Help me find a ball head

CT said:
LOL. I remember scratching my head when I first started looking at this stuff. :D
Click to expand...

So, if I moved away from the 393 head Cedric, I would need a Wimberley type head and arca plates to match the length /weight of the lens and lens foot?

Nothing else.
 
Last edited:
fracster said:
So, if I moved away from the 393 head Cedric, I would need a Wimberley type head and arca plates to match the length /weight of the lens and lens foot?

Nothing else.
Click to expand...

You got it baby. :thumbs:

I rate the 393 as you know, but it's biggest drawback is the non- generic type arca plate. All my lenses have suitabe Arca plates permanently attached, but in the case of the 300mm 2.8L Is - it has the 393 plate attached which means if I want to use it, I have to swap the plate on the lens or switch heads on the tripod which is a PITA, so I'm also thinking about an alternative true Arca type gimbal, and I must admit I'm leaning a little towards the Acratech for compactness, although I really don't know enough about it.
 
Last edited:
I`ll go and count my pennies in the piggybank.............:thumbs:
 
LOL. Looking at the Acratech it seems you might need an 'L 'bracket ii you wanted to use it as gimbal with the camera in landscape orientation which would be a bit of a pain?

599678.jpg
 
Last edited:
CT said:
LOL. Looking at the Acratech it seems you might need an 'L 'bracket ii you wanted to use it as gimbal with the camera in landscape orientation which would be a bit of a pain?

599678.jpg
Click to expand...

Doh! although you could of course just rotate the lens in the collar. :D
 
On L brackets in general, as I said I wish I'd got one years ago, and with it the AS compatible head and plate system I have now. My Markins L bracket is extremely light and strong, and stays on all the time. It's smoothly rounded and it's just fit and forget. It's one of those rare things that is just there and works. A nice bonus for me is that I can attach an R-Strap shoulder sling directly to the lug on it.

For anyone thinking of getting one of those lovely looking and expensive Acratech ball heads with the neat integral gimbal trick, make sure you try before you buy. It moves left/right on lock down. Like it says in this review http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Acratech-GV2-Ballhead-Review.aspx and like it did when I tried one to check this out :thumbsdown:
 
I just cannot get my head around how a ball head can replace a dedicated gimbal type head..........:shrug:
 
fracster said:
I just cannot get my head around how a ball head can replace a dedicated gimbal type head..........:shrug:
Click to expand...

I don't think it really can Ade. They perform the function of a normal ball head and a gimbal - up to a point, and they're light and compact. I'll probably be looking elsewhere when the time comes.
 
fracster said:
I just cannot get my head around how a ball head can replace a dedicated gimbal type head..........:shrug:
Click to expand...

It can't really, have alook at the page Richard (Hoppy) alluded to and roll mouse over pic as suggested. All it shows is the ball positioned in the slot,you can do this with most ball-heads certainly the Arca-Swiss but as you say it dosen't replace a proper Gimbal. Getting the balance right is a real pain also, even with a long plate on the lens.
C
 
I must admit I'm still a bit intrigued by the Acratech long lens head. Looking at this video I'm sure it will do the job, but I notice the guy never lets go of the camera? It's a good price compared to some of the alternatives and weighs less than 1lb.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_HWWa-fyow

The other one I like is the Jobo heavy duty gimbal but it's a lot more money. Anyone know if there is a UK Jobo supplier?
 
Tell you what Cedric, you buy one and let me know if they are any good.........;)
 
fracster said:
Tell you what Cedric, you buy one and let me know if they are any good.........;)
Click to expand...

I was gonna suggest the same to you. ;) I dunno - I just might do, it's only going to tend to be used with the 300 2.8 mostly anyway.
 
CT said:
I must admit I'm still a bit intrigued by the Acratech long lens head. Looking at this video I'm sure it will do the job, but I notice the guy never lets go of the camera? It's a good price compared to some of the alternatives and weighs less than 1lb.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_HWWa-fyow

The other one I like is the Jobo heavy duty gimbal but it's a lot more money. Anyone know if there is a UK Jobo supplier?
Click to expand...

