XH-G1 with FSB-4 or FSB-6 fluid head?

[Alex Lafkovici]

Hi,

I'd like advice on whether the XH-G1 (or A1 since they are similar), will work as well with the Sachtler FSB-4 tripod as it does with the FSB-6?

Has anyone tried the camera on both tripods? -- Are there any performance differences when tilting or panning?

I mostly film in a studio environment with 3 cameras -- switching from still shot to still shot (almost no pan or tilts) - so we use the manfrotto 503 head and it's no problem. But I'm going to be filming with a single camera on the road in a little while, so I need something durable that will give great results.

The FSB-4 is rated for 8.8lbs and the XH-G1 is 5lbs -- and the FSB-4 is a lot cheaper than the FSB-6... but are there any performance differences?

Any advice is greatly appreciated,
Thanks,
Alex

[Chris Soucy]

Hi, Alex................

Not really the right Forum for this one, should have been posted in the Tripods Sticks and Heads but what the h*ll.

Your best bet is to go right to the horses mouth on this and fire a mail to: Babara.Joumann@VitecGroup.Com

She's the Sachtler product manager in Germany, and if anyone can answer your question, it's her, and she's pretty darn slick about it as well.

Oh, and yes, she is a member here (DVinfo), but probably doesn't stray into this Forum a lot, for obvious reasons.


CS

[Alex Lafkovici]

Thanks Chris,

I tried emailing Barbara but I got an error message saying that the email is invalid.

I tried both: Babara.Joumann@VitecGroup.Com and Barbara.Joumann@VitecGroup.Com for her email.

Note the "r" in "Barbara" in the second email address -- I thought that would be the error in the initial email, but still I got a message that the email is invalid.

I guess I'll try posting this question in the tripod forum, unless you have a new contact address for her?

I'm on a budget, so if I can save $700US and get identical performance from the fsb-4, that would definitely be the way to go for me.

Thanks so much for your help.

[Chris Soucy]

Hmm............

Here's her address pasted from my address book, can't see the error, but.................

Barbara.jaumann@vitecgroup.com

Ah, now I do, should have been an "a" where I put an "o".

Sorry.


CS

[Les Wilson]

"Barbara" was also misspelled "Babara"... missing the first "r"

[Alex Lafkovici]

Thanks Chris,

I emailed Barbara and got a prompt response. Just thought I would share it, in case others might have my question in the future:

"The FSB 4 will be fine to carry this payload. There is not difference in pan and tilt drag feel between FSB 4 and FSB 6, they have the same drag modules insight (by the way, all Sachtler heads work with the same technology insight, in a Video 18 like in a FSB 4, just sized down).. The only difference between these heads is the carrying capacity and caused by that the different numbers of counterbalance steps you can dial in. Both heads have the same side-load function for the camera plate, the same adjustment range…

So you do not need to worry whether the FSB 4 is not as good as FSB 6, it is just the payload."

So this is great to know! The FSB 4 will provide identical performance to the FSB 6, with the XH series of cameras. The counterbalance settings and payload ability is really the only difference between these tripod heads.

Thanks for your help Chris, and thanks very much to Barbara who wrote back so quickly with such a detailed response.

[Chris Soucy]

Great to hear, Alex.

Barbara is one of the best in the business and really knows her onions, so if she says it's so, it is.

Good to hear you got such a quick response. Sorry about my slack e - mail address info, unforgivavble.

Anyway, alls well as ends well, so job done.

Happy shooting.


CS