Tripod head to mount the ETRS sideways

mr.datsun · Jun 27, 2016

I have been using a sturdy video head on my Manfrotto 055xpro when using my ETRS.

Now I want to mount it sideways so I can use it to frame portraits vertically.

I've seen a few ball-heads. I cannot afford an Arca, but the NOVO CBH-40 and the equivalent Manfrotto MH054M0-Q5 are affordable.

cbh-40--head-EDITED_500px1.jpg

manfrotto-054-magnesium-ball-head-l.jpg

My question is - would these be strong enough to hold the ETRS with a 100 or 150 lens mounted sideways?

Another option might be a tilt-head like the Manfrotto 808RC4

1403715936000_445434.jpg

It seems to me the main weakness of the whole idea is that the camera will want to rotate around the mount-point.

Patrick Robert James · Jun 27, 2016

It would probably be easier to buy one of those L brackets that became popular with digital cameras if you already like the tripod head. Companies like Kirk may have made one expressly for your Bronica.

mgb74 · Jun 27, 2016

A good ball head will be more expensive than a good pan/tilt head; but certainly has it's advantages. Even the basic Manfrotto head should be adequate for the ETRS with 150mm.

neilt3 · Jun 28, 2016

I use a Mamiya 645 Rotating Tripod Adapter , works well .
See here ;
http://ianbfoto.com/items/7447.php
Quick and simple to adjust , and keeps the centre of gravity in the same place . A very solid piece of kit .
I bought mine off ebay for about £30 .

mweintraub · Jun 28, 2016

neilt3 said:
I use a Mamiya 645 Rotating Tripod Adapter , works well .
See here ;
http://ianbfoto.com/items/7447.php
Quick and simple to adjust , and keeps the centre of gravity in the same place . A very solid piece of kit .
I bought mine off ebay for about £30 .

I have one of those and had an ETRSI and I vaguely remember it not working right. As in not rotating all the way due to something blocking me... Maybe someone can chime in or I can try it on my friend's ETR series.

neilt3 · Jun 28, 2016

mweintraub said:
I have one of those and had an ETRSI and I vaguely remember it not working right. As in not rotating all the way due to something blocking me... Maybe someone can chime in or I can try it on my friend's ETR series.

I have no issue with mine .

Landscape with a 135mm PE lens on .

Portrait .

Only thing you might have an issue with is this screw head .
If the camera is flipped over with some force it could potentially cause damage .
It could easily be changed for a countersunk screw to prevent this , but as I take care of my equipment I haven't felt the need .
Likewise a rubber O-ring could also be glued onto it to buffer it a bit .

Also I do find that when flipped over the framing goes a little to far over so you stop rotating before the screw would touch the camera body .

Poisson Du Jour · Jun 28, 2016

The Manfrotto Mg multi-directional head is excellent and extremely smooth. I am using it with a 3.4kg Pentax 67 and Hasselbad 503CXI. The bubble levels are very useful in landscape and portrait work. Any head must have an anti-rotation pin to prevent slip/creep of heavy cameras. It is not enough to tighten the tripod screw.

mweintraub · Jun 29, 2016

neilt3 said:
I have no issue with mine .
View attachment 159781
Landscape with a 135mm PE lens on .
View attachment 159782
Portrait .
View attachment 159783
Only thing you might have an issue with is this screw head .
If the camera is flipped over with some force it could potentially cause damage .
It could easily be changed for a countersunk screw to prevent this , but as I take care of my equipment I haven't felt the need .
Likewise a rubber O-ring could also be glued onto it to buffer it a bit .

Also I do find that when flipped over the framing goes a little to far over so you stop rotating before the screw would touch the camera body .

Well, I stand corrected. Yeah, I wasn't sure. Also, I don't remmeber the screw being visible. I'll have to check mine.

wiltw · Jun 29, 2016

Analogous to the Mamiya rotator previously mentioned are the two tripod rotator units from Newton Brackets.
http://www.newtoncamerabrackets.com/default-old4.htm

Newton makes superb strong yet lightweight products, and I have one of his flash rotators for my own ETRSi. I have recommended his flash rotators to wedding/event pros for decades, and virtually everyone has been happy with the purchase. Robert Newton is a very consultive guy who can tell you what works best with your ETRS.

Dan Daniel · Jun 29, 2016

I've used this Manfrotto head for this type of problem with a different camera-
https://www.manfrotto.us/manfrotto-...ead-with-retractable-levers-friction-controls
If you go for a ball head, go for an Arca plate and get a generic L-bracket. It's a great system to use in the field. Not having the camera weight hanging off to the side makes adjustment much easier.

You could get a generic L-bracket and attach the Manfrotto plates to both legs.

moto-uno · Jun 29, 2016

I also have the Manfrotto 055xpro tripod and have used the Manfrotto 486 ballhead with My Etrsi and 250mm lens,
It never creeps and has seen years of use on motorcycle trips in B.C. It'll do the job !
Regards,Peter

wiltw · Jun 29, 2016

Patrick Robert James said:
It would probably be easier to buy one of those L brackets that became popular with digital cameras if you already like the tripod head. Companies like Kirk may have made one expressly for your Bronica.