Before you do have a look a the Wimberley gimbal Mk11, just got one on a good deal from Kerso.PM him for price, seems to vary almost daily.
Tried a friends a short while ago . Brilliant. I use min with either the 500mm F4 or 300 f2.8
You can let go of the camera and lens as well !
Just make sure you set it up correctly, forward and backward on lens plate and correct height adjustment. comes with full instructions anyway.
You know it makes sense !
C
 
Last edited:
While we're on the subject of quality tripod heads, here's a nice one I just stumbled across. Induro PHQ1, £315 on Amazon UK http://www.indurogear.com/products_details_PHQ1.html#features

I've never seen one, but it looks like a very high quality 3-way pan-tilt (Induro is the international trading name of Benro) with an extra panning base on top, which is why they call it 5-way. Arca compatible.

Seems like it would do most things pretty well. In theory you can even turn it into a kind of gimbal (in a similar way to the Acratech ball head) by flipping it upright and rotating on the top panning plate.

Just thought I'd share :)
 
Right... I've got one of these on the way!

BA900L-FRONT.gif


And I just got a RedSnapper RSH-12 which just arrived (only ordered yesterday)

http://www.redsnapperuk.com/tripod-RSH-ballhead.html


So... the "RRS" is on the way.. are they any other bits and bobs I need to buy to attach the RRS L-plate to the ballhead or am I sorted.. can't quite figure out how the ballhead would attach to the "L" plate still :nuts:
 
can't quite figure out how the ballhead would attach to the "L" plate

Assuming the head is the correct size, looking at your pic the two grooves on the side or underneath of your L_plate will just slide into head.
Tighten up and your done.
The plate that comes with the head you can use with one of your long lenses
with a tripod ring that's built in.
C
 
Thanks CT and Ceejay - maybe it'll all make sense when the "L" plate arrives :nuts:
 
puddleduck said:
Thanks CT and Ceejay - maybe it'll all make sense when the "L" plate arrives :nuts:
Click to expand...
It will. If uou look at a straight generic Arca plate it has 'V' shaped grooves riuning along each each edge which the jaws of the ball head tighten into to hoild it. The 'L' plate has those grooves on both the vertical and horizontal axis of the plate, so it's just an 'L' shaped Arca Swiss plate really.
 
While on the subject of good ballheads there's a fab Acratech GV2 for sale in the accessories section of the classified.

The seller is a good looking bloke too :D

:coat:
 
Pleased to report the RedSnapper RSH-12 ballhead and Kirk plate work well together - seems a very well made ballhead, certainly a few leagues above a Manfrotto 488 RC I used to own. Need to get it out in the field with an A900 + nice lens on to really see how it'll pan outt, but from a quick examination, the ballhead is lovely and smooth, and certainly feels like very good value for £50!

Just need to wait for the RRS "L" bracket for my A900 to arrive and I'm cooking with gas :)



DSC00246.jpg


​
 
Glad you like the head Andy - great value for £50.

As an aside, because all camera/lenses without tripod collars are quite front heavy and therefore put tension on the head even before you position it, I've bolted together a simple device that allows you to slide the camera backwards, and then sideways a bit on the L-bracket so that it's perfectly balanced. When the camera is all square, it will stay there balanced, with almost zero friction on the ball. It makes delicate adjustment much easier, and gives almost the same sort of precision you get with a geared head! Kind of ;)

It's just a spare 70mm Arca plate (or longer) bolted to the end of another clamp (you can get them for £20 if you search around). The plate then drops into the regular clamp, slide the camera back about 30mm and sideways a bit, and the balance is perfect.

I love the way you can frame things up quickly and easily and exactly, then lock it down and nothing moves :thumbs: I'm thinking of having a nice custom jobbie made by a chap in America - v helpful guy, and not that expensive really. Kris Hejnar http://stores.ebay.com/Hejnar-Photo...Q2ec0Q2em14?_trksid=p4634.c0.m14.l1513&_pgn=1
 
fracster said:
I just cannot get my head around how a ball head can replace a dedicated gimbal type head..........:shrug:
Click to expand...

As I said earler Frac, I don't think it can, but having just had the Acratech GV-2 delivered, and having had a good play, I have to say I'm mightily impressed.

