User Guide

Oconnor
1040
Fluid Pan & Tilt HeadPart No. C1265-0001

EN

www.ocon.com

Copyright © 2019
All rights reserved.
Original Instructions: English
All rights reserved throughout the world. No part of this document may be stored in a retrieval system, transmitted, copied or reproduced in any
way, including, but not limited to, photocopy, photograph, magnetic or other record without the prior agreement and permission in writing of theVidendum Group Plc.
Disclaimer
The information contained in this manual is believed to be correct at the time of printing. Videndum Production Solutions reserves the right to makechanges to the information or specifications without obligation to notify any person of such revision or changes. Changes will be incorporated in
new versions of the publication.
We are making every effort to ensure that our manuals are updated on a regular basis to reflect changes to product specifications and features.
Should this manual not contain information on the core functionality of your product, please let us know. You may be able to access the latest revision of this manual from our website.
Videndum Production Solutions reserves the right to make changes to product design and functionality without notification.
Trademarks
OConnor® is a registered trademark of the Videndum Group Plc.
All product trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of The Videndum Group Plc.
All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective companies.
Published by:Videndum Production Solutions
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Email: technical.publications@videndum.com

Contents
Safety / About This Guide .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Operation.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Health and Safety.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Operating the Pan and Tilt Locks.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Mounting and Installation .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Pan and Tilt Fluid Drag .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

About this guide.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Maintenance.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 19

Box Contents.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Battery Replacement .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Optional Accessories.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..  6
Components.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..  7
Front View.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Rear View.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Installation.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..  9
Mounting the head .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .9
Levelling the Head .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .9
Remove / Install Camera Plate Platform.. .. .. .. .. .. 10
Fitting the Pan Handle .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 12
Mounting the camera .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Payload Weight and C of G Height Adjustment.. . . . 13
Balancing the Payload .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 15

Adjust Lock Levers.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 20
Adjust Camera Plate .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 21

Technical Specifications.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Safety / About This Guide
Important information on the safe installation and operation of thisproduct. Read this information before operating the product. For yourpersonal safety, read these instructions. Do not operate the productif you do not understand how to use it safely. Save these instructions
for future reference.

Warning Symbols Used in These Instructions
Safety cautions are included in these instructions. These safety
instructions must be followed to avoid possible personal injury andavoid possible damage to the product!

WARNING! Where there is a risk of personal injury or
injury to others, comments appear supported by thewarning triangle symbol.
Where there is a risk of damage to the product,
associated equipment, process or surroundings,
comments appear supported by the word ‘CAUTION’.

Health and Safety!

WARNING! Risk of personal injury or injury toothers. All personnel must be fully trained andadhere to correct manual handling techniques and
Health & Safety regulations. It is the responsibilityof the local organisation to enforce safe working
practices at all times.

Mounting and Installation

!
!
!
3

WARNING! Risk of finger entrapment. Do not place fingers
between the platform and body of the fluid head.
WARNING! Avoid trapping fingers when collapsing andextending tripod legs.
WARNING! Risk of finger entrapment. DO NOT fit thehead to a tripod that cannot support the combined mass ofthe head and its full payload.

!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!

WARNING! Toppling hazard. Do not leave unattended.
Keep out of reach of children.
WARNING! The product must always be secured.
CAUTION! Always lock the vertical and horizontal brakes
when the camera is mounted but not in use or whenlevelling the fluid head on the tripod.
CAUTION! Hold the camera securely when mounting
or dismounting from the fluid head and when making
adjustments to the tripod height or footprint.
CAUTION! Always hold the pan bar when making
adjustments to the counterbalance or camera position.
Do not use the pan bar to lift or move the tripod and fluid
head.
CAUTION! Only attach camera accessories to the panbar. Do not attach heavy items to the pan bar.
CAUTION! Always remove the camera before
transporting.
WARNING! Before fitting or adjusting the camera or
payload the tilt lock must be engaged.

Maintenance!
!

WARNING! The fitting of non-approved parts and oraccessories, the carrying out of non-approved alterations
or servicing can be dangerous and could affect the safetyof the product. It may also invalidate the terms andconditions of the product warranty.
Caution! When replacing the battery, use only the sameor an equivalent type of battery recommended for use withthe product.

Safety / About This Guide
About this User Guide
OConnor Ultimate 1040 Fluid HeadThis guide describes the installation, configuration and operation of
the OConnor Ultimate 1040 Fluid Head.

