Small new toy

[Seacat]

Today i get myself a new toy for making vr panoramas:

a shorter centre column for my Manfrotto tripod:







The price was also small: € 29,20

[BaltimoreBob]

The way it looks I take for granted that it is NOT a leveling column - if I am worng, please - post the details and where you got it. I have the standard length leveling center column which, on the one hand is a boon, on the other its length is a pain.

[Hugh]

Hello Seacat,

How are you getting on with your short centre column?

I was looking at the possibility of buying one at the end of last year when I found that the centre column on my Manfrotto tripod seemed to be always in the way of my nadir shot when using the Nadir adaptor.
I plan to make some experiments having read the advice from Heinz, but this looks like a good solution.

Best regards, Hugh.

[hindenhaag]

Hi Hugh,

May be I might step in. It works fine, for 055 tripod you might have to turn around the rubber ring to get a flat surface. For both center columns shown in Seacat's thread, you can take off the rubber cup and replace it with 055 LAA Adapter. This will add a 3/8" screw to the bottom end of the center column in case this is needed.

The short center column will not show in Nadir1 shot.



Sorry, I do not know why my Pics in portrait mode are turned around uploading to Forum. May be someone else knows. Would be nice for me to get to know. The last pic shows Manfrotto 555B center column for comparison.

Cheers,
Heinz

[DennisS]

http://www.dlsphoto.net/M1PanoHeadMods/

Scroll down to see the short center column. Since the tripod legs on my Manfrotto tripod are so very easy to adjust, I do not use any type of leveler.

[Hugh]

http://www.dlsphoto.net/M1PanoHeadMods/

Scroll down to see the short center column. Since the tripod legs on my Manfrotto tripod are so very easy to adjust, I do not use any type of leveler.

Hello Dennis,

Yes, I agree.
Before acquiring my Manfrotto tripod I used a Survey tripod and tribrach, which gave me rock solid platform and the tribrach is perhaps the ultimate leveler as it has a very precise bubble, but its a heavy and cumbersome bit of kit to carry around, so I am very happy with my NN3 and Manfrotto.
I am just contemplating following Seacat's lead and getting a short column.

[Hugh]

The short center column will not show in Nadir1 shot.

Sorry, I do not know why my Pics in portrait mode are turned around uploading to Forum. May be someone else knows. Would be nice for me to get to know. The last pic shows Manfrotto 555B center column for comparison.

Cheers,
Heinz

Thanks Heinz,
I will now probaly go ahead and follow Seacat's lead.
As for the pictures being turned around - who knows?
In England we balme it on the "gremlins" - no doubt you have something similar in Holland?
... that's computers for you, but even sideways they convey the right information!