A big tripod HEAD thread

[David A. Goldfarb]

The B2 is a different creature altogether, because you can control the two axes separately, like on a normal pan-tilt head.

 

[cdholden]

I do like those hybrid solutions. What about the bogen 405 410?

game

The 405 is basically a hefty version of the 410. I recently picked up a 405 to replace a ball leveler and fluid head. Mounted on top of a 3046 tripod, it holds my 8x10 with ease. No regrets so far!
Chris

 

[game]

Thanks again.

As I stated before I feel attracted to the bogen 410.
I might test it against a gitzo 1370M in a store, but for now I feel more simpaty for the bogen.
I will loan a ballhead from the school of art I attend.
than a decision will be made.
thanks guys.

there is one feature I tend to find somewhat important: the angle of the backward tilt. When shooting straight up. I find my bogen 141RC limited here. And the old gitzo no2 and the a big old low profile gitzo I have (dont knwo number) too.
Can anyone comment on that?

game

 

[John Koehrer]

game,
you can just reverse the camera if the handles get in the way.
You might look at the EMO ball head made in Wetzlar. It will easily handle the Pentax. I don't know if it's still made, but it has two races of ball bearings, one at top QR & one at bottom QR. Yep TWO quick release segments. It also has two sets of handles and a pivot that goes through the ball. When the pivot is removed you've got a full function ballhead.
The handles also function as wrenches to reverse the threads. 3/8-1/4" both at top & bottom. It's very finely made similar to the Leitz ball heads but a little larger.
They were imported into the states by Bromwell marketing. I don't know who would carry them in europe.

 

[Campbell]

Thanks again.

As I stated before I feel attracted to the bogen 410. . . . there is one feature I tend to find somewhat important: the angle of the backward tilt. When shooting straight up. I find my bogen 141RC limited here. And the old gitzo no2 and the a big old low profile gitzo I have (dont knwo number) too.
Can anyone comment on that?

game

I use a 410 with my Linhof Master Technika on a Gitzo 1325 tripod. It's a very nice head. However, the feature you mention as being important is the one drawback (minor to me but maybe not to you) of the head, at least with my tripod and camera set up. When I tilt the camera up part of the head very quckly bumps into the top of the tripod legs so that the angle of tilt is very limited at that point. The quick and easy solution is to rotate the head a little so that it no longer bumps into the top of the tripod legs. So this isn't a big deal but it is a minor annoyance. This might be peculiar to using my particular camera and the way I have to configure it on the head.

 

[game]

thanks for the posts!

I by the way spotted another head by manfrotto: the 460 M
A 3way magnesium head.

the manfrotto bogen 460 magnesium:

like that one as well.
does anyone knows this one? is it nice, can it cope with a pentax 67 and 4x5?
if not is there a heavier version? And is the 410 geared much nicer?

the bogen manfrotto 410 geared

thanks game

 

[Peter De Smidt]

In my stable of tripod heads, I have a 410. It's pretty sturdy, and it's very precise, but it's slow to use (for general use) compared to a ballhead. For architecture, it's a very nice head.

The 460 looks nice. (I like compact knobs.) My worry would be how stable it would be holding a Pentax 6x7 in the vertical orientation.

 

[game]

hi,
I indeed also think the 460 is just not up to 4x5 and pentax 67.
The 410 should do the job, although I read in several places that it loosens and get's less stable by time... Does anyone knows something about this?
Is there I heavier version of the 460 magnesium???


the 405 would be perfect, but that one is just too expensive...

I also like to compact knobs. Like I said before in this thread. I really find the extremally long tilt thingy the gitzo's have ridicilous. And it anoys me.

I by the way believe the 410 can also be usedas a quicker head. Some sort of system is build in that allows you to skip the gearing part, frame quickly and then use the geared movement for the last precise adjustment.

The above actually is important to me, because I do a lot of quick framing. I know I know, That screams for a ballhead. But I am not in a hurry. My subject is still. I wil try one in two days , maybe I am sold.

