Tripod Head Recommendations for 4x5

[Drew Wiley]

dbla - I should probably shut up, since most people know I don't use heads at all with view cameras, which is in fact the most stable, least weight, and least costly option of them all (I should patent it). But I do have one of the old Bogen-Manfrotto monster heads repurposed to the copy stand, which definitely weighs quite a MORE than my 4X5 field camera.

Rated weight capacities mean nothing. Everything depends on specific torque vectors. Gotta test em with your own camera, preferably at max bellow extension with your heaviest long lens in place. Any wobble at all equals an F in my grade book, or maybe an F+ if I'm in a good mood that day. It just like ladders. A ladder dead weight rating of 250 pounds means nothing if it outright topples over instead of buckling under an extra ounce, making a 250 lb person literally dead anyway. There are all kinds of deceptive marketing practices and loopholes to game that kind of thing.

Last time I was at our local camera store, which has quite a selection of tripods and heads, nearly all of that looked like useless toy stuff to me, especially the Benro. But over on the corner, a good old used Gitzo Series 5 Low-profile pan-tilt head for a hundred bucks - now those could hold a bit.

[Alan Klein]

Do you really need a geared head? Wouldn't a three-way be enough?

[Kiwi7475]

If it really needs to be geared but on a budget, you can look at the Arca clones:

https://leofoto.com/products.php?cateid=88

[Peter De Smidt]

I have a few pieces of Leofoto gear. What I have is all high quality.

[alan_b]

I suggest not wasting money on bargain/knockoff geared heads for 4x5. Get a solid classic like the Gitzo Drew mentioned, or a Sinar pan-tilt head.

[Oren Grad]

Recently I've been using this head on my Gitzo 3-series aluminum legset:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...y_Panhead.html

In case the link breaks, the model is Slik SH-909 (US distributor's SKU: 618-909). Not geared, but I've been very happy with it.

If you'd like to read some hard-core tripod and head tests by a very critical reviewer - a physicist by training - have a look at this site:

https://thecentercolumn.com/

[esearing]

Manfrotto mhxpro 3way pan-tilt headl supports more weight than the geared 410. IF you are ever thinking going larger than 4x5 it will work for 8x10 and probably up to 7x17, and is more than suitable for DSLR and long lenses. You can adjust the tension so small movements are possible. The only thing I don't like is the small QR proprietary plate for my larger camera. I might mount an ARCA compatible to it instead one day.

[pendennis]

I must have really lucked out. I found on eBay, a couple of Hejnar hex-plate-to-Arca-Swiss adapter plates. They replace the existing hex-plates, and can be oriented easily on the older 3047 and 3039 Bogen heads. I checked out Hejnar's site, but I don't see these particular adapters there. However, it might behoove one to contact Hejnar to find out if the adapters can be ordered.

I'm still a fan of the 3047 and 3029 heads, especially with the square plate adapters.

[Ari]

Luland: https://www.ebay.com/itm/18492313416...8AAOSw301g4mnw

[r_a_feldman]

Manfrotto mhxpro 3way pan-tilt headl supports more weight than the geared 410.

To hijack this thread a bit, I only need a two-way head. Can the middle part of this head (with the lower handle) be removed and replaced with the upper part (with the upper handle)? That would make the head lighter and more compact and possibly more vibration resistant.