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| 04-08-2009, 04:21 PM | #1 |
| Ball head recommendation | |
| 04-08-2009, 06:48 PM | #2 |
| 04-08-2009, 08:02 PM | #3 |
| 04-08-2009, 08:33 PM | #4 |
| 04-10-2009, 04:57 PM | #5 |
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Can't tell you what ball head to get. It's personal. I have a Kirk BH-1 that I like (especially for the price I got it for - $80 including a fiber carbon tripod)   Originally posted by Edvinas  By the way, the head mounting plate of my tripod is 46mm in diameter, Markins Q3 ball head base diameter is 56mm. Will it be a problem? Do I need to get larger diameter head mounting plate?  | |
| 04-10-2009, 10:34 PM | #6 |
| 04-10-2009, 11:34 PM | #7 |
| 04-10-2009, 11:52 PM | #8 |
| 04-12-2009, 11:47 AM | #9 |
| Markins M10
... that's what I use and love it. Cheers... | |
| 04-12-2009, 01:59 PM | #10 |
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i use a (very controversial, as it seems) benro ks-2. it is big, heavy, and i love it. it does have some flaws, but overall it is great. other names (all much more expensive) that come to mind are arca swiss, realy right stuff and kirk. as somebody said, the choice of a ballhead is a very personal choice, and the head can turn out to be more important than the legs, on the long run (ahem.. that sounds kind of philosophical, i didn't mean it). the best advice would be to narrow it down to a few models, based on price and features, and try to find them in brick&mortar shops and handle them (for my cheap benro head i actually drove about 500km roundtrip to be able to handle the head before i buy, which is kind of funny, i also came back with a set of CF legs and the head, still not sure how that hapenned  )ps: there is also some american one-man (by the looks of it) manufacturer, who makes some very voodoo looking heads Acratech, Inc*::*Ballheads & Tripod Accessories (no idea, never handled one, but they seem interesting from some points of view). so if you were confused before.. i hope i confused you enough to do more research and chose yourself  good luck | |
| 04-12-2009, 05:07 PM | #11 |
| Originally posted by philbaum So message is, if you want to save money, perhaps the ball head is one area where one can do that. You fiddle with the head on your tripod so much more often than the legs that any frustration with the head will very much aggravate you. Your camera is connected directly to the head, so it's gonna have to be a rock solid. A good head will let you be able to do (1) quick, (2) precise, (3) smooth adjustments that will (4) lock down when you want it to and (5) will NOT creep. A good head will let you carry your tripod + head + camera + lens (even big bodies and lenses) over your shoulder with zero worries like this:  I'm able to carry my gear like that without any worries (D80/D300 + grip + 2.8 lenses + flash, K20D + grip + 16-50/50-135). Once I find a spot/area to shoot landscapes I put out my tripod and mount my camera and walk around with the gear over my shoulder. I've got buddies that have D2X/D3s mounted with 70-200/2.8 (or any other heavy lens) attached to their Kirk/Acratech/RRS/Markins heads and legs and carry the gear around on their shoulder with ease. It's that solid On saving money, here's something that a LOT of people go through (written by Thom Hogan): "Thom's Maxim #2: You can spend US$1700 to buy a good tripod and head, or you can spend US$1000 and do the same thing. (Corollary: eventually you'll do one or the other.) Here's the usual sequence that most photographers go through in getting to a stable platform: * First they try handholding. Eventually, they realize that their results aren't as sharp as those of others. * So the next step is to work on improving technique. Elbows get tucked, the camera is braced against stable objects, they stop holding their breath, etc. But that doesn't solve every problem or work in every situation. And it certainly doesn't always work for very long lenses. * Next comes VR. After all, it's designed to take equipment movement out of the shot. It does, but it's not infallible, nor does it solve every problem, especially as you start trying to take two-second shots of waterfalls to get milky water action. * Now we find our photographer at the store buying a tripod. It's one of those low-cost tripods with braces between the legs (that's gotta make it stable, right?) that weighs a couple of pounds and has nice looking aluminum legs (US$75). This solution seems to help with the middle focal lengths, at least. But eventually the bottom section of one of the legs gets a bit bent and doesn't collapse back into the other sections easily. And with long or heavy lenses, the head "creeps" when the camera is pointed downward. The whole thing shakes in the wind, and you can't get down to ground level for shots. In fact, the photographer finds that they're spending way to much time fighting the tripod rather than taking pictures. * Since it seemed the light legs had to be part of the problem, the next step is buy a heftier pod (US$125 min; US$200 spent so far). That usually turns out to be one of the classic Bogen legs (3021 is popular; these days also the 3001) with the two handle pan/tilt head. This solves one of the problems: the bottom leg section doesn't get bent with use. And used correctly, it solves the basic stability problem, as the 4-pound weight and sturdy legs at least give the whole thing a solid base. But now the problem seems to be that our photographer is constantly fiddling with the head (pan/tilt heads were designed for video cameras, not still cameras). Getting the camera level becomes a chore. Getting a scene locked down doesn't always work the first time, either (that head sag, again). * So we start the procession of the heads (US$50, US$75, US$125, US$200, plus