Question About New Tripod: Dear friends, I am looking at purchasing a Gitzo carbon tripod. Am I able to transfer my Manfrotto ball head from my old tripod to a new one? Are there major...

theehmann

Dear friends,
I am looking at purchasing a Gitzo carbon tripod. Am I able to transfer my Manfrotto ball head from my old tripod to a new one? Are there major disadvantages to doing this? My Manfrotto works fine.
Many thanks for your comments.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

theehmann wrote:

Dear friends,
I am looking at purchasing a Gitzo carbon tripod. Am I able to transfer my Manfrotto ball head from my old tripod to a new one? Are there major disadvantages to doing this? My Manfrotto works fine.
Many thanks for your comments.

You have to be able to unscrew the head from one and be able to screw onto the other. Typically, this is accomplished via a threaded screw post that is part of the tripod that allows the head to be screwed onto after removing from the source tripod. For some of the Manfrottos I've looked at in the past, that removing / unscrewing of the head is not an option.

theehmann

CHG_CANON wrote:

You have to be able to unscrew the head from one and be able to screw onto the other. Typically, this is accomplished via a threaded screw post that is part of the tripod that allows the head to be screwed onto after removing from the source tripod. For some of the Manfrottos I've looked at in the past, that removing / unscrewing the head is not an option.

Thanks so much for your response.

CO

It should work. 3/8"-16 is the standard thread that manufacturers use for mounting. If your Manfrotto ballhead uses their quick release system with the 200PL plate, I would switch over to a ballhead that uses the Arca-Swiss standard. I've had Manfrotto heads with their quick release system and 200PL plate. I've been switching over to Arca-Swiss. It's much more robust.

David Martin Loc: Cary, NC

theehmann wrote:

Dear friends,
I am looking at purchasing a Gitzo carbon tripod. Am I able to transfer my Manfrotto ball head from my old tripod to a new one? Are there major disadvantages to doing this? My Manfrotto works fine.
Many thanks for your comments.

The Gitzo will typically have a reversible screw, 1/4" on one end and 3/8" on the other, for attaching a ball head, gimbal head, etc. How does your Manfrotto ball head attach to your current tripod? If it is easily removed, and attaches via 1/4" or 3/8" screw, you should be ok.

theehmann

CO wrote:

It should work. 3/8"-16 is the standard thread that manufacturers use for mounting. If your Manfrotto ballhead uses their quick release system with the 200PL plate, I would switch over to a ballhead that uses the Arca-Swiss standard. I've had Manfrotto heads with their quick release system and 200PL plate. I've been switching over to Arca-Swiss. It's much more robust.

Thanks so much for your respnose. Much appreciated.

theehmann

David Martin wrote:

The Gitzo will typically have a reversible screw, 1/4" on one end and 3/8" on the other, for attaching a ball head, gimbal head, etc. How does your Manfrotto ball head attach to your current tripod? If it is easily removed, and attaches via 1/4" or 3/8" screw, you should be ok.

Thanks so much David.

ggenova64

theehmann wrote:

Dear friends,
I am looking at purchasing a Gitzo carbon tripod. Am I able to transfer my Manfrotto ball head from my old tripod to a new one? Are there major disadvantages to doing this? My Manfrotto works fine.
Many thanks for your comments.

FotoPro or Sirui.

CO

ggenova64 wrote:

FotoPro or Sirui.

How does that answer the OP's question about transferring the ballhead?

theehmann

CO wrote:

It should work. 3/8"-16 is the standard thread that manufacturers use for mounting. If your Manfrotto ballhead uses their quick release system with the 200PL plate, I would switch over to a ballhead that uses the Arca-Swiss standard. I've had Manfrotto heads with their quick release system and 200PL plate. I've been switching over to Arca-Swiss. It's much more robust.

Thank you so much.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

theehmann wrote:

Dear friends,
I am looking at purchasing a Gitzo carbon tripod. Am I able to transfer my Manfrotto ball head from my old tripod to a new one? Are there major disadvantages to doing this? My Manfrotto works fine.
Many thanks for your comments.

Customer service at B&H or Adorama will be able to give you a correct answer.

theehmann

billnikon wrote:

Customer service at B&H or Adorama will be able to give you a correct answer.

Thank you Bill.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

theehmann wrote:

Dear friends,
I am looking at purchasing a Gitzo carbon tripod. Am I able to transfer my Manfrotto ball head from my old tripod to a new one? Are there major disadvantages to doing this? My Manfrotto works fine.
Many thanks for your comments.

Some Manfro heads have set screws that have to be loosened before you can unscrew the head. Hopefully your head is threaded for 3/8 -16. 3/8 provides a more secure/stable connection than 1/4-20.
.

theehmann

imagemeister wrote:

Some Manfro heads have set screws that have to be loosened before you can unscrew the head. Hopefully your head is threaded for 3/8 -16. 3/8 provides a more secure/stable connection than 1/4-20.
.

Thank you so much.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

theehmann wrote:

Dear friends,
I am looking at purchasing a Gitzo carbon tripod. Am I able to transfer my Manfrotto ball head from my old tripod to a new one? Are there major disadvantages to doing this? My Manfrotto works fine.
Many thanks for your comments.

I own and continuously use several Manfrotto and Gitzo tripods, including a GITZO carbon-fibre model. They all have fully interchangeable and easily removable heads so I can choose from standard tilt/pan, ball heads, gimble heads or any contraption with a 3/8 X 16 threaded tripod socket.

Most high-quality tripods by established makers employ the 3/8 x 16 threaded studs on the platform on the center column to accept various heads.

The attached images show the stud atop my GITZO CARBON-FIBER TRIPOD as well as the socket on my favourite Manfrotto ball head. As you can see both the stud and the socket on this equipment are very well machined and constructed and will enable a sturdy and secure fitting having ample length and depth respectively. All of my tripods, camera stands and monopod have the same hardware so I can interchange heads as required.

Please excuse all the dust and scratches- this gear has been in hard use, mostly on industrial sites for the last 20 years and I nav a bad habit of overly tightening things. Never had a cross-thread, jam or failure in all that time.