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Why the unthreaded socket on the R8 base?
On a mailing list in June 2000 "Gerry Walden" <gerrywalden@cwcom.net> noted the following:
When I got my R8 I asked what the unthreaded hole in front of the tripod mounting bush was for, and was told that it might be for a couple of accessories. The hole is replicated on the motor drive. I have now found one of those accessories. I acquired a Gitzo tripod (G1201) with a ball and socket head (G1276). The head takes an oblong camera mounting plate which has a spring loaded stud which fits neatly into the hole and stops the possibility of the camera rotating on the head. This makes this tripod (and presumably other Gitzo tripods) a very neat, well made and sturdy tripod for the R8 in particular.
A note about possible broken links
This FAQ has over 900 external links. Over time it is inevitable some of them will break. If you are bothered by this, see this detailed topic elsewhere in the FAQ.