The Ultimate 1040 fluid head brings the same quality build andprecision movement found the larger OConnor 2575 and 2065 heads
to enable cinematographers easily move from heavier to lighter
payload camera set-ups without compromise.
Features of the lightweight yet sturdy fluid head include a step-less,ultra-smooth pan and tilt fluid drag custom designed to provide
ultimate control and stability, as well as the OConnor Sinusoidal
Counterbalance system that provides true, accurate balance atany point in the tilt range. Providing perfect balance even forlighter-weight cameras with counterbalancing down to zero, theUltimate 1040 head is made with high-performance magnesium,
and aluminium alloys with stainless steel and genuine carbon fibre
finishing, to deliver consistent results on the most demanding sets.
For camera operators, making the change to smaller, lighter cameras
while retaining quality has never been easier. And most importantly,
the famous OConnor feel, remains the same regardless of payload.
The versatile OConnor Ultimate 1040 supports payloads from 0 to 45
lbs. (20 kg) at a 5” (15 cm) centre of gravity and a +/-90° tilt range.

4

Box Contents
1

3

11040 Head

C1265-0001

2

Large Euro Quick Release + Plate

1030-268

3

100 mm Ball Base

08365

4

100 mm Tie down

S2052-1100

5

Pan handle

1030-246

6

Pan handle extension

2575-135

4
5

2

5

6

Optional Accessories
2

3

1

1

Assistants box

CSE-MFB100

2

Front box mount

08308

3

Eye piece leveller

C1504-1000

Platform Assemblies & Plates
4

Large Euro quick release (includes large Euro
Plate Part No. 08285)

C1030-268

5

Camera Slide Plate assy. (Includes Mini Euro
Plate Part No. 08427)

V4045-1901

Tripods + Hi Hats
6100mm Hi Hat

45A-0002

30L Tripod (Not Shown)

C1251-0001

flowtech 100mm tripod

C1266-0002

8

Mitchell Base assy. 100mm

08281

7
Bases

8

4

5

9

Mitchell Tiedown

C1234-1018

10150mm Ball Base

08414

11

150mm Ball Tiedown

C1234-1017

12

Studio Pedestal / Tripod Adaptor

08349

12

6

Components
Front View

2

1

3

4

10
5
Position

7

Description

1

Camera mounting plate2

Handle / accessory mounting rosette

3

Clamp knob

4

Platform release lever5

Pan lock lever

6

Front box mounts

7

Tie down (100 mm)

8Ball base (100 mm)

9Tilt drag indicator wheel

10

Platform scale

9

8

6

Components
Rear View
1

11

2

10

3
9

Position

Description

1

Handle clamp

2

Pan handle

3

Tilt drag adjustment knob

4

Counterbalance crankhandle5Provision for attachments

6

Pan drag indicator wheel

7

Battery compartment

8

Pan drag adjustment knob

9

Bubble level

10

Tilt lock lever11

Bubble illumination button

4
8

5

6
7

8

Installation
Mounting the Head
The 1040 is installed onto standard tripods using the 100mm ballbase and tie down
Other bases are available See optional accessories).

!
!

WARNING! Toppling hazard. Do Not fit a head to a tripodthat cannot support the combined mass of the head and its
full payload.
WARNING! If required use a mid-level or floor spreader
to ensure that the tripod legs are spread sufficiently; thisensures that the C of G remains within the footprint of the
tripod.
Refer to the tripod instructions supplied with the tripod forcorrect fitting procedure.

Leveling the Head
After securely mounting the head on to the tripod, center the bubble
level to set the level.
If necessary, in poor light conditions:
1.

Press the button illumination bubble (the light will remain on for
20 seconds).

Ball Base
Loosen the bowl clamp. Move the fluid head to center the levelbubble.
Tighten the bowl clamp and re-check the level.

9Installation
Remove / Install Camera Plate Platform
The camera plate can be installed facing front or rear depending on
the required load and balance requirements.
1.

Remove the camera plate as described on “Mounting thecamera” on page 13.

2.

Release the plate slide lock (A) by levering in a clockwise
direction.

3.

Before sliding the plate away from the head,remove the Hex stop screw (B).

4.

Slide the platform forwards to remove from the head.

10

Installation

11

5.

Rotate the camera plate 180° and slide it on to the head from the
rear.

6.

Locate the Hex stop screw in the front facing thread and tighten,
this will prevent the plate from sliding off the head.

Installation
Fitting the Pan Handle
Pan Handle accessory mounting rosettes are located at the rear of the head, on both left and right sides.
The pan handle may be positioned on the rosettes in any position to suit the user requirements.

12

Installation
Mounting the Camera!

WARNING! Ensure that the weight and C of G height of the total payload is within the range for which the head is designed.