Is the gimbal function a gimmick? Definitely not -I've been testing it with the max advised load which is a7D with battery grip, 300mm 2.8L , 2XTC, and 580EX flash hotshoe mounted. The head pans smoothly with that load and can be tilted to any angle with the touch of a finger and it stays there. It's a very fuctional gimbal head as well as a top class ballhead in it's own right.

Limitations? Because the camera isn't central over the centre of the tripod head in gimbal mode, it would be less stable in situations where you didn't want to spread the legs too much to keep a small footprint, (as is the case in some hides) but with a normal spread on the legs there's no problem at all.

To those who say that any ball head should be able to perform this function - don't believe it. I used to think the same until I tried it with my heavy duty ball head with the same load I've just subjected the GV-2 to. There's a world of difference between just putting the ball over 90 degs into that slot and continually tilting up and down with it. The resistance was obvious with the ball head and it's actually done it no good - it no longer slacks off the ball as completely as it did, although it's still perfectly functional. The GV-2 is designed to perform this function, having a large collar which fits into the 'U' slot and a short shaft at the other end of the ball which locates in a slot in the housing when in gimbal mode, so it's effectively rotating around a shaft when you tilt up and down.

I'll try to do a full review when I've used it in anger, but for now I'd have to say that as a 'normal' ball head it's first class, and that as a gimbal it works well for lenses up to around the weight of the 300mm 2.8L.
 
Last edited:
Well i went for a red snapper ballhead in the end.
Hopefully should arrive today.

Is there a cunning way to attache the 70-300 to a tripod.
I no it doesn't have a foot mount but is there another way ?
 
CT said:
As I said earler Frac, I don't think it can, but having just had the Acratech GV-2 delivered, and having had a good play, I have to say I'm mightily impressed.

Is the gimbal function a gimmick? Definitely not -I've been testing it with the max advised load which is a7D with battery grip, 300mm 2.8L , 2XTC, and 580EX flash hotshoe mounted. The head pans smoothly with that load and can be tilted to any angle with the touch of a finger and it stays there. It's a very fuctional gimbal head as well as a top class ballhead in it's own right.

Limitations? Because the camera isn't central over the centre of the tripod head in gimbal mode, it would be less stable in situations where you didn't want to spread the legs too much to keep a small footprint, (as is the case in some hides) but with a normal spread on the legs there's no problem at all.

To those who say that any ball head should be able to perform this function - don't believe it. I used to think the same until I tried it with my heavy duty ball head with the same load I've just subjected the GV-2 to. There's a world of difference between just putting the ball over 90 degs into that slot and continually tilting up and down with it. The resistance was obvious with the ball head and it's actually done it no good - it no longer slacks off the ball as completely as it did, although it's still perfectly functional. The GV-2 is designed to perform this function, having a large collar which fits into the 'U' slot and a short shaft at the other end of the ball which locates in a slot in the housing when in gimbal mode, so it's effectively rotating around a shaft when you tilt up and down.

I'll try to do a full review when I've used it in anger, but for now I'd have to say that as a 'normal' ball head it's first class, and that as a gimbal it works well for lenses up to around the weight of the 300mm 2.8L.
Click to expand...

Very interesting Cedric :thumbs: Look forward to your review. I have posted before about how this ball head moves noticeably left/right on lock down; what have you found?

Another way of replicating this gimbal method with any ball head is this PCL-1 pan base jobbie from Really Right Stuff http://reallyrightstuff.com/pano/02.html Pop it on the head (easier with the dovetail plate) and turn it upright. Expensive at £200 by the time you've imported it though.

A much cheaper alternative is this Feisol PB-70 for £40 http://www.feisoluk.com/p85/PB-70---Panning-Base/product_info.html It's a very high quality item. You need to add a plate to the bottom (£10) and another clamp on top (£20 if you search around) to make it practical and easy, but I've got one that I use for panaormas and it works fine as a gimbal also, especially if you mount it via an extension bar as I have done (another £20) so you can reverse it and get the balance much better. In that configuration it works in the same way as a Wimberley Side-Kick.
 
Last edited:
HoppyUK said:
Very interesting Cedric :thumbs: Look forward to your review. I have posted before about how this ball head moves noticeably left/right on lock down; what have you found?
Click to expand...

2nd link isn't working Richard.

