Suitable QR head for 8x10 Deardorff

[Michael W]

I recently bought an 8x10 Deardorff & also picked up a sturdy Foba tripod from the seller. The tripod is the Alfae/Alfea type with a centre column. It has a two way tilt head, looks like this but probably a slightly older model Asmia. It's a decent sturdy head however its not suitable for the Deardorff because one of the knobs controlling the tilt fouls on the bottom plate of the camera so that I can't turn it. Also it doesn't have a quick release plate so I have to carefully mount the camera on the head each time I use it, which is a pain. I might be able to add a quick release unit to the head however I've no idea which parts to get & received no response to a query I sent to Foba.

So now I'm thinking I'll just replace this head with a decent quick release ball head that will support the camera. One model that looks interesting is this Manfrotto 468MGRC4 which has a large base plate. Wondering if anyone has experience with one of these on a Deardorff or similar camera & has any pro or con remarks. Also interested in other suggestions.

[Brian Ellis]

I've owned two 8x10 Deardorffs. I think you'll find it difficult to align the camera left-right and front-back with any degree of precision using a 12 lb camera on a ball head. I like ball heads for smaller formats but for 4x5 and up I prefer some version of a three-way head. The one I used and liked with my Deardorffs was the Bogen Manfrotto 3057. It weighs 4 lbs so it's no light-weight but it's solid as a rock and the QR plate is 4"x4". I don't think they're made any more but they show up on ebay pretty often. However, I have no experience with the head you mention, it looks interesting.

[Ari]

I have the same QR plate as Brian (4" x 4" hex), and a similar tripod head, the 3039.
It holds my 22lb 8x10 beautifully, and removing/putting the camera on the tripod is an easy, if delicate job.
It helps to have a solid, reliable 3-way head for these kinds of things.
You MUST stay away from ball heads when dealing with a monorail or a camera of substantial weight; get a 3-way head and everything will line up nicely.

[Kerry L. Thalmann]

So now I'm thinking I'll just replace this head with a decent quick release ball head that will support the camera. One model that looks interesting is this Manfrotto 468MGRC4 which has a large base plate. Wondering if anyone has experience with one of these on a Deardorff or similar camera & has any pro or con remarks. Also interested in other suggestions.

That is one heavy ballhead. There are much better ballheads available for less money that weigh less and are smoother to operate. I'd recommend looking for one with an ARCA-SWISS compatible quick release clamp. The Manfrotto uses a proprietary quick release. So, you are locked into a single style of plate from a single manufacturer. The ARCA-SWISS style quick release system is a defacto industry standard and hundreds of compatible plates are available from dozens of manufacturers. For example, for your 8x10 Deadorff, you could get something like this SunwayFoto DP-813. It's 80mm wide by 130mm long (about 3.1" x 5.1").

Kerry

[Kerry L. Thalmann]

You MUST stay away from ball heads when dealing with a monorail or a camera of substantial weight; get a 3-way head and everything will line up nicely.

I disagree with that statement. It's a matter of personal preference, shooting style and other requirements. While many large format shooters prefer a 3-axis, or geared head, a good, properly adjusted ballhead has it's own advantages (smaller, lighter, with no long handles or levers to hit you in the back of the head or get caught on vegetation when you hike). I used an ARCA-SWISS B1 with my 7x17 monorail and preferred it for that particular camera over a much bigger, heavier Gitzo 1570M 3-axis head. With that particular camera, the ARCA-SWISS B1 with the friction preset set at maximum was smoother, sturdier, faster and easier to use than the much larger Gitzo 3-axis head. The OP specifically asked about ballheads. So, he must have some reason for that preference.

Just to clarify, I'm not saying a ballhead is THE best solution, in general, for an 8x10 Deardorff. It really is a matter of personal preference. I just objected to the statement "You MUST stay away from ball heads when dealing with a monorail or a camera of substantial weight" (especially the all-caps MUST). My 7x17 ARCA-SWISS based camera is a monorail that weighs about a pound more than the OP's 8x10 Deardorff. And, for that camera and this user, a ballhead was preferrable to a large 3-axis head. So, there are exceptions - and the OP specifically asked about ballheads.

Kerry

[mandoman7]

In my own experience, stability and ease of use take on more important roles with 8x10 as versus 4x5. It takes a pretty large commitment to go distances from the car with an 8x10. I have a lightweight set-up for the 4x5, with a carbon fiber tripod, etc. when I want to do some trekking.

But for my Deardorff I'm currently using a manfrotto 3058/57 (?) head (with a studex pro Gitzo, and others). I have had a slew of other bogen heads that never worked to my satisfaction, but this one has served well for many shoots. I like it better than my Gitzo 1348 or whatever, or my Ries head. With the large QR plate and nicely placed bubble levels, this manfrotto head is stable and quick, and not pricey either. Not a fan of the smaller ones though.

[mandoman7]

In my own experience, stability and ease of use take on more important roles with 8x10 as versus 4x5. It takes a pretty large commitment to go distances from the car with an 8x10. I have a lightweight set-up for the 4x5, with a carbon fiber tripod, etc.. But for my Deardorff I'm currently using a manfrotto 3058/57 (?) head (with studex pro Gitzo legs, and Ries legs). I have a slew of other bogen heads that never worked to my satisfaction, but this one has served well for many shoots. I like it better than my Gitzo 1348 or whatever, or my Ries head. With the large QR plate and nicely placed bubble levels, manfrotto head is stable and quick, and not pricey either.

[Bob Salomon]

A Linhof Profi 3 Universal Pan/Tilt Head will easily handle any camera up to about 25 pounds.

[Kerry L. Thalmann]

A Linhof Profi 3 Universal Pan/Tilt Head will easily handle any camera up to about 25 pounds.

And, it's only $1962.50.

Kerry

[sanking]

I disagree with that statement. It's a matter of personal preference, shooting style and other requirements. While many large format shooters prefer a 3-axis, or geared head, a good, properly adjusted ballhead has it's own advantages (smaller, lighter, with no long handles or levers to hit you in the back of the head or get caught on vegetation when you hike).
Kerry

Almost everything about photography boils down to personal preference. My personal preference by far for view cameras is a 3-way pan level head compared to a ball head, and I have tried several of the good ball heads. No question but that the ball head has advantages in terms of weight and size, but it seems to me that a 3 way pan head, with good readable levels on all three axis, has almost all of the other advantages.

But I do prefer ball heads on MF cameras.

Sandy