Acratech Ballhead for panorama photography and what pano base?

[simonstucki]

The clamp load of even a grade-2 1/4" bolt is 723 lbs.   Grade-8 is over 1500 lbs.  I don't think there's much to worry about.

interesting, hmm but then why are 3/8" bolts used at all (in tripods)?

[Neil Vanderwolf]

now that is a response I like thank you. I'm probably going to try that gp-s head for economic and portability reasons. I wonder however why not just use it reversed all the time? (ok you lose the "gimbal" but I won't be using that anyway and I don't think it is all that usable with long lenses anyway (compared to a real gimbalhead).

I quite often do just that (leave it flipped). I do switch back and forth on occassion as I haven't bothered purchasing an L-bracket for one of my cameras (yet  ).

[Glenn NK]

Gitzo GT3532LS Tripod with long spikes
Acratech GP Ballhead
RRS PG-02 Omni-Pivot Package w/ MPR-CL II nodal rail
and a set of LensCoat 18" LegCoat's for carrying comfort.  

Speaking of long spikes, I looked at these;

http://www.gitzo.ca/product/72038.2019.72018.0.0/G1220.129LB/_/Long_Monopod_Spike

and the cost,

and came up with these:

https://www.box.com/s/qyubvu9wmljjlqz6zxox

They are 3/8" (Imperial) bolts which are virtually identical to 10 mm metric bolts.  They cost a few dollars, and the machinist charged me another $20 to cut the heads off and taper them into points.  Unfortunately I gave him 5" (127 mm) long bolts and he assumed he should shorten them a bit - I don't know why and I was annoyed.  They are now 4" (102 mm) long with 1" (25 mm) of thread.  At times in soft wet ground they could be longer.

Glenn

The bolts must sourced off-shore because I just put my digital calipers to them, and they are 0.370 inches (3/8" should be 0.375").

[Ellis Vener]

interesting, hmm but then why are 3/8" bolts used at all (in tripods)?

Historical reasons, If you have ever tried mounting a really big camera , like an 8x10 Deardorff, on a tripod you'll understand.

Regarding studs, any decent hardware store (what do you call them in your country?) will have studs in various lengths , diameters and thread counts.

[simonstucki]

Historical reasons, If you have ever tried mounting a really big camera , like an 8x10 Deardorff, on a tripod you'll understand.

Unfortunately I very briefly experimented with 4x5" (unfortunately because now I really miss the 4x5 aspect ratio (I don't like cropping) and the movements, but it was just impossibly slow to shoot (I was slow) and to bulky to carry around and expensive) with that camera I would have loved 5/8" better yet two or three 5/8" screws. so yes I know what you mean but I still think 3/8" is not overkill since it is just a very short piece of thread that is actually used.

Regarding studs, any decent hardware store (what do you call them in your country?) will have studs in various lengths , diameters and thread counts.

well the name for hardware store would be "Baumarkt" (Bau=Construction) but in switzerland we don't use that word. we mostly just call the store by its name (name like bhphotovideo) or try to explain what we mean (we do that a lot in switzerland) like "I have to go to that store where I can buy screws and tools and such"
but did I ask about studs? if I did, I think I didn't want to but thanks anyway.

[simonstucki]

Speaking of long spikes, I looked at these;

http://www.gitzo.ca/product/72038.2019.72018.0.0/G1220.129LB/_/Long_Monopod_Spike

and the cost,

and came up with these:

https://www.box.com/s/qyubvu9wmljjlqz6zxox

They are 3/8" (Imperial) bolts which are virtually identical to 10 mm metric bolts.  They cost a few dollars, and the machinist charged me another $20 to cut the heads off and taper them into points.  Unfortunately I gave him 5" (127 mm) long bolts and he assumed he should shorten them a bit - I don't know why and I was annoyed.  They are now 4" (102 mm) long with 1" (25 mm) of thread.  At times in soft wet ground they could be longer.

Glenn

The bolts must sourced off-shore because I just put my digital calipers to them, and they are 0.370 inches (3/8" should be 0.375").

good idea, I might make some myself (the ones you can buy are really quite expensive). If you use a threaded rod (you could even get stainless steel) you can put on a nut to counter (I really don't know weather that is the right word in english, but I hope you get what I mean) the rod so it won't vibrate loose.

[Glenn NK]

Simon:

I have a Gitzo CF tripod; I screw the spikes in firmly as far as they go (25 mm), and they are very solid.

If the machinist hadn't cut too much off my longer bolts, I was going to put a washer and two half-height nuts at the bottom of the thread - this would help to keep the bottom of the tripod legs from pushing into soft ground.  But being all plastic and CF, they wash out easily.

Glenn