hogesinwa Loc: Dalyellup Western Australia

I received my new Vanguard Alta Pro 2 264AO last week. I suppose I should have expected that none of the other QR plates I have, or the L-bracket I have, would fit. Close, but no cigar.

I went to our one and only camera shop yesterday and the guy there said they don't carry L-brackets but he could order one for me. I told him that I could do that, too.

I have emailed Vanguard support (the day I got it) but a loud silence is all I hear.

Can anyone who has this tripod, with QR plate QS-60 v2, tell me what L-bracket they have to go in the slot, or what panorama slide they have?
thanks
Terry

Bill_de Loc: US

From their website:

If you, or someone you know, have submitted a question to our customer support team and have not heard back from us, please let us know at repair@vanguardworld.us or call us at 800-875-3322 x120.


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Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Any chance you can return the tripod? Change the head? Sorry you are stuck with a less-than-optimal solution.

hogesinwa Loc: Dalyellup Western Australia

Thank you for that. Done.

Jrhoffman75 Loc: Conway, New Hampshire

I don’t think you will find an L-plate for that tripod. If you can’t change the tripod head to one with an Arca-Swiss clamp then you could get a second Vanguard plate and attach the two plates to your L-bracket.

That is the problem with non-standard products.

BobHartung Loc: Bettendorf, IA

This may sound snarky, but it is not meant in that vein: "You get what you pay for."

On the other hand, the image I saw suggest an 'area-swiss' like plate. Do you know anyone with an arca-swiss plate for the camera that you could try? If it fits then you have hundreds of potential L-brackets & plates to choose from.

hogesinwa Loc: Dalyellup Western Australia

So you think a $200 tripod is low-rent stuff? What would you think is a more appropriate $range?
I mean, I'm not averse to spending money on camera gear - the last two weeks has seen $9,000 go out on a 5D body, 2 Canon L-series and a Sony macro.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Terry the range of tripods goes from about $60 for pure junk, to as much as $1400 for legs and another $1000 for a gimbal head, $1600 for a studio quality geared head, and $500 for a quality ball head. When you start going down in price you make certain tradeoffs. But there is a threshold below which anything you buy is just a waste of money. Put another way, if you are down around the lower end of the pricing range (tripod+head), it would be to spending $450 for a T6 kit with two lenses, and another $160 for a Canon EF 50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro Lens, instead of what you bought.

No, the Vanguard is not considered a reasonable tripod for anything but the lightest camera and lens, and wide angle to normal focal lengths.

You might want to take a look at the Feisol CT-3442 and CT-3472 (if you use long lenses). Both have good torsional rigidity, essential for vibration dampening. Your Vanguard has a load capacity of only 11 lbs. The smaller Feisol is rated at 55 lbs, and the bigger one at 66 lbs. Both have a high (if not the highest) strength to weight ratio. I use the smaller one with good results with up to 300mm lenses, and the bigger one with 600mm and longer lenses.

Yeah, I have to agree with Bob - this is not a reasonable tripod for any use other than a point and shoot or very light bridge camera with short to normal focal lengths.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

I would budget a minimum of about $400 US for a quality tripod leg set... maybe a little more... plus something for a choice of various heads.

Do you want a heavy duty tripod that will handle just about anything?

FEISOL CT-3342 (https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/848830-REG/FEISOL_CT_3342_Tournament_CT_3342_Rapid_Tripod.html?sts=pi-ps)

BENRO TMA48CXL Extra Long Series 4 Mach3 (https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1157819-REG/benro_tma48cxl_mach3_9x_carbon_fiber.html)

NEST NT-363CT (https://www.cameracottage.com/apps/webstore/products/show/6253102)

GITZO GT3533LS Systematic Series 3 (https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1328244-REG/gitzo_gt3533lsus_systematic_tripod_ser_3_3s.html)

REALLY RIGHT STUFF TVC-34 Versa Series 3 Mk2 (https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1411841-REG/really_right_stuff_tvc_34_mk2_tvc_34_versa_series_3.html)

I've just listed several examples, various heights are available, depending upon your needs.

All the above are legs only.... you buy a head for it separately. There is a huge array of those available. The first thing to decide is what type you want. For photography, most people either choose a ballhead or a pan/tilt head. For video there are also fluid heads. There are some variations, hybrids, and specialized types such as gimbals (for use with large, heavy telephotos) but those are the main three types of heads.

Once you know what type you want, simply start to look for the features you need: you will want a load rating that's about double your heaviest kit of gear you'll be sitting on it. Also, you obviously want Arca-Swiss quick release compatibility. There are several designs of that ("levers" for fast swaps... or screw-knobs that I happen to prefer just because I know when they are tight and locked... and my gear is safe!).