I'll do some tests on the lock down rotation and let you know. I was aware of the issue, but for every user who says it's an issue there seem to be three who say it isn't. I shall report scrupulousy honestly of course. :D
 
CT said:
2nd link isn't working Richard.
Click to expand...

Link works for me. It's www.feisoluk.com - their PB-70 pan base for £42

I'll do some tests on the lock down rotation and let you know. I was aware of the issue, but for every user who says it's an issue there seem to be three who say it isn't. I shall report scrupulousy honestly of course. :D
Click to expand...

I think the phenominon exists. Acratech admited to me that it was a potential problem for macro when often there's both high magnificiation and quite a lot of leverage on the ball. But I found it happened all the time.

But whether or not that's an 'issue' depends on your use I guess. If you're using it as a gimbal mostly, you maybe never tighten it up fully at all. And for landscape it's probably neither here nor there.

Apart from that, there's so much to like about the Acratech. Very functional with really useful features, innovative design and lovely engineering, plus very light weight :thumbs: I could forgive it a lot for that.
 
HoppyUK said:
I think the phenominon exists. Acratech admited to me that it was a potential problem for macro when often there's both high magnificiation and quite a lot of leverage on the ball. But I found it happened all the time.

But whether or not that's an 'issue' depends on your use I guess. If you're using it as a gimbal mostly, you maybe never tighten it up fully at all. And for landscape it's probably neither here nor there.

Apart from that, there's so much to like about the Acratech. Very functional with really useful features, innovative design and lovely engineering, plus very light weight :thumbs: I could forgive it a lot for that.
Click to expand...

Well the phenomenon is definitely there - I've just done some tests with the RB67 in close-up mode with the bellows racked right out and you can see that the head creeps slightly right as you progressively tighten it. In fact, it creeps back as you progressively slack it off too. It's very easy to correct for with the pan function and as this would really only be an issue for macro anyway as you rightly say, I can't say it concerns me at all.

It arguably only occurs when you're tightening the ball tighter than you actually need to? I found this to be the case and the RB 67 is a heavy brute.

Either way I agree, it's very light and beautifully engineered so I don't see it leaving me any time soon. :love:
 
Thanks Cedric. An RB67 on that little head is a good enough test!

Thought I'd post some pics of my latest invention which I touched on above but a picture paints a thousand words an' all that. Here's my gimbal-panoramic-nodal-balancing clamp! Total cost about £80. And yes it does all those things pretty well :)

This is it. Pan base is a Feisol PB-70 for £42. It's very well engineered http://www.feisoluk.com/Bases/c45/p....html?osCsid=9217514d89bb38b1e974c960fca292c7 140mm Arca-style bar is £20 from Camera Gear UK http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Camera-Gea...1017QQ_sidZ4097057QQ_trksidZp4634Q2ec0Q2em322 50mm Arca clamp is £20 also from Camera Gear UK.

IMG_3078-1.jpg



Here it is used gimbal style, like a Wimberley Sidekick.
IMG_3088-1-1.jpg



Here used as a panoramic head.
IMG_3095-1-1.jpg



As a balancing clamp here. In this position, slid back about an inch and a half, with a 5D2 and 24-105L on it, it balances perfectly. Makes accurate adjustment much easier, as there is almost zero clamping tension on the ball. I use it like this all the time. You can get perfect balance at almost any angle, plus left/right balance sliding sideways on the top camera clamp.
IMG_3096-1-1.jpg



Move the bar right to the end and it's exactly long enough to work as a nodal rail with 17-40L (for accurate alignment of close distance panormas, interiors etc).
IMG_3101-1.jpg
 
Last edited:
That's a very nice use of lots of bits and bobs there to solve 3 or 4 uses cases at once :clap:
 
Good bit of ingenuity there Hoppy. :thumbs: That Feisol pan base looks to be a bargain!
 
Cheers guys :)

Yes, that little Feisol base is extremely good for £40. It appears to be essentially identical to the RRS equivalent at four times the price. But it's actually almost useless without a couple more bits, at least some method of attaching a camera - it comes with just a 3/8in female thread on the bottom and a male 3/8in stud on the top.
 
Is there any way to fit that panning base in between the ball and the first clamp? I.e. so the axis of rotation is below the 'nodal point' of the lens.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top