Manfrotto 488RC2 or 322RC2?

[Brypan]

I am most likely purchasing the Manfrotto 190XPROB for my birthday comming up, but I need to decide on a head. I don't really know if the 322RC2 is worth the extra money, or exactly what it lets you do.


Sorry for all the noob questions,
Bryan

[SkipD]

I have tried both types of "grip" ball heads and don't like either at all. I prefer a simple ball head like the 488RC2. I feel like I have more control with it than with the grip style.

One thing for sure - the 488RC2 take up less space when packing the tripod and does not get in the way when carrying the tripod across my back.

Another feature that the 488RC2 has - you can release the horizontal ("panning") movement without releasing the main ball. The 322 cannot do that.

[Brypan]

And you still get all the same angles with the 488RC2? Because I am new to ballheads, you move the camera to different angles just by pushing the camera atound, correct?

[SkipD]

And you still get all the same angles with the 488RC2? Because I am new to ballheads, you move the camera to different angles just by pushing the camera atound, correct?You can point the camera in about the same range of directions with both. To use the 488RC2, you loosen the round knob to the degree of friction that you want and then move the camera. When you're camera is in the desired position, you tighten the knob again.

You can even use a ball head like the 488RC2 in a different way. You can leave the ball a little bit loose and follow action with the camera - with both hands on the camera so that you have full control.

[SuzyView]

I have the 488RC and it is much better than anything else I've used. It holds up my most heavy gear and it doesn't even whine.

[Tony-S]

Hasn't Manfrotto stopped making RC2 plates?

[SkipD]

Hasn't Manfrotto stopped making RC2 plates?Nope. They just have a new part number like almost all their stuff.

[gryphonslair99]

I think the difference is a matter of choice. For me it is a matter of use. I love the 322 for studio/portrait stuff. Quick and easy to use in that application and the accessory shutter release works great. Mine has been modified with an Arca-swiss QR on it.

A standard ball head is probably the most convenient for general shooting. It is the easiest to travel with. If you can go try them out at a local photograph shop and see what you like best.

[Brypan]

I have two more questions before I buy the 322RC2 (I am pretty sure that I want that one). The 322RC2 comes with a quick release plate, true? Also, that shutter release you were talking about, gryphonslair99, doesn't that do the same thing as a cable shutter release? Or am I just confused (that happens more often than I realize :o..

[SkipD]

I have two more questions before I buy the 322RC2 (I am pretty sure that I want that one).Do yourself a BIG favor.... Go to a good camera store and try out the two ball heads (322 and 488 ) before you purchase. If you have never handled either, it's impossible to make an intelligent purchase decision. I did the hands-on comparison and found that the 322 was not for me. I could not tell prior to that.

[Pete Gl]

I did a lot of research before plumping for my tripod/head, and found a lot of people saying they found the 'pistol grip' type heads, because of the design, i.e. you're relying on the pressure the inbuilt spring applies to the ball, have a tendency to creep.

Pete

[JRD]

I have the 488RC and it is much better than anything else I've used. It holds up my most heavy gear and it doesn't even whine.

+1

A solid, dependable ball head. Although I've never used anything bigger than a 400mm lens with it, to be fair. The abilitiy to almost lock the ball and still move the camera is a plus.

John

[Nick5]

Being a patient of Dr. Skip for over a year, I can honestly recommend him to anyone.
488RC2.

[MattMoore]

The 322RC2 comes with a quick release plate, true?

Yes it does.

I've never had an issue with the 322RC2, it works fine for all my applications (and Jason Cole uses it as well(at least in his DVDs)).

But the 488RC2 is a great ballhead, no argument about it.

[Jon]

I have tried both types of "grip" ball heads and don't like either at all. I prefer a simple ball head like the 488RC2. I feel like I have more control with it than with the grip style.

One thing for sure - the 488RC2 take up less space when packing the tripod and does not get in the way when carrying the tripod across my back.

