I'm shopping for a ball head for my 4X5 field camera. 2 interest me. Arca Swiss Z1 double pan, or the RRS BH-55 with pan head.
Am I missing something, or will the marks on the Z1 pan head (the one above the ball) be impossible to see when the camera is mounted on the head. Looks like the marks on the pan head are on the top. Seems like they should be on the edge, like on the RRS BH-55.
ricky
Acratech ultimate ball head. I loved this head when I borrowed one, wish I didn't have to give it back. Someday I'll pick one up.
Although I use an Arca Swiss B1, and like the looks of the RRS... I do believe as far as ballheads go the very best is the Markin. Made of titanium, has a heavy load capacity, locks to camera very well (as does the RRS), and weighs far less than the Arca Swiss and RRS units. Obviously just a personal opinion, but when "my ship comes in" I'll be replacing my ballheads with Markins.
Glenn
One thing to watch out for with the RRS head is to make sure that you can turn the handle that tightens and loosens the ball when the head is mounted on your tripod. I have that head (or possibly the smaller version but same design, I don't remember my model number) and I can't use it on my Gitzo 1325 tripod because when I rotate that handle to loosen or tighten the ball the end of the handle bumps into the tripod base.
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.
I suppose the natural question is, do you need to see the marks? If you do, even marks on the side of a top panning head will be hard to see with the large base of a field camera. If you really must pan a specific number of degrees, you can also use a levelling head underneath your (whatever) ball head and use a lower panning unit then, assuming your camera is being operated level (fairly typical in a view camera). If your camera is not being operated level, not that the center of gravity of a view camera can be much higher up then an SLR and seems to require considerable more weight capacity out of the head. Field cameras aren't *too* bad in this respect; I find my monorail to be a nightmare in this respect. If you tip that forward (even worse, straight down), it puts a large amount of strain on the head. Something to consider if you ever see a monorail in your future and you are popping a lot of dollars on a head.Originally Posted by Rick Preston
Why are you interested in the double pan Z1? That would be of use mainly for stitching photos. If you aren't going to do stitched panoramics, then I'd save the cost and weight and recommend a single pan model.
I have a B1, and it's my favorite all-around tripod head. (THe Sinar pan/tilt is better, but only with Sinar cameras.)
Paul Butzi (www.butzi.net) has a review from a few years ago of a number of ball heads on his site.
“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
Yes, I will be stitching photos for panoramas. I expose film and scan it. I do need to see the pan marks. I can't see through the camera when doing these shots. They must be done very fast to get the same light (a big problem with 4X5 panos). So I notice what marks to line up with before I actually expose the film. I also do some triptychs with multiple exposures which is even more critical. It's a pain to level the tripod, which is the way I have been doing it.
Thanks for all your comments. I'll be checking for more.
RRS makes a panning plate you could put between a ball head and the camera. If you are just using the ball head to level the camera, you could use a leveling head and the pan plate, saving weight and getting a more rigid rig.
Ed Richards
http://www.epr-art.com
The Sinar tilt head provides panning and a panning scale marked in degrees. It's visible from the side, below the tilting plate. As long as you can adjust the top of the tripod for level (which I can with my Bogen 3036 legs), it will meet your requirements.
I prefer it to ball heads, which I find a pain in the rear to adjust in small increments with a big camera. My view camera is just too top-heavy for a ball head. I do, however, use my old Monoball with my Pentax 6x7 or with small cameras. I have a Bogen 410 geared head, but I have not enjoyed using it as much as others have, and I've finally obtained a Sinar tilt head that is in good shape. (They are available--I just wasn't willing to pay what they cost until now, which is between $200 and $300 on the used market.)
It has alignment pins for Sinar tripod adapters, but these can be easily removed.
Rick "liking the low profile design" Denney
Hi Rick,
You might check out some of the Nodal Ninja rotators. They are pretty heavy duty, and you can use click stops that you set up in advance, and so in action they are very fast to use. Simply mount one on top of a three way head. Level the head, and there you go. You could use a ball head to level the rotator, but that'd be a pain.
“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
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