Need a heavy duty ballhead QR system

[buddy4344]

I just read that Gitzo is running some 10% off deals. Great.

OK, over Christmas I purchased a used 500mm F4 that included an RRS plate and also a used 400mm F4 DO lens with an RRS plate attached (yeah it was too much money to spend at once, but what the heck).

Until now, I have used a Bogen Ballhead with the 488RC2 ballhead with the RC2 plates. While find for my lighter weight gear, I should get beefier stuff now. I understand the Arca-Swiss style quick connects have advantages.

Bottom line - I need some of you big telephoto guys to tell me what to look for so I can properly shoot and protect these new big boy lenses.

[sdipirro]

I have the Gitzo 3541 mountaineer tripod legs with the Markins M20 ballhead and RRS QR system on the ballhead. I have RRS QR plates on my bigger lenses, and I believe my setup would handle what you have. But some folks with the REALLY big lenses prefer the Wimberley heads.

[malla1962]

I use Gitzo 3541LS legs and a RRS BH-55 ballhead with
RRS QR clamp but most of the time the Artillery sits on a kirk king cobra head.

[4x4rock]

Damn! you bought both of them at the same time?

[Lowner]

If you are wanting to keep costs in check, it;s possible to just replace your existing RC2 clamp with an A-S clamp from Kirk, RRS, Markins etc.

If you still have the cash, a better long term solution would be a better ballhead to go with the A-S clamp. RRS do a very nice range of plates and clamps and Markins, Kirk, Wimberly, and others produce nice heads.

Whatever you do will be an improvement on the RC2, which is a budget quick release system.

[Killjoy]

How heavy is your gear now? That 488RC2 will hold up over 17 pounds.

[buddy4344]

The 500mm lens is 8.5 pounds, add a few more pounds for the battery pack on a 30D, yeah I am probably below 17 pounds, but from what i have observed, no one puts this big leveraged weight on the 488RC2. Also lenses are coming with RRS plates which hear are safer and more stable, so seemed to make sense to investigate that mounting system.

[Headshotzx]

You should get a wimberley head (or maybe a well-built knockoff? Seen a few threads around here) for your 500 and 400, shouldn't you?

[jhom]

+1 Wimberley.

[funhouse69]

I would suggest a good ball head and definitely stick with Arca-Swiss it gives you a lot of flexibility and a large selection of manufacturers instead of being locked in with a proprietary plate. I had a Manfrotto before I upgraded and will never look back...

Which type of head is all personal preference, if you are looking to only use your large lenses then you might want to consider a full gimbal head. I've also heard that some of the knock-off's on e-bay are really good but can't comment myself.

I on the other hand want to be able to use my Tripod with all of my lenses and not just the heavy artillery with this in mind I went with a Kirk BH-1 and a Wimberley Sidekick. This means I don't have to keep swapping heads if / when I want to use different lenses, just remove the sidekick and you are all set.

I have to say I was a little skeptical at first but man when you put the lens in and balance it it really is weightless!!! These pics were taken with the upper knob loose, it really is just free floating / perfectly balanced. So Cool!!!

My setup is as follows
Gitzo GT3530
Kirk BH-1
Kirk Replacement Foot (Highly Recommended)
Wimberley Sidekick

Here's a pic
http://funhouse69.smugmug.com/photos/451476629_8fsUx-XL.jpg