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Any Suggestions For A Pistol Grip Tripod Head... or head that aims quickly
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Sep 15, 2021 17:35:15   #
User ID
 
Abo wrote:
In landscape mode it would address the problem perfectly...
but not in portrait. The problem is the distance the ball is
from the camera. When the pistol grip is vertical (camera in landscape format)
the device you cite has camera and lens in balance over the top of the ball... zero leverage,
however when the pistol grip is horizontal (portrait format) there is a 6 or 7 inch lever between the weight
of the lens/camera combo and the ball.

You've given me an idea though... :-)

A one inch wide piece of
1/8 plate about 8 inches long with with a strategically placed
90 degree bend!!! plus a screw hole near one end and another
screw hole about 1 and 3/4 inches from
the other end. Problem solved. C of G of lens/camera in portrait mode
centered over the ball on the vertical pistol grip. Patent f@#$%^g Pending!!!

Eureka!
In landscape mode it would address the problem per... (show quote)

Doubt that you can patent the wheel. Something about “prior art” ???

With a tall ball head or Manfrotto-type pistol grip the only rational route to portrait orientation is a quality 90 degr bracket with quick release. There’s no second best. There’s just the best, and some losers. Don’t invent another loser.

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Sep 15, 2021 17:44:21   #
Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)
 
robertjerl wrote:
Did you happen to notice I said they make things "like" this. Also the OP's camera and lens weigh just under 4.5lbs. and the 293's length is adjustable so the camera and 14-24 can be mounted on it.

And once you have a mount that will fit just about anything can work on a gimbal using a long QR plate to slide it forward and back to balance. Just for the heck of it I mounted a 24-105L f/4 and the 7DII & 6D on a six inch QR plate and used it on a gimbal. It worked but I decided I didn't really need to do that. But if I ever need to I know how to do it.

Actually I don't think the 14-24 Nikkor is heavy enough to require front support but with a 6" QR plate it would be able to balance on a gimbal head. And once you have the gimbal head you can of course use it with big-long telephoto lenses.

And to the original OP, I have a [pro]master pistol grip ball head and it will hold 8.8 pounds nearly double the weight of your combo. Their products are available in the US, Canada, Costa Rica and Australia according to a site posted in April 2020. Price is aprx $50 on the US site.
Did you happen to notice I said they make things &... (show quote)


I suppose one could reverse mount the lens support, bringing it closer to the camera, but there is only a 1/2" section of lens barrel between the focus and zoom rings where the support will touch the lens, or the actual lens hood. You are correct, a front support is not required, however, so it makes even less sense to get a 293.

It seems like a lot of hardware to solve a relatively problem. All he needs is a halfway decent ball head (most of which come with an Arca-Swiss clamp), an Arca-Swiss compatible rail, fitted with am A-S clamp, and either a A-S plate or L-Plate for the camera - exactly like the photo I posted. Total weight of head (800g)+8" rail+1-1/2" clamp (222g) is 2.25 lbs The rail and clamp alone costs $90 and weighs only 7.8 oz. But with just the rail, the lens-camera can be balanced and he may not even need to buy a different head - ball, pistol or gimbal. No need to buy a cheap gimbal (which can weigh between 3 and 3.5 lbs) and a 293 (which weighs 1.5 lbs), and extra plate to mount the 293 to the gimbal) and pack and carry an extra 4.5-5 lbs of "stuff".

The Arca-Swiss standard is robust and elegant - which is why I standardized on it 25 yrs ago. I have never found a pistol grip that didn't droop, which is exactly the issue Alan is having - and a properly balanced load should help that, even if either of the pistol grips he has now aren't up to snuff with the drooping load of the 14-24.

I use the rail as part of a no-parallax head that I build using off the shelf parts from Hejnar Photo and SunwayFoto.

I know you like to have the last word, but there is no need to respond. There is no right and wrong here. My recommendations come from actual use and solutions arrived at, specifically with the exact same gear he has. We have each presented an alternative for Alan, and at this point it's up to him to decide what makes sense for him.



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Sep 15, 2021 18:31:06   #
robertjerl Loc: Corona, California
 
Well in theory my 80D + Tamron 150-600 G2, total weight a hair over 6 pounds, should be OK for my [pro]master pistol grip ball head (aprx a 1" ball and 8.8lbs rated capacity). But due to the length=leverage I have never tried it.

Especially given that when I went in to buy it they were having a big discount sale of a monopod+head and I have never taken the head off the monopod since. I don't see any reason to use it on a tripod since I use a gimbal head on the tripod. But I do have more than one tripod and if I have one camera and lenses on the gimbal I might try it on one of the other tripods.

Here is the pistol grip head and monopod. (smart phone snap) Yes it has those little stability feet that swivel. They DO NOT make it a tripod. I once saw a fool let go of his rig on one of these - his buddy saw him do it and grabbed the camera as it started to fall. That monopod is taller than me when fully extended and I am 5'8" in my bare feet.


(Download)

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Sep 15, 2021 19:01:36   #
Kelly Cherry
 
If you can get your hands on the older Bogen or Manfrotto type Pistol grip you will have one of the best.

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Sep 15, 2021 19:52:15   #
Abo
 
Manglesphoto wrote:
IF you can walk and chew gum you can use a gimbal head.


You know me... walking and chewing gum is multi-tasking Mangles... not something I'm good at

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Sep 15, 2021 20:01:27   #
Abo
 
joecichjr wrote:
Gorgeous setup


I shot this with that D700 and a rented 14-24... before I bought my own 14-24... yummy yummy.


(Download)

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Sep 16, 2021 05:10:09   #
jdubu Loc: San Jose, CA
 
I have a Manfrotto 322 and it works fine. I prefer my other Manfrotto grip (discontinued) similar to this from B&H if I use a pistol grip.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1326798-REG/studio_assets_sa1424_magnesium_pistol_grip_head.html

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Sep 16, 2021 19:20:58   #
joecichjr Loc: Chicago S. Suburbs, Illinois, USA
 
Abo wrote:
I shot this with that D700 and a rented 14-24... before I bought my own 14-24... yummy yummy.


Awesome and creative ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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Sep 18, 2021 12:59:01   #
topcat Loc: Alameda, CA
 
I have a Manfrotto Pistol grip, and I can easily put a Sigma 150-500 on it.

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