Hi Leon I can be of assistance if you want/need; I am in touch with them quite frequently. No idea though how to slip it past customs unnoticed, you'll have to help with that ]=) Cheers Ecke
2010/4/11 Leon Altoff <[email protected]>: > Hi Ecke, > > Thanks for that. I've always liked the look of the Novoflex gear, but > it's not really available locally. It's good to have a first hand > recommendation. I'll have to see about sourcing it from Germany (the > Novoflex web site lets me enter an Australian address, but I have yet > to check on shipping). > > Leon > > > On 11 April 2010 03:17, eckinator <[email protected]> wrote: >> Hi Leon >> >> (ended up writing more than I want to, hope it is clear) >> >> I haven't used the Gitzo yet so I can't comment on that but as opposed >> to Gitzo, Novoflex makes very complete macro and panorama systems >> consisting of mutually interchangeable parts so you can gradually >> expand with dual use for quite a number of items. >> >> If you look here the Novoflex equivalent to the Gitzo, i.e. the base >> model 'PANORAMA' is actually $90.90 cheaper >> http://www.novoflex.com/en/products/panorama-photography/panorama-plates/ >> >> Scroll down a bit for the ones I use, 'PANORAMA=Q' and 'PANORAMA=Q >> PRO'. I am extremely happy with both of them under use with rigs >> weighing up to 5 kilos plus (sometimes massive) leverage factor. There >> is no shakiness and no sign of stiction or torsion/distortion. >> Novoflex produces in-house to very tight specs, everything is laser >> cut or CNC machined, their service is truly excellent and so is their >> engineering. I don't know the exact load-bearing specs but I think >> they'd beat the Gitzo (and I can find out if you want). >> >> The reasons I recommend Novoflex over Gitzo in this particular case are: >> >> Since I feel it is better to place the plate between ballhead and rig >> rather than between tripod and ballhead (why rotate additional weight >> and have an additional source of angle/levelling errors?) I feel the >> plate might as well have quick release included - 'PANORAMA=Q' is >> fully Arca Swiss / Markins / RRS / you name it compatible and you'd >> still save fourty bucks on the Gitzo. Really very nice. Plus it can >> stay on your ballhead all the time assuming you use Arca style QR. >> >> The 'Q PRO' costs two Gitzos but if you have the money to burn (quote >> from Novoflex) it is quite convenient: With the rotary selector button >> 8 different click-stop-positions (angle steps) can be set. The >> adjustment possibilities are from 360° = stepless, 60° = 6 >> click-stops, 45° = 8 click-stops, 36° = 10 click-stops, 30° = 12 >> click-stops, 24° = 15 click-stops, 20° = 18 click-stops, 15° =24 >> click-stops to 10° = 36 click-stops. With the crossed spirit levels >> the panorama plate (PANORAMA=Q PRO) is aligned accurately. >> >> This is extremely useful if you ever want to upgrade to shooting multi >> row or sphaeric panos. Less stitching issues with reproducible angles. >> And so on, bla bla bla. >> >> If you look at their panorama and macro systems side by side, you can >> easily see how things fit together and define your starting point. >> Meaning of course you don't have to lug around separate pano and macro >> kits, I can only repeat that, it is a big weight saver =) >> >> Cheers >> Ecke >> >> -- >> PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List >> [email protected] >> http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net >> to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and >> follow the directions. >> > > > > -- > > Leon > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > [email protected] > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow > the directions. > -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