Another feature that the 488RC2 has - you can release the horizontal ("panning") movement without releasing the main ball. The 322 cannot do that.

Do yourself a BIG favor.... Go to a good camera store and try out the two ball heads (322 and 488 ) before you purchase. If you have never handled either, it's impossible to make an intelligent purchase decision. I did the hands-on comparison and found that the 322 was not for me. I could not tell prior to that.
I fully agree with Skip. I own both. I use the 488RC2. I don't use the 322 because its grip release is less convenient, to the point of being painful over time, when you're following a moving target or making lots of small adjustments to the aiming of your camera. If you're able to just "set and forget", it'd be fine; but if you want to use it on a routine basis and are going to be moving the camera around much at all, better get a grip strengthener to go along with the 322, or get the 488.

[Brypan]

How do you lock in the 488RC2 exactly? Do you have to screw it in every time you want to lock the camera in place? Or is there a differet method with this head?

[Jon]

You just tighten the set screw. It takes a turn or less, depending on how far out you've eased it. The less you ease it off the more feedback/resistance it gives you when you re-aim the camera.

[Brypan]

Is it really that difficult to squeeze the lever? I can't try it out at a local camera store because the only one I can easily get to has a manager that does not like me.. I went there once to get help with adjusting my camera strap, and he would not help me because I mentioned that I bought the camera online. So anyway, I really like the idea of the lever, but I am not sure if I would be able to sqeeze it continusly (sp). Also, I hear something about joystick mode in the 322RC2, does that mean you can remove the grip? I am leaning to the 488RC2, now that I see some bad things amout limited movement.

[MattMoore]

Is it really that difficult to squeeze the lever? I can't try it out at a local camera store because the only one I can easily get to has a manager that does not like me.. I went there once to get help with adjusting my camera strap, and he would not help me because I mentioned that I bought the camera online. So anyway, I really like the idea of the lever, but I am not sure if I would be able to sqeeze it continusly (sp). Also, I hear something about joystick mode in the 322RC2, does that mean you can remove the grip?

It's TOO difficult to squeeze the lever, but I could see where it would get tiresome pretty quickly. The "joystick mode" still requires the depressing of the very same lever, the only thing that changes is the orientation & location of the lever.

[SkipD]

Is it really that difficult to squeeze the lever? I can't try it out at a local camera store because the only one I can easily get to has a manager that does not like me.. I went there once to get help with adjusting my camera strap, and he would not help me because I mentioned that I bought the camera online. So anyway, I really like the idea of the lever, but I am not sure if I would be able to sqeeze it continusly (sp). Also, I hear something about joystick mode in the 322RC2, does that mean you can remove the grip? I am leaning to the 488RC2, now that I see some bad things amout limited movement.One problem I have with the 322 head is that if I'm moving the camera to follow something, I'd have to be constantly using one hand to squeeze the silly grip.

With a conventional ball head such as the 488, all I have to do is back off a little on the locking knob and then I can (with some friction in the system that I controlled by how much I loosened the knob) use both hands on the camera/lens to move the camera, adjust the lens' focal length and/or focus (I like manual focus) as well as have my right hand on the camera controls. That just cannot be done with either style of Manfrotto grip head.

[Brypan]

With a conventional ball head such as the 488, all I have to do is back off a little on the locking knob and then I can (with some friction in the system that I controlled by how much I loosened the knob) use both hands on the camera/lens to move the camera, adjust the lens' focal length and/or focus (I like manual focus) as well as have my right hand on the camera controls. That just cannot be done with either style of Manfrotto grip head.

If you put some friction in the system, but still are able to rotate the camera, it should be able to stay still when you stop rotating the camera, correct? (sorry for odd wording, I was not sure how to word that). But wouldn't doing that eventually break down the head?

[Jon]

Is it really that difficult to squeeze the lever? I can't try it out at a local camera store because the only one I can easily get to has a manager that does not like me.. I went there once to get help with adjusting my camera strap, and he would not help me because I mentioned that I bought the camera online. So anyway, I really like the idea of the lever, but I am not sure if I would be able to sqeeze it continusly (sp). Also, I hear something about joystick mode in the 322RC2, does that mean you can remove the grip? I am leaning to the 488RC2, now that I see some bad things amout limited movement.

