Sorry for the basic questions but I just picked up a Bogen Manfrotto 3051 tripod / 3063 head combo for studio use with my GL2. They are in great shape but have no paperwork or manuals or anything like that and since they're discontinued I'm having trouble finding info for them.

I actually have two very quick and simple questions...

First, the bubble level indicator embedded in the tripod seems to have lost it's fluid and therefore it's bubble... I can see that it has a nut on the bottom so I guess it's removable/replaceable but... can you buy these bubble level thingies by themselves from somewhere? Anyone know where?

Second, the main legs are connected to the tripod at the top (of course) but also to the center shaft with thin, adjustable, extendable braces, each with a locking thumbscrew. These three braces attach to a black ring on the tripod's center shaft. From the way they're attached it would seem to me that this black ring should slide up and down the center shaft, but mine doesn't (or won't) move. I don't want to force it if it's not supposed to slide, so... does anyone have the 3051 legs and know whether this black ring is supposed to slide up and down or not? Maybe mine is just stuck in place and needs a gentle whack?

Thanks!
Darren

Nothing against the poster but , here we go again. Why does Bogen do this to the world. The whole world with the exception of the US uses the manfrotto numbers and survives intact. Some pea brain at bogen says "self, i'm going to mess with every ones mind and creat another system of model numbers just cuz i feel ornary"

The Bogen 3051 is a manfrotto 058 tripod. Go to http://www.manfrotto.com/
and click on search, then enter the Bogen SKU (3051) or the manfrotto number 058. ther's a fair bit of info.

The head is the old manfrotto 136 head and has been discontinued. It's a great head for the money but has been replaced by stuff of lesser quality (my opinion)