Tripod Heads, the good bad and ugly
 

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?

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

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.

Ball head or Pan and tilt ?
 

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

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?

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

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

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.

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. :D

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

Don

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

Seriously good deal here. This head does not however have a Q/R plate. Camera screws directly to the plate.

Don

I see they also have the Manfrotto Manfrotto MN 229 Head M/O Return - As New £99.

Don

3 spirit levels!!! are they serious?

Guess it helps if you are using a 5" x 4" or 10" x 8". Can't see Stephen needing all that though. :D

Don

I've an eye for a bargain so I went for the MN229 from WE. Hopefully should arrive Monday.

Thanks for your help, chaps.

Stephen,

Thats a head capable of taking your ' gentleman's ' lens with no problems. :D

Good decision for the long term.

Don

Thats a belter of a head, though for that sort of money I may have been seduced by the geared head of the MN410, esp for the studio.

I can well understand that from a studio standpoint Stephen, expensive lust. :D
Just did a price check at Wh/E. Serious price leap for relativly small load increase between the 410 and 405, won't even mention the 400. :eek:

410 Geared Head - load capacity 5kg .... £139.95
405 Geared Head - load capacity 7.4kg .... £279.95

Just to give people an idea of what we are talking about I link to pictures.
410 http://www.manfrotto.com/webdav/site...s/zoom/410.jpg
405 http://www.manfrotto.com/webdav/site...s/zoom/405.jpg

Bees knees in a studio though.

Don

Sadly, it appears someone beat me to that bargain:(

I'll have to wait for Monday until I can telephone someone at WE as an e-mail I received at 16:00 stated item on backorder and as it was a returned item I think I may be waiting some time:rolleyes:

In stock at: http://www.warehouseexpress.com/

Price: £143.90 inc of vat and next day delivery.

nirofo.

Sorry to hear that Stephen.

A quick look has given me this, not as good as previous deal.

http://www.morrisphoto.co.uk/manufac...Manfrotto.html

Don

Manfrotto 405 Geared Head
 

Now I'm on bread and water and I only went in for a look.

We were in Dereham today, and as this thread is still running, I thought I would personaly check out what heads they had in Norfolk Cameras.

As I have previously posted, it really is down to construction and materials used. The MN229 appears to have bronze bearing surfaces and is considerably more robust than the 141RC. Although for shorter focal lengths the 141RC is up to the job.

Always a sucker for a bit of quality engineering I had to have a play with the 405 geared head and Hyrostatic ballheads.

Went into the shop to check out heads for Stephen, and left with the 405.

Anyone looking for a precision studio type head will love this. If you have either a proffesional camera or one with a battery grip like that on my D100, and are looking to mount a lens with its own foot, you do need to try it for fit. I have attached an image to show how little clearence there can be with it set in portrait mode. A riser plate may be needed. With the camera mounted on the Q/R plate there are no clearence problems.

Each control has a quick set, that can lock in 7 1/2 deg increments. The fine gear will work over the full range of movement or it can be used in conjunction with the ' quick set '.

Pics attached.

Don

Don, I'm not familiar with your lens, but doesn't the lens tripod mount slacken so the camera and lens rotate as one therefore negating the need to turn the head into portrait mode. If its fixed I can see the problem

Stephen,

Just going to watch ' New Tricks ' on TV. 1 hour and I'll be back with a sensible answer to your question. :)

Don

Stephen,

My tripod mount does allow the body to twist to portrait mode so I do not have a problem. The picture does illustrate a possible problem, that can be overcome by a riser plate, for anyone contemplating this head if they have a lens where the mount cannot be swivelled.

Don

Ah, that is good. You have a good head there Don, it would be my head of choice next time I need one

I am sure you would love it. I posted here as I remembered your earlier comment to Nikon Foxy Bob re a geared head in your Studio. The lens pic was taken mindful of that, and your new camera.

Don

After a phone call on Monday to those nice chaps at Warehouse Express explaining my confusion regarding a mail order return being on backorder. The MN229 head was send out and received Tuesday. What A superb piece of kit, more spirit levels than a builder!

Thanks all for your help.