of Hereford has suddenly gone very quiet :suspect:

Having looked at the split washer in better light there is definitely no way that it will come off the screw without knackering it ... which means there is no way of getting the screw out of the plate.
 
Bummer! Keep on to 'em - there's no way you should be having this sort of grief with a damned tripod screw! :suspect:
 
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