Tripod head sheared...Options?

gnirtS

gnirtS

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Richard
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Went for a 10 minute walk today to the local reservoir to take some shots with the camera and 9 stop filter so had my tripod.

Its a Red Snapper bought about 11 months ago with the standard pan head.
All goes well until i try to rotate the camera a bit - the bolt holding the head to the tripod shears off completely. I just about catch the camera before it falls in the water and it only scuffs slightly on the wall (tiny scratch) so i got away lightly.

However i now need to work out what to do about the tripod. Firstly im not sure if buying a new head is any use as i don't know if the screw is part of a head or tripod.
Photos:-

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Im looking for a new head and i need the screw as well i THINK unless someone can tell me otherwise. So any recommendations for heads?

I did have the RSH-24 3-Way Panning Head but notice they also do a RSH-528 3-Way Panning Head. Has anyone got experience of either of those to recommend one of the 2 or any other brands i could use on this tripod assuming a max budget of only about £50?

Now for the snag - i go away Friday so need one before then!

Any ideas?
 
How about contacting Redsnapper and see what they will do, sounds like its still in the warranty period

In fact think I would have tried them before posting here and give them a chance to sort it out.
 
tijuana taxi said:
How about contacting Redsnapper and see what they will do, sounds like its still in the warranty period

In fact think I would have tried them before posting here and give them a chance to sort it out.
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Ive sent them an email already but no reply as of yet (its late in the day) just sounding out my options about heads because if i do need one as i suspect i need to order early tomorrow due to my time limit so no time to look around then.
(I'm also not sure if it counts as wear and tear or not).
 
Glad to hear it got sorted... good old Red Snapper....
 
gnirtS said:
Update to this - fantastic service off Red Snapper.

I posted the head and broken screw off to them Tuesday afternoon and it's just arrived back, the head fixed and a new screw. No charge and very fast service so well done!
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That's impressive...not a company I've dealt with but worth a look if they offer aftersales service like that!
 
ikolpdog said:
Great service - but how are you ever going to trust that tripod/head again?
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Good point although to be fair any mechanical device can break at any time regardless of make or quality....Like anything it is open to flawes. very unfortuanate if it happens to you.

I doubt using a different product would offer much more confidance.....it could happen to any tripod but it is not the norm. More chance of your gear going for a flight due human error tbh
 
Asha said:
I doubt using a different product would offer much more confidance.....it could happen to any tripod but it is not the norm. More chance of your gear going for a flight due human error tbh
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I disagree, it's clearly using a 3/8" to 1/4" adapter bolt that is adding unnecessary flimsiness and a point of failure to the combination, it also appears to make use of the rotational friction bolts (the 3 bolts that should help stop the head rotating) impossible (due to the 1/4" to 1/2" of air between the tripod plate and the head base).

I'm amazed that any company would think it wise to use a 1/4" mounting bolt for their head on something that is NOT a small budget head. Even the small budget (£10 made in china) ballhead I use for my gorillapod clone has a 3/8" socket.
 
If it is of High Tensile (HT) a ¼ thread would be ample.
 
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