In this blog post, we will be going over How To Remove Ball Head From Manfrotto Tripod, in order to make it more portable and packable.
There are many reasons you may want to take your tripod with you. Whether you are a professional who needs your equipment on the go, or an amateur who wants to take their photography equipment to the next level, a tripod can be the perfect accessory.
However, the problem with most tripods is that they are not designed to be carried around. They often have a bulky ball head on top of the tripod. This makes them heavy and difficult to transport.
Have you ever used a tripod, but then reached the point where you want to take it with you? If you have, you know that unscrewing the ball head can be difficult. The ball head being so tight is actually a safety feature, but that doesn’t make it any easier when trying to remove it. Here are some tips and tricks for removing the ball head from your Manfrotto tripod.
Table of Contents
What is Manfrotto Tripod?
Manfrotto is one of the most famous brands when it comes to building tripods for consumers. They offer a range of products that can hold your camera or phone in any place you want, and all their products are made for professionals who want to maintain their expertise.
Each of Manfrotto’s tripods is designed to meet every need a photographer may have. Whether you’re looking for high-quality materials, expertise in technology, or an excellent design – they are the perfect brand. Their product range includes monopods, tripod heads (and other accessories), and tripod bags.
Manfrotto tripods have the best fits for your needs and will help you to take great shots each time. They are not just designed for professionals but also newbies can try them out too!
If you want to expand your portfolio for photographic ambitions, Manfrotto items could be your best choice.
What is a Ball Head?
When you’re doing photography, one of the most important elements of the tripod kit is its head. It is the part that comes between the tripod and the camera.
There are different kinds of tripod heads on the market each made for specialized purposes. A single model cannot perform all the features.
One of the most popular tripod heads is the ball head. It is a metal or plastic sphere placed on top of a tripod to increase stability and provide accurate, fast rotation.
Since ball-headed tripod heads are lighter than traditional three-way pan-tilt heads, professionals prefer them over all other types.
How to Install the Ball Head on the Tripod
In order to learn how to remove the ball head from the tripod, you first need to know how to install it. This may seem redundant, but, even if it is very easy to install, you may sometimes forget how to do it.
For future reference, let’s take a look at the parts that are involved in installing and removing the ball head. This may help if you know what part does what, and how to maneuver it right.
Parts of the Ball Head
The ball head consists of only a few working parts that are not removed from the head at any time.
- The top plate is where the camera is mounted
- A locking knob is used to tighten the ball of the ball head and prevent it from moving
Parts of the Tripod
The tripod also only has a few parts that play a role in the installation of the head onto the tripod.
- First, you have the three legs
- The center column is the part that is in the middle of the legs
- A top plate where the head is screwed on is located where the three legs join together
- Then, there is the center column locking nut that will keep the column in place
The set screw on the tripod is located at the top of it. This screw can be tightened from below to hold the head steady when installed.
The ball head is then screwed on top of a tripod until it’s snug. Then, you just tighten the set screw (sometimes called a grub screw). This will hold the head in place so that it does not come loose over time.
how to Remove Ball Head from Manfrotto Tripod – Step By Step
To remove the ball head from the tripod, you need to do the following for easy separation of the head from the tripod.
- First, you must make sure that the center column lock is tight enough so there is no play on the column.
- The next step is to loosen the set screw at the bottom of your head. Sometimes, you will find only one set screw, and on other tripod models, you may find up to three screws.
- Then, you must tighten the lock of the head to make sure it does not move when you try to loosen the head.
- Now, get a good grip on the largest part of the ball head while you grab the center column firmly in the other hand.
- With a tight grip with both hands, start turning the ball head in a counter-clockwise direction until it comes loose.
- Normally, this would be quite an easy task, but sometimes it is just too tight to turn loose.
- If it is too tight and you can’t turn it with your hand, use a bit of spraying oil. You can apply the spraying oil in the small gap that is between the head and tripod where it comes together.
- Leave it for an hour or so to let the oil penetrate to the screw and then try again to loosen it.
- To be certain, check again if all the set screws are loose enough and are not somehow catching on the ball head.
This may seem like a lot of steps for a job as small as removing the ball head from the tripod. However, it is sometimes necessary to do it like that because it may become stuck and not come loose.
It should just be a simple grab and twist counter-clockwise of the ball head, but if left for too long it may get stuck. This is when removing the ball head from the tripod becomes quite difficult and may seem impossible to do.
General Information
While tightened well, the characteristic of the lock at the ball head is to prevent it from panning. you could use it to loosen the ball so it can be extra fluid or tighten it to make the panning movement a great deal slower.
This is great for professional photographers seeking a quick and easy movement with their camera. The ball located in the center of the head allows free rotation in all directions.
Conclusion:
As you can see, it is not that difficult to remove the ballhead from the tripod when it is new. However, if left on for a long time and used often, they seem like they are frozen onto their respective tripods.
This is what makes it quite a task to get the ball head off from the tripod when you need to replace it or just perform simple maintenance.
After reading this article, I hope we have helped you remove your tripod head from the Manfrotto.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to tighten tripod head?
The screws under the base are set screws. Make sure they’re not tight when you screw the head down, and then tighten them all so that it’s snug – no need to torque like you would with lugnuts on a car wheel. The bottom of the head will be held tightly against these three tightened screws.
Are all tripod heads removable?
Most cheap tripods don’t have removable heads, which is what makes them cheaper than expensive ones.