Payload Weight and C of G Height Adjustment!

WARNING! For safe and reliable operation the head and all mounted equipment must be correctly balanced.

The chart below shows the range of load and C of G heights that can be maintained in balance. The area below the balance curve (to the left)
corresponds to load / C of G combinations that can be balanced over the full tilt range of the 1040. The area above the balance curve (to the right)
corresponds to load / C of G combinations that exceed the capacity of the head.

CAMERA CENTER OF GRAVITYABOVE PLATFORM

H H
in mm

13

Tip. The height of the C of G isdifficult to measure, especially withaccessories fitted. Accessories fitted
high above the camera will effectively
reduce the total payload that can bebalanced.
However, since accessories are fitted
both above and below the lens, a first
approximation can be the distancefrom the bottom of the camera plate to
the centre of the lens.

1040 COUNTERBALANCE CHART

14 35612 305
10 254
8 203
6 152
4 102

BALANCED
AREA

Approximate estimate for
C o G Height (dependant H
on configuration).

2 51

lbs 0
kg

10
4.5

20
9

30
14

40
18

CAMERA WEIGHT

50
23

60
27

70
32

80
36

@ 4” (100mm) <52 lb. (23.5 kg)@ 5” (127mm) <45 lb. (20.4 kg)@ 6” (152mm) <40 lb. (18.1 kg)@ 8” (203mm) <33 lb. (14.9 kg)

Installation
If you are installing the head on a crane, pedestal, or dolly, you must
lock them before installing the camera.

To Mount the Camera:
1. Level the head and engage the tilt lock.
2. Remove the camera mounting plate from the platform. Push therelease (A) button at the front of the platform towards the front of
the head, rotate the lock lever (B) clockwise 180° (C) and lift out
the camera plate.

3. Securely attach the camera plate to the bottom of the camera (D).
4. Insert the camera plate into the platform. Push it into the dovetailat the rear of the platform, with the clamp in position (E), thenpush the front down until the platform hook engages with an
audible ‘click’ (F). Note that the camera is now captive, but notlocked.

5. To lock the camera mounting plate, turn the clamp lever on theplatform fully counter-clockwise (G). The clamping mechanism will
engage with the camera plate securing the camera in position.
Ensure the camera plate is firmly locked and there is no
movement of the camera relative to the head platform. If there
is movement see “Adjust Camera Plate” page 21” for plateadjustment.

6. Install the remainder of the payload (lens, zoom and focus
controls, viewfinder, etc.) before unlocking the tilt lock.

D

C

B

A

E
F

G

14

Installation
Balancing the Payload
The purpose of setting the balance and counterbalance of the
payload is to negate the weight of the payload when tilting the head.
The movement should be effortless and the payload should remain inany set position throughout the tilt range.
Ensure the head is level before balancing. The camera and payload
should be fitted on the head, so that the load is balanced. This can beachieved by moving the camera forwards (Fore) or backwards (Aft)on the cradle.

!
!

!

Caution! The camera, handles and all accessories mustbe fitted in their operational position before balancing thehead. Any equipment fitted or adjusted later can unbalance
the head.

1.

Make sure the tilt lock is engaged and that the camera and allaccessories are installed in their operating positions.

2.

Set the tilt drag adjustment knob to ‘1’ (lowest setting).

3.

Initially, set the counterbalance quite high; turn clockwise .

WARNING! When positioning the payload, it is important
to be aware of the potential danger that an unbalanced
payload will fall away suddenly.
Always be prepared for this by maintaining a firm hold of
the handle, until the balance is set correctly.
WARNING! The payload balancing procedure may require
the assistance of another person.

Depending on the payload weight, it may be necessary toincrease or decrease this setting to enable the payload tobe correctly balanced fore and aft.

Counterbalance
Crank

Tilt Adjust
Tilt Lock
15

Installation
4.

The payload C of G (Centre of Gravity) must align with the fluidhead’s tilt axis as shown below, slide the payload fore and aftusing the camera plates sliding platform until the load is centeredand balances upright in the vertical position with the tilt lock anddrags off. Lock the tilt when done.
It is unlikely that perfect balance will be achieved at thispoint without supporting the load. You are looking for thebalancing point between the load falling fore or aft
If this cannot be achieved then reposition the camera plate.

C of G
Tip. Before initiallymounting the camera.
If the camera C of G
is unknown, it may be
estimated by placing
the camera on a rod
and shifting it fore andaft until the balance
point (C of G) is
achieved.

5.

•

If the camera springs back toward horizontal then the
counter balance requires lowering, turn the counterbalancecounterclockwise.

