Tripod + Ball Head suggestions

rclarke80

rclarke80

Messages
512
Name
Rich
Edit My Images
No
Hi folks,

I'm after a tripod and ball head to support a good weight (roughly 7kg?), are there any good cheap (ideally, hopefully!) suggestions out there?
 
It depends what you call cheap. Have a look at manfrotto, they do various tripods/heads that although not cheap will last you many many years. Tripods are one of those items that if you buy right once won't need to buy again for a long time. Other options to look at are redsnapper and maybe benro.
 
To add, I'm one of those who has bought numerous cheap tripods and now I've actually got the Manfrotto I wonder why I didn't just buy one of those to start with, it's an excellent piece of kit.
 
•
At this point, my experience with FEISOL since over 14 months is of high
satisfaction. Great quality, reasonable prices and many options are available.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDABLE!
 
Last edited:
Get something without a centre column if you're holding that much weight. I have a Benro. I'd add Feisol to your list too like Kodiak says. There's probably a 100 tripod threads on here already...
7kg is a serious ball head- gimbal instead?
 
Last edited:
Now my camera set up of choice is Fuji I have a Gitzo series 3 systematic and Markins M10 ballhead surplus to requirements. Would do the job admirably, but cheap wouldn't be my description of them, if interested I could list them in the classified section

To answer your question the above would obviously be my choice, why perch presumably expensive kit on a wobbly fifty quids worth of tripod
 
It's going to be shooting time lapse stuff, so panoramic motion equipment plus potentially a 1d with 70-200 is lens on. 7kg would see me safe I reckon. So far found Benro BH2 Aluminium Ball Head at £64 sounds good. Just gonna look at some tripods now.
 
Benro do a few around the £99mark that will cover 8kg upwards. So at £163 all in, that doesn't sound too bad does it?
 
I'd take a hard look at the quick release mechanism on that ball head before committing to buy it.

I'm not at all familiar with Benro equipment but I do know the Manfrotto range a bit, and there may be similarities. Manfrotto use two different quick release systems on their heads, called RC2 and RC4. The two Manfrotto tripods recommended earlier in this thread by @Nawty both had heads which use the RC2 system. However, personally I wouldn't trust RC2 with a heavy lens. I think it would be relatively easy to pull or knock the plate out of its mounting. By contrast the RC4 system is completely bomb proof and I'd happily tryst it with even a 600mm or 800mm lens. Take a look at pictures of the two systems and you'll see the difference.

Now the Benro head you're looking at has a quick release system which looks very similar to the Manfrotto RC2. If I were you I'd want to handle one, or get as much advice as possible about its suitability with heavy equipment, before buying it.
 
Last edited:
StewartR said:
I'd take a hard look at the quick release mechanism on that ball head before committing to buy it.

I'm not at all familiar with Benro equipment but I do know the Manfrotto range a bit, and there may be similarities. Manfrotto use two different quick release systems on their heads, called RC2 and RC4. The two Manfrotto tripods recommended earlier in this thread by @Nawty both had heads which use the RC2 system. However, personally I wouldn't trust RC2 with a heavy lens. I think it would be relatively easy to pull or knock the plate out of its mounting. By contrast the RC4 system is completely bomb proof and I'd happily tryst it with even a 600mm or 800mm lens. Take a look at pictures of the two systems and you'll see the difference.

Now the Benro head you're looking at has a quick release system which looks very similar to the Manfrotto RC2. If I were you I'd want to handle one, or get as much advice as possible about its suitability with heavy equipment, before buying it.
Click to expand...
I can see what Stuart means. If you can afford the extra £10-15 I would go with an Acra Swiss quick release plate. Acra Swiss is the standard most photographers use. You can also get bits like L brackets or plates design to clip onto camera straps. Acra Swiss is helpful to get the lens balance point right too.
 
Last edited:
Just to throw a couple of things to consider when buying a tripod. I was in a camera shop a few years ago and there were a good number of tripods set up with various heads which made me realise the limitations of my tripods. I was able to try out and compare the locking mechanisms on the legs and heads which is something to consider if you're setting up at night. If you can get a chance to do the same using your own camera it may pay dividends in the long run.

I have couple of old Benbos and a more recent Redsnapper. One Benbo is the original design and the other is a lightweight version. They're really great for uneven ground, getting close to the ground and standing in water due to their design but the lightweight one is not as rigid enough for my Nikon (which is much lighter than your combo) The Redsnapper is also fairly lightweight but could do with being quite a bit taller. I love the big Benbo and would buy the same model again but if I'd tried the Redsnapped before I bought it I'd have chosen something different and taller to allow for heavier bodies and lenses. The lightweight Benbo is useful for small cameras and off camera flash so is still worth having.
 