It's [not] TOO difficult to squeeze the lever, but I could see where it would get tiresome pretty quickly. The "joystick mode" still requires the depressing of the very same lever, the only thing that changes is the orientation & location of the lever.

One problem I have with the 322 head is that if I'm moving the camera to follow something, I'd have to be constantly using one hand to squeeze the silly grip.

With a conventional ball head such as the 488, all I have to do is back off a little on the locking knob and then I can (with some friction in the system that I controlled by how much I loosened the knob) use both hands on the camera/lens to move the camera, adjust the lens' focal length and/or focus (I like manual focus) as well as have my right hand on the camera controls. That just cannot be done with either style of Manfrotto grip head.Exactly. If you squeeze and are done, fine, no problem. But if you're tracking something, or making a bunch of alterations in composition, it gets old fast.

[SkipD]

If you put some friction in the system, but still are able to rotate the camera, it should be able to stay still when you stop rotating the camera, correct? (sorry for odd wording, I was not sure how to word that). But wouldn't doing that eventually break down the head?There are a couple of ways this could work.

If I am following something in motion and want to move the camera through to releasing the shutter, I don't need to re-tighten the ball.

If I am merely following something (a critter, for example) while it's in motion and want to hold the camera steady to shoot after the subject stops, I have to either re-tighten the ball (turn the knob) to hold the camera steady all by itself or merely (with the aid of the friction I've left in the partly loosened ball) hold the camera with my hands while aimed at the subject.

[Nick5]

Is it really that difficult to squeeze the lever? I can't try it out at a local camera store because the only one I can easily get to has a manager that does not like me.. I went there once to get help with adjusting my camera strap, and he would not help me because I mentioned that I bought the camera online. So anyway, I really like the idea of the lever, but I am not sure if I would be able to sqeeze it continusly (sp). Also, I hear something about joystick mode in the 322RC2, does that mean you can remove the grip? I am leaning to the 488RC2, now that I see some bad things amout limited movement.Bry. Do you blame the manager at the store. He has to stay in business. Providing service on what they sell.
I don't buy on line at all. I give my local shops my business. Many times I had dust an eyelash or dust in the viewfinder. No problem. Go to my local shop and they gladly removed with the air nozzle.
Like my own business, I service only what I sell.

No local shops, no tax base, no jobs! Wake up America!

[Brypan]

Bry. Do you blame the manager at the store. He has to stay in business. Providing service on what they sell.
I don't buy on line at all. I give my local shops my business. Many times I had dust an eyelash or dust in the viewfinder. No problem. Go to my local shop and they gladly removed with the air nozzle.
Like my own business, I service only what I sell.

No local shops, no tax base, no jobs! Wake up America!

Sorry to go off topic here, but I just want to say this:

My local photography shop is a place that sells things very overpriced. For example, I bought a camera bag from Office Max (not online) for $20. This store sells it for $60. If they triple some of their prices, do they truly expect me to buy from there? Its competition, and if they don't compete, sadly, they may go out of bussiness. That is just how it works. Also, this is not a little local shop, it is a large chain (Ritz Camera). Final note, I did buy a picture frame, because I felt bad asking for help without buying anything, but he still was upset and refused to finish helping me.

On topic: I decided to go with the 488RC2! I made a decision, woo hoo!

[lionfish99]

Thanks for the inputs guys. Almost jumped on to the 322RC, Now I think I'm going with the 488RC

[SkipD]

Thanks for the inputs guys. Almost jumped on to the 322RC, Now I think I'm going with the 488RCThat, you will find out, is a good move.

[riyazi]

I was almost about to go for a 322RC2 and thought I will just do a search here before I pushed the button - good that I did ! I think I will start looking for a 488RC2 now ! :)