I reason for me to be a little backholding on ballheads is the fact that I want to work on 4x5 as well in the near future, and that I hear so much bad news on ballheads plus large format that I don't want to go there with a 4x5.

hope to hear some more on the question I placed in this post on the mafrotto heads. So can the 410 be indeed worse with time? If so, Is that because it's actaully the light equipped for 4x5? Can it be used for fast work easily?
Is there a heavier version of the 460 without lossing the compact knob thing?

THANKs
game

 

[Soeren]

Game. I'll go ahead and recommend a Ballhead anyway. The novoflex Classicball 5 ad a Q-base QR and you should be happy though somewhat poor
The Classic ball 5 has a panorama feature so it should be usefull with LF as well.
I want the Q-base QR system for my Manfrotto 141 head since it is very stable and easy to work with, just ask Tom A.
Cheers Søren

 

[game]

Thanks soeren for the recommendation. that is on the fact that a ballhead is nice, the one you actually recommended is way over my head price wise.
I have several ballheads that seem very good to me.

the arca swiss b1 being one of them. b2 is alos tooooo pricey. the b1 is too to be honest. I also like the superball by foba. Kindoff dig the idea of having an all foba tripod...
what about this:

in the mean while I still like to hear some more on the bogen 410 head...

thanks Game

 

[naturephoto1]

Thanks soeren for the recommendation. that is on the fact that a ballhead is nice, the one you actually recommended is way over my head price wise.
I have several ballheads that seem very good to me.

the arca swiss b1 being one of them. b2 is alos tooooo pricey. the b1 is too to be honest. I also like the superball by foba. Kindoff dig the idea of having an all foba tripod...
what about this:

in the mean while I still like to hear some more on the bogen 410 head...

thanks Game

That is one of the old original? Arca Swiss Monoballs. I have one of those with the Arca QR. That is the big ball that I learned on and is the predecessor to the Arca B1. It is substantially larger than the B1 and I believe that it is the equivalent size to the B1 Giant in size and weight. I think that it is about the size of the Arca B2. This is a strong, but very heavy head. I haven't really weighed mine in any recent time, but I believe that it weighs over 3 (3 1/2?) pounds. They are a nice head but others have noted that the ball would lock-up periodically (also a problem attributed to Arca B1s over the course of their offerings in their slightly different versions/improvements).

The Arca Monoball is set-up as a left handed arrangement for the pan and ball adjustment. This is the arrangement that I also have on my Linhof Profi II. The Arca Swiss B1 came out with the arrangement of a right handed arrangement for these same adjustments. As a result of years of use with the original Arca Monoball and the Linhof Profi II, I never was as comfortable with the arrangement of the Arca B1 when I purchased mine. That is why when I purchased the Markins M20 I opted for the L (left) rather than the R (regular/right) set-up. As far as I know, only Markins offers the L and R versions of their heads.

Rich

 

[game]

thanks for th info!
what exactly is left and right handed on a ballhead?


thanks Game

 

[naturephoto1]

thanks for th info!
what exactly is left and right handed on a ballhead?


thanks Game

Have a look at this description of the Markins M10 at Nikonians. There is a photo showing the difference between the R and L versions. If you look carefully and read, it will make sense. See this link:

https://www.photoproshop.com/produc...id/28?osCsid=423f828af9a4ae65cbe54d970126d655

 

[game]

ah thanks
that was what I thought allready only I figured, why not turn the ball 180 degrees to make it left when its right and the other way around, only there is still the QR that has a fixed side...

I for one, need a left ball I think. that's How I have always worked... Is left standard on most brands?
Game

 

[naturephoto1]

ah thanks
that was what I thought allready only I figured, why not turn the ball 180 degrees to make it left when its right and the other way around, only there is still the QR that has a fixed side...

I for one, need a left ball I think. that's How I have always worked... Is left standard on most brands?
Game

With the introduction of the Arca B1 Ball, with the exception of the Linhof Profi heads, and the option of the L or R version of the Markins heads, I believe that most are set-up as R (regular/right version). As I indicated the heavy Old Arca Monoball that you posted is a L version.

