I was recently contacted by a reader who wanted to know more details about the Arca-Swiss p0 ball head for their potential use in the field. After speaking with them, I realized their application may require adjusting the base friction setting of the head, so I’d like to address that here. I will go step by step, with photos, on how to properly adjust the base friction setting on the Arca-Swiss p0 ball head to accommodate differing camera and optic weights to ensure the benefit of the elliptical ball head is maintained.
Made Some macOS Drive Icons
You'll need to download the .zip file with the original .PNG files here.
They're obviously Fujifilm themed, as you can see, since they're for my Lightroom and Capture One scratch drive and high speed backup.
If you're not familiar with how to change the folder or drive icons in macOS, start by saving the picture to your Downloads folder. Open the picture in Preview, hit CMD+A then CMD+C to copy the image. Right click/2-finger click the drive or folder icon you want to change and choose "Get Info" from the menu. In the upper left of the window that pops open, click the image so it's highlighted, then hit CMD+V to paste the icon, replacing the old one.
Finally Bought a Proper Tripod For My GFX 50S
For the past few years, I've been using my Gitzo Series 1 Mountaineer as my primary tripod. It served me well when my primary camera body was the Fujifilm X-T2, X-T3 and X-H1. Once I bought the GFX 50S to use alongside my X-H1, I became acutely aware of the tripod's shortcomings.
The Gitzo Mountaineer Series 1 GT1542 is an excellent tripod. Combined with the lightweight Arca-Swiss p0 head, the tripod weighed in at just under 3 lbs and featured a very slim profile when folded down. The 25mm max leg diameter contributed to this slim profile, and while it works well with entry-level DSLRs and mirrorless camera bodies, the slim legs are just a bit too thin for a heavier, professional level body like the GFX 50S.
Most people with a larger, heavier camera would be perfectly served with any Gitzo Series 1 tripod, as they only need it for single shots in adequate lighting. In my case, I use it primarily for landscape photography, astrophotography, night photography, etc... situations that require long exposures and/or multiple exposures for stacking, exposure blending or panoramas. This requires greater demands on my tripod as any movement between shots can ruin an exposure. It becomes difficult, if not impossible, to work with multiple, misaligned exposures in post-processing, thus a lighter-weight tripod can cause problems as any flexing will result in misalignment.
While I haven't gotten rid of my Series 1 Gitzo, I recently bought a Gitzo GT3542 Series 3 Mountaineer.
STOP THE MADNESS!! Quit Hanging Your Bag From Your Tripod!
I just read another article, this time from DPReview, comparing tripods and the author mentions paying attention to the load capacity so you can safely hang your bag from the hook for more stability.
CUT IT OUT!!! STOP HANGING YOUR BAGS FROM YOUR TRIPOD!!!
Read on for a better, safer way to stabilize your tripod.
How to: Power your GFX 50S or 50R with AC, DC or a Power Bank, aka External Battery Pack
As you may know, Fujifilm offers an AC adapter for the GFX series and it's priced at a whopping $97. However, there's another option for AC wall charging as long as you know the power specs.
A more versatile option is a power bank with pass through charging. You can power the GFX with the battery pack in the field while simultaneously charging the installed battery. When you’re near an outlet, you can also connect the power bank to AC power and continuously power the camera without depleting the power bank itself. By functioning as an AC wall adapter you won't need to buy a wall adapter specifically for the GFX while having all the benefits of a portable battery pack.
Quick Tip: Secure the Screws That Secure Your Tripod Screw
Here's one of the first things I do when I buy a new camera: Secure the screws that secure the tripod screw port on the bottom of your camera.
How To: Give Your Gitzo Series 1 Mountaineer 4 Section Tripod Removable Feet
If you didn't already know, the Gitzo Mountaineer Series 0 and 1 Tripods come with fixed rubber feet. I can't speak for the 3 section versions, but generally the Mountaineer Series 2 and up come with 3/8"-16 threaded interchangeable feet, while those below have permanently affixed rubber feet. So I decided to buy a final leg section and foot for the GT1545T Traveler, already knowing it shared the 14.7mm leg diameter with my GT1542 Mountaineer but comes with a threaded cap to support 1/4”-20 interchangeable feet. The part number for the leg section is D106023 and the foot is D108623.
How-To: Disassembly, Cleaning and Lubricating Your Tripod and Ball Head
Cleaning and lubricating your tripod, no matter what material it's made of, will extend its life. The biggest point of contention seems to be over lubrication, so here's where I'm going to attempt giving a definitive answer for most tripods and ball heads.
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