Part 2. Orienting the Arca-Swiss B1's Controls

Orienting the Main Control Knob and Clamp Knob

An important trick to using the B1 is to orient the Main Control Knob and the Clamp Knob properly before mounting the camera. This is not at all obvious and is worth a detailed explanation! For the rest of this article I will assume that when you take a vertical shot you rotate the camera counterclockwise (as you face the back of the body) so the shutter release is on the left/top corner of the body. If this assumption does not apply to you, read on anyway to understand the issues, then figure out your own preferred orientation of the Main Control Knob and the Clamp Knob.

Orientation of the equipment is described below as though the ball head were mounted on a tripod and you are in shooting position, i.e., facing the ball head and the back of the camera body.

There are 3 orientations:

• Orientation #1, horizontal shooting only, with a camera body mounted to the ball head
• Orientation #2, combined vertical and/or horizontal shooting, with a camera body mounted to the ball head
• Orientation #3, combined vertical and/or horizontal shooting, with a lens' collar ring mounted to the ball head.

	Figure 2. Orientation #1

In all three situations you want to use your left hand to control the Main Control Knob and Housing Rotation Knob, and your right hand on the camera to adjust its orientation. The most comfortable orientation is for the Main Control Knob to point to the left, but this is not always possible as described below!

Orientation #1, Horizontal Shooting Only, with a Camera Body Mounted to the Ball Head

For horizontal shooting only, with a camera body mounted to the ball head, orient the Main Control Knob to point to your left and the Clamp Knob to the front (pointing in the same direction as the lens (see Figure 2). This is the most comfortable orientation for the Main Control Knob and keeps the Clamp Knob away from your face.

Use this orientation only if you do not plan to follow up quickly with a vertical shot, since vertical shooting requires a different orientation and valuable time can be lost adjusting the base rotation and ball orientation.

Orientation #2, Combined Vertical and Horizontal Shooting, with a Camera Body Mounted to the Ball Head

Figure 3. Vertical Shot

	Figure 4. Horizontal Shot

A vertical shot requires that you orient the slot in the housing to your left, so the camera can tilt counter-clockwise and the clamp's post can slip into the slot, which means that the Main Control Knob must now point forward like the Clamp Knob (see Figure 3). This requires complete re-orientation of the base and ball. Note how the left hand has to slip under the camera to get to the Main Control Knob, which is a bit awkward. Getting to the Housing Rotation Knob is even more awkward.

If you then follow with a horizontal shot, the camera rotates clockwise. The Main Control Knob and Clamp Knob continue to point forward, as in Figure 4. This is fairly comfortable, although not quite as comfortable as Orientation #1.

With a camera body mounted to the ball head I often switch back and forth between horizontal and vertical shots, so I generally do not use equipment Orientation #1 although it is certainly more comfortable than #2. See Accessories in Part 3.

Orientation #3, Combined Vertical and Horizontal Shooting, with a Lens' Collar Ring Mounted to the Ball Head

Figure 5. Using a Lens Collar

Working with a larger lens that has its own collar ring is ideal. Now the Main Control Knob points to the left, which is the most comfortable position. The clamp points to the right instead of forward, since the clamping platform is oriented front-and-back for a collar ring, instead of left-and-right for a camera body. Figure 5 shows Orientation #3.

The good news is that the lens' collar ring allows you to shoot verticals and horizontals without moving the ball and recomposing. Just loosen collar ring's screw and rotate the entire camera body and lens within the collar ring.

The next part of this article explains how to use the B1 in the field.