Steve'sDigicams

takipsilim · Jun 10, 2006, 12:53 AM

I haven't owned a tripod and am just planning on buying one. Just wanted to know if, suppose I buy tripod ballhead from one brand (say, Manfrotto) and legs from another manufacturer (Velbon) -- would they be compatible? Is it the norm for tripod brandsto have a generic head accessconfiguration, or are their designs proprietary?

Thanks!

DougJGreen · Jun 10, 2006, 4:05 PM

Most tripods use a standard 3/8" screw to mount the head, although some light duty ones use a 1/4" mount. Similarly, most ballheads will mount on a 3/8" screw, and many can also be adapted to 1/4". So most heads are compatible with most legs, at least above the entry level, where the head may not be interchangeable.

That being said, some people believe that the best performance is attained with heads that are designed for a specific set of legs. Personally, I've not seen any test data that confirms this, but it's certainly possible that better vibration resistance could be obtained if the head is optimized for the resonance frequency of a specific leg set.

pagerboy · Jun 11, 2006, 9:28 AM

I bought a small tripod with the head but needed a quick release which I bought seperately(has two size threads). Works awesome.

tmoreau · Jun 11, 2006, 1:58 PM

I'd be worried about interchangability of the quick release plates, too. Arca swiss is the most common and availible from many sources, all others seem to be proprietary.

pagerboy · Jun 11, 2006, 11:11 PM

My quick release plate works on my digicam my dv camcorder and my p&s 35mm. Its a Manfrotto plate.

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Jun 10, 2006, 12:53 AM	#1
takipsilim Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 12	I haven't owned a tripod and am just planning on buying one. Just wanted to know if, suppose I buy tripod ballhead from one brand (say, Manfrotto) and legs from another manufacturer (Velbon) -- would they be compatible? Is it the norm for tripod brandsto have a generic head accessconfiguration, or are their designs proprietary? Thanks!

Jun 10, 2006, 4:05 PM	#2
DougJGreen Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 198	Most tripods use a standard 3/8" screw to mount the head, although some light duty ones use a 1/4" mount. Similarly, most ballheads will mount on a 3/8" screw, and many can also be adapted to 1/4". So most heads are compatible with most legs, at least above the entry level, where the head may not be interchangeable. That being said, some people believe that the best performance is attained with heads that are designed for a specific set of legs. Personally, I've not seen any test data that confirms this, but it's certainly possible that better vibration resistance could be obtained if the head is optimized for the resonance frequency of a specific leg set.

Jun 11, 2006, 9:28 AM	#3
pagerboy Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Canada Posts: 483	I bought a small tripod with the head but needed a quick release which I bought seperately(has two size threads). Works awesome.

Jun 11, 2006, 1:58 PM	#4
tmoreau Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 477	I'd be worried about interchangability of the quick release plates, too. Arca swiss is the most common and availible from many sources, all others seem to be proprietary.

Jun 11, 2006, 11:11 PM	#5
pagerboy Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Canada Posts: 483	My quick release plate works on my digicam my dv camcorder and my p&s 35mm. Its a Manfrotto plate.