Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/03/29
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]At 01:13 PM 29/03/98 -0800, you wrote: >I just bought a new Bogen/Manfrotto 3021 for my R8 and M6 but it is >difficult and not fast enough to release the camera from the Bogen head >that was also sold with it. Does anyone within the LUG, using either >Leica Rs or Ms, have any experience using the ARCA Swiss B1 head on >their tripod? I've read two good ratings on it and need opinions from >Leica body users. Thanks. > > I have the first version of the B1. It has never jammed. (The jamming problem you may have read about is just a red herring.) I lost the set screw once and had it replaced. The newer version does not lose the set screw. Nice head. Quick camera positioning, and solid. No creep. Plates can add up to cost nearly as much as the head though. Sometimes when lining the camera up for a vertical, I have to swing it around 180 degrees first to line up with the drop notch, because on one side it does not go all the way down to vertical, unless one of the tripod legs is shortened ;) Drop notches on two sides would be an improvement. Get a B1 or a B1G if you plan to use heavy telephoto lenses. I've clamped about 5 kg on the B1 and it works just fine with those weights. Stay away from the B2. It is not a monoball head. Also, forget the B1E. You give up the rotational panning bed and the lower scale which shows degrees of rotation. - -GH