Tripod Heads, the good bad and ugly

[Canis Vulpes]

I now have a set of way over budget legs and I am looking at a decent head but do not have much left to spend. Manfrotto 141RC fits the bill perfectly but what head are others using on their tripod legs?

[Leif]

I use a Markins M10 ball head which I bought a month or two ago. Very light, smooth, robust and horribly expensive. Bread and water never tasted so good.

What is your intended use? I carry my kit many miles and light weight is essential. The M10 is light, but sturdy, and can carry surprisingly large lenses. It is very smooth, and when I lock it down, the framing does not change. And it has a standard Arca Swiss quick release platform which allows for a firm attachment to the camera/lens.

Leif

[Canis Vulpes]

Intended use is still life using flash and occasionally long exposure night shots. I have no allegiance to Manfrotto but don't want to let down the good legs. I.E. I don't want to introduce something to decrease stability as stability is the sum of two parts, legs and head.

[Don Hoey]

Stephen,

As you currently use pan and tilt I am guessing that is the way you will go. Not exactly a huge range out there. Seems to be Manfrotto or Gitzo. Guess ergonomics will play a large part here.

Don

[Canis Vulpes]

I have am open mind really. The existing tripod is so mickey mouse it has Disney stamped on it! Seriously when I used Don's ball head I nearly lost my camera and lens combination but caught as a reflex reaction to losing grip. A pan and tilt head seems more stable but as I am putting the family on rations to pay for an over budget legs, I don't want to use an inferior head. Slik heads cost as much as their legs but are they worth it?

Anybody used a head they found later to cause problem with stability?

[Leif]

I think if you make a shortlist and then Google for reviews and comments you should find user views on what each can handle. That's what I did being unable to examine each candidate head. I reckon the reviews of the head I chose were accurate.

Andy B. has some informative reviews on his site.

My feeling is that ball heads cost a lot due to more complex engineering. Pan and tilt heads probably offer better value at the cost of bulk and weight.

Leif

[Andy]

Originally Posted by Leif

Andy B. has some informative reviews on his site.

Leif

Thanks Leif, but it's really only as far as bird photography. I find most general photographers shy away from 2-way fluids, finding them a little restrictive.

cheers,
Andy

[nirofo]

Originally Posted by Stephen Fox

I have am open mind really. The existing tripod is so mickey mouse it has Disney stamped on it! Seriously when I used Don's ball head I nearly lost my camera and lens combination but caught as a reflex reaction to losing grip. A pan and tilt head seems more stable but as I am putting the family on rations to pay for an over budget legs, I don't want to use an inferior head. Slik heads cost as much as their legs but are they worth it?

Anybody used a head they found later to cause problem with stability?

It all comes down to how much you wan't to spend, can you induce the wife and kids to live on bread and water for a few more weeks? If you're going for a ball and socket ARCA take some beating, but are very pricey, on the other hand, the Gitzo horizontal ball heads are very good and come in several sizes and are not overly expensive! 3 Way pan and tilts are mainly down to Gitzo or Manfrotto, personally I don't like 3 way pan and tilts, but then that's my preference. I use a 30mm ball and socket with Teflon bearing surfaces for general work and a 2 way fluid damped pan and tilt for big lens work.

nirofo.

[Don Hoey]

Stephen,

I have been looking on the web at several options.

Gitzo G2272M is a top line precision engineered head with Q/R plate held in a dovetail slide. This means the Q/R plate is held with the maximum surface area. There is a price to pay for this level of engineering though, and W/E price is £164.99. http://www.gitzo.com/

Manfrotto have a more agricultural look to their heads. That is not to say that their performance is inferior. You do however get what you pay for in ulimate stability as you progess up the range. Links to 3 different head images attatched.
http://www.manfrotto.com/webdav/site...zoom/141RC.jpg
http://www.manfrotto.com/webdav/site...s/zoom/029.jpg
http://www.manfrotto.com/webdav/site...s/zoom/229.jpg

Warehouse Express used as price comparison.

141RC Basic Head with Quick Release plate ( rectangular 200PL-14 ) £49.95
029 Standard Head with Quick Release plate ( hexagonal ) £69.95
229 3D PRO Head with Quick Release ( hexagonal ) £135.95

As pan and tilt heads have 3 axis, flexing is the key thing to look at. This will come from the style of Q/R plate and its method of clamping, and the general ridgidity of head construction. The pictures show significant differences in construction and materials used. The first significant change on the move up from the 141 is the mounting plate. This is carried through to the 229. Unless you particularly fancied it the 229 is a bit over the top for your requirements.

Straight race between the 141 and 029. Looking at the pictures the £20 extra for the 029 looks like money well spent.

Bearing in mind your preference for a head to take your existing Q/R plate, I have this morning conducted an experiment. This is the plate fitted to fluid heads 128 and 701. As I have the 701, I attached a spike to the plate and hung a 4kg load from it in any orientation that you might use the camera to check security of the plate mount. Nothing fell off.

The hexagonal plate would give a higher degree of security though, and suffer less from any twisting movement.

Don

[Andy]

Warehouse Express have a mail order return G2271M for £80 (no box)
You can find it here with others http://www.warehouseexpress.com/specials/slrMO.html