ball heads are smaller and lighter and easier to maneuver quickly in any direction... helpful for wildlife and stuff i suppose. BUT you have to touch the camera to change direction. if that's important for you then don't get a ball-head. for your type of shot where you may to to only pan horizontally and without change the vertical at all the pan&tilt seems more for you. IMO
I have found ball heads to be fantastic for stuff where there can be fast action (sports, wildlife, kids), as they can be adjusted super fast
I have found pan tilt heads to be great where you want fine adjustments (particularly horizon leveling for landscapes, and even more so for rectilinear wide shots of architecture), as they can be adjusted super accurately (I really like geared adjustments)
Sounds like either would work for you, but I'd think about which of the above strengths are more important to you.
i have a pan and tilt and it drives me nuts since the levels and knob are always restrict the position i try to get the camera into. i always have to flip the camera around or something. i've been thinking about a ball head myself.
I have both a tilt / pan head and a ball head by Manfrotto.
Tilt / pan was fine. Absolutely fine. I only upgraded when I got a carbon fibre tripod to save weight on my long hikes and got a ball head that was reasonably light and compact to suit my hiking needs.
The kit you have is not heavy at all - the tilt / pan will be fine. Plus the ones I have seen are normally a bit cheaper too. I haven’t checked your links though.
You do get what you pay for though. Get what you can comfortably afford.
I use a pan and tilt head, it is big and bulky and heavy. But the fine control over direction and movement is wonderful. I find it to be very precise and reliable.
Cory, when you shoot your fast action shots, do you lock the head before taking the shot, or just leave the free rolling head and steady it with your hands?
Originally posted by Cory:
I have found ball heads to be fantastic for stuff where there can be fast action (sports, wildlife, kids), as they can be adjusted super fast
The reason I ask is because when I shoot fast action shots, I generally do not use a tripod.
You hit the nail on the head with your purposes for both heads. When you spoke about pan tilt heads you mentioned geared adjustments.
Originally posted by Cory:
I have found pan tilt heads to be great where you want fine adjustments (particularly horizon leveling for landscapes, and even more so for rectilinear wide shots of architecture), as they can be adjusted super accurately (I really like geared adjustments)
Can you tell me more about geared adjustments?
Your post was accurate and I guess I will just have to decide.
Originally posted by Cory:
Sounds like either would work for you, but I'd think about which of the above strengths are more important to you.
It's a pan/tilt head with all three movements controlled by gears and (in this case) rotating knobs. Larger versions use crank handles. These heads are extremely precise, and are invaluable for product and architectural photography. I used a very large one with my view camera. I had this Manfrotto version for about a year to use with my 5D, but in the end I got frustrated with its slowness of response for general usage and went back to the normal 3-way.
Based on the recent posts by mike_311 and gcoulson I am now leaning towards a Ball Head even though I have NEVER used one for STILLS. When I shot video, all we ever used was FLUID HEADS, but that's another story.
I don't think I will go the PISTOL GRIP way it just seems to be more stuff to get in the way. I could be wrong, but thank you ShutterRev and [user]Gina RothFels[/user]
Boy this is a hard decision. I shoot landscape and levelling is very important to me. Mind you Ball Heads have bubbles but how will they respond to a half a degree change?
Boy this is a hard decision. I shoot landscape and levelling is very important to me. Mind you Ball Heads have bubbles but how will they respond to a half a degree change?
I've been a landscape shooter all my life. IMO ballheads are pretty terrible for landscapes, BUT... (and there's always a but) high-end ballheads (like Really Right Stuff and Acratech Ultimate) are very precise in how they tighten down the head and have a panning movement separated from the ballhead, so they are a fair compromise. I still like the easy precision of the 3-way, but it may just be because I'm so used to one. I use this one:
It's a real work horse. Can't go wrong with that one. IN any case, if working with Manfrotto heads (and they're some of the best out there in a reasonable price range) be sure to get the "RC4" models; they use a larger quick-release plate than the RC2 models do, and are generally more robust.
Cory, when you shoot your fast action shots, do you lock the head before taking the shot, or just leave the free rolling head and steady it with your hands?
Originally posted by Cory:
I have found ball heads to be fantastic for stuff where there can be fast action (sports, wildlife, kids), as they can be adjusted super fast
The reason I ask is because when I shoot fast action shots, I generally do not use a tripod.
You hit the nail on the head with your purposes for both heads. When you spoke about pan tilt heads you mentioned geared adjustments.
Originally posted by Cory:
I have found pan tilt heads to be great where you want fine adjustments (particularly horizon leveling for landscapes, and even more so for rectilinear wide shots of architecture), as they can be adjusted super accurately (I really like geared adjustments)
Can you tell me more about geared adjustments?
