Sick of ballheads... 3way = Arca B1

[Frank Petronio]

OK, after too many years I realize that I am sick of fiddling with ballheads. Either I flop the camera or I fear grinding dirt into that beautiful ball. I have to be careful packing it and I end up treating it more like a camera than a freaking tripod head.

I've been using an Arca B1 since forever and want to stick with the Arca QR clamp and plates (actually RRS if possible). I don't want a geared head either (dirt, dings, and speed considerations).

What I want is a bullet proof, unbreakable 3-way head for my Gitzo 3-series that will hold a moderate sized view camera (5x7, 10-15 lbs).

G1370 M Low Profile Head Magnesium is what I want, right? Or?

What is the best way to stick an Arca style clamp on one? Is there anyone who retrofits them to take a nice long Arca clamp?

[David A. Goldfarb]

I really like the Wimberley C-30 clamp--

http://www.tripodhead.com/products/qr-clamps-main.cfm

You should be able to screw it to a 1370 head with two or three screws so it won't twist. Just be sure the stem clears the platform (which it doesn't on my 1570, but I think you'll be okay on the 1370). It's long enough to span the two QR plates I use on my Technika (one on the body, one on the bed), and very strong and smooth to operate.

Don't get a cam-lever locking clamp like the RRS (I have one on the 1570), if you plan to use it with an Arca-Swiss rail. It seems that a real A-S rail is slightly smaller than most of the aftermarket A-S type plates, and won't clamp tightly in a cam-locking clamp.

I also have a small Kirk clamp that I use on flash brackets, and it seems nicely made. One attraction of the Kirk clamps is that they come in a greater variety of sizes.

[wfwhitaker]

I modified a Ries J-250 head by milling some off each side of the top plate in order to accommodate a RRS Arca-style clamp (B2-Pro/L). The clamp is fully supported, but the top plate of the Ries now allows access to the clamp knob which the unmodified version did not.

[jhogan]

Try out the 405/410 geared Bogens- you'll love their precision and lack of flops.

[John Brownlow]

well, not to derail, but I have a Manfrotto ballhead which was cheap enough that I don't worry about it and it completely rocks. I'd never go back to a 3-way. The camera-flopping thing is in my experience just a matter of muscle memory -- I've never flopped a camera yet, and I am neither a particularly careful nor dirt-phobic photographer. I was almost talked into much more expensive tripods and ballheads but the manfrotto stuff takes a knockin' and keeps on a rockin'. Or something.

[jhogan]

2 things I forgot to add: they have spring- loaded "gear release" knobs on each axis which allow for super-quick gross adjustments. Your fine adjustments are quick and easy.

I've had the same 410 for 5 years, on G-1340 legs. I've never had a problem with dirt or sand fouling anything.

[JW Dewdney]

Personally - I never got one for exactly those reasons. I prefer to mess with each axis independently. I suppose - in theory - a ballhead should be faster. But maybe just not with a human being operating one...!

[JW Dewdney]

2 things I forgot to add: they have spring- loaded "gear release" knobs on each axis which allow for super-quick gross adjustments. Your fine adjustments are quick and easy.

Why wouldn't you just use a normal 3-axis head, then...? Surely the ballhead would be much heavier.

[Brian Ellis]

Kirk makes Arca style adapters for some heads, I don't know whether they make one for the head you want or not but that's the first place I'd look. I use the one they make on my Bogen 410 head (because I use the B1 with Arca style quick release plates on smaller formats and wanted to have the same quick release plate on my 4x5).

[Jack Flesher]

It aint cheap, but for the same reasons you mentioned I recently switched to an Arca B2. I never really enjoyed the lack of precision in leveling a ballhead and much prefer having the independent axes adjustments. Plus the B2 is strong enough you could probably park your car on it and not damage it.

Cheers,