I have an 8 x 10 and am currently using a bogan pan/tilt head but have encountered some slippage. I was considering the Ries, but can't figure out how to deal with the panning issue. Don't want to have to move the entire tripod just to pan left/right. Any ideas. Thanks.
arca swiss B1 ball head-supports a ton and does all the rest. Also costs a ton. Ries pans just fine
if you loosen the screw that fastens the head to the tripod. I use both in 8x10, like the ries best if
I am not doing a lot of tilts.
If you are using a Ries tripod just loosen the mounting screw a little and you can pan. On other tripods it depends how the head mounts onto the tripod.
I bought the Ries A200 single tilt head and it pans smooth as butter with the supplied gasket.
for 8x10 & heavy camera, I would personally never have used a ball-head: I tried the combination of my Sinar P/P2 with 8x10 conversion set atop the B1 I used to have, and it were SCARY to try to keep the camera level & preventing it from leaving for ground when I accidently loosened the knob so it floated freely on the ball. If you have a heavy 8x10 (more than 20ib) I would strongly recommend the gitzo 3-way low-profile head (570/1570) but for ultimate stability, the Linhof Neigkopf/linhof levelling head, which is the only tripod head I know of that have total stability when locked AND positively resist sudden tilting to front or side when lever is loosened. Linhof have advocated the neigkopfs for more than 50 years for use with their heavy (monorail) cameras. Older versions (sperical body) can be found inexpensive on german ebay. Newer version with sliding-type quick-fastening hardware & also a limitid sideways adjustemnt is sold by B&H.
Get the big Gitzo low profile pan tilt head
The Bogen 3057 pan/tilt head is an excellent, moderately priced head for 8x10. I used mine with two Deardorffs and a Kodak 2D. Unlike most Bogen heads with the small hexagonal quick release plate, the 3057 uses a 4" x 4" quick release plate so you get a lot of stability at the camera. It's fairly heavy, about 4 lbs I believe, but if you're even thinking of a Reis weight must not be a concern. I read somewhere that the 3057 has been discontinued but I haven't checked. I did see one go for about $250 on ebay recently. Since they only cost about $150 new that might be a function of having been discontinued (or it could be a function of ebay ignorance).
Brian Ellis
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you do criticize them you'll be
a mile away and you'll have their shoes.
A Berlebach 8033 wooden tripod with an intergrated ballhead, 2,7 kg in all very sturdy and all movements you'll ever need. 68 cm collapsed and 131 cm max heigth
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