For example, the following search at B&H turned up 53 heads of various types and brands of heads rated for 20 to 30 lb. that have Arca-style QR platforms:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?ntt=arca&refineSearchString=&Ns=p_PRICE_2%7C0&sortType=default&ci=140&fct=fct_support-weight_1470%7C20-lb%2Bfct_support-weight_1470%7C22-lb%2Bfct_support-weight_1470%7C23-lb%2Bfct_support-weight_1470%7C24-lb%2Bfct_support-weight_1470%7C25-lb%2Bfct_support-weight_1470%7C26-lb%2Bfct_support-weight_1470%7C27-lb%2Bfct_support-weight_1470%7C30-lb%2Bfct_support-weight_1470%7C28-lb&srtclk=sort&ipp=100&N=4075788769

Personally I use a gimbal adapter with some big lenses up to around 8 lb. on them, so the ballheads I use are heavy duty Kirk BH-1 rated for around 50 lb. But that also makes them larger and heavier (though a heavy duty head might be appropriate on some of the heavy duty leg sets listed above).

All the above leg sets are also "system" tripod designed to be used without a center column, for maximum stability. The head mounts directly onto a platform atop the leg set. As "system" tripods, there are center columns, leveling platforms and other accessories available for all the above.

If you don't need such heavy duty support there are slightly smaller leg sets available (look for "Series 2" or something like that). Those you might fit with a medium size head, instead of the heavy duty ones listed.

Or, perhaps you prefer something more travel-friendly and there are lighter weight, more compact travel tripods. These are typically sold in kit with a ballhead, so that they will be able to fold up properly. There are a number of them listed here: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/photography/buying-guide/travel-tripods

With any tripod, you have to reach a compromise... the fewer leg sections, the more stable the tripod will be. But also the less compact it will fold up. No center column is ideal, but if a tripod has one that you don't need to raise much or at all because it's tall enough without it, that's a possibility too. If you always have to extend the center column to use the tripod comfortably, it will compromise stability. With any tripod, but especially with travel tripods, you have to check the height carefully, that it will be tall enough to use comfortably. Measure your eyeline and take into account the height the head and the camera itself will add. Carbon fiber is ideal material for tripods, best weight vs strength, and also absorbs some vibration that metal doesn't... but carbon fiber costs more.

Then, of course, there is price to consider. Everyone has a limit.... but keep in mind that you'll have a few thousand $ worth of gear sitting on that tripod, so you will probably want something very dependable, and that ain't gonna be cheap. The good news is that a quality tripod will be more enjoyable to use, and hence less likely to be left at home or in the car trunk.... Plus a good tripod will last a lifetime. They don't really change and need "upgrading" all that often! I have one I bought 40 years ago... cost about $400 US at the time. It's still working like new, but a hefty aluminum tripod that I don't relish carrying around any more (about 18 lb. with head). So for field work I have several carbon fiber tripods similar to those listed above, but about 20 year old models that all still work just fine. They'll likely get passed on to my heirs some years from now (I hope).

hogesinwa Loc: Dalyellup Western Australia

Thank you for that. In light of the above list, I've decided to drive up to <our capital city> tomorrow to go to the one remaining camera store to see what of the above they carry.

Terry

CO

Really Right Stuff has a blueprint on their website for their Arca-Swiss dovetail dimensions. Most manufacturers use the 1.5 inch wide dovetail design but that varies some with the manufacturer. The depth of the 45 degree cuts also varies between manufacturers. I researched this when I made an Arca-Swiss plate in a machine shop. I have a Kirk L-bracket, a Feisol L-bracket, and a Sirui plate. They're all different but work with my Acratech ballhead and Jobu gimbal.

The Kirk L-bracket has a 1.500 inch wide dovetail - 1.588 inches across .093 pins in the grooves
The Feisol QPL-148045 L-bracket has a 1.542 inch wide dovetail - 1.590 across .093 pins in the grooves
The Sirui plate has a 1.538 inch wide dovetail - 1.540 across .093 pins in the grooves

Can you measure the width of your Vanguard QS-60 v2 plate? Dial calipers are good to use for measuring. If it's a lot smaller or larger than 1.5 inches, you may have trouble finding an L-bracket that will work with the head.

Really Right Stuff Arca-Swiss standard

(Download)

The depth of the 45 degree cuts is measured by putting 3/32" (.093") pins in the grooves and measuring across them

(Download)

hogesinwa Loc: Dalyellup Western Australia

Well, my trip up to the big city paid off. I went to the last remaining camera shop in town, Camera Electronic (there are a couple of smaller ones that deal with cases, selfie-sticks and point-and-shoot) and the guys there sold me a 3-Legged Thing L-Bracket and a Sunway Foto slider arm. Fit my Vanguard correctly, but not my Weifeng Fancier. Will maybe deal with that one later but at the moment very pleased with the drive up/back.
I will be attending to the matter of a more robust frame and head later and will take time to work through the options I was given in the links. Don't want to rush a decision that may turn out to be less than optimal.
5D and the L-lens have both arrived so I'm off outside to take photos.