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Tripod collars before arca swiss
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 31, 2021 4:30 pm    Post subject: Tripod collars before arca swiss Reply with quote

Hi All,

I am hoping someone can fill in some historical blanks for me and provide some advice.

In my collection I have a few lenses that have a provision for attaching a tripod. A few from the 50's/60's simply have a 3/8" (EDIT: actually a 1/4") hole on the bottom without a rotating collar, other 1970's/80's lenses have a variety of collar styles that can be rotated, also with a 3/8" (EDIT: 1/4") hole. None of these have one of those long tripod feet that modern lenses come with.

What I am curious to know is this: back in the day, what was the usual way to make use of this 3/8" (EDIT: 1/4") attachment? (I gather that arca swiss was developed in the 1990's.)

The only thing I can think of is the "ball head" I inherited from my mother on her monopod (yes, a monopod with a ball head). A very small ball head (ball is maybe 10mm?) with a metal post on it with a 3/8" (EDIT: 1/4") screw on the end. You screw this directly into your camera/lens/whatever. No quick release mechanism.

Any suggestions on what is the most efficient and safe way to use this 3/8" (EDIT: 1/4") attachment on the pre-1990's lenses? Long arca swiss plate?

Regards, C.


Last edited by connloyalist on Sat Jul 31, 2021 5:36 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Sat Jul 31, 2021 5:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You may get around this 3/8" issue by finding a matching tripod collar:

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/114-maintenance-repair-articles/238879-modding-chinese-other-tripod-mounts-fit-eg-adaptall-lenses.html.

You just need about a cm or 0.4 inch cylinder on the lens to put a collar round.

On another track a lot of Ebay Arca swiss plates come with double holes (A dual treaded outer for a standard tread inner) attachment and strange screw fittings. This may yield a solution.


PostPosted: Sat Jul 31, 2021 5:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My mistake: please forget about the 3/8" thing above, I meant 1/4". I got things mixed up, my bad. Makes it confusing I am afraid. I will correct it in the post.

Question remains: what was the usual way of using the 1/4" (!) attachment on these lenses?

Regards, C.


PostPosted: Sat Jul 31, 2021 7:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

connloyalist wrote:
My mistake: please forget about the 3/8" thing above, I meant 1/4". I got things mixed up, my bad. Makes it confusing I am afraid. I will correct it in the post.

Question remains: what was the usual way of using the 1/4" (!) attachment on these lenses?

Regards, C.


The normal way was to screw the tripod directly onto the 1/4-20 thread of the tripod head. If the photographer wished to use a quick release This would have screwed to the lens just as they do today.
The only difference today is that many QR systems are compatible, in the past it seemed every tripod manufacturer had their own design.

The 3/8-16 thread you seem to have been constantly refering to is usually now used for the link between tripod & head but there are a few larger cameras that use them.


PostPosted: Sat Jul 31, 2021 10:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The two threads you might find on a collar or tripod mount are UNC (Unified National Coarse) 3/8th inch, and UNC 1/4 inch. Reducers from 3/8 to 1/4 are readily obtainable eg ebay. My old slik tripod has a 3/8" thread screw on the mounting plate, and most ball heads esp the larger ones, seem to have the matching 3/8 female thread.


PostPosted: Sun Aug 01, 2021 12:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Typically the lens is heavier than the camera, thus mounting the lens, not the camera, on a tripod head was used. If both camera and lens are heavy, something like the arca swiss plate, or sometimes two tripods(!), was used. (Note there are 3/8" to 1/4" and 1/4" to 3/8" adapters if that is a issue.)


PostPosted: Sun Aug 01, 2021 8:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I really messed up in this topic. Because of my 3/8" - 1/4" mistake everyone is focusing on that. Please forget about 3/8" and 1/4". Apologies.

My real question is: How did people use the screw mount on the lens before arca swiss was developed in the 1990's? Did ball heads screw directly into the lens just as on my mother's old ball head?

Regards, C.


PostPosted: Sun Aug 01, 2021 11:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

connloyalist wrote:
I really messed up in this topic. Because of my 3/8" - 1/4" mistake everyone is focusing on that. Please forget about 3/8" and 1/4". Apologies.

My real question is: How did people use the screw mount on the lens before arca swiss was developed in the 1990's? Did ball heads screw directly into the lens just as on my mother's old ball head?

Regards, C.


There were QR systems back at least as far as the early 80's, but many mounted direct (just as some still do)


PostPosted: Sun Aug 01, 2021 4:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

connloyalist wrote:
I really messed up in this topic. Because of my 3/8" - 1/4" mistake everyone is focusing on that. Please forget about 3/8" and 1/4". Apologies.

My real question is: How did people use the screw mount on the lens before arca swiss was developed in the 1990's? Did ball heads screw directly into the lens just as on my mother's old ball head?

Regards, C.


Ball type, other type tripod heads, and adjustable or fixed-length plates having two mounting screws -- one for camera;one for lens -- screw directly into the lens, yes. Sometimes two tripods with heads are used -- one for camera; one for lens.

Perhaps we don't yet understand your intended use and/or the problem.


PostPosted: Fri Aug 06, 2021 4:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

connloyalist wrote:
I really messed up in this topic. Because of my 3/8" - 1/4" mistake everyone is focusing on that. Please forget about 3/8" and 1/4". Apologies.

My real question is: How did people use the screw mount on the lens before arca swiss was developed in the 1990's? Did ball heads screw directly into the lens just as on my mother's old ball head?

Regards, C.

In the 70s, I had a 400mm tele made by Makinon, if I recall rightly. It wasn't a great lens, but it had a tripod collar that was part of the barrel and simply used the 1/4" mount screw. The base of the collar was a square-ish lump with the thread in the bottom of it.
This old Soligor is similar... but has more of a foot.
Mounting these old lenses on tripods was awkward for moving them around the subject - today's mounts and swivelly things are much better.
http://forum.mflenses.com/soligor-400mm-f6-3-just-another-telephoto-lense-i-thought-t74657.html


PostPosted: Sat Aug 07, 2021 10:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

if the lens has a non rotating collar the normal thing is to use the vertical flip feature on a normal tripod.

Quick release plates don't really come into the lens fitting. They are, and always have been an optional extra.

Ball and socket heads on monopods are fairly normal. Monopods are particularly unsuitable for pan and tilt heads.


PostPosted: Sun Aug 08, 2021 11:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I can't think of a vintage lens I am acquainted with with a tripod mount that didn't connect via 1/4" female thread either to a QR plate or direct to the head on the tripod/monopod.
My old slik SL67 tripod had a video type p+t head with no QR plate but everything else I have used has a QR system. Only my Novo CBH46 ballhead is arca fitting.