•

If the camera drops away from the horizontal then the
counterbalance needs to be higher, turn the counterbalanceclockwise

6.

When the camera stays in whatever position it is placed inthrough the tilt range then counterbalance is correct.
After adjusting the counterbalance, you may notice slightly
different behaviour when tilting fore as opposed to aft, i.e.
tilting fore may try to fall away from horizontal but tilting aft
is fine. This means that step 4 was not aligned perfectly.
Repeat the process from step 4 to 6 until the camera
will stop in any selected angle. This may require several
repeat attempts to achieve perfect balance.

Tip. Turn the counterbalance anticlockwise for smaller
payloads.
Turn the counter balance clockwise for larger payloads.
Tilt Axis
After balancing, exercise the head through both axis to confirm that it
operates smoothly.

When the C of G of the camera is approximately over the tilt axis,
adjust the counterbalance as follows. Hold the payload and release
the tilt lock, then gently tilt the load from the horizontal position
fore 30 - 45° and release slowly then aft 30 - 45° and releaseagain, observing its response.
16

Operation
Operating the Pan and Tilt Locks
The pan and tilt friction locks are operated by the levers on the left side of the head.

Pan

Tilt

After prolonged use, if the lock does not fully engage at the end of the lock travel, refer to “Adjust Lock Levers” on page 20.
The levers are designed so they can be released simultaneously with one hand.

17

Operation
Pan and Tilt Fluid Drag
The pan drag adjustment knob is located on the lower right rear of the head, and the tilt drag adjustment knob on the lower left of the head. Bothcontrols are continuously adjustable from 1 to 5. To increase drag, turn the knob clockwise, to decrease the drag, turn the knob counter-clockwise.

18

MaintenanceBattery Replacement

The battery illuminates the bubble level. It should be replaced whenever the illumination is inadequate.
1.

Use a coin or flat screwdriver to unscrew the battery cover.

2.

Carefully pull the battery out of it’s compartment.

3.

Fit a replacement CR 2032 3V battery in the compartment, ensuring that the positive side (+) of the battery faces outermost.

4.

Replace the battery cover and tighten using a coin or flat blade screwdriver.

5.

Press the bubble level illumination button and verify that the bubble is lit for approximately 20 seconds.

Ensure the old battery is disposed of responsibly, visit www.http://www.ocon.com/support/weee-recycling/ for further information and advice.
19

Maintenance
Adjust Lock Levers3.

If the pan and / or tilt friction locks do not fully engage at the end of
the lock lever travel, adjust the lever position as follows:

Pull the lever off the hexagonal shaft, rotate it approximately 30°
away from the “locked” end of the travel, and reinstall it.

4.

Tighten the screw. Reapply the lock label.

1

2
3
4

1

Lock Shaft

2

Tilt Lock Lever

3

Screw

4

Lock Label

1.

Rotate the lock lever to the locked position.

2.

The lock lever is attached by means of a screw. Carefully peelaway the lock label to expose the screw. Using Hex key, remove
the screw
20

Maintenance
Adjust Camera Plate
1

2

If movement is detected in the camera plate or the lock lever is to stiff,
the clamp must be adjusted. Release the clamp lever (turn clockwise)
and lift out the camera plate.

Using a hex key, adjust the small grub screw (clockwise to tighten
the clamp and counterclockwise to loosen the clamp). Make small
adjustments of between 1/8 and 1/4 turns.

3

Replace the camera plate, the lever will snap in to the secure position.
21

4

Push the clamp lever fully counterclockwise to lock the plate.
Check the plate for movement and adjust again if necessary.
The clamp lever should be operable with the pressure of just one finger.

Technical Specifications
HeightWidth

8 in. (20.3 cm)

11.3” (28.7 cm)

Depth

Weight7.5 in (19.1 cm)

16.2 lb (4.8 kg) with large Euro plate + Tie down*Maximum payload

Weight45 lb (20 kg)

0.88 lb (0.4 kg) Pan Bar

Storage temp.

Tilt-40°F to +140°F(-40°C to +60°C)±90º throughout entire counterbalance range, zero to max.

Bubble level

Operating Temp.

Illuminated-40°F to +140°F(-40°C to +60°C )Battery
Type: 1 x CR 2032 3v*Capacity:@ 4” (100mm) <52 lb. (23.5 kg)@ 5” (127mm) <45 lb. (20.4 kg)@ 6” (152mm) <40 lb. (18.1 kg)@ 8” (203mm) <33 lb. (14.9 kg)22

Publication No. C1265-4980/0

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