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hi,
after 15 years using the berlebach levelling head i want to buy a 3 way head.
i would love to buy a geard head like the manfrotto 400 but its to expensive for me.
alternatives are,
1. manfrotto 229
2. gitzo 1570
3. manfrotto 160
i will use it with a heavy field camera and long tele lenses.
can somebody compare between them? what would you buy.
thanks, boris
The one on the far right looks like the renamed and renumbered version of a Bogen 3057 head I used with an 8x10 Deardorff. It was an excellent head, very sturdy with the 4" square base. The only downside was its weight. I'd cetainly recommend it to anyone using a 12+ pound camera who wasn't planning to hike long distances. I don't know anything about the other two. I've had several that looked like the one on the left (mine were Bogen 3039 and Bogen 3047) but I'm not sure the one you picture is either of those. If by chance it is then the one on the right would be a better choice IMHO for a heavy (12+) pound camera.
the first on the left is a bogen 3039 (manfrotto 229) load capacity 12kg.
the far right (#160) is rated till 10kg.
why would you choose #160
Because the Bogen 3057 I had felt sturdier, more solid, and had a larger base that seemed like it would support an 8x10 camera better than the Bogen 3039 I had (though I never used the 3039 with an 8x10 camera).Quote:
Originally Posted by boris
thank you brian.
i would like to buy the manfrotto 160 (bogen 3057) because of the comparative short handel. i was just unsure because of it's rarity. b&h doesn't sell it..
boris
If they're not still made, it might be possible to find a 4"x4" plate for the 3039 on the left. I know that Bogen made them at one time. Having a 26lb capacity makes it one of Bogen's most sturdy heads. I have this head and really like it. It's kind of an upgrade to the 3047 that was such a great head.
As to the best of the three, I've only used the two on the left. While a great head and relatively lightweight, it's a pain to be constantly attaching and unattaching the camera to and from the middle head. It sounds like Brian has had experience with both the outside heads. I'm pretty sure that the one on the left is the 3039.
I would go for the Gitzo because it's a low profile head and will not flop around like the other two. The range of movement is less with the Gitzo but it still gives you plenty of movement to level side to side and full movement to point the front down or up. Have a nice day.
The Bogen/Manfrotto 3047 is and has been for many years, the de-facto standard three way head for 4x5 and 5x7.
+1Quote:
Originally Posted by Steven Barall
I have an older version, and it works great for field cameras. The big plate leads to a very secure connection to the camera, and the low profile puts less stress on the joints than the other two. In addition, I loath the quick release mechanisms on the other heads. A very easy way to make the Gitzo a "quick connect" head, is to hack saw the little piece of metal at the knob end of the slot which the camera screw slides in. If you do this, and I have with my head, you can slide the screw right off the back of the head. This is neat, since you can now screw the camera screw a bit into the camera, slide the whole thing onto the head, and tighten the screw. That's fast and very secure. If you have a flat bed with two camera screw recepticals on the bottom, you can use two screw and slide both into the slot. That's what I do with my Kodak D2 8x10. That's fast, extremely secure, and the camera will never rotate about the camera screw. Thanks to Jon at the old F Stops Here store for the tip.
Um, Brad, I used a 3047 very happily for years until I made a "Baby Bertha" from a 2x3 Cambo SC and a 2x3 Graflex RB Series B. Baby incorporates as many as three (3) standards, rails up to 30" (only one at a time), and the longest lens I have for her is a 610/9 Apo Nikkor. The 3047 wasn't happy under the load, flexed a little and tended to bind.
I replaced it with a 3039/229 which turned out to be much much stronger. No flexing, doesn't bind, and is much smoother with Baby as well as with lighter loads.
Stephen, I've never used a Gitzo head so can't compare any of theirs with the Manfrottos I've used. IMO the 3047 was a bit hard to tighten securely and could flop if I wasn't careful. The 3039/229 is much better in that regard, it hasn't yet changed position on me and has been much easier to tighten.