I posted a similar thread 2 month ago. After a long research I stopped on 3 tripods :
1. Calumet CK 8157
https://www.calphoto.co.uk/product/Calumet-8157-4-Section-8x-Carbon-Fibre-Tripod/CK8157

2. Feisol CT-3371
http://www.globaltechcommerce.co.uk/feisoluk/14-ct-3371-large.html

3. Manfrotto mt055cxpro3
http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-...fpnojzyxlw1kouseptufl9cari1m_du2yyaarbh8p8haq

My final choice was Manfrotto MT055CXpro3. You can get one from Wex for £242.10 if you use discount code POD-10.

 
markyboy.1967 said:
What do you shoot and what equipment are you using? I have started using a Kirk Bh1 head which im loving. Rock solid with my equipment and easy to set up and use.
Click to expand...

So you went with the kirk Mark? I keep looking at the RRS BH-55 as its £100 cheaper than the kirk. Must replace my manfrottos!

Stewart is right about the RC-2 issue, has resulted in my D750 and 14-24 falling off and a costly repair!
 
Livin The Dream said:
So you went with the kirk Mark? I keep looking at the RRS BH-55 as its £100 cheaper than the kirk. Must replace my manfrottos!

Stewart is right about the RC-2 issue, has resulted in my D750 and 14-24 falling off and a costly repair!
Click to expand...

Yeah got the Kirk Bh1 on here. Quite a big step up from my last head but also heavier. Had the 600f4 and 1.4 Tc on it last night to try it out on moon shots and it was rock solid. Very easy to use in the dark as well with the different sized knobs/controllers. For me it was a good choice and suites my needs for now.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for all the info, and boy is there a lot of info to consider in this thread. Really appreciate it, will take some time to mull it all over and make sure it's just the one purchase, getting the right item from the off.
 
Personally I would up your budget a little and get a Benro B1.

It's a cracking little head. The ball is fairly large so will not only support the weight but at 12kg load will be a lot more resistant to sag than the bh2 you linked. Plus it uses an arca swiss quick release which is a very standard plate.
 
Balancing 7kg on a budget ball head will lead to frustration at best, and quite possibly disappointment. Manufacturers' load rating are plucked from the air by the marketing department and next to useless. If you get 7kg a bit off balance, the cheapest ball head I would suggest is a Manfrotto Hydrostatic. TBH though, I'd go for a 3-way head, eg Manfrotto 804RC2 is quite cheap and light and should be up to it. For panoramic work, a head-levelling accessory saves a lot of faffing around getting the tripod dead level, and if you're shooting closer subjects (as opposed to more distant landscapy stuff) then a nodal rail too, for accurate stitching.
 
I like how the legs of that redsnapper tripod open fully so you can have it really low.

The head levelling suggestion too, would that be necessary with a ball head? Surely the ball head is just as easy to level things up, no? Or am i missing something?
 
rclarke80 said:
I like how the legs of that redsnapper tripod open fully so you can have it really low.

The head levelling suggestion too, would that be necessary with a ball head? Surely the ball head is just as easy to level things up, no? Or am i missing something?
Click to expand...

The best way to shoot a regular panorama is to level the head, then leave the ball locked and rotate the camera using the panning base. But it won't pan flat unless the tripod is dead level and the ball is exactly upright. A levelling base avoids the need for an exactly level tripod. Same applies to a 3-way head too. An even better solution is a head with a panning top platform, eg this Sunwayfoto ball head http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SUNWAYFOT...-Sunway-NEW-/251025955515?hash=item3a72501abb That makes flat panning dead easy.

What exactly are you wanting to do? Time-lapse panoramas with a 70-200 lens sounds a bit out of the ordinary.
 
sorry I don't think I was clear, I will be using an automated timelapse rotation piece of kit on top of the ball head. Therefore that would cancel out the head levelling thing?

As for the 70-200, yeah different but the majority of the time it would be my 16-35mm. It'd just need to carry the weight when needed.

I love a bit of landscape with the 70-200mm....
8457267796_9cb5b9fefb_b.jpg
8454979265_5f9ce98436_b.jpg
And even with a 400mm!10337715_10152469526962772_7302455545925937117_n.jpg
 
rclarke80 said:
sorry I don't think I was clear, I will be using an automated timelapse rotation piece of kit on top of the ball head. Therefore that would cancel out the head levelling thing?

As for the 70-200, yeah different but the majority of the time it would be my 16-35mm. It'd just need to carry the weight when needed.

<snip>
Click to expand...

If it works the way I imagine it does, then yes.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top