Manfrotto Trpod Help! 540 ART spoilt, 501HDV questions

[Headshotzx]

Hello all!

Firstly, I have a spoilt Manfrotto 540 ART tripod where the legs don't get gripped when extended. Can this be repairable? If so, and I know this is a long shot, does anyone know who I can contact in Singapore?

I recently purchased a 501HDV with the aforementioned spoilt 540 ART tripod, and it came as a 501HDV with half bowl. I need to use it on a photo stills tripod for a very urgent shoot on wednesday, and I was wondering if there is a way to take away the half bowl? I'm not sure if there is a variant of the 501HDV that is half-bowl and not flat based, but since I can only buy the 501HDV with a flat base, I assumed this could work.

Any ideas?

 

[DXNMedia]

If I recall correctly, the old Manfrottos doesn't have any full head with fixed bowls....probably the new 504HDV is an exception, but I cannot remember exactly.
If it's half-bowls, look under the bowl & sides, and there should be some flat or hex countersunk screws....unscrew them and you should be able to screw out the bowl from the head, and there should be a standard 1/4 threading.

As for the legs, is yours the turn-lock type or flip-lock type?
Look for a Hex bolt behind or under the flip lever, tighten it and it should fix the problem of loose locking.

 

[Headshotzx]

Thanks, I got the head off, and you were right.

For the legs, it's the button type similar to this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTmmit9q6nc so cannot self repair.

 

[DXNMedia]

Glad to be of some help....but as for the legs, unfortunately, I don't have experience with those types of locking mechanism.

 

[trucatus]

That kind of locking great for golf shooter. But self repair is getting harder these days. The new HDV501 leg locking design also causing pain.