Boris, you're the person you have to please and you know what you're likely to use much better than I do. If I had it to do over I'd buy the 3039/229 again, not a 3057/160.
Good luck, have fun,
Dan
Perhaps one, but it is not the "de-facto standard". There are other choices, like the Linhof 003663 3-way leveling head. Different price points however.Quote:
Originally Posted by BradS
Dan, The design of the 3047 has changed over the years. Specifically, one of the changes addressed the issues you complain of by making the diameter of the grips on the handles much larger....sounds like you had one of the early models. The later model is much better and does not flex - even under the weight of an 8x10 Deardorff with a 300m Sironar-N mounted. Though, I have to admit, the hex plate does not instill great confidence with this much weight (almost 17 pounds altogether!) above it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dan Fromm
Um, Brad, I solved my old 3047's tightening problem by speaking to the handles' threads with powdered graphite. Its good for more than locks and Adapt-A-Roll 620s.
That said, the 3039/229 is much stronger. The 3047 just wasn't up to supporting Baby Bertha. I wish Baby weighed only 17 pounds.
I have a Manfrotto 229 and and a Bogen 3047 similar to the 160. Both use the same mounting plates. I can't speak to the gitzo. I shoot 4X5 and some digital. I prefer the 229 as its heavy and will hold up to 8X10 with no problem. I do like the levels built into the two axes, horizontal and vertical. I have no problems with the friction head. The unit is rock solid. The 3047 similar to the 160 is not as heavy as the 229. It appears to work like the 229 without the weight. I would go with the 229 or what ever is the current model.
as a matter of form. i will include the linhof option..Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Salomon - HP Marketing
1. once upon a time i had the linhof profi III ( first picture). 1900$, load12kg, weight 3,4kg. just a great head, if you don't look at the price
2. the linhof 003663 (second picture) 850$, load 5kg, weight 0,8 kg. linhof recommend this head for 4x5. 1,8 lb is to light to support a 16lb camera.
3. while browsing the linhof site i found a third optionis. very nice indeed. 1000$ load 10kg, weight 1,2kg. very low profile! height is just the half of the manfrotto 229!
two things that cause confusion regarding the third head.
1. i just miss the pan looking screw
2. i suspect that it will not pan on every tripod, because of the two metal rods going well below the base of the head. it will work well on studio stands, or a extended central column. i do not use a center column so this head is not an option for me.
boris
Personally I prefer the compact steel two way heads common on fifties to seventies studio stands (hereabouts mostly made by Plaubel, but I've also had sinar ones) - these are sturdy, immune against vibration, seem hold the weight of any camera ever made and tend to be dirt cheap.
I use the Gitzo 1570m for my 16lb. 11x14 and it is a joy to use. I love the two 3/8" tripod screws and the head is very solid. I'll be using it with my 14x17 when I get it built.
Jim
I currently use the 3047....and am quite content with it for 4x5 (monorail) and 5x7 (2D)....
Although, with the 14lb (IIRC) 8x10 C1 (I had), the 3047 felt a little unstable - even with the larger mounting plate. I used a Bogen Video Head - it was a fluid head. I sold the tripod, head and C1, so I'm not sure of the model number...But the fluid head was nice because if I didn't tighten something 'all the way down' the camera wouldn't free-fall - it had some resistance...
It was limited, as it was only two way - but easily compensated for....
Just an extra .02 cents....
Thanks,
Dan
Suddenly, I do remember...it was a Bogen 3063 fluid head...and not the 'mini'...the older robust head....
Thanks,
Dan
@ dank, sevo
my tripod is not levelled, i need a 3 way head.
boris
Boris, you don't need a 3-way head to level the pan axis, you need a ball leveler. I use an aged Manfrotto 138 that's left over from when I shot Super 8. Still useful. There's a modern version but I don't know its designation.