I use ballheads for lightweight 4x5 set-ups, but prefer three-way for control, and from 5x7 and up I find ballheads almost unusable. YMMV
I use ballheads for lightweight 4x5 set-ups, but prefer three-way for control, and from 5x7 and up I find ballheads almost unusable. YMMV
I use a manfrotto/bogen 3025 tripod head. Simple, light, strong, inexpensive. One of those rare products where you don't have tradeoffs due to the price.
Interesting. That's a type of head I have never tried. Do the movements have a ratchet feel or are they smooth?Originally Posted by Ken Lee
TIA!
I don't always shoot 4x5, but when I do, I use an old Tiltall tripod.
"I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority"---EB White
I use a Ries J100 tripod with a J250 double tilt head with my light Wehman 8x10 field camera. If I bought a lighter 4x5 field camera I would use the same set-up. It may be overkill to some but it is rock solid! I love the large platform the Ries head has and also the leg locks on the tripod that I can lock in any position. Ries is on the expensive side though unless you find a good deal on a used one like I did.
If you are on a budget then pick up an old Tiltall tripod like John Kasaian suggests. They go for less than $100 and come with the tripod head.
Personally, I hate ball heads but the FLM locking ball heads do look intriguing. You might pare one of them with a carbon fiber tripod. Talk to Ari about it. He's the North American distributer of FLM and a real nice fellow to boot.
I've never used one but the Manfrotto/Bogen 410 heads mentioned earlier have always interested me. Many people swear by them.
Just some options for you to look at. Always try to buy used if you want to save some money!
they are smooth. You can also, by turning the knurled knob, do major adjustments quickly.
Thanks,
Kirk
at age 73:
"The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep"
I have and like the Manfrotto 410 with the added Hejnar adapter that allows the use of Arca-Swiss style mounting plates. A while ago I also got an old Linhof 3663 head, which is a full pound lighter than the Manfrotto even with an Arca-Swiss clamp. The Linhof is a 3-axis head like the Manfrotto but without any gearing, movements are by loosen/tighten only. It's certainly robust enough for 4x5 but I'd use the Manfrotto for something heavier as it's less likely to provide unwanted excitement with those geared movements.
There are a lot of great options. Get whichever one sounds best to you for a good price. Use it. See what you like or dislike about it, and then make a change if you want. Nothing can replace your own experience.
I have a 410. It's very good with a field camera, and it's fairly compact. I also have Gitzo 3 and 5 series low profile heads. The 3 is great with a 4x5 field. It's just as fast to use as the 410, and I like the connection to the camera better. (Manfrotto's weakness is often their quick release plates. Yes, you can get a Hejner Arca Adapter for a 410...). It's also lighter than the 410, but it's handles stick out a bit more, which can lead to snags on vegetation. Ball heads are more compact, and good one's are easy to use. It's not hard to use them with a 4x5 field camera, but it takes some getting used to. Avoid cheap ballheads like the plaque. I've used Arca B1s, RRS the big one?, FLM.... All work fine.
The three way Linhof head looks really nice, as it's super compact, but I haven't used one. Foba made a similar head.
If you're going to use really long lenses, then things change a bit.
“You often feel tired, not because you've done too much, but because you've done too little of what sparks a light in you.”
― Alexander Den Heijer, Nothing You Don't Already Know
For my Chamonix 4x5 (one of the lighter ones out there), I've been fine with a ball head. The one I have is long discontinued, but had the heaviest weight limit when I bought it. Since I frequently shoot in the woods and have more than one camera with me, this head works well for me because I only need the one. I used to have a 3-way head and it was just annoying for me to use.
Right on. Preach it!
I don't always shoot 4x5, but when I do, I use an old Tiltall tripod.
I did that till mine got corroded from salt water and seized up. It was a good tripod though. If I spent less time shooting at the beach it'd be a good choice.
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