Tripod head suggestions

[insomniac]

Hi there,

I currently use a Manfrotto 808RC4 pan-and-tilt head. It's sturdy as a rock and I love it, but find it's a bit heavy to lug around on a regular basis. Are ball or pistol-grip heads lighter? My kit itself is never particularly heavy with the maximum net weight under 3 kilos. Would appreciate any suggestions.

Thank you.

 

[lightshipman]

The 496RC2 is about 500gr, and not a bad ball head, if you don't mind a bit more weight the 498RC2 is really the one to compete with your 808, and its less than half the weight.

 

[insomniac]

Thank you. Since weight/dimensions are the motivation behind this purchase I'm leaning towards the 494. But I'm wondering if I can attach it using the RC4 plate?

 

[tijuana taxi]

You may find the base diameter of the 494 is a bit small compared to the base mount plate on your tripod

 

[dinners]

When I used Manfrotto - I had a few of the heads you've mentioned but a lot comes down to personal preference. Ball heads are simple and more compact but not everybody likes them.

808RC4 was a good head but like you I find it a bit overkill.......

I also had the 498RC2 and found the smaller plates more convenient. It's very strong and far less bulky. You can get it in RC4 if you prefer those plates.

322RC2 (or that range) are good easy heads to use. The camera can be attached as per below or the camera mount moved to the end of the handle so the grip is used in a vertical position. I had one when I had nerve damage and only had full use of one arm.

 

[insomniac]

Hi,

Thanks for the great suggestions. I'm not leaning towards the 496RC2 to be honest, both based on both Tijuana's comments that the mount might be a bit small, and a review I read comparing the 494 to the 496. I'm not to worried about the load handling, more the ergonomics, so don't mind giving up some load handling capability for weight/size.