GEAR TALK - Gear Heads Galore

Since three gear heads are sitting on my desk and not much else going on, writing a quick comparison seems like a good idea, so to kick it off -

Weight and Height based on Classic (Knob Style) Quick Release Clamp

Comparing two levelers to the legendary Arca-Swiss "Cube" is kind of apples vs oranges, but these are what I have on hand. A more thorough comparison would include the Arca-Swiss D4 ("Geared" version), but I did not like the D4 when I tried one because its mix of 4 knobs for locking and tilting were awkward to use.

ARCA-SWISS CORE 60 LEVELER

The Arca-Swiss Core 60 Leveler is my favorite because it is compact and light weight. It scales beautifully with a Gitzo 2-Series tripod base. If shooting with a tripod mostly at eye-level and wanting a leveler for small adjustments, the Core 60 is perfect. I have used the Core 60 with larger lenses like the Leica 280mm F4 Telyt-R APO and have zero concerns with its handling.

The Core 60's downside is the +/-10º range. If shooting from a low perspective and wanting to angle up, 10º probably is not enough. To add more range, something like a Novoflex MagicBalance Leveling Ball can be used in tandem. Arca-Swiss has a similar all-in-one solution with their Monoball P0 Hybrid Ball Head.

ARCA-SWISS CORE 75 LEVELER

The Arca-Swiss Core 75 Leveler offers +/-15º and is sufficient for most everything I do. The only exception being portrait orientation, in which case I use a camera L-bracket or a tripod collar for the lens. The Core 75 knobs slide out for a bit of extra extension, making them easier to access. The Core 75's larger knobs are easier to use than the Core 60's.

Relative to the Core 60, the Core 75's downsides are the added weight (193 grams), slightly larger diameter and a slightly higher price. Both the Core 60 and 75 feel like they were crafted from a solid billet of aluminum. If you have tilt-range-anxiety, then go for the Core 75.

ARCA-SWISS CUBE GP

I have used the Arca-Swiss Cube GP for focal lengths up to 1120mm and set-ups weighing 15 pounds. I upgraded from the Cube to the Cube GP because locking the upper pan (on the standard Cube) would shift the lens slightly. It was not a big deal at 50mm, but when shooting 400mm, 800mm, etc. - that tiny shift was a huge change to the composition. The GP totally resolved the issue.

GP stands for "Geared Pan"; the upper pan is both a free and geared movement. There is a sliding lock. When locked, the upper pan cannot be rotated freely, but it can be rotated by the geared movement. So if the tiniest adjustments is needed, no problem. If big quick movements are needed, slide open the lock and twist and turn at will.

While the Cube GP can tilt a full 90º, this significantly alters its center of balance, If on a hill or uneven ground, the tripod could tip. So rather than Cube yoga, I prefer using an L-bracket or lens tripod collar. The picture with the brass weights illustrates the Cube yoga, and the following picture shows the Core 60 with a L-bracket - sitting perfectly stable at full tilt.

THE BIG WRAP UP

If I were to pick just one, probably the Arca-Swiss Core 60 Leveler because of its trifecta of build quality, compact size and high utility. For more on these gear heads and other contenders, Digital Transitions published their comparison.