I've got a Cartoni Focus CF System with the Head and 1 stage legs...

A

ashr

Member
...but I'm a bit confused by its features. I've only used el cheapo ones in the past. My company gave me a budget to buy two tripods and I picked up the Cartoni's after reading recommendations here.

Could someone who owns the same please guide me through the knobs on the head? I'm not sure what the fluid drag and balance controls are all about. In fact, when I try to turn them, they seem rather stiff. Is it meant to be this way? I'm afraid I'd break something with improper handling. Any help is definitely appreciated.

Oh, I'd also love to get some advice on getting some good, smooth and natural looking pans and tilts with it or maybe even both at the same time. Thanks in advance.
 
LOL - I love how you have 17 views and no one chimmed in.

Well I know to a tpyical head there are pretty much the same features

Toward the front you have Vertical and Horizonal locks - Which all you to get the posstion you want and then lock it down, which means you wont be able to pan or tilt.

The thicker knobs, which are usually 1-9 or whatever, 1 beeing very loose and 9 being very stiff. This will determine how much force you have to use to put on the arms to make it pan or tilt. One knob controls the Pan and the other the Tilt. I am a strong guy so to get a nice smooth pan for me, I need it to be alike a 7 because it allows for me to get some resistance. So adjust them to the shot that is required and to your personal strength and taste.

As for the Balance Knob. There is a spring inside the head. And from my understanding, it is changeable to weight load as well. But nonetheless with your camera should be rated for that head and stock spring. The balance is to get the camera to return back to the upright centered possition.
 
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Thank you very much. So they do pretty much what I thought they would but I was a little apprehensive about turning them too much without knowing for sure :)

As for good panning and tilting, I guess it all boils down to practice. I've always been a director/writer but my current job requires me to shoot as well for the time being. Any suggestions on how to practice panning and tracking moving objects? I'm able to follow people walking at normal pace but it gets a little difficult when I try to follow something quicker like a moving car. I'll tinker with the knobs tomorrow and try again.
 
First and foremost, check to be sure that the ball head is leveled using the bubble-level.
Start by making sure your camera is firmly locked onto the head. Then unlock tilt, and loosen the tilt drag all the way. If possible dis-engage the balance spring, or set it to minimum strength.
Then adjust the camera fore-aft on the head (normally by sliding the dovetail plate) so that the camera is balanced correctly for the shot - not really tilting up or down when you let go.
Then, re-engage the counter-balance spring, and slowly tighten it so that it pretty much keeps the camera in position over a larger range of tilt from your "balanced" position. You don't want it to pull the camera back to center, but just prevent it from tilting by itself if you let go.
Then slowly tighten the tilt-drag to taste - I like to set it so that I can move it very quickly, but then let go completely and it won't move.
Then adjust the pan-drag to taste - I prefer it just slightly looser than the tilt, but close enough that a diagonal move requires about equal force.

And you are done. Then simply use the locks to lock off the camera when you walk away from it (especially important for tilt!).

- Mikko
 
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