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Thread: Ball or Pan-tilt head for 8x10?

  1. #21

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    Re: Ball or Pan-tilt head for 8x10?

    Some of the larger ball heads have tensioning knobs that make fine adjustments easier for large cameras. I used a Giottos MH-3000 with a video QR system for heavy digital and 4x5 cameras for years. For birds in flight shots it was as good as any gimbal.
    However a 3-way head does seem to work better for LF cameras for tilting or leveling.
    The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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  2. #22
    Tin Can's Avatar
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    Re: Ball or Pan-tilt head for 8x10?

    all my various 3 way heads were bought used

    KEH worked well
    Tin Can

  3. #23
    Drew Bedo's Avatar
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    Re: Ball or Pan-tilt head for 8x10?

    Quote Originally Posted by Tin Can View Post
    all my various 3 way heads were bought used

    KEH worked well
    ^^++

    Most of my LF gear was bought used or traded for. The exception is my light mter I think. I might also include the very nice Rodenstock loupe which was a gift.

    Every bag was acquired with the stuff I bought in it. Tripods and heads, large and small. . .all "pre owned" as they say. Quality LF gear just doesn't wear out the way digital stuff dos. I have an antique (or vintage) brass lens that is over 150 years old and a Kodak 2D from the 1930s. The Wista-made Zone VI is 1980s vintage, the Leica M-3 is from th mid-'50s . . . .and so on. . . . .

    The mark up on brand new equipment is nearly as high as fine jewelry.
    Drew Bedo
    www.quietlightphoto.com
    http://www.artsyhome.com/author/drew-bedo




    There are only three types of mounting flanges; too big, too small and wrong thread!

  4. #24

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    Re: Ball or Pan-tilt head for 8x10?

    Quote Originally Posted by esearing View Post
    Some of the larger ball heads have tensioning knobs that make fine adjustments easier for large cameras.
    My RRS BH-55 ball head has this tensioning knob and it works, as expected. But, I still prefer a 3-way pan/tilt head for my 8x10 'Dorff.

  5. #25
    Vaughn's Avatar
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    Re: Ball or Pan-tilt head for 8x10?

    Ballheads for 4x5 and 5x7 easily...I have used them (Gitzos) for years and one eventually learns how to get the best out of one's tools. With the right ballhead, I can see it working easily with 8x10. I have no experience with ballheads for 8x10s, though. For 8x10 and 11x14 I use a Ries. Sometimes I'll toss in the Rolleicord in the 8x10 pack...it sure looks silly up there on the Ries!
    "Landscapes exist in the material world yet soar in the realms of the spirit..." Tsung Ping, 5th Century China

  6. #26

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    Re: Ball or Pan-tilt head for 8x10?

    The new Arca Swiss P1+ is working fine with my Toyo 810 mII: only 550g providing differing levels of friction for max 30kg
    (https://www.teamworkphoto.com/online...ick-set-device)

  7. #27
    Tin Can's Avatar
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    Re: Ball or Pan-tilt head for 8x10?

    Drew, markup on all new things is always high and highly needed

    I have worked in factories and knew our products cost pennies in volume, yet sold for 100X, perfectly normal

    Markup covers many steps that are necessary, transport, warehousing, retailers, warranties, lawsuits and more, as each step to user has many pitfalls

    I also was a salesman as franchisee with secure and protected territory, but also needed a large inventory in a custom truck for immediate sales and service

    I ran very hard for my money

    but also lost it all 3 times

    Shit happens

    glad I made into retirement!

    along the way I learned how to barter, sell, dance

    even the bad times were good experiences in retrospect




    Quote Originally Posted by Drew Bedo View Post
    ^^++

    Most of my LF gear was bought used or traded for. The exception is my light mter I think. I might also include the very nice Rodenstock loupe which was a gift.

    Every bag was acquired with the stuff I bought in it. Tripods and heads, large and small. . .all "pre owned" as they say. Quality LF gear just doesn't wear out the way digital stuff dos. I have an antique (or vintage) brass lens that is over 150 years old and a Kodak 2D from the 1930s. The Wista-made Zone VI is 1980s vintage, the Leica M-3 is from th mid-'50s . . . .and so on. . . . .

    The mark up on brand new equipment is nearly as high as fine jewelry.
    Tin Can

  8. #28

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    Re: Ball or Pan-tilt head for 8x10?

    A ball head is great because it provides full control of the orientation. The flexibility is great. A leveling base is a “castrated” version that limits it to 20 deg or whatever the limit is. Many times I’ve been upset at myself for not anticipating a shot that requires more than a 20 deg tilt. For a not-too-heavy 8x10, the RSS BH-55 and (if wallet permits) some of the arca heads are good options and can be made to be rigid enough in most cases to not impact the shot.

    The main problem with ball heads is when the unexpected happens. If you somehow loosened the friction without noticing and you unlock it... you camera is going to make a quick swing of 90 deg and probably bring everything down with it, and end up a mess on the ground, depending on your configuration/camera and your reflexes.

    So you just need to be extra careful, and even then mistakes happen. I’ve seen broken GGs and broken lenses because of those mistakes. I still use a ball head sometimes but I go very slowly and always hold the camera with one hand when I’m loosening any knob. Most times I go with a leveling base with panning which is less risky, a bit more stable and also much lighter. But I know that that day I won’t be shooting something on the ground.

    Personally I have never been able to give up at least some tilt/pan capability.

  9. #29

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    Re: Ball or Pan-tilt head for 8x10?

    I actually prefer video tripod heads even for photography. I can't stand ball-heads, because every time you want to recompose you have to make sure it's level again.

    With a video head, it might be a bit more work to get it initially level because you're doing it with the legs (though some tripod legs have a bowl system too). But once it's level, you can move around the video head however you want, and you can be sure the image will stay level with the horizon line even if you recompose by turning or tilting the head.

    The only issue is they can sometimes be heavier and bulkier.

    I found this video a while ago which pretty much sums up my feelings about it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epPSQaYnU8M

  10. #30
    Drew Wiley
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    Re: Ball or Pan-tilt head for 8x10?

    Nice video. Don't see how it has much relation to far bulkier view camera applications, unless maybe ultralight 4x5. Even that flick setup for 35mm panos, plus bowl adapter and quick releases, would amount to about three extra pounds versus my no-head system. Guess it would depend on how far one needed to carry stuff. I've seen filmmakers using much heavier systems like that for MF digi work, and they were above the kind of carry weight I have with for 8x10 without any kind of head.

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