We're trying to clean our sachtler 15sb fluid head, and we're not sure how to remove the bottom half (fluid pan) from the top half (fluid tilt). We've reached the point where it looks like we'd need

Probably by undoing various screws, allen bolts etc, but I would advice approaching this with great caution, as they are precision items and it would not take much to render them both useless. Apart from other considerations, how is the fluid contained within the head ?

You remove the transmission pan and then remove the old filter. Make sure you remove the old seal out of the valve body and install new filter with new seal and re-install pan. Fill with fluid and you are done.

You will need to buy a "TRANSMISSION FILTER KIT," which will include a new transmission filter, uptake gasket, and pan gasket for your transmission. (They run about $20 or less on eBay.) Once you have done that, you will need to hoist the vehicle, and CAREFULLY remove the transmission pan by loosening one bolt a little at a time without removing them, and breaking the old gasket free (hopefully without making too much of a mess of transmission fluid). About half of the transmission fluid (about a gallon and a half) will be in the pan (the rest in the torque converter). It is usually sufficient to replace just the amount of oil in the pan (otherwise you need to remove the torque converter inspection plug on the bell housing and crank the engine to expel the seal, draining the other half of the fluid, then replace the bell housing seal).
Once you have drained away the transmission fluid in the pan, CLEAN THE PAN THOROUGHLY WITH A SHOP TOWEL, and carefully remove the bolts that secure the filter to the transmission valve body. (As I recall it is four 10mm bolts... but not sure on your year model).
Remove the filter, and remove any remnants of gasket on the uptake chamber between the filter and the valve body. MAKE SURE YOU REPLACE THE SMALL GASKET AT THE TOP OF THE FILTER WITH A NEW ONE, OTHERWISE THE TRANSMISSION WILL SLIP DURING THE 1-2 SHIFT DUE TO AIR BEING SUCKED-IN (been there).
Check for correct torque specifications for the filter mounting bolts before tightening them and DO NOT OVER-TIGHTEN THE RETAINING BOLTS.
Once you have replaced the filter, and your pan is clean, scrape away all remnants of gasket material from the mounting surfaces, and position the new filter. (This is easier if you use a tiny amount of silicone RTV to hold the gasket in place and keep it aligned with the pan mounting holes).
Replace the pan, tighten the bolts to spec, re-fill the transmission with the appropriate amount of NEW ATF, then test.

time to buy a new tripod, the repair will cost more than its worth.

Yes. You will need a new pan, filter kit, and about 2 gal. of transmission fluid. Check your owners manual to see what type of oil to get, or just ask at the auto parts store. Raise the front end of the car up until you can get under it comfortably. Secure it with jack stands. Get a pan to catch the transmission fluid, as you take out the pan bolts the fluid will begin to leak out so take your time or it will get really messy. After you have removed the pan, change the filter and make sure the gasket sealing surface it clean and free of the old gasket. Make sure the pan is clean and if its a used one, make sure the gasket surface is clean as well. Put the gasket on the pan, put a couple bolts through it to keep it in place and attach it to the transmission first by installing all the bolts and then by snugging them down. Do not over tighten or you will damage the gasket. Then add about a gallon and a half of transmission fluid, start the car and check for leaks. If no leaks are found, lower the car and top off your fluid level to the cold level on the dip stick.

Just press hard on the bubble with your finger to turn the bubble light on. You may have to do it a couple of times. It goes off by itself after a short time.

First make sure you have the proper amount of Transmission fluid to replace what you drain as well as a new transmission filter and gasket. (they usually come in a kit together. The filter & gasket). Make sure the transmission fluid is warm before using jack stands, drive on ramps or a floor jack with jack stands. If there's a transmission drain plug, open it and allow the transmission fluid to drain into a catch pan. If there's not a drain plug, remove the transmission pan bolts, leaving the 4 corner bolts in place until the end. Then slowly loosen two of the bolts at the same end to allow the transmission pan to tilt as well as drain the fluid that way. As the transmission fluid drains, start removing the other two pan bolts to allow more of a tilt until you can place your hand on the pan and remove the remaining bolts, thus removing the pan to be cleaned out. You will normally find a magnet in the bottom of the pan which needs to be cleaned and re-installed. The transmission filter is attached to the "valve body" ,m and when removing that, be aware that more transmission fluid will drain out. To clean a transmission pan, I use either CRC Brake-Kleen or gasoline. Remove all of the pan gasket, install the new filter and replace the transmission pan...don't forget to place the magnet in it and pull your transmission dipstick out of the tube. It has a "vent to atmosphere" so the Brake-Kleen is wonderful for that. If not cleaned, it allows internal pressures to build up inside of the transmission and you could blow transmission seals. Refill with fluid and with your foot on the brake, start it up and allow it to go into ALL the gear ranges, eg. Park, Reverse, Neutral, Drive 2nd and low and then back up to allow the valve body to replace the fluid lost when the filter was changed. Road test and re-check the Transmission fluid Hot on a level surface and add as needed.
A Haynes Manual for your particular vehicle would help with the amount of fluid you will need as well as the tightening pattern of the pan. It also has pictures of what you're going to see before you launch into this task.

Hope this Helps,

"00 Buck"

first you need to get a pair of safety glasses to protect eyes from cleaner. then you need 12.6 pts or 6.5 to 7 quarts of transmission fluid+ filter.you also need a drain pan to catch transmission fluid.you need a 3/8 ratchette and socket set.you need some paper towel and maybe1 or 2 cans of brake cleaner.now you want to safely raise and support car on jack stands.make sure you are on solid level ground.put drain pan under transmission to catch fluid.take ratchette wrench start removing tranny pan front and side bolts.loosen rear bolts one turn let the pan drain.when all tranny fluid drain out of pan. then remove pan clean it good with brake cleaner.remove all traces of old gasket. from pan then dry with paper towel..then you remove tranny filter.becareful not to damage anythingthen put in your new tranny filter then.wipe and carefully clean around gasket area on transmission with paper towel.make sure there is no traces of olds gasket material on tranny area where tranny pan gasket seals.now get new gasket align its with tranny pan holes.you might want to buy a gasket adhesive.just put on some to hold gasket in place when you install it to transmission.besure to clean all tranny pan bolts real good with brake cleaner. then dry them off real good.because some transmission you have to put a little rtv sealant on bolts.to keep them from leaking.now once you get bolt holesand gasket on transmission pan line up.all tranny pans bolts with a little rtv silicone on threads and on bolts head where they meet the pan.then you transmission pan in place.make sure gasket and bolt holes line up.when putting bolts in dont tighten them until you get them all in first.when all bolts are in.then you tighten criss cross dont over tighten them. torque them to 90 inch pounds .when all is done .starting putting tranny fluid in.and check for leaks.start the engine up let it idle for few minutes if you see no leaks lower car down to ground.then move transmission gear selector through each range and back to park.make sure tranny fluid level correct before driving car. WARNING IF YOUR CAR DONT HAVE THE TRANSMISSION DIP STICK.AND HAVE A FILL CAP INSTEAD THE DEALERSHIP HAS TO CHANGE FLUID.BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO RAISE CAR ON LIFT TO CHECK FLUID LEVEL.BECAUSE CAR HAS TO BE RAISE UP LEVEL THEN A DRIP PLUG IS MOVED TO CHECK TRANNY FLUID LEVEL.

Sounds like you might have gotten some dirt trapped under there. You might try to loosen it and blow it clean.

Visual impact can supply parts.