1D X and Manfrotto MVH502AH

When I shoot video with my 1D X I sit it on a Manfrotto MVH502AH - a head which I love. As this head is designed more for video cameras, rather than DSLR, if I put the plate on the body it means I cannot properly tighten the plate into the head. It does tighten, and there is little risk to the camera, but the knob for doing so hits the base of the camera which means you cannot tighten it as much as you might like. If I put the plate on the tripod foot (I normally shoot video - especially interviews - with my 70-200 f/2.8 ii) I eliminate this problem.

However, many people including a "video expert" at Cathay in Singapore, have said I should not put the plate on the tripod foot as it creates tension where camera and lens meet.

What are your thoughts on this? Surely if the camera just sits still and does not move at all (interviews) then there should not be any tension other than gravity (which would be like a monopod), and if I do need to shoot video where I move the camera (panning or whatever) then would it be better to sit the camera body on the head rather than the tripod?

Am not sure if any of that makes any sense (still not finished the first coffee of the morning!) but your thoughts and comments are greatly appreciated.
 

dgatwood

300D, 400D, 6D
May 1, 2013
922
0
expatinasia said:
However, many people including a "video expert" at Cathay in Singapore, have said I should not put the plate on the tripod foot as it creates tension where camera and lens meet.

I think your "experts" are precisely the opposite of experts.

The whole purpose of a tripod collar on the lens is to serve as an attachment point for a tripod. They're typically used for lenses that are heavier than the camera, which means that by supporting the lens instead of the camera, you're reducing the stress on the lens mount, not increasing it.

Also, using the tripod collar gives you a more balanced setup than you would get if you were using the body threads. This makes the entire setup much more controllable, particularly when tilting.
 
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andrewflo said:
The knob that hits the body of the camera can actually be pulled outwards, allowing the plastic knob to twist free of the screw shaft, and then slid back in at a different angle to resume tightening.

This new feature is great and blew my mind when I discovered it. It was specifically designed to get past this very obstacle :)

andrewflo, have you tried that with a full size DSLR - preferably a 1DX which is what we are talking about here?

If I understood you correctly you are talking about attaching the camera to the plate, putting it in the MVH502AH and then pulling the knob out (to the right) as far as it will go and turning to tighten the plate in the head? Is that correct?

If so, the knob does not come out far enough. It comes out a fair way, but not nearly enough to be able to tighten the plate to the head properly.

Have I misunderstood something?

My set up is described in the title and first post.
 
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You pull the knob out to change the angle of the knob until it will clear the base of the 1D. Yes it works with DSLRs. You might not be able to do this with the camera on the tripod. Once you change the angle, then you push the knob back in, and then tighten it.

Some older Manfrotto heads have this same capability but you remove a small allen screw, then adjust the knob angle, and re-insert the screw. I use it all the time to set up my quick release heads for my DSLR bodies. I just change the angle until the point that it tightens against the plate is angled away from the camera body. Sometimes it takes a few tries to get it just right.
 
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expatinasia said:
andrewflo said:
The knob that hits the body of the camera can actually be pulled outwards, allowing the plastic knob to twist free of the screw shaft, and then slid back in at a different angle to resume tightening.

This new feature is great and blew my mind when I discovered it. It was specifically designed to get past this very obstacle :)

andrewflo, have you tried that with a full size DSLR - preferably a 1DX which is what we are talking about here?

If I understood you correctly you are talking about attaching the camera to the plate, putting it in the MVH502AH and then pulling the knob out (to the right) as far as it will go and turning to tighten the plate in the head? Is that correct?

If so, the knob does not come out far enough. It comes out a fair way, but not nearly enough to be able to tighten the plate to the head properly.

Have I misunderstood something?

My set up is described in the title and first post.

You have the first portion of the instructions correct but I think there may be some confusing about pulling out the knob. You are talking about the right knob so everything is good until that step.

You'll want to tighten the knob (just as you would ordinarily) until the knob is blocked by the camera body. At this point, pull the knob outwards to slide it off the screw shaft (not detached, just out about 1/2 cm).

At this point, you can rotate the knob freely without tightening or loosening the screw. So you'll rotate the knob around back to the starting position (where the camera blocks the knob again) and push it back on to secure it back to the shaft.

Now you can do another rotation of the knob to tighten down further.

Repeat if necessary.
 
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andrewflo said:
expatinasia said:
andrewflo said:
The knob that hits the body of the camera can actually be pulled outwards, allowing the plastic knob to twist free of the screw shaft, and then slid back in at a different angle to resume tightening.

