Which Ball Head ?

smr · 5 Sep 2017

Hi all,

I recently invested in a new Tripod (Manfrotto 055 Carbon Fibre - which I love) and it came with a free Manfrotto 3-way-head.

My first tripod, and tripod before this, was a Manfrotto befree travel which came with a ball head.

Maybe it's because I've got used to the ball head which came with my first tripod that I've struggled to get to grips with the new 3-way, but after thinking about it, and having been out on a few shoots with it, I feel that I prefer ball heads due to way they seem to be much quicker to setup and get a shot composed quickly.

I am impressed with the 3-way head though, it's built very well indeed and I have been pleased with the photos I've taken with it, but I just prefer the faster setup of a ball head.

So Wex are kindly allowing me to send it back and will credit me with £94 or so.

I'd like to buy a solid ball head to fit on my tripod and am after suggestions for this price or near to it - I could go up to around £150ish.

Thanks for any advice!

Mark twiglet · 5 Sep 2017

Ball head get the manfrotto one that's about 65 squid [emoji223] or if you like me love the 3 way then the 410 geared which Is top of your budget

TLR-330 · 5 Sep 2017

What camera + long(er) lens combination would you be using?

smr · 5 Sep 2017

TLR-330 said:
What camera + long(er) lens combination would you be using?

Canon 80D. Longest and heaviest lens is my Sigma 150-600, I doubt I'll be getting anything heavier for a while. But I'm thinking about buying a gimbal head soon as well so the Sigma 150-600 doesn't neccessarily have to come into the equation with the ball head.

So basically a ball head for my landscape lenses - ultra light 10-18mm EFS etc. If I can get a ball head which longer and heavier lenses can fit on for the budget then that's fine. Rather invest in quality.

Foxbat Flyer · 5 Sep 2017

I'm very pleased with my Manfrotto XPRO Ball Head, it takes the weight of a 5D and any of my lenses. I think it would be a good match for the 055 tripod.

http://www.wexphotographic.com/manfrotto-xpro-ball-head-with-200pl-plate-1575818/

I believe it is available with an Arca Swiss clamp but it is more expensive, I prefer the 200LPL version, quick release and no unwanted movement.

Chris

nandbytes · 5 Sep 2017

sirui ballheads are pretty good for the price. I had K40x which was well worth the money.

Mark twiglet · 5 Sep 2017

Ball head and geared head is as bad an argument as Canon or Nikon! (It's Nikon BTW)

TLR-330 · 5 Sep 2017

smr said:
So basically a ball head for my landscape lenses - ultra light 10-18mm EFS etc.

Which raises the question why get rid of your 3 way head. Yes, the ball head will be quicker but it is not as if the landscape will run away from you.

I would too suggest the XPRO head at £109 in Wex BUT the 200PL (or whatever is the plate name) may not agree with your camera if you put a heavy lens (e.g 70-300mm zoom). My nikon flexes at its base as the plate is too small but is happy with the same lens on a head with a bigger plate. If push comes to shove the 200PL architectural (example here) may help a bit more (you can find it cheaper). If money stretches get a hydrostatic head with the long plate (example) It can easily take your Sigma lens but why would you want a big lens on a ball head is another story.

smr · 5 Sep 2017

TLR-330 said:
Which raises the question why get rid of your 3 way head. Yes, the ball head will be quicker but it is not as if the landscape will run away from you.

I would too suggest the XPRO head at £109 in Wex BUT the 200PL (or whatever is the plate name) may not agree with your camera if you put a heavy lens (e.g 70-300mm zoom). My nikon flexes at its base as the plate is too small but is happy with the same lens on a head with a bigger plate. If push comes to shove the 200PL architectural (example here) may help a bit more (you can find it cheaper). If money stretches get a hydrostatic head with the long plate (example) It can easily take your Sigma lens but why would you want a big lens on a ball head is another story.

Because my old tripod ball head had one knob on it to lock it in place and was really quick to use, the 3 way head has 3 knobs on it which needs more adjusting.

