Ball head for view cameras--any leveling shortcuts?

[Peter Latner]

Robert--
Is that true? The B2 can do only one plane at a time?

--Peter

[BrianShaw]

I'm with Fred Picker on this one! Ball head for LF cameras isn't worth the hassle to me.

[Colin Graham]

Yeah, me too. Maybe the high-end ballheads are different in that you can control one plane at a time, but not the ones I tried. Minute adjustments on a distinct axis were very awkward if not outright maddening.

[falth j]

Everyone around me extolled the virtues of a ball head, but I noticed they tended to shoot smaller formats, while I struggled with larger cameras, and panoramic shots.


I thought I died and went to heaven when I found the comparative ease of use of a tripod with a leveling center post and the bogen 410 head, that I now almost always use with all formats up to 4x5.…

[Brian Ellis]

The short answer for me at least is "no." I use a ball head for my Canon 5D and used to use it for 35mm and medium format but I've never liked a ball head for 4x5 and especially not for anything larger. The ball head I used to use was an Arca B1, now I use a Really Right Stuff head on a Feisol and a Bogen 410 geared head on a Gitzo 1325 for LF and occasionally with the 5D but the RRS/Feisol combination gets most of the use these days.

[Peter Latner]

I'll keep trying a bit longer with my ball head, adjusting the tension, holding the camera from the top, etc. The Manfrotto 410 looks interesting, but it's heavier than I want for my tripod and it's dedicated to Bogen's QR system, whereas I'm heavily invested in Arca-style. One other issue, though, is when I use my pan-tilt head (Gitzo 1270M), the movements tend to be somewhat jerky, although having that one-axis-at-a-time feature is nice. Everyone's been helpful about this--thanks.

[Robert Fisher]

Peter, AGAIN, the B2 (although technically not a ball head) will support ANY CAMERA 150 pounds or less. My B2 has been around the world with numerous big 600mm Nikons and the 300-800 Sigma mounted on it. 8x10 cameras are of no concern.

Per B&H:

The Arca-Swiss B2 is a totally unique 3-way panhead designed, assembled and operated just like a ballhead. Dual axes have friction control and independent tightening knobs, and an independent panbed base makes the B2 the ideal head for colossal setups like 8x10 view cameras or 600mm telephoto lenses.

The Arca Swiss Monoball eliminates the need to modulate the tension, because its elliptical nature corrects it by virtue of its own design. The load stays exactly where you tell it to once locked into position. A separate control is set to apply a constant minimum friction, which allows the photographer the peace of mind that comes with knowing that his gear will never move of its own volition. The heavier the equipment, the more the advantages of the Arca Swiss become evident. The exquisite finish adds to the exact positioning capacity.

[Sal Santamaura]

The Arca-Swiss B2, while actually a two-axis (not single "ball") head, is total overkill for a 4x5. Get yourself this head

http://www.badgergraphic.com/store/c...t_detail&p=705

and put this clamp on it

http://reallyrightstuff.com/rrs/Item...R%2DII&eq=&Tp=

You'll never look back, and the combination will continue to serve well in case you want to use it with larger formats. I've mounted everything through 8x10 on mine and find it to easily adjust and lock down tight.

[Colin Graham]

Goodness, $5 for a setscrew... You can get a pack of 25 from McMaster Carr for $7. Really gives a sense of scale to the rest of their product line.

[Sal Santamaura]

Goodness, $5 for a setscrew... You can get a pack of 25 from McMaster Carr for $7. Really gives a sense of scale to the rest of their product line.

Well, actually that depends on whether one desires 18-8 or 316 stainless:

http://www.mcmaster.com/#set-screws/=2ey73u

I suspect RRS is providing 316. In any case, what's your point? Stocking and selling single-quantities of items like that, as an accommodation for cutomers purchasing its principal products, incurs RRS handling, storage and packaging expenses that must be recovered. Most purchasers are not familiar with McMaster Carr nor would they find the "overhead" cost of time and shipping expense to research and place an order for a single stud worthwhile. RRS' price for that stud conveys no information about the value, utility, quality or competetiveness of its product line.