This new feature is great and blew my mind when I discovered it. It was specifically designed to get past this very obstacle :)

andrewflo, have you tried that with a full size DSLR - preferably a 1DX which is what we are talking about here?

If I understood you correctly you are talking about attaching the camera to the plate, putting it in the MVH502AH and then pulling the knob out (to the right) as far as it will go and turning to tighten the plate in the head? Is that correct?

If so, the knob does not come out far enough. It comes out a fair way, but not nearly enough to be able to tighten the plate to the head properly.

Have I misunderstood something?

My set up is described in the title and first post.

You have the first portion of the instructions correct but I think there may be some confusing about pulling out the knob. You are talking about the right knob so everything is good until that step.

You'll want to tighten the knob (just as you would ordinarily) until the knob is blocked by the camera body. At this point, pull the knob outwards to slide it off the screw shaft (not detached, just out about 1/2 cm).

At this point, you can rotate the knob freely without tightening or loosening the screw. So you'll rotate the knob around back to the starting position (where the camera blocks the knob again) and push it back on to secure it back to the shaft.

Now you can do another rotation of the knob to tighten down further.

Repeat if necessary.

I am sorry, but I do not think you have ever tried this and are reading something off another website or just making it up.

If you have done this for real, what camera did you use?

I ask because I have tried and tried again. and the screw does not pull out far enough.
 
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expatinasia said:
andrewflo said:
expatinasia said:
andrewflo said:
The knob that hits the body of the camera can actually be pulled outwards, allowing the plastic knob to twist free of the screw shaft, and then slid back in at a different angle to resume tightening.

This new feature is great and blew my mind when I discovered it. It was specifically designed to get past this very obstacle :)

andrewflo, have you tried that with a full size DSLR - preferably a 1DX which is what we are talking about here?

If I understood you correctly you are talking about attaching the camera to the plate, putting it in the MVH502AH and then pulling the knob out (to the right) as far as it will go and turning to tighten the plate in the head? Is that correct?

If so, the knob does not come out far enough. It comes out a fair way, but not nearly enough to be able to tighten the plate to the head properly.

Have I misunderstood something?

My set up is described in the title and first post.

You have the first portion of the instructions correct but I think there may be some confusing about pulling out the knob. You are talking about the right knob so everything is good until that step.

You'll want to tighten the knob (just as you would ordinarily) until the knob is blocked by the camera body. At this point, pull the knob outwards to slide it off the screw shaft (not detached, just out about 1/2 cm).

At this point, you can rotate the knob freely without tightening or loosening the screw. So you'll rotate the knob around back to the starting position (where the camera blocks the knob again) and push it back on to secure it back to the shaft.

Now you can do another rotation of the knob to tighten down further.

Repeat if necessary.

I am sorry, but I do not think you have ever tried this and are reading something off another website or just making it up.

If you have done this for real, what camera did you use?

I ask because I have tried and tried again. and the screw does not pull out far enough.

It's really not that difficult. Read the manual if you need more help.
 

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andrewflo said:
It's really not that difficult. Read the manual if you need more help.

I will explain to you again, more clearly this time

The knob does not pull out far enough to fasten when you sit a DSLR (in this thread we are talking about a 1DX) on the plate.

I have asked you numerous times whether you have actually mounted a DSLR onto the head and you have not replied, so I take it you have not.

I am happy to learn, but as far as I am concerned: The knob does not pull out far enough to fasten when you sit a DSLR (in this thread we are talking about a 1DX) on the plate.
 
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expatinasia said:
andrewflo said:
It's really not that difficult. Read the manual if you need more help.

I will explain to you again, more clearly this time

The knob does not pull out far enough to fasten when you sit a DSLR (in this thread we are talking about a 1DX) on the plate.

I have asked you numerous times whether you have actually mounted a DSLR onto the head and you have not replied, so I take it you have not.

I am happy to learn, but as far as I am concerned: The knob does not pull out far enough to fasten when you sit a DSLR (in this thread we are talking about a 1DX) on the plate.

I have had the same problem with a large DSLR and it worked for me to do the trick where you pull out the knob. It isn't important how far you can extend the knob. If the knob is pointing downwards, when you insert the plate, you should be able to tighten the plate a bit, reposition the knob by pulling it out, and then tighten again.

It happens with all DSLRs when they are mounted on a videohead - both a 1D x and a 700d.
 
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DominoDude

Certified photon catcher
Feb 7, 2013
910
2
::1
I was checking up on Manfrotto MH055M8-Q5 a while ago, and there the same procedure was explained. I understood exactly how it was supposed to be adjusted just by reading a manual.
My guess is that if it doesn't work, then the problem lies on one or the other side of the knob - it might be that you have some sort of counterfeit product.
 
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