Ball or Gear head

archphoto · Apr 10, 2009

Included a pic from the 410 with a full blown Rolleiflex 2.8F of mine....
I know, the camera should be turned 180 degrees for shooting, but it is just to show the scale of the 410.

Peter

benjiboy · Apr 10, 2009

I'm sure this is a fine head It's just that I feel that it more suitable for M/F and L/F , and that I personally would find it too slow to use for 35 mm

Q.G. · Apr 10, 2009

But the gear head is not that slow.

You can disengage the gear drive of each axis with one grip, allowing you to move that axis freely. Just like other heads do.
And that, even faster than with other heads, which need you to loosen a screw first.

archphoto · Apr 10, 2009

Actualy I am using the 410 for 35 right now and it is fast and acurate, esp. for architectural shots.

benjiboy · Apr 10, 2009

archphoto and QG- I bow to your superior knowledge,since I have never actually used one .

Vanishing Point Ent. · Apr 12, 2009

Here's a trick, why not have your cake & eat it too.
If you mount the older hex plate Bogen QR, in between the tripod & head, you could mount both in a matter of seconds, whenever you felt like it, so you can match the head to the job.
As far as Ball heads, nothing beats the Original Arca Swiss, if you can find one.

benjiboy · Apr 12, 2009

Vanishing Point Ent. said:
Here's a trick, why not have your cake & eat it too.
If you mount the older hex plate Bogen QR, in between the tripod & head, you could mount both in a matter of seconds, whenever you felt like it, so you can match the head to the job.
As far as Ball heads, nothing beats the Original Arca Swiss, if you can find one.

I can find one, I just can't afford one .

E76 · Apr 13, 2009

I'm using a Benbo "professional ball head" on a Benbo 1 tripod. Both can be a pain to adjust, but the Benbo is indispensable when working on uneven terrain (as I often find myself doing). In retrospect I wish I went with a geared head, but so far I've been able to make do with what I've got, even if it takes a little longer than it should.

benjiboy · Apr 13, 2009

E76 said:
I'm using a Benbo "professional ball head" on a Benbo 1 tripod. Both can be a pain to adjust, but the Benbo is indispensable when working on uneven terrain (as I often find myself doing). In retrospect I wish I went with a geared head, but so far I've been able to make do with what I've got, even if it takes a little longer than it should.

I have a Benbo Mk2 tripod and the pro ball head, I don't use it much these days but it is a very good tripod ,although I tend to use my Manfrotto ( Bogan) more, because as you say it is a pain to erect, It's like learning to play the bagpipes, but I bought it very cheap at a charity sale for £12, about $18 US.
P.S. I don't know if you know this but I was once talking to someone from Benbo at a trade show and he told me they are called "Benbo" because the design is based on a bent bolt.

wiggywag · Apr 13, 2009

I have the Manfrotto 410 geared head. I put an arca swiss 4x5" f-line on it. It works very well. It is so nice to be able to do fine adjustments with only one hand when I'm under the dark cloth.

RJS · Apr 13, 2009

There is absoloutley no question whatsoever; geared heads are far superior. The absoloute best is made by Arca. Go right out and get one. Next best, if your really are satisfied with less than the best is probably Manfrotto 410. Real photographers with real big cameras have Majestic. there is no more to be said on this subject!

Q.G. · Apr 14, 2009

RJS said:
There is absoloutley no question whatsoever; geared heads are far superior. The absoloute best is made by Arca. Go right out and get one. Next best, if your really are satisfied with less than the best is probably Manfrotto 410. Real photographers with real big cameras have Majestic. there is no more to be said on this subject!

Oh, dang!

But there is.
For instance that the Arca head is a huge levelling base, with limited movements, and very slow in use.

And that the Majestic thingies too are ... well, not quite 'it'. But no doubt nice for cameras weighing a ton (an Mamiya RZ still is a featherweight. Think approximately 5x what a Fuji GX680 weighs).

So that if you want a tripod head, neither would be the best.

Ball or Gear head

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