Keep the center column down and clamped tightly and I would bet your legs will be fine.
I used Manfrotto heads in the past which had quick releases. I switched over to Arca Swiss style because of inadequate stability. I felt it was due to the rubber pad on the quick release plate but never proved it.
Good luck
Yeah, ball heads are like bald heads. Some people use them and some people don't. Of course some of us with hair don't use our heads either.Originally Posted by Dan Fromm
Adding to Jac's post, there is stability and there is settling... When the shutter is tripped, or after inital set up, some rigs will keep moving for a long time which is considered poor damping, where it just vibrates or shifts around easily... Stability is where it settles very fast after tapping or normal operations, and resists wind, uneven placement, shifting etc...
If you tap the tripod, do you see the image blur and jump??? And for how long??? Good settling happens within a second or two, but a few to 10's seconds is too long... If you ever spent some time on a telescope, you understand the issue...
Then there's how the camera is balanced on the 'pod, as this makes a big difference too... All this is part of the LF learning curve...
Steve K
Steve, I have a Stellarvue telescope and believe me, I know about the dampening effect and thanks for making that analogy and jump to LF photography. I love my quick release on my Manfrotto but I always wondered if it was as stable as could be. Tomorrow I'm going to check it out.
If you end up chary of the RC2/RC4 quick release, Chris Hejnar makes Arca Swiss conversion kits for a few Manfrotto ball heads (e.g. 498, 057, etc.) I've got such a conversion for my 410--really bomber gear.
Otherwise, I'm just starting to explore LF myself, but with my Pentax 67 and its trebuchet shutter, it has to be a pretty long trail ahead of me before I swap out my wooden Ries for an Induro CF set of sticks.
Will look at that if I find this ball head doesn't cut it. Thank you.
If your tripod doesn't work you should see a doctor.
"I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority"---EB White
Zero vibration sounds better to me! That's why I'll never use a ballhead.
Some astro folks use antivibration pads on each leg of their tripod. The orange part is a highly compliant shock absorbing medium.Might they work for still photography?
The 3021 will work fine, as will your head. I generally use my Chamonix 4x5 with a Gitzo 1325 carbon fiber tripod (fairly heavy duty) plus an AcraTech ball head. It's very sturdy. I sometimes use the Chamonix with a Feisol 3441T travel tripod and a Photoclam ballhead BH40, but I once did have the tripod + camera blow over. The wind in the Dakotas blows semi-trucks off the highway (and has blown a train off a trestle a couple of times.) I haven't used the Chamonix on the 3441T since then, but might if backpacking and taking the 4x5. I'm pretty sold on carbon fiber tripods, btw. They are light and seem to absorb vibrations well. When the wind is really serious here I use a very solid Berlebach wooden tripod. It could probably stay upright in a 35 mph wind.
Kent in SD
In contento ed allegria
Notte e di vogliam passar!
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