Your post was accurate and I guess I will just have to decide.
Originally posted by Cory:
Sounds like either would work for you, but I'd think about which of the above strengths are more important to you.
Thank you
For action, I've found that I'll do both - it depends on if it is wildlife in low light (move fast, then lock), or sports (free-float)...
As for the geared adjustments, they are simply knobs you can turn for fine adjustments, really very useful @12mm on a full frame when you're looking to get it just right.
Based on the recent posts by mike_311 and gcoulson I am now leaning towards a Ball Head even though I have NEVER used one for STILLS. When I shot video, all we ever used was FLUID HEADS, but that's another story.
I don't think I will go the PISTOL GRIP way it just seems to be more stuff to get in the way. I could be wrong, but thank you ShutterRev and [user]Gina RothFels[/user]
Boy this is a hard decision. I shoot landscape and levelling is very important to me. Mind you Ball Heads have bubbles but how will they respond to a half a degree change?
Thanks Robert for the image, much appreciated.
Sorry, I didn't see this before my previous post.
I don't find there is a lot to get in the way with the pistol grip. Most of the work is done by holding down the 'trigger' and rotating the head as required. It's only when I'm in portrait mode that there is a second dial that needs to be turned.
I don't think you can really make your decision based on what others like or dislike. You need to actually handle some of the heads and see what feels right for you.
You need to actually handle some of the heads and see what feels right for you.
Exactly, but it's also good to hear what others are using and why.
But point taken. I need to get down to the camera store again and trial some.
Of course it's good to hear others' opinions. I asked fellow DPC members before I bought mine. But some of those photos can be more intimidating than the head is when you try using it.
I decided NOT to go with the Ball Head. The Rapid Level system, the orange lock, levels the head with the base. If the base is out, so too is the head.
With the lock on, the only way to level your horizontal would be to adjust the legs.
With the lock off, you would be upsetting the vertical axis, while you're adjusting the horizontal.
The Manfrotto 3-Way Head seemed to be overkill for the 650D and the kit lenses. I fiddled around with it for a while and I did not feel that comfortable with it.
The Vanguard PH-32 had one control for pan and tilt, and another control for the horizontal. I seemed to like this concept better.
I shall mill all of this over and if anyone has more to add, please feel free to offer me advice.
i use this one. cheap, effective. the only problem i have are trying to manipulate the camera into weird spots and angles but im going to have that problem with any 3-way head
Don't overthink all of this. With the lightweight kit that you have, you'll be happy with practically anything. It's when you get into heavier bodies and lenses that things start to go to hell. It was when I bought the 80-200 f/2.8 that I found out why people really, truly, and deeply care about tripod heads.
As far as levelling, even with a cheap head, this little thingy will get your camera level.
Your 3-way head seems to be very similar to the Vanguard PH-32 where one arm controls the pan & tilt and the other arm the horizontal.
You say "The only problem I have are trying to manipulate the camera into weird spots and angles"
If you were to do precision levelling, say a portrait or a landscape, you may not have another option to the type of head you use. A ball head would run amuck, wouldn't it?
For those tiny tiny adjustments of half a degree or so you must have an arm so that you could tap it ever so slightly to adjust for that half a degree.
Thanks Ann for your suggestion of the bubble in the hot shoe, however, it's the tiny adjustments that I'm worried about. Ann what type of head do you use?
Thanks Ann for your suggestion of the bubble in the hot shoe, however, it's the tiny adjustments that I'm worried about. Ann what type of head do you use?
I use a Markins ballhead. It think it's this one. I was using a mid-grade Manfrotto ballhead (an older model, couldn't find a link). It was just fine until I got the 80-200.
Personally, I find getting the camera absolutely level to be not that much of a problem. I look through the viewfinder and get the picture level. I don't think I've ever looked at the little bubble. If I get back to my computer and it isn't absolutely level, then it's just a minimal adjustment in Lightroom.
Your 3-way head seems to be very similar to the Vanguard PH-32 where one arm controls the pan & tilt and the other arm the horizontal.
You say "The only problem I have are trying to manipulate the camera into weird spots and angles"
If you were to do precision levelling, say a portrait or a landscape, you may not have another option to the type of head you use. A ball head would run amuck, wouldn't it?
For those tiny tiny adjustments of half a degree or so you must have an arm so that you could tap it ever so slightly to adjust for that half a degree.
Thanks Ann for your suggestion of the bubble in the hot shoe, however, it's the tiny adjustments that I'm worried about. Ann what type of head do you use?
straight on landscapes and panning are easy, its when im trying to get my UWA and tripod into a weird angle (eglow to the ground) it gives me problems.
