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Miller Air fluid head + solo 75 tripod - GH5 counterweight


Aquilasfx
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Hello,

I recently bought a new tripod system: 3005

Miller Air fluid head + Sol 75 2 stages carbon fibre tripod. The head is designed for 2-5kg

Now I would like to use my GH5 + 12-35 and some Nikon lenses adapted with metabones, but I'm experiencing some problems with counterbalance: in position 1 ( that is the lowest possible) the head in kick back tilting from front to center position, that not happens if I forward the camera.

Do you think that I have to add some weights? If yes, what kind of weights do you suggest? And eventually where I can add counterweight?

If I use for example my 14-24 Nikon 2.4G it seems a bit better.

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Not the cheapest option but you could buy the Battery Grip to add some weight, or the XLR thingy on the top would add some weight also. A useful item. Or a cage I guess with a riser under it. Or go Ghetto and hang some weight on the handle near the head and move the camera body forward.

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1 hour ago, webrunner5 said:

Not the cheapest option but you could buy the Battery Grip to add some weight, or the XLR thingy on the top would add some weight also. A useful item. Or a cage I guess with a riser under it. Or go Ghetto and hang some weight on the handle near the head and move the camera body forward.

What about smallrig cage? What model do you suggest to me?

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21 minutes ago, Aquilasfx said:

What about smallrig cage? What model do you suggest to me?

I don't own a GH5, so there are lot more qualified people on here to suggest a good cage. Good idea for a cage, as some are pretty cheap to buy, and if you rig out a camera are darn useful for that.

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1 hour ago, webrunner5 said:

I don't own a GH5, so there are lot more qualified people on here to suggest a good cage. Good idea for a cage, as some are pretty cheap to buy, and if you rig out a camera are darn useful for that.

I bought a smallrig cage + top handle and quick release base plate: total 560g

my GH5 camera + 12/35 Panasonic is total 1000g 

 

total 1560g. I need other 500g ?

 

uff any suggestions?

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15 hours ago, Kisaha said:

The FSB 4 and Sachtler Ace M that were mentioned on another similar thread are 0-4kg heads. It is not good to operate at the limits of the stabilizing/balancing equipment (be it monopod, tripod, head, slider, e.t.c).

I bought this version, in the optic to improve my gear, and to have a good and smooth tripod system for some years

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35 minutes ago, Aquilasfx said:

I bought this version, in the optic to improve my gear, and to have a good and smooth tripod system for some years

Sorry to say, It doesn't work like this!

I understand that you wanted 2 birds with 1 hit but stabilizing and balancing equipment is a very serious issue and the best solution is to work between limits, and not even in the far minimum or maximum numbers.

I am talking from experience here.

Miller is a good and reputable manufacturer, but I had bad experiences with some expensive Compass kits in the past and I am never buying Miller again.

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53 minutes ago, Kisaha said:

Sorry to say, It doesn't work like this!

I understand that you wanted 2 birds with 1 hit but stabilizing and balancing equipment is a very serious issue and the best solution is to work between limits, and not even in the far minimum or maximum numbers.

I am talking from experience here.

Miller is a good and reputable manufacturer, but I had bad experiences with some expensive Compass kits in the past and I am never buying Miller again.

I understand, but I usually work with different settings:

- sometimes I have to use a ninja inferno monitor on tripod, with 24-70 Nikon + metabones + mic zoom h5n and the weight grow up.

- sometimes I take videos only with my gh5 and 12-35 Panasonic for practicality

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20 hours ago, Shirozina said:

Most heads have a 0 counterbalance setting where the spring is disengaged and you only have friction - does the Miller head not have this?

Yes it have 2 counterbalance for less weight and for higher weight.

By the way I tried GH5+METABONES+nikkor 70-200 and is ok the counterweight.

The biggest problem is only when I want to use this configuration: GH5+12-35 Panasonic, that is only 1kg this setting.

I ordered a cage from smallrig with top handle and a baseclamp to give me arca swiss plate over the miller head. They are quoted 560g

For the missing 500g or more for that configuration, I'm thinking on DIY a plate metal inox by a blacksmith, smallrig cheese style with some 1/4" screw. And will be perfect for my jobs.

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2 step balancing is just so little! most have 3-5 steps with 0 also.

This is just a bad design, as most setups need different settings.

Imagine if you have your GH5+ 70-200, and then you want to put an 24-70, suddenly you have run out of steps, because the 70-200 is very forward heavy, the 12-35 not at all, and you will still miss a couple of middle steps for different lenses and setups.

par example: The Ace M is 0-4Kg, that means that is perfect for the average mirrorless, let's say, my plain NX500 with the PZ lens or a pancake = 400-500gr, or the full rigged NX1 with the 16-50S and cage and a Focus SmallHD = 2Kg, or even a fully rigged FS5mkII with a 70-200 = 2.5 - 3Kg.

The Ace XL is a 2-8Kg head, that means, you need at least a C200 camera, which starts from 1.5Kg, so easily reaching 4-5Kg, and Sony FS7mkii that is near 5Kg. For some rigs, for super professional and fully rigged situations, maybe the Ace XL is not enough. I some times operate a fully rigged C300mkii with Fuji/Arri Cine Zoom lenses, and you can not believe the tripod (Sachtler) we use! Takes 2 persons to move the set up.

Just some tips for future tripod-head buyers that will check the thread!

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Just checked the Miller site and the entry level heads only have a 2 stage counterbalance setting and not a 0 setting. Seems counterproductive when you wanted a light and compact travel unit that you have to load it up to make it work. How is the fluid motion BTW compared to what you previously had?

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1 hour ago, Shirozina said:

Just checked the Miller site and the entry level heads only have a 2 stage counterbalance setting and not a 0 setting. Seems counterproductive when you wanted a light and compact travel unit that you have to load it up to make it work. How is the fluid motion BTW compared to what you previously had?

Yes it has only 2 counterbalance, but changing 24-70 with 70-200 it stay in the same position as well. I think these 2 steps works well. The head itself is extremely smooth compared with my other 2 manfrottos heads. Waiting for my gh5 cage to test with penny 12-35 configuration. For now I'm very happy, the carbon fibre leg sticks are good and fast to open and close. They don't have spreader but for what I usually shoot it's ok!

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29 minutes ago, Shirozina said:

I’ve got a GH5 cage and I doubt will be enough extra weight. Try swapping your 12-35 for the sigma 18-35 as this is a very heavy lens on par with the 24-70. Glad the smoothness is an improvement and the legs work well at least! It’s a pretty good setup for the price.

That’s why I want to build a steel inox plate to have counterweight when I want to use the 12-35. Maybe I can force myself to use  often ninja flame monitor that usually sleep at home. ?

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I have some friends using this combo with the C100mkII and is great. In comparison, the Ace M, even though it is between its limits, doesn't work well with the C100mkII and 70-200 2.8f combo. Maybe that is why they issued the Ace XL recently.

Definitely a league above Manfrotto, no question about it!

For what is worth, I do a little extra for a TV show once per week (a comedy segment inside the show) and we use some fully rigged GH5 (cage/microphone or the XLR thingy on top) with the 12-100 Olympus and EF 24-105 with the Metabones, and the Sachtler Ace M, and it is still quite a light setup.

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