Guy Mancuso
Administrator, Instructor
Finally got a chance to get out of the office for a glorious 8 hours by myself away from a very busy 8 months with a lot of personal stuff going on. It felt great to get in my new Touareg and drive with some new toys. Z1 ballhead, Phase 55mm LS and 80 LS and even along for the ride was a new 7d. Anyway this is just a ongoing little mini review that I will start today and have a lot to add but first I have a gig this morning to do first but here is just a sample image. Now normally I would not even get out of a car in this light but I honestly forced myself to shoot. Nothing worse than Arizona sun midday with not a cloud in the sky. Rather take a nap than shoot in these conditions but I'm not after art here but wanted to see what each piece of gear brought to the table.
Have to say right from the start I am impressed with the Z1 ballhead as I can eliminate my L brackets which add bulk and weight. Reason is I can actually go vertical with the Z1 without creeping , slipping and all the bad things that can happen. At a class of 130 pounds of weight it can handle this thing is a rock and nothing will move it even a Phase DF with a 150 or longer on it. So pretty excited about this new head. I replaced the top plate with the double lever clamp since these are the most secure clamps I ever used. I will NEVER EVER by a screw down clamp again at least not RRS pano clamps. In the past I almost lost 3 times body , back and lens to falling off the tripod due to a loosening of the clamp. I caught it 3 times as well and to say i am lucky I did is a understatement. Never again i am fully double lever clamp forever camp. Arca makes the best lever clamp I have used. Strong statement
Here is a image of that clamp. Run don't walk to any store and replace that screw down. I know I know but after losing almost 25k to the dirt 3 times i feel pretty strongly about this.
Here is a image of the Z1 and also the plate I use
Have to say right from the start I am impressed with the Z1 ballhead as I can eliminate my L brackets which add bulk and weight. Reason is I can actually go vertical with the Z1 without creeping , slipping and all the bad things that can happen. At a class of 130 pounds of weight it can handle this thing is a rock and nothing will move it even a Phase DF with a 150 or longer on it. So pretty excited about this new head. I replaced the top plate with the double lever clamp since these are the most secure clamps I ever used. I will NEVER EVER by a screw down clamp again at least not RRS pano clamps. In the past I almost lost 3 times body , back and lens to falling off the tripod due to a loosening of the clamp. I caught it 3 times as well and to say i am lucky I did is a understatement. Never again i am fully double lever clamp forever camp. Arca makes the best lever clamp I have used. Strong statement
Here is a image of that clamp. Run don't walk to any store and replace that screw down. I know I know but after losing almost 25k to the dirt 3 times i feel pretty strongly about this.
Here is a image of the Z1 and also the plate I use