Balancing Cartoni Tripod

[Jonathan]

I just got a used Cartoni Alfa II Tripod for my Sony DSR500. This works differently than the tripods I have used in the past. I have balanced the camera plate to where the camera is balanced on the tripod but it seems as though for the camera to not move after I let go of the head I have to use the lock lever. With the counter balance spring on it wants to keep camera perfectly level when you let go of the camera. With it off it lets the camera fall forward. The drag control doesn't do as much as I am used to.

Is it normal to have to use the lock lever almost as a drag control or is something wrong with my tripod? Or is the spring adjustable?

[Bismarck]

In my experience, Cartonis are weird that way.

[BluesDaddy]

I've used that tripod daily for over four years.

If it tips forward when the balance spring is "off", it's very easy to slide the plate forward or back in tiny increments to tweak the balance. The camera will pitch over alarmingly quickly with the balance "off" regardless, so the only time I turn it off is if I need to tilt up to a very steep angle. Otherwise, it stays on. And yes, the tilt friction is nearly useless. Don't use the tilt lock as a backup tilt friction because you will wear a groove in the brass plate inside the head.
I hope your lower stage legs don't fall out. Take it easy extending the lower stage so you don't jar loose the little plugs that retain the lower legs. Those can be fixed with super glue if needed.
The little tabs that clip the spreader to the legs are prone to stretching if the spreader gets torqued too much. That is caused by leaving the spreader extended unevenly or leaving the knobs on the spreader loose when opening/closing the legs. If those clips get deformed, the spreader will fall off every time you spread the legs.
Lastly, make sure the threaded-on feet are kept tightened or they will fall off as well as losing the rubber part off the metal ball. This is usually only a problem with pooled gear.

These tripods are workhorses, and with proper care and feeding will go for quite a long time.
Any more questions, please ask away.

[dinosaur]

If you want to know how to properly set up a Cartoni counterbalance contact Jeff Kristensen @ Cartoni USA 818-760-8290

[Tazam77]

I like the HTML coding. Great times when the spreader fell off "red gear" in the middle of some shot. Grab the legs!

No, Cartoni was nice and light! Red spreader didn't fall all that much, honestly.

[ISDV]

A Sony DSR-500 on a Cartoni Alfa II? :eek:

Never seen or heard that before. :confused:

Isn't that Alfa II a little bit too lightweight for a fully loaded shouldermounted camera?

My own DSR-300P sits on a Cartoni Gamma. :D

[BluesDaddy]

We have Panny D400 with brick battery, Lectro rx, Mini-fill, stock shotgun.

[Run&Gun]

I see people use tripods/heads all the time that aren't rated high enough for the payloads that are put on them. If you don't want a smooth pan or tilt or a "balanced load", that's your business. Always buy a tripod system(head/legs) that is rated HIGHER than the payload you will put on it.

[Jonathan]

The Alfa is rated at 22lbs. My DSR500 with lite lithium batteries is a good bit under that. The DSR500 is 13.9 lbs without a lens. I have the plate balanced it is just with or without the spring on the drag control isn't enough to keep the camera from moving. It is not a weight issue.

Bluesdaddy wrote"Don't use the tilt lock as a backup tilt friction because you will wear a groove in the brass plate inside the head."

What are you supposed to do to keep the camera still after you let go from a move?

[Jonathan]

After doing some more testing I have found that the camera doesn't weigh enough by itself to keep the spring from pulling the camera back to a level position. I guess the counter balance spring is set for a 22lb camera. So I added a wireless on the back and a light on the front and it balances out pretty well. Now I will have to figure out an easier way to weigh it down.

Thanks everyone for your help. Dinosaur, I called that number but that guy was out so I will try again next week.

[Run&Gun]

I guess the counter balance spring is set for a 22lb camera.



It may be like some of the lower end Vinten heads, where you can replace the counterbalance spring for specific weights instead of "dialing it in" with a tension knob.

[BluesDaddy]

Bluesdaddy wrote"Don't use the tilt lock as a backup tilt friction because you will wear a groove in the brass plate inside the head."

What are you supposed to do to keep the camera still after you let go from a move?
I just meant that you should not use the tilt lock for extra drag when moving the head. We have had some heads need new parts because of that. The tilt lock is excellent at it's intended function.