For loads like that, I use a set of Feisol CT3442 Tournament legs fitted with an Acratech GP ball head. Legs and head are both rated for 25 lbs and work really really well with loads of 6 to 10 lbs. It uses Arca-Swiss style mounting plates and clamps, just about the best things out there for this purpose.
I've used this with my (heavy) Leitz Telyt-R 250mm f/4 v1 and 2x Extender-R fitted to the Leica SL. It's an all up load of about 7 lbs ... Rock steady, no creep at all. I've also used it with Hasselblad 500CM plus prism finder, A12 back, and Sonnar 150mm f/4 lens with magnifying diopters for close up work ... Again, rock steady, no creep, probably quite similar to your 645Z setup. I used to have Manfrotto heads with the RC2 plate system. It's simply not strong or sturdy enough for serious work where stability and positioning is critical. Since I moved to this tripod nearly a decade ago and Arca Swiss type heads and plates, no problems at all. (I bought the Feisol legs direct from Taiwan, they're available in the USA now at retail. Of course, a similar set of Gitzo legs (easily available in the US too) would interchange for them nicely. Go for legs rated in the 20-25 lb range ... The ratings are mostly very optimistic.) G > > On Aug 11, 2016, at 4:19 PM, Bruce Walker <[email protected]> wrote: > > I must finally give in. It's clear even to me that my trusty Manfrotto > 190XPROB tripod with the 486RC2 ballhead simply cannot support a 645Z > + 90mm lens -- total weight 5.7 lbs / 2.59 kg. I'm trying to do macro > shots and the damned thing has to be torqued well above the target > framing then allowed to slip down into final position. Grrr. > > It may be that I could just upgrade the ballhead, but I find that the > quick release plates don't grab as securely as they should. Ie, > there's slippage and the camera shifts in the mount. > > So ... > > What tripod + ballhead + qr plate is recommended by the collective > wisdom of the PDML? > > It should fold down to around 2 feet so I can strap it onto my camera > roller case. It should securely hold at least 6 lbs of camera bits. > > I really like the way the 190XPROB lets me mount the camera close to > the ground -- within 6 inches or so by flipping the center post > horizontally and spreading the legs out wide -- but I could sacrifice > that I suppose. > > Preferably one that I can buy new, retail, in North America. :) -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
