I have a sturdy tripod, but...

[juanm]

Hi everybody.

I need a very sturdy tripod for a VR photography project. I'll be taking pictures in windy places, so I need something really steady. My ex-boss has offered me this Manfrotto they don't use anymore (since the video head doesn't work properly anymore), and it sure feels solid.

The head that comes with it looks like this (it's broken, so I can take it apart as much as I want):

I want to keep the light grey lower part of it so I can put on it my VR head, but I don't know how to take it apart from the rest of the head (the "510" part). I've already taken out every screw I could, and I'm stuck here on a Sunday morning, not knowing what to do next.

Any ideas about how to do it?
Does anybody here has experience using this kind of tripod for photography?

 

[eddx]

Both the tripod and the head that you have are designed for video usage and I am pretty certain that you can't attach a VR photo head to that type of tripod.

Try the 055XProB, thats the tripod I have and use almost daily, I swear by it and it will definitely take the VR head you have.

 

[ChrisA]

If yours is like mine the head just unscrews. Except there are some set screws on the bottom that you need to use an allan wrench to loosen. The
set screws prevent the head from rotating and unscrewing.

The worst case is that you will need to replace the entire center column. It's not that big of a deal, maybe $40.

One trick to really make that tripod stay put in wind. Get some rope and hage weights from the center. A few galons of water or a bag of rocks. Add about 25 or 30 pounds of mass very low to the ground. The pros in the movie buss. will put lead shot bags on each leg.

 

[juanm]

Both the tripod and the head that you have are designed for video usage and I am pretty certain that you can't attach a VR photo head to that type of tripod.

This is what I want to know

Try the 055XProB, thats the tripod I have and use almost daily, I swear by it and it will definitely take the VR head you have.

I have the 055MF3, almost the same, but I need something else, for when it's really windy. Or to hold the computer when I'm feeling lazy

If yours is like mine the head just unscrews. Except there are some set screws on the bottom that you need to use an allan wrench to loosen. The set screws prevent the head from rotating and unscrewing.

The worst case is that you will need to replace the entire center column. It's not that big of a deal, maybe $40.

Thanks.
As I said, the head is broken, and I'm going to have to drill, since the screws in question are moving inside. (I don't know how they could do that to the head, maybe they ran over it with a tank!)

Hey, at worst, the head will make an excellent defense weapon!

 

[RedTomato]

Gaffer tape your camera to the head?

 

[juanm]

Gaffer tape your camera to the head?

It'd kill the whole point of having a good tripod. This is the head I intend to use:

 

[rjphoto]

It looks like you just need a Ball Head mounted on the tri-pod to mount your camera/bracket to. (A ball head gives you good leveling capability.)

Check out Manfrotto's web site and see what the offer, then check out the Pro Camera shops around.

You may need to MacGyver something together from the hardware store.

You will need 1/4-20 thread screw with a big head and a large washer that won't fit through the head whole of the bottom of the tri-pod. (Assuming that your bracket has a standard tri-pod screw hole on it.)

Just make sure you have some way of leveling the whole thing and then do the weights from the legs like mentioned above.

Let us know what you end up with. (post more pics.)

Good luck.