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08/25/2005 07:26:31 PM · #1 |
Every tripod I have ever owned no matter how cheap or expensive has had this little button on it that depresses. Yet NONE of the devices or cameras I have ever owned had something that used this pin - as in an alignment hole or some such. Can someone tell me why this is there? What is its use? Do we pay extra for this pin to be there? |
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08/25/2005 07:27:54 PM · #2 |
I know that some camcorders have a hole that it goes into...maybe b/c of the extra weight?
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08/25/2005 07:29:34 PM · #3 |
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08/25/2005 07:30:01 PM · #4 |
| Some camcorders have a hole in on the same plane. Keeping the camcorder perpendicular to the tripod mount. It basically keeps it from swiveling. |
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08/25/2005 07:30:14 PM · #5 |
I don't know. I use Arca-Swiss plates. They have no such indent.
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08/25/2005 07:36:34 PM · #6 |
| The oldest tripod I have predates camcorders and it has one of these. |
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08/25/2005 07:48:05 PM · #7 |
| I´ve got a tripod that has this button on it. It fits perfectly in my JVC camcorder. Some steadyness thing so it wont turn on the screw. |
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08/25/2005 07:57:47 PM · #8 |
| My tripod has one too, but camera does not. |
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08/25/2005 08:14:21 PM · #9 |
| I often wondered about that little pin as well. I had a Sony camcorder and now my Canon Digital and both of those didn't have a hole for it to fit into. I wonder why they make that if most cameras don't have the feature? Actually I used my tripod alot with my Canon camera when I went to Victoria Canada two weeks ago and noticed the screw was slipping out a little and the camera would turn some when I gripped it. So I would have to tighten it up. |
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08/25/2005 08:14:26 PM · #10 |
I use mine often. In fact, I bought a tripod once that didn't have it and was very sorely dissapointed. I use it on a Canon XL-1s "camcorder". All of the prosumer camcorders have this extra hole to ensure stability. Actually, I wish our still camera's had them. I have never had an issue with my still camera, but with my video camera, my tripod plate (which lives on my video camera) kept coming loose. Once I even lost it because it would spin and the screw came loose. On that tripod, the replacement plate was $120. I was upset. I couldn't believe it didn't have the pin. I now only buy tripods with those pins, and use them interchangably between my still and video camera.
drake |
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08/25/2005 08:15:22 PM · #11 |
I've seen this on camcorders (in fact, I've used my tripod with a camcorder that had a hole for this button).
As to the tripod that has this but predates camcorders, perhaps old home movie cameras had this as well?
-Terry
P.S. Tell your mom that if you hadn't spent all the extra money on these useless pins you could have afforded some clothes!
Message edited by author 2005-08-25 20:16:43.
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08/25/2005 08:24:22 PM · #12 |
my ballhead doesn't have it.. maybe it's the ejector seat button..
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08/25/2005 08:31:53 PM · #13 |
I have a Swift spotting scope that actually has a hole for that little nubbin. Keeps the scope from spinning on the plate.
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08/25/2005 08:35:21 PM · #14 |
It's spring loaded right? I'm guessing that it puts enough tension on the camera to keep it from coming "unscrewed" in the even the tripod is mounted on a moving object. Just my guess....
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08/25/2005 08:46:47 PM · #15 |
that seems to make the most sense
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08/25/2005 08:54:46 PM · #16 |
It's a Lowenger tab. It was originally included on Lowenger Support Devices (Lowenger's name for their tripod) to test a theory that another company was copying Lowenger (a small tripod manufacturer) designs and infringing on Lowenger's intellectual property. This was sometime in the early 60's.
A month before Lowenger's announced plans to introduce a new tripod another manufacturer came out with a tripod that had copied the design of the tripod right down to the Lowenger tab. Unfortunately, the sting backfired. Someone at Lowenger had decided to call the tab a 'LSD tab' on fake spec sheets. Maybe they hoped the other manufacturer would copy the name as well, or someone was just having fun. Lowenger was also planning to introduce another model, without a tab, at the same time and through a mix-up the specs of the 'sting' tripod got sent in with the real production tripod. The other company names the tab a 'stabilizing tab' and when they notice that a new Lownger tripod doesn't have the tab but includes references to the 'LSD tab' in the spec sheet, they decide to accuse Lowenger of stealing their intellectual property, playing up the LSD angle. Lowenger realizes the mistake and the idiocy of calling the tab a 'LSD tab' and renames it the Lowenger tab, hoping to salvage something.
Long story short, Lowenger's reputation is shot because they are seen as the rip-off company, manufactures realize that the tab actually does add stability to tripod heads and design their products accordingly, and the design has continued on to today. ;)
Message edited by author 2005-08-25 20:57:00. |
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08/25/2005 09:02:50 PM · #17 |
Originally posted by risu81:
It's a Lowenger tab. It was originally included on Lowenger Support Devices (Lowenger's name for their tripod) to test a theory that another company was copying Lowenger (a small tripod manufacturer) designs and infringing on Lowenger's intellectual property. This was sometime in the early 60's.
A month before Lowenger's announced plans to introduce a new tripod another manufacturer came out with a tripod that had copied the design of the tripod right down to the Lowenger tab. Unfortunately, the sting backfired. Someone at Lowenger had decided to call the tab a 'LSD tab' on fake spec sheets. Maybe they hoped the other manufacturer would copy the name as well, or someone was just having fun. Lowenger was also planning to introduce another model, without a tab, at the same time and through a mix-up the specs of the 'sting' tripod got sent in with the real production tripod. The other company names the tab a 'stabilizing tab' and when they notice that a new Lownger tripod doesn't have the tab but includes references to the 'LSD tab' in the spec sheet, they decide to accuse Lowenger of stealing their intellectual property, playing up the LSD angle. Lowenger realizes the mistake and the idiocy of calling the tab a 'LSD tab' and renames it the Lowenger tab, hoping to salvage something.
Long story short, Lowenger's reputation is shot because they are seen as the rip-off company, manufactures realize that the tab actually does add stability to tripod heads and design their products accordingly, and the design has continued on to today. ;) |
Wow! An "LSD" tab in the 1960's!? Who would've guessed?
This is so complex of an explanation, you're either:
a. an incredible (and possibly, pathalogical) liar
b. totally convince of an "urban legend"
c. telling the truth |
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08/25/2005 09:10:40 PM · #18 |
Well Google doesn't have any search results that support his post.
LSD in the early sixties was not in tab form, only liquid so I highly doubt that the term as posted was used. But what do I know... |
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08/25/2005 09:10:44 PM · #19 |
Originally posted by KaDi:
Wow! An "LSD" tab in the 1960's!? Who would've guessed?
This is so complex of an explanation, you're either:
a. an incredible (and possibly, pathalogical) liar
b. totally convince of an "urban legend"
c. telling the truth |
a. I rarely lie. Would that be rarely tell the truth if I am a pathological liar?
b. Maybe want to convince.....
c. Of course I am telling the truth. ;) |
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