TLR-330 · 5 Sep 2017

smr said:
Because my old tripod ball head had one knob on it to lock it in place

Yes I know. When you release the knob, you lose all settings whilst you may have only wanted to adjust one ... which is why many people will tell you for landscape to get the 410 geared head. They don't care about speed but they want minute adjustment in one dimension only (or something like that).
As a by the by comment, if you still have your old ball head, will it not do, so it gives you some time to decide?

This is the 410 head. I believe it allows for fast movement and then minute geared movement [and I have not used one].

simonbarker · 5 Sep 2017

TLR-330 said:
This is the 410 head. I believe it allows for fast movement and then minute geared movement [and I have not used one].

You really don't want a 410 for fast movements, you get a geared head because you want to make small precise adjustments most of the time and anyway it's still not a ball head.

I quite like the RRS heads but they're super expensive, here's a good copy well within the ops budget: https://www.novo-photo.com/novo-lgh-30-ball-head.html

Other than that I always got the impression a lot of ballheads fall into the same middle ground mush, all of the Manfrotto 49X stuff seemed much the same besides size, the XPro ballhead seemed reasonably nice from the little I've used them but they're not the cheapest.

johnf3f · 5 Sep 2017

Triopo RS3 - very light, very cheap and supports any lens that Canon/Nikon currently make.
Now the (inevitable) downside! You will need to add a QR clamp, not a biggie as they are cheap but the original top plate can be reluctant to move - a goodly amount of brute force and ignorance will get this sorted! Secondly this head has only one control lever for everything, I like this, but it is a bit all or nothing so bear that in mind.

Happy deciding.

TLR-330 · 5 Sep 2017

simonbarker said:
You really don't want a 410 for fast movements, you get a geared head because you want to make small precise adjustments most of the time

Take #2.
Doesn't the head have some trick with its dual knobs where one knob allows for fast movement and the other knob does the microadjustment?

and anyway it's still not a ball head.

Thank you. I mentioned ball heads and plates on ballheads further up the thread.

simonbarker · 6 Sep 2017

TLR-330 said:
Take #2.
Doesn't the head have some trick with its dual knobs where one knob allows for fast movement and the other knob does the microadjustment?

It does, next to the small round rubber knobs for geared adjustment there's a larger dial. Turning one of those disengages the gears so you can make large adjustments. It's a very nice feature for a geared head but is less practical than the adjustments you'll find on a non-geared head. If you're really after a geared head for a lighter camera you may be better off with the Xpro version instead.

smr · 6 Sep 2017

I'm missing soemthing here, whats the difference between the 3 way head and a geared head?

Foxbat Flyer · 6 Sep 2017

smr said:
I'm missing soemthing here, whats the difference between the 3 way head and a geared head?

The 410 geared head offers more precise adjustments, making fine tuning much easier.

Take a look at some of the You Tube videos, that will help to show the difference.

Chris

simonbarker · 6 Sep 2017

smr said:
I'm missing soemthing here, whats the difference between the 3 way head and a geared head?

To expand on what Chris says:

On a normal 3 way head turning the knob/handle will unlock that axis for full movement, on a geared head instead of loosening the axis turning the knob/dial turns a gear making it a much more precise and small adjustment.

Craig_85 · 6 Sep 2017

nandbytes said:
sirui ballheads are pretty good for the price. I had K40x which was well worth the money.

This, I have a K20 on one tripod for people lightness and a K40 on another to weigh it down.

Arguably a K30 is what you are after. Just a bargain version of markins imo.

nandbytes · 6 Sep 2017

Craig_85 said:
This, I have a K20 on one tripod for people lightness and a K40 on another to weigh it down.

Arguably a K30 is what you are after. Just a bargain version of markins imo.

I replaced my K40 with markins Q3i (partly because I wanted lighter better option). So I personally prefer markins and its definitely on the next level even if they are aimed at different classes.

As someone commented on my ballhead thread Markins really hits sweet spot for weight and performance. Very hard to beat.