[sterretje]

I have two tripods with tilt/pan head. And both suffer from the same problem / user error.

When I tilt it so a picture is framed correctly and tighten the 'screw', the head tilts forward and therefore the framing changes.

Is there something that I do wrong or is this inherent to tilt/pan tripod heads? Is it the specific head and can it be solved using another tilt/pan head or a ball head?

One of the heads is a Manfrotto 391RC2, the other one is part of a Velbon tripod (CX510?).

Thanks for your advise.

[kiwi_jono]

When using the tripods I have, I have to always take camera / lense weight into account. So typically I will have to tighten the screw with the frame a slightly "higher" than I want and the weight of the lense lowers it slightly.
Maybe more expensive tripods are better but I suspect there could always be a bit of movement.

[Ratmagiclady]

I have two tripods with tilt/pan head. And both suffer from the same problem / user error.

When I tilt it so a picture is framed correctly and tighten the 'screw', the head tilts forward and therefore the framing changes.

Is there something that I do wrong or is this inherent to tilt/pan tripod heads? Is it the specific head and can it be solved using another tilt/pan head or a ball head?

One of the heads is a Manfrotto 391RC2, the other one is part of a Velbon tripod (CX510?).

Thanks for your advise.

There are a couple of other possibilities: either it's the motion you use to tighten, or the end of the screw itself is uneven, sort of forcing the tilt to move a little as it tightens: sometimes the pressure of the screw actually moves things a little as it tightens. It's not too hard to get used to if it does this, cause that's usually pretty constant.

[wlachan]

It's due to the design of the head. Some will tilt forward more as you tighten it harder. Some just cannot hold the weight and tilt slightly. Better heads are free of this issue.

[philbaum]

I have two tripods with tilt/pan head. And both suffer from the same problem / user error.

When I tilt it so a picture is framed correctly and tighten the 'screw', the head tilts forward and therefore the framing changes.

Is there something that I do wrong or is this inherent to tilt/pan tripod heads? Is it the specific head and can it be solved using another tilt/pan head or a ball head?

One of the heads is a Manfrotto 391RC2, the other one is part of a Velbon tripod (CX510?).

Thanks for your advise.

I think this is more of a problem on the tilt pan heads rather than the ballheads. The problem when the shoulder of the tightening shaft bears on the tilt pan head, even with a washer, it will tend to rotate the head in the same direction as the tightening shaft is rotating. On a ball head, the clam halves are tightening their grip on the ball, but not in a way that's rotating the ball.

Putting a tiny amount of silicone grease or something else appropriate on the shaft shoulder adjustment joints with the tilt pan head should help some to make it more of a sliding joint. Or anticipating the tilt by positioning the head just a little higher than you want. Hope this helps. Don't use so much grease that it gets onto your hands and then onto the camera :-(

[Ben_Edict]

I have two tripods with tilt/pan head. And both suffer from the same problem / user error.

When I tilt it so a picture is framed correctly and tighten the 'screw', the head tilts forward and therefore the framing changes.

Is there something that I do wrong or is this inherent to tilt/pan tripod heads? Is it the specific head and can it be solved using another tilt/pan head or a ball head?

One of the heads is a Manfrotto 391RC2, the other one is part of a Velbon tripod (CX510?).

Thanks for your advise.

I fear, that is basically inherent to almost any cheap tripod head. The extend varies, but the problem of shifting the camera, when locking down the head is all too common.

So far my Manfrotto 468 ProBall was the head with the slightest shift, but I just got an ArcaSwiss ballhead and hope, that the shift is even less.

Basically the only heads, that don't show any shift are gimbal mounts, because you won't lock them for the shot.

Ben

P.S:: as Phil noted, this problem might be worse with pan/tilt heads. I use only ballheads, so I can't compare.

[sterretje]

Thanks people for the reply. I'm glad it's not me. It's indeed the more I tighten the more it tilts.

I do try to take it into account but often forget or do not adjust enough so framing can take a long time to get it right; I will practice.

I have never used ball heads. They do not make sense to me as releasing them gives them freedom in 2 directions; but I assume that that is personal.

Thanks again, WimS

[excanonfd]

I have two tripods with tilt/pan head. And both suffer from the same problem / user error.

When I tilt it so a picture is framed correctly and tighten the 'screw', the head tilts forward and therefore the framing changes.

Is there something that I do wrong or is this inherent to tilt/pan tripod heads? Is it the specific head and can it be solved using another tilt/pan head or a ball head?

One of the heads is a Manfrotto 391RC2, the other one is part of a Velbon tripod (CX510?).

Thanks for your advise.

I don't think this problem is inherent to tilt/pan heads in general, but to your specific tripods. I have Manfrotto 055 legs with 029 3D head that I purchased some 25 years ago, and I tried to reproduce the error you have encountered with a PZ-1 camera and Tamron SP 60-300 zoom lens (one of the heavier lens I have), and nothing! I did a search for the 391RC2 head and it looks anemic as compared to the 029 3D head.

One possibility is that you may have over-tightened the pan/tilt arm in your attempt to 'fix' the problem and may have made your problem worse. If the arm can be unscrewed completely from the head, you can try putting in a metal washer or two, so the screw thread where the torque is applied can be shifted to an undamaged area. If this or other suggestions do not work, it may be time to upgrade to a more robust head.

[rgibbons]

If the end of the screw is flat, it will move the head when you tighten it; on the other hand, if the end of the screw is pointed (like a cone, dull tip is OK), the head shouldn't move when tightened.

Take out the screw, and make the end more cone shaped (not too sharp, or you'll mare the other surface).

Russ G