Unfortunately neither Kirk nor RRS offer an L bracket for a Bronica SLR

mweintraub · Jun 29, 2016

wiltw said:
Unfortunately neither Kirk nor RRS offer an L bracket for a Bronica SLR

Aren't there universal ones?

wiltw · Jun 29, 2016

mweintraub said:
Aren't there universal ones?

yeah but drawings give insufficient information to conclude confidently that it WILL fit!

filmamigo · Jun 30, 2016

I also use a Manfrotto 3D head. They are surprisingly affordable, and seem sturdier and more flexible than the ball head options.

My 3D head works well with my Bronica ETR and even holds my Speed Graphic in portrait orientation.

Kawaiithulhu · Jun 30, 2016

I have a Manfrotto 410 (geared) that I've put some fairly heavy items on, including a Speed Graphic with tele and Hassy with bellows and makro at the end...
Heaviest was a wood 5x7 but I had to support the weight while lining up the shot with the gears, not recommended as a long term solution for something that heavy

I also have a random Benro ball head that I got years ago. It works fine for basic 35mm setups but is hopeless at anything heavier, I don't use it anymore.

Dan Daniel · Jun 30, 2016

I've used this l-bracket as a generic plate. Dimensions given in listing.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Desmond-L-P...418060?hash=item542c0ec40c:g:1joAAOSwHxVW8Gwv

The problem for the OP is that it is Arca, not Manfrotto. You can probably figure out how to attach Manfortto plates?

wiltw · Jun 30, 2016

Dan Daniel said:
I've used this l-bracket as a generic plate. Dimensions given in listing.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Desmond-L-P...418060?hash=item542c0ec40c:g:1joAAOSwHxVW8Gwv

The problem for the OP is that it is Arca, not Manfrotto. You can probably figure out how to attach Manfortto plates?

While it is easy enough to mount a Manfrotto QR plate onto this generic L bracket, an issue is that when the camera is rotated on its side (as desired), the lens works as a lever arm about the rotational center tripod mounting screw, twisting the body on the L bracket because there IS NO ANTI-TWIST ridge which the camera rests against

wiltw · Jul 6, 2016

I investigated the Sunway L brackets somewhat thoroughly via the dimensioned drawings on their web site and was able to conclude that the DPL-04 model would work with a Speed Grip attached to the ETRS body. (Some other models of bracket lacked sufficient information to always draw conclusions.) I found another model Sunway L bracket which also seems suitable to fit, but I chose to go with the DPL-04 after discovering I had a place to buy that bracket at about a 10% saving from list price.

The DPL-04 just arrived yesterday, and I just tried to mount it today. I must say I was very impressed by the customized cut-out high density foam that bracket and the allen screws and supplied screws came in! The quality of the build is also impressive, although the black anodizing does appear somewhat easy to mar, as can be seen by the tripod mounting screw marks on the underside of the L bracket (positon with vs. without Speed Grip). Combined with the flexibility afforded to the position of the tripod mounting screw, the anti-twist lip on the DPL-04 bracket certainly is suitably placed to prevent twisting of the camera on the L bracket, and sufficient space can be left at the left side of the camera body to permit reasonable access to the shutter speed rotary dial on the ETRS.

Here is a photo of the Sunway DPL-04 L bracket mounted on an ETRSi with Speed Grip, and also without the Speed Grip. Photos 1-3 are with the Speed Grip; photo 4 (bottom view) and photo 5 (side view) are without Speed Grip. Photo 3 is the camera mounted on an RRS BH-40 with RRS lever QR.

I can highly recommend the DPL-04 for the ETRS(i), with or without Speed Grip.

cooltouch · Jul 9, 2016

Some years back I bought a used Bogen tripod, a nice stout one, that came with a large ball head. It had no brand name, but somebody told me it was a Stroboframe. I googled the topic, and while I didn't find any that looked exactly like mine, I found several that looked close, and those that I did find looked to be as big and beefy as mine. Mine will support my Nikon F2 with motordrive set 90 degrees from horizontal without problems. I have an ETRSi and a 150mm for it so I'm familiar with its weight and I have no doubts that this ball head would support it just as easily as it supports my F2 with MD2/MB1. So a good stout ball head should work just fine for you.

darkroommike · Jul 9, 2016

wiltw said:
yeah but drawings give insufficient information to conclude confidently that it WILL fit!

Call either Kirk or RSS their customer service can help. at one time one of them, probably Kirk made a heavy duty L-bracket (not plate) that would clamp on a regular plate and permit both horizontal and vertical mounts.

M Carter · Jul 9, 2016

Poke around on eBay - Manfrotto made a couple items that use the old hex-release plates; a very robust ball head (3055) and a really sturdy 3-axis head (3047?). The 3-axis heads go dirt cheap, but I've used them with 4x5 - extremely butch and all the adjustments you could need. The ball head I've used professionally for 2 decades and see them go from $10-$30. The 3047 has been updated for smaller plates. Often either head is sold with a set of legs, usually the 3221, a very good metal tripod, so searching "used" for a Manfrotto tripod will return pages of results, but you'll often find those nice heads without their model number listed (which usually means you save a bundle).

Google image search those models and have a look.

Tripod head to mount the ETRS sideways

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