Which panoramic tripod head?

StewartR

StewartR

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Stewart
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I feel the need to invest in a panoramic tripod head. I'd appreciate the views of those who have used any of them.

I think my shortlist probably includes:
  • Manfrotto 303 (but this comes in several flavours - which is best?)
  • Manfrotto 057 (which flavour?)
  • Nodal Ninja NN3 or NN4 (which?)
  • Nodal Ninja M1
  • anything else...?

Price isn't particularly an issue, but I am particularly concerned with how easy it is to set up one of these rigs to use a particular camera/lens combo "properly" (i.e. without parallax errors).
 
Have you looked at Really Right Stuff? They have some great kit for panoramas.
 
I haven't used any of their panorama stuff, but I've heard good things. Their parorama walk through is probably the best place to start.
 
I've a Nodal Ninja 3 (on a feisol traveller) and it's been great.

I might go for a Nodal Ninja R1 and a pole if I had some spare cash.

or maybe one of these (8mm fisheye required)
 
Craikeybaby said:
I haven't used any of their panorama stuff, but I've heard good things. Their parorama walk through is probably the best place to start.
Click to expand...

Cheers Lewis. That link is very helpful. Unfortunately it also effectively rules out Really Right Stuff gear for me, because all their camera mounting plates are model-specific - which is no good for a hire environment.

I'll have to check how the other systems cope with different camera bodies. This may have to be the decider for me.
 
john-oh said:
I've a Nodal Ninja 3 (on a feisol traveller) and it's been great.

I might go for a Nodal Ninja R1 and a pole if I had some spare cash.
Click to expand...
How easy did you find the NN3 to set up and adjust correctly for your lens?
What would the R1 offer you that the NN3 doesn't?
 
The NN3 was fairly easy to setup, once you got the method.
A very useful addition was the Rail stops which were provided additionally (mines a Mk1)

If you are considering this for hire, you may need to watch the size/weight the head can carry, I use a Canon 40D, but I'm not sure if the NN3 is suitable for 'grown up' cameras'. :)
Here's the NN product selector.

http://www.panoguide.com/ has been a useful source of expertise, although they all seem a lot more dedicated / able than me.

A regular contributor to the above is John Houghton whom I regard as a pano 'god'. His tutorial page is here

I fancy trying the R1 on a pole, to get a higher prospect and because I like to try new things.:lol:
 
I use a NN3 mk2 head with quick release.
It only takes me a few seconds to set up on location.
However....
The NN M1 range is the best "universal" head I know, it is very stable and precision made.

The best for spherical using a fisheye lens for fast and simple set up is the NN R1 range.

The NN3 is excellent with lighter and smaller cameras
The NN4 is a less expensive Option, if the M1 is out of your price range.

All the NN brackets allow you to take excellent pans with out problems.

I use a Manfrotto 055b pro tripod with out any normal head between it and the NN3 mkk2.
I level with the legs alone. (quick and more stable.)

Most of the problems in making stitched panoramas is in using the software. ( I use PTAssembler, But if I was doing spherical I would use PTGui.
The main errors come from the control point picker which can select very unsuitable control points... like on clouds, leaves, water or objects that move.
It is often best to intervene by selecting at least some of your own points and removing others.

The whole process is very quick once you have gone though the usual learning curve.

I take at least half my pans hand held and have no problem stitching them even when taken with a small point and shoot snap shot like this. Some software would find the Speaker in the foreground a nightmare to sort. There is one parallax error on a Branch I have not bothered to fix but it would be easy in PS.
easter-witness.jpg
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john-oh said:
The NN3 was fairly easy to setup, once you got the method.
A very useful addition was the Rail stops which were provided additionally (mines a Mk1)

If you are considering this for hire, you may need to watch the size/weight the head can carry, I use a Canon 40D, but I'm not sure if the NN3 is suitable for 'grown up' cameras'. :)
Here's the NN product selector.

http://www.panoguide.com/ has been a useful source of expertise, although they all seem a lot more dedicated / able than me.

A regular contributor to the above is John Houghton whom I regard as a pano 'god'. His tutorial page is here

I fancy trying the R1 on a pole, to get a higher prospect and because I like to try new things.:lol:
Click to expand...

I use a special modified manfrotto quick release on my NN mk2 That just gives me 2mm clearance when using the 17mm setting on my Canon 40d. However I agree that the NN3 is non suitable for Pro style cameras.
The NN4 with long arms will fit but the best of all is the M1 range.

useful links
http://www.tawbaware.com/tufusepro.htm
http://www.tawbaware.com/forum2/
http://www.nodalninja.com/index.html
http://www.nodalninja.com/forum/
http://www.tawbaware.com/maxlyons/
http://www.tawbaware.com/ptasmblr.htm
Click to expand...
 
StewartR said:
Cheers Lewis. That link is very helpful. Unfortunately it also effectively rules out Really Right Stuff gear for me, because all their camera mounting plates are model-specific - which is no good for a hire environment.

I'll have to check how the other systems cope with different camera bodies. This may have to be the decider for me.
Click to expand...

The camera plates are the Arca-Swiss design. Dozens of manufacturers make universal fit Arca-Swiss plates.

The disadvantage of Really Right Stuff is that they have no UK retailers.
 
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