best lightweight head

[Rayt]

I use an RRS ball head and I level it before mounting the camera (SW45). Otherwise trying to level the camera after mount it becomes a bit tricky. I initially bought a 3 way leveling head but with its arms sticking out it was too big and awkward to pack for trips. I am a novice so if I am not doing this right please advise. Thanks.

[Bob Salomon]

I use an RRS ball head and I level it before mounting the camera (SW45). Otherwise trying to level the camera after mount it becomes a bit tricky. I initially bought a 3 way leveling head but with its arms sticking out it was too big and awkward to pack for trips. I am a novice so if I am not doing this right please advise. Thanks.

Arms? Did you buy a 3-way leveling head or a 3-way pan head?

[Ken Lee]

I see the 3-way leveling head at the factory store here.

How do you adjust the head ? How do you tighten it, once adjusted ?

Are there separate handles, gears, or knobs ?

[Rayt]

Seems I bought a 3 way pan head. I wasn't sure what I was doing at the time but it turned out to be a bad idea. I ended up using the Really Right Stuff BH-55 I already owed and it worked fine. The BH-55 has a built in spirit level on top; I level it, tighten it and then mount the camera. I use a Gitzo 1228.

[Brian Ellis]

From all I've read, not from personal experience, if money is no object the Linhof probably is the best choice. If money is an object the Really Right Stuff large ball head would be my choice (they make three sizes IIRC, the largest of the three would probably be best for a Technikardan though my own experience is with the middle size). Not that this head is cheap, at about $400 it's anything but. However, it's cheap compared to the Linhof.

I've owned an Arca Swiss, an AcraTech (briefly), a Gitzo ball head, and a Really Right Stuff ball head. As among the four I prefer the RRS for ease of use. The Gitzo was a disaster. The Arca Swiss was very nice but a part fell off at the start of one week-long photography trip 1,000 miles from home that rendered the tripod useless on that trip (this was due to a design fault that I think may have been fixed since I owned the head). And two or three times it locked up. This is over about a ten year period so it wasn't that bad but I wouldn't buy it again given the other choices now on the market. The AcraTech was very nice too but there was some sort of minor problem in aiming the camera up or something like that, I don't remember exactly because it was a long time ago. Maybe other users know what I'm talking about because I think it was a known issue with the design. Obviously whatever it is doesn't bother others.

I also own and use a Bogen 310 geared head. To me a geared head is the best solution as among the choices of pant-tilt, ball, and geared because it kind of combines the best features of a pan-tilt without actually being a pan tilt and allows very small, precise adjustments. But no need to go into that since you prefer a ball head, which is certainly fine if that's what you like, I just don't happen to like them on heavier cameras.

[David Wilson]

I really appreciate this outpouring of advice and ideas. I started with a pan tilt 25 years ago with my first 4 x 5, later switched to a ball head and have never looked back. I hated the pan tilt, which was a monstrous Gitzo. Maybe I need to reconsider, but I'm leaning toward the Linhof ball head. But first I need to read up on all of these suggestions. Thank you

[D. Bryant]

I really appreciate this outpouring of advice and ideas. I started with a pan tilt 25 years ago with my first 4 x 5, later switched to a ball head and have never looked back. I hated the pan tilt, which was a monstrous Gitzo. Maybe I need to reconsider, but I'm leaning toward the Linhof ball head. But first I need to read up on all of these suggestions. Thank you

Take a look at the Markins ball heads. They are very well made and reasonably priced. For me the Bogen geared heads were a PITA to use.

Don Bryant

[Steve M Hostetter]

I use a Slik ballhead w/ 8x10" cameras all day long.. The slik is only $150.00 new and very well made


steve

[Bob Salomon]

I see the 3-way leveling head at the factory store here.

How do you adjust the head ? How do you tighten it, once adjusted ?

Are there separate handles, gears, or knobs ?

There is a seperate lock for each motion on the head. You can see one of the levers above the base in the picture.

[Frank Petronio]

Ken -- http://hpmarketingstore.com/index.ph...products_id=93 That's the ticket. And not a bad price for a current model that's essentially new. On eBay they tend to go for more than the Ball-heads, in the $400 range.

Just to avoid confusion, we are not talking about the Linhof BALL heads. They are probably fine heads themselves, just not experienced with them.

Using a Sinar, I would stick with the Sinar Pan-Tilt, but for a field camera, these Linhof 3-ways are the bomb if you can rationalize the cost. Of course they don't work very well unless you put them on $800 CF Gitzos.