FS7: Fluid Head - Thoughts?

I recently got a Miller Solo tripod, which came with a Compass 12 fluid head. The Compass 12 is almost the same as the Compass 15. The only difference is one less drag increment setting on the 12. I like the Compass, very smooth, but I wish it had a continuously variable counter-balance. A very minor annoyance, but still .....

Edit: I believe the Sachtler FSB6 has more settings for counterbalence. That's good. Because unless one of the settings perfectly matches your camera weight, you may want to lock down the tilt when you let go of the pan handle. Otherwise the head may slowly drift back to its neutral position. I know that some brands have continuously variable counterbalance.
 
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My lightweight set-up is with the FSB-8, which is almost the same as FSB-6. It's an excellent fit for the FS7.
 
I would recommend a heavier one if you can afford it--my FS7 is closer to 20 lbs fully rigged with Zacuto, extension unit, V batts, zoom lens, and a client monitor w/batts. FS6B too lightweight for that--I had one for my F3 and it was not quite beefy enough. I use a Cartoni or a Vinten Vision Blue. Cannot stress enough spending all you can on a heavier tripod.
 
An FSB8 should be sufficient. It can actually hold more weight than the specs say while still keeping it's fluidity.
I would be adviseable though to have sticks with low torsion, so obviously the stock DA75's from Sachtler don't really cut the mustard.
 
Chris is right, if yo are loading up the camera with accessories you'll need a weightier system. My rule of thumb is pick a tripod head where the specs for max load are twice what you will actually put on there.
 
had fsb8 and did not like it, looking to buy a head my self and thinking about O connor 1030D, would not go with suchtler bellow 18 model.
 
Hodges said:
Great feedback, thanks.

Anatusa just curious, what did you not like about the fsb8?
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would not say the cam was stable, impossible to level the head in the right way - i want the cam to stay and dont move after i let go the handle, was very hard to catch the bubble.... maybe stupid , but it was very annoying.
it seems to me that because the head is that tall it looses some of the stability... it kind of thin and tall...
as i was told the suchtler uses the stepping counterbalance system and if the weight of the cam is not exactly counterbalance stands for like 2 or 4kg , but will be lets say 4.5kg, it could be the issues

so i will try to avoid stepping counterbalance.
 
anatusa said:
would not say the cam was stable, impossible to level the head in the right way - i want the cam to stay and dont move after i let go the handle, was very hard to catch the bubble.... maybe stupid , but it was very annoying.
it seems to me that because the head is that tall it looses some of the stability... it kind of thin and tall...
as i was told the suchtler uses the stepping counterbalance system and if the weight of the cam is not exactly counterbalance stands for like 2 or 4kg , but will be lets say 4.5kg, it could be the issues

so i will try to avoid stepping counterbalance.
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Are you talking about the counterbalance (tilting the camera with the pan handle) or are you talking about leveling the whole head? You mention "very hard to catch the bubble", wasn't sure what you meant.
 
I have to say I had the same experience as Anatusa with the FSB series. Very tall head made for a wobbly balancing act.
 
jshbckr said:
Are you talking about the counterbalance (tilting the camera with the pan handle) or are you talking about leveling the whole head? You mention "very hard to catch the bubble", wasn't sure what you meant.
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talking about both! i described my experience with it, and in total i told about 3 problems i had!
- stability (i think its because the head is tall and thin) , i would prefer a "shorter fatty"
- counterbalance issue , i did not like its stepping system, i was not able to make it work right, not with just my C300, not with my c300 on a rig, i went many times over the procedure that sachtler recommends , but it just did not work the way it should, not meter what i do , i let go the handle and unfortunately the head does not stay where i left it, at 1st i though it was something wrong with what i do, but i watched their youtube clip as well, and it was the same what i was doing...
- bubble was kind of hard to catch, stupid issue i know , but for me it was very annoying, i would even say that at some point it became the major reason to sell, other wise some one could catch me fighting with the tripod one day.
maybe there was something wrong with my tripod , but i bought it new from a dealer, on my old libec it takes 1-2 sec to "bubble" the head , but on fsb 8 it was like .... a little bit there, too much, now a little bit there, oh now back again, and a little bit there... grrrr.

sorry if my english is hard to understand....
 
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