Rich

 

[game]

ok, well I supose its a matter of gettin used to...

by the way, I read this somewhere on photo.net, (that site appares really often when googling)

I love the Bogen (Manfrotto) 410, the geared movements, but will not buy one until they offer it without their quick-release. I have too much invested in RRS and Kirk plates to fall back on Bogens solution. extend the Linhof out, doing 1:1 and they tell me that things are shakey with the 410 in that mode. Bogen ... listen up!

Who can comment on this. I mean the shakey part, and the QR part.
Can someone confirm the 410 indeed can be loose/shakey? And what's wrong with the bogen QR? Have other brands all kinds of essential features that I am unaware of?

Thanks again game

 

[naturephoto1]

I can not answer your question regarding the Bogen/Manfrotto QR or the Linhof QR either. I have never handled either to comment. Others that are more knowledgeable will have to comment regarding these systems. However, more pros (at least that I know) rely on the Arca type QR system whether it is Arca's own, Foba, Really Right Stuff, Kirk, etc. The plates themselves lock to the cameras or lenses. Really Right Stuff and Kirk have taken these plates (and to a lesser extent Markins) to be specific for cameras and lenses- they make them to fit and frequently lock so there should be little or no rotation. These plate are normally set-up for metal to metal. As to the QR it/themselves they are jaw system that locks the QR plates in place and in most instances unless you are over stressing/over torquing the screws and plates you should notice very little or any slippage, loosening, or rotation.

Rich

 

[game]

usefull info thanks!

I work with a 141rc at the moment and pentax often rotates from the QR on that one. Very annoying.
Then again, I supose the one on the 410 is a little better than the one on the 141rc.
but if I understand correctly, .... a head with a build in QR is not capable of usage with a for instance Really Right Stuff plate made exclusivally for ones camera type?

Game

 

[naturephoto1]

Many heads, such as the Linhof Profi series can have their circular tops and threads removed. In that instance a screw thread can be added and an Arca QR type QR can be added. Other heads can have an Arca type QR screwed to the head tightly. The Arca type lens and camera plates in either situation can then be slid or "dropped" into the QR and locked in place.

Rich

 

[game]

wel, that is one I will remember for the time that there is actually money in the pocket. for now I'll have to live with whatever Qr the head I'll end up with has. But I absolutally dig the idea of a custum plate...
Game

 

[naturephoto1]

Good luck in your choice. We will be here for more guidance when needed. Many of us, myself included was a student and could not afford the equipment. Even being a pro at times, many of us can not always afford what we would like. Then we have to decide do I or don't I?

Rich

 

[Peter De Smidt]

usefull info thanks!

I work with a 141rc at the moment and pentax often rotates from the QR on that one. Very annoying.
Then again, I supose the one on the 410 is a little better than the one on the 141rc.
but if I understand correctly, .... a head with a build in QR is not capable of usage with a for instance Really Right Stuff plate made exclusivally for ones camera type?

Game

Kirk, Really Right Stuff and others make clamp attachments that can be added to most other heads. These allow you to use ARCA style quick release plates on other heads. I have a Kirk one that came with a package of stuff. I don't use it, but it looks well made.

 

[frugal]

I've had twisting problems with my Manfrotto hex plate QR plate, can't comment on the bigger plates for the 405/410. As mentioned, both Kirk and Really Right Stuff make Arca-style base plates that you can screw onto any tripod thread. I know Kirk also makes a couple different base plates that will fit some of the Manfrotto QR systems.

After using a ballhead with 4x5 for awhile and being miserable, I'd say go with a 3-way head. But I can see how maybe one that has better tension control it could be okay. But if you're going to level the camera it's really nice to be able to tweak each axis independently.

 

[game]

Looking at this head, I suppose I can not replace the plate only... right?
I will have to not only buy a 65 dollar plate at for instance RRS, but the holder as well. And is even that possible?

Thanks for giving some more inside info! game

 

[bob01721]

"... Looking at this head, I suppose I can not replace the plate only... right...?"

From the photo, it doesn't look like you can.

"... I will have to not only buy a 65 dollar plate at for instance RRS, but the holder as well. And is even that possible...?"

Not sure if RRS has one, but Bogen does (or did). It screws onto the tripod in place of a camera and takes the hex plates.