Tripod mounting size problem.

Monoman

Monoman

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How to mount 1/4" thread camera on a 3/8" thread tripod.:help:

My best tripod has a 3/8th screw thread This tripod is very adaptable to all sorts of conditions and is pretty stable in high winds.
I do NOT want to buy yet another tripod or to use an Arca Swiss type mounting
plate etc.

Do members have solutions to this problem short of undertaking some engineeriing?

Thnks in advance.

Monoman
 
Adapters are available for this problem. I bought one about a month ago on Ebay for a few quid.

Dave
 
Many postings on this kind of topic end up with the OP smacking their forehead and wondering why they didn't read the manual. So what particular model of tripod is it?
 
Thanks for the prompt responses but my post seems to have been misread.

The tripod, a Gitzo, and its fittings, p & t head, swivels, etc., are all 3/8", the camera is 1/4" so I am after a means of increasing the size of the camera so it fits a 3/8" tripod. I don't know how boring out the camera's tripod thread would affect Leica's warranty, although I can guess!

Going the other way is a trivial problem for which I have tobacco tin full of adapters, similar to tijuana taxi's 'Reducers' which of course go the wrong way.

( Just a comment following Chris' remark, which manual do you refer to?)

Monoman
 
Monoman said:
Thanks for the prompt responses but my post seems to have been misread.

The tripod, a Gitzo, and its fittings, p & t head, swivels, etc., are all 3/8", the camera is 1/4" so I am after a means of increasing the size of the camera so it fits a 3/8" tripod. I don't know how boring out the camera's tripod thread would affect Leica's warranty, although I can guess!

Going the other way is a trivial problem for which I have tobacco tin full of adapters, similar to tijuana taxi's 'Reducers' which of course go the wrong way.

( Just a comment following Chris' remark, which manual do you refer to?)

Monoman
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May be a daft question but does the head have a mounting plate on?
 
I'm not very clever so need something explaining. Won't you fit a plate with a 1/4" screw onto the bottom of your camera, and fit the plate onto your head? I'm not sure what a p & t head is, but most heads come with their dedicated plates. I've yet to see a plate with a 3/8" screw, because cameras all have 1/4" holes. What is the plate you are using?

I might be reading this wrong, but you seem to be wanting to fit the camera directly onto the tripod. I've seen that done with medium format cameras but they have a 3/8" screw hole.

Boring out the thread on the camera?????
 
Have you e-mailed Gitzo, I bought one of their Tripods and it came with a different Handle then shown in their Photo`s which is what I wanted and they sent (FOC) it to me by the next day. Worth trying.
 
If the camera mounting screw on that PanTilt head is 3/8 then it must be for MF.
There are two options. Use an adaptor plate/pin... I wouldn't normally recommend them as aluminum threads wear out quickly and they reduce mating surface, but for a smaller setup like your leica it's probably fine.
The other option is to remove the existing 3/8 screw and use a reducing bushing and a 1/4-20 screw in it's place. Since you said you already have the bushings this would be the logical choice. As long as the 1/4-20 screw has a head larger than 3/8 there's no real risk.

You can also source reversible studs used on some tripods/heads as an alternative to the bushing if you want to retain MF compatibility (w/o carrying/swapping parts).
 
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chuckles said:
I believe what you need is one of these..... 3/8 female to 1/4 male £3.29 + odds/sods
Click to expand...
I have something like that floating around my spares box. Totally unloved!

Won't using that place the camera off the mounting plate and all the weight will be on the screw thread? Not ideal.

I'm not sure what that head is but therein lies the problem. The tripod is fine. The camera is fine. The head is the problem. Looks like it was originally designed for medium format, large format or even whole plate type cameras.

My suggestion would be to change heads and solve all the problems at once.
 
mickledore said:
Won't using that place the camera off the mounting plate and all the weight will be on the screw thread? Not ideal.
Click to expand...

Indeed, but the OP didn't want a plate!

No harm in putting a disk; like a large washer. The alternatives that I could find were less than ideal, never the right thread and cost 10x this little brass jobby! How heavy is a Leica anyway?
 
chuckles said:
Indeed, but the OP didn't want a plate!

No harm in putting a disk; like a large washer. The alternatives that I could find were less than ideal, never the right thread and cost 10x this little brass jobby! How heavy is a Leica anyway?
Click to expand...
All very true. It would look somewhat odd but nowhere near as odd as that head looks! What is that bit being held up? What on earth does that do? Is this head even designed for use with a camera?
 
