Tripod Head Challenge!

[IHS]

I have a challenge for anyone willing to take it on! I am currently looking for a tripod head to carry the weight of my 4x5 Deardorff. Here come the requirements:

Weight around 2 lbs (a little more is ok)
Be a 3-way pan head (tried out ball heads and not really my thing)
Cost around $300 or less
Have a 3/8 tripod to head mounting screw
Can support 15 or more lbs
A quick release plate would be nice but not a necessity

I really like the Ries tripod heads but I do not own a Ries tripod so there is no panning. I like manfrotto and arca but have not been able to find a 3 way head that can support the weight I am looking for. I looked into the Acratech heads but I am hesitant to purchase one for some reason. I would like a manfrotto, or other name brand but I am open to anything. Thanks much in advance.

Ian

[papac]

I have a Manfrotto 410 that I think meets all your requirements. Use it every day and for my work it´s the best I have. Got some ballheads but I need to adjust each movement individual. For LF I put my Zone VI on it and it´s very stabile, tight it up and it will not move.

[IHS]

Interesting I just found the 410 while searching. It looks pretty nice, and I think it meets everything, the weight ratio is a little low but my outfit with lens only weights 8lb and the head supports 11 lbs

[welly]

Seconding the 410. I use my Toyo 45AX with it and often a big old Fuji 300mm f5.6 lens on it. Stable as I could ask for, easy to use. Fab tripod head! Wish I could afford the 405 to use with my 8x10.

[lenser]

Add another vote for the 410. I use it effortlessly for my Zone VI with some fairly heavy lenses. The precision gear driven positioning is an absolute joy for perfect camera positioning. Mine is nearly 30 years old and still going quite strong.

[Ari]

Manfrotto 329 RC4, and it's a low profile head, too.

[IHS]

Low profile? Meaning it is not as tall?

[Ari]

Low profile? Meaning it is not as tall?

Yes, exactly; it's a shortie

[Len Middleton]

I have a challenge for anyone willing to take it on! I am currently looking for a tripod head to carry the weight of my 4x5 Deardorff. Here come the requirements:

Weight around 2 lbs (a little more is ok)
Be a 3-way pan head (tried out ball heads and not really my thing)
Cost around $300 or less
Have a 3/8 tripod to head mounting screw
Can support 15 or more lbs
A quick release plate would be nice but not a necessity
Ian

Ian,

Why a three way head?

I use a two way Linhof Karden Studio head. Robust and compact, with tilt & pan, but adjust and level the legs and need to rotate the camera back for third way. Not really an issue as I am not going to flop a LF camera onto its side like a 35mm or rectangular format MF. I use it to support 8x10 and 8x20, so payload is not an issue.

Mine has a separate plate in the shape of an inverted top hat that threads into the camera then gets tightened on the head by hand after the camera is set on it, that works as a quick release..

The low profile reduces the length of the moment arm thus reducing the potential for movement of the tripod head. Similarly eliminating the 3rd way part of the head reduces the height and another mechanism that can cause movement.

Reis has a similar style of head that just tilts and pans.

Just something else to consider,

Len

[Kirk Gittings]

yet another vote for the 410....