eventually some proprietary quick plates at US$25 or US$50 each; US$700 spent so far). The first attempt at a new head will usually be a "better" variant of what they had, or perhaps a very small, cheap ball head. Neither will fix the problems our user has, and the primary problem will still be getting the camera level quickly, so the next head is usually the "pistol grip" type, because it seems to be "faster." Problem still not corrected (and verticals are now a bit of a problem), so we start the ball head parade. The first "decent" ball head will be one of the Manfrotto (Giotto) heads, perhaps with a built-in plate system of some sort. That starts to work better, but the photographer still finds that the camera moves a bit when they turn the knob to lock the ball. And some of the plate systems have just enough slop in them that the compromise the stability of the entire system (another problem is that few of them "grip" the camera bottom in ways so that they can't be turned; they eventually work loose and end up marring the camera bottom's finish). So we try another, larger ball. Still, our prototypical photographer doesn't "go all the way" just yet because it seems ludicrous to spend US$350 on a head that mounts onto a set of US$125 legs, right? * The legs are starting to make their shortcomings known. They don't let you get down to ground level (or, if you've got the Bogen with the "trick" centerpost, the stability isn't great in some positions). And the whole concoction is starting to get a bit on the heavy side (depending on the legs and head, perhaps as much as 7 pounds). So a set of Gitzo carbon fiber legs is next on the list (US$550; US$1250 spent so far). Upon acquisition of decent legs, it immediately becomes clear that the head is the sole remaining problem point, so... * Our photographer breaks down and buys a Kirk, Really Right Stuff, Markins, or an Arca Swiss ball head (US$350 plus US$100 or more for plates; total spent: US$1700 or more). A few folk take a short detour here and buy something like the Linhof Profli II ball head (US$250). And they find that that head fixes every problem except one: the darned thing won't stay firmly screwed onto the legs without using Locktite on it. So, for more than the cost of one pro grade Nikkor (with filters and a new case to put it in) the photographer can finally see the quality of their lenses." My opinion and experience has taught me that you can save on the legs (to an extent), and still get rock-solid stability and support. The more expensive legs will save you on the weight to be carried but the amount of stability attained diminishes as you go "higher" up the models Shedding weight is still very nice though!Diego Last edited by soccerjoe5; 04-12-2009 at 05:13 PM. | |
| 04-12-2009, 05:34 PM | #12 |
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diego is correct: the head is important. however the man's point was that there are many alternatives, unfortunately it came out sounding that you can worry less about choosing (paying for) the head. look at it this way: in most cases, you will set the tripod once and get several different shots before you move on. while you get the shots, you will be dealing exclusively with the head; in my oppinion, and from my experience so far, a head you _love_ (not one you can live with, one you love using) makes all the difference, and is worth it. in my case, this means i have a ridiculously oversized head, just because it is easier to work with (controls are further apart) and it is very smooth and precise because of the sheer size of the ball. this also means i carry all that weight, but it's my choice, and i live with it hapilly (for now ).that being said, i also happen to have a ridiculously underpiced head, which is not perfect, but close enough for me, for now. so i will say it again: do your research carefully, and do try to play with the head you plan to buy before you pull the trigger, if at all possible. i would even dare to say it is better to pay more and buy a head you have had the chance using and really liked (from one of your photo friends, for instance), than go with something cheaper/better specced/with better reviews/whatever, without trying, as what makes a good head is so personal and hard to define. edit ps: i also carry my equipment like that: over the shoulder, in one hand, swinging, etc, attached to the tripod, the only problem is that one must be really carefull of branches, rock walls, and so on , but i would never accept the idea of not being able to move around like that with my gear when i need to.
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| 04-12-2009, 08:48 PM | #14 |
| Originally posted by Votesh I have this head: Amazon.com: Cullmann High Load Magnesit Ball Head 35 with 40490 Deluxe Plate, Supports 66.0 lbs, 5" High: Electronics It is very nice, works very well, and is very reasonably priced. I love it. It is perfect for me and my uses, but I'm not sure if that will be the same for you. My only complaint is that the quick release plates are proprietary (though I think some Giottos models use 'em too - probably the same factory) instead of being Arca compatible. Of course this could be overcome by changing out the clamp plate, but since I'm not invested in Arca plates and I never do photography with other's who might want to share gear (I don't know any other photographers except out here in cyberspace), I probably won't bother anytime soon. I'm absolutely sure that the machining, tolerances, and finish are better (slightly) with the Markins/RRS/Kirk/etc..., but I'm finding the Cullmann to be very smooth, solid and generally a joy to work with (and I paid for it entirely with amazon gift cards left over from B-Day and xmas). Now I need to upgrade my legs  .
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