Probably a daft question but the 3/8 thread is not spring loaded?
I ask because on my Manfroto monopod that has a spring loaded 3/8 thread which slides down to reveal a 1/4 thread
 
[QUOTE="mickledore, post: 7287094, member: 26072"What is that bit being held up? What on earth does that do? Is this head even designed for use with a camera?[/QUOTE]
It's a side arm (pole/boom) mount. I'm not sure if it's an accessory, or if that's really the only thing the pan-tilt was meant to attach to.

Edit: It does seem pretty ridiculous to be mounting a Leica onto a Gitzo CF tripod by way of a bodged head that's not designed for the job....
 
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sk66 said:
[QUOTE="mickledore, post: 7287094, member: 26072"What is that bit being held up? What on earth does that do? Is this head even designed for use with a camera?
Click to expand...
It's a side arm (pole) mount. I'm not sure if it's an accessory, or if that's really the only thing the pan-tilt was meant to attach to.
Click to expand...

So it's not a lot to do with a routine head set up? That could explain why there is a 3/8" bolt holding it together. Would it be presumtious to say that OP has decided to use something out of the spares box that looks as if it might do the job, only to find out that it won't?
Looks a pretty heavy bit of gear.
 
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Thank you all for your interest in my problem. I'll try to put a bit more information into the pot -
upload_2016-2-25_19-9-42.png

This picture shows the tilt at right-angles to the pan, not a comfortable working position.

Yes, not MF but a Sinar F2 lives on top of this pan & tilt head. I'm afraid it's built as if it's part of a battleship. As I said in my OPost I do not want to buy a new tripod and the appropriate accoutrments. Also I want to set-up the 35mm ( not always Leica but sometimes Nikon) and shoot that size for a range of shots from the same location for processing in PS and then use the 5x4 for just the picture(s) which I might consider worth the effort. I'm afraid I am of an age where I remember newspaper photographers would take a Rollei and reckon to shoot enough picures for an edition on one roll. I have to live with these ideas.

I have considered using a different head but the Sinar head is really silky smooth and positive in operation. I'm tempted to say 'typical Swiss engineering'.

The adaptor plate SK66 refers to might be ideal. The P&T head is 70mm dia and the Leica base 30mm wide, the thread located about 20mm from the RH end. So at 50mm dia that looks promising.

upload_2016-2-25_19-23-34.png Underside.

From ebay: Details about Tripod Reducer 3/8" to 1/4" 50mm Diameter Mount / Post /Stud /Head Adapter DTR-1

Thanks to everyone for their contribution. Plenty of ideas should the adaptor not work.

Monoman
 
mickledore said:
So it's not a lot to do with a routine head set up?
Click to expand...
I can't rightly say as I've never seen that particular head before. It could be a MF/LF head and accessory mount, or it may be missing important parts (boom/pole/head).

Edit: Ah, it's a bellows tube mount...
 
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sk66 said:
Edit: It does seem pretty ridiculous to be mounting a Leica onto a Gitzo CF tripod by way of a bodged head that's not designed for the job....
Click to expand...
Arguably both the tripod and head are waaaaay over the top for use with a Leica.
 
Just another, final? commen. I'm not surprised that you have not see one of those pan & tilt heads, they are as rare as hen's teeth, and go for anything up to £600 if you can find one. But they are capable of holding the various monorail rail clamps just where you put them.

upload_2016-2-25_19-45-47.png Low profile clamp.

upload_2016-2-25_19-50-9.png The normal clamp

For my sins I cut my teeth on an earlier model of these fifty odd years ago so I recently acquired my own.

We used to take pictures of everything from newly designed plant and machinery to group pictures of each year's new staff intake with it. Rolleiflex for everything else. Site darkroom, studio, wet benches, rotary dryer . . . . .

Those were the days!

Monoman
 
Mickledore's suggestion sounds wonderful until you consider the weight of the Sinar outfit, the camera alone is about 5.7 kg, add a lens another kg or so, DD slide 400g, focussing cloth, etc. etc. For some of the work I am asked to do movements have their uses.

Since I retired I have had to disconnect my answering machine. (Not boasting, it can be a b****y nuisance)

Monoman
 
I think he meant more for mounting your 35mm kit. Using a LF tripod to hold 35mm kit is a little over the top size wise.
 
Dad used to have a Gandolfi tripod. I could sit on it... Not really portable!

I would go the head route for the lighter kit - relatively inexpensive and would do what it says on the tin!
 
I pondered the comments and suggestions. Perhaps I should have stressed that I need to have the 5x4 and the 35mm (or perhaps a Bronica) with me at the same time.

In the end I ordered the adaptor which arrived all the way from the US in only 4 days. No duty either. (It seems others have a similar problem.)

Monoman
 
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