Tripod help please...

I just got my new manfrotto 3030 tripod head, and low and behold, it doesn't fit the head screw on my legs. In fact it's way bigger. What i need to know is can I get an adaptor to solve this, or an I doomed to shell out even more for a new legs?

Here is something I found on Amazon, but I am unclear if it is what i need.

Thanks!

I think that's just the opposite of what you want - looks like it fits the 3/8-16 thread that their tripod legs use (female thread of adapter) and converts it to 1/4-20 which is what some of the small heads use (like the 3232 which is used a lot on monopods).

Sounds like you have a 3/8-16 female thread on the tripod head and possibly a 1/4-20 male thread on the tripod. There are adapters that photo companies sell for this, but a good hardware store (probably not Home Depot) should have something that will work too. It'll just be a thread adapter that looks like a 1/4-20 nut, but instead of having a hex shape that will fit a wrench on the outside diameter it'll have a 3/8-16 thread. I'm just guessing on the 1/4-20 part but these are the two most common sizes you'll find for photo stuff.

1/4-20 means 1/4" thread, 20 threads per inch - 3/8-16 means 3/8" thread, 16 threads per inch. Take the tripod and the head with you to be sure of the sizes.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by another view

I think that's just the opposite of what you want - looks like it fits the 3/8-16 thread that their tripod legs use (female thread of adapter) and converts it to 1/4-20 which is what some of the small heads use (like the 3232 which is used a lot on monopods).

Sounds like you have a 3/8-16 female thread on the tripod head and possibly a 1/4-20 male thread on the tripod. There are adapters that photo companies sell for this, but a good hardware store (probably not Home Depot) should have something that will work too. It'll just be a thread adapter that looks like a 1/4-20 nut, but instead of having a hex shape that will fit a wrench on the outside diameter it'll have a 3/8-16 thread. I'm just guessing on the 1/4-20 part but these are the two most common sizes you'll find for photo stuff.

1/4-20 means 1/4" thread, 20 threads per inch - 3/8-16 means 3/8" thread, 16 threads per inch. Take the tripod and the head with you to be sure of the sizes.

---

Thanks Steve!

This is my first Pro tripod head. I am accustomed to the all in ones that you get at Ritz. It's a whole new world of terms and numbers to learn...:p

I will let ya'll know how it goes.