Davis Sanford FM 18 enough head for HVR-Z1U at DVinfo.net

Joe Herring · June 3rd, 2013, 02:14 PM

Eyeballing those straight forward and affordable Davis & Sanford tripods, and wondering if their FM18 video heads are heavy duty enough for a HVR-Z1U?

Looks like their FM25 is the next step up.

Tripod listings tend to give load specs, but reading here and there leads me to believe most manufacturers push those numbers higher than what really works well...

Thoughts and experiences???

Adam Gold · June 3rd, 2013, 11:50 PM

They're a little lightweight but they'll do. I used to use them on my FX7s but now I use them on their rolling dollies for a couple of Z5s. I don't pan the heads but rather just roll the dollies around and they're okay. The tilt mech tends to suffer under the weight of the cam, which can be a bit difficult to balance unless you have an extended plate.

Biggest problem with the D&S, I've found, is that the hardware tends to strip or snap off if you crank it down too hard.

June 3rd, 2013, 02:14 PM	#1
Joe Herring Tourist Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Dallas, Oregon Posts: 2	Davis Sanford FM 18 enough head for HVR-Z1U Eyeballing those straight forward and affordable Davis & Sanford tripods, and wondering if their FM18 video heads are heavy duty enough for a HVR-Z1U? Looks like their FM25 is the next step up. Tripod listings tend to give load specs, but reading here and there leads me to believe most manufacturers push those numbers higher than what really works well... Thoughts and experiences???

June 3rd, 2013, 11:50 PM	#2
Adam Gold Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Woodinville, WA USA Posts: 3,467	Re: Davis Sanford FM 18 enough head for HVR-Z1U They're a little lightweight but they'll do. I used to use them on my FX7s but now I use them on their rolling dollies for a couple of Z5s. I don't pan the heads but rather just roll the dollies around and they're okay. The tilt mech tends to suffer under the weight of the cam, which can be a bit difficult to balance unless you have an extended plate. Biggest problem with the D&S, I've found, is that the hardware tends to strip or snap off if you crank it down too hard. __________________ "It can only be attributable to human error... This sort of thing has cropped up before, and it has always been due to human error."