grichie5

After having owned and used tripods for almost seventy years, I feel stupid about asking this question, but I will anyway.
I recently purchased a used Giotto carbon fiber MT 8361 Pro tripod.
After using heavier tripods for years, this one is a delight.
But, there is one control that mystifies me. The fixture at the head of the tripod, where the legs are attached, below where the ball head or pan head mounts, has three controls.Two are large wing nut type knobs, one that allows the head to rotate into a horizontal position and the other locks the extension pole in place. The third, is a smaller rotary ribbed knob with the markings LOCK or FREE, pointing up or down. The knob can not not rotate when the pole is in place. When the pole is removed, the knob rotates and when the lock marking is up, causes a metal protrusion to extend into the pole shaft opening that prevents inserting the pole.
The uses of this knob is tantalizing me. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Bill_de Loc: US

Sounds like it is supposed to lock the pole in place.

If not, post a picture.

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Edit: A quick Google search found this.

Built-in universal 3-way head - You can use the tripod without the need for an extra head when using the built-in universal 3-way head, just change to the short colum and lock the safety knob. It provides 360 degree horizontal and 180 degree vertical adjustments, quickly and easily
, Safety locking knob - To set up the platform pull knob out and rotate it till ''LOCK'' is in the top position. To release the plateform pull the knob out and rotate it till ''FREE'' is in the top position ]

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speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

That's what I think too, especially for mounting the pole in reverse!

davidf_logan Loc: Logan, Utah

I don't know specifically but the instructions here might help.

http://neptunephoto.com/spec_sheet.html?catalog[product_guids][0]=303712

grichie5

Many thanks for your response. I did a search and included the words you suggested, "Built-in Universal head." The results pointed to a Walmart page that had a very full description of the particular tripod and the Universal head. There is a supplementary adapter included in the tool kit that is used when the camera plate is separated from the extension pole. This adapter has a groove that mates with the adapter in the lock position.

Bill_de Loc: US

grichie5

It was slow to dawn on me but by using the separate adapter you can mount the ball or pan head directly to the head of the tripod with the extension tube removed. This would allow lowering the tripod to almost ground level for very low camera angles.

Enlightenment seems to come in slow steps.

Bobnewnan

And the older I get, the slower those steps are!

bweber Loc: Newton, MA

I have the Giotto 8384 tripod and never noticed this adjuster. So... I just experimented with that knob and discovered that if you fully extend the tube that knob allows you to rotate the fully extend tube. You can also use this feature when you extend and tilt the tube. It does not work if the tube is not fully extended as the tube blocks this rotation. I think the best use for this form of rotation is when the tube is extend and tilted and you do not want to rotate the head.