Pan-Head or Ball-Head ???

Which do you prefer, Pan-Head or Ball-Head, and why ?

I have the SLIK Pro 700DX w/700DX Pan-Head
It seems plenty stout and stable enough for my use.

I have never used the video abilities on any of our cameras; only still shots.

With the 50-500-lbs Sigma at 500mm, it does seem to take me forever to zero in on an eyeball-sized target at fifty feet; I get the focus point exactly where I want it, tighten the handle, and it has moved a hair's breadth, either to the left or downward.
If I anticipate this and zero in a bit high and to the right, then it will be dead-on once I tighten the handles.

Shifting as you lock down can affect ballheads just as they affect pan heads.
Either can be free of shifts as you lock... a good lock mechanism design avoids shift as you tighten.
Generally speaking, it simply depends on how much you paid for the head. The advent of heads from China has altered the relationship between cost and stability from what we have known for decades previously.

Wilt wrote in post #19064826
The advent of heads from China has altered the relationship between cost and stability from what we have known for decades previously.

Meaning we no longer have to pay a fortune for a good locking mechanism ?

.

BuckSkin wrote in post #19064720
.
Which do you prefer, Pan-Head or Ball-Head, and why ?
.

.
I have a lot of trouble with both pan heads and ball heads when I've tried to use them with truly large lenses.

The only heads that I have found to be satisfactory with big supertelephotos are full gimbal heads, such as the Wimberley.
.
.

BuckSkin wrote in post #19064720
.
With the 50-500-lbs Sigma at 500mm, it does seem to take me forever to zero in on an eyeball-sized target at fifty feet; I get the focus point exactly where I want it, tighten the handle, and it has moved a hair's breadth, either to the left or downward.
If I anticipate this and zero in a bit high and to the right, then it will be dead-on once I tighten the handles.
.

.
Oh my goodness! . I cannot imagine having to take the time to lock down a head so that the camera doesn't wobble or move.

Most of the time with wildlife, there is no time for such fiddling - if you don't take the shot NOW, the critter will not be in position for a good photograph any longer. . One has a fraction of a second to perfectly compose the image and fire off the shutter - that's it! . Literally, less than one second, in many situations.

That is precisely why I prefer a full gimbal head - because once you aim it where you want it, it stays there, rock solid, without any need to lock anything down.

.

I use a ball head for speed, simplicity in locking, and compactness. There are situations like panoramas and macro photography where a pan head would be better at fine movement changes but for everything else I find a ball head does the job faster.

The ball head I use is the Arca Z1+ head. Absolutely great tripod head that will last a very long time. The only reason I don’t recommend it is the poor access to repair/servicing in NA. Something like the RRS heads have better support here and are equal in performance. Something to consider as tripod heads can take a beating.

For the EF 600II I use a gitzo fluid gimbal, though the Z1 can hold it in emergencies.

For heavy lenses, definitely the gimbal. (I have a Wimberly for my 600mm.) For macro, I use a Manfrotto XPRO 3-way geared pan head. For general use, I like a Bogen 3047 3-way pan (that holds its position when you lock it down). But the Bogen is big and heavy, so it's not the one that I actually use most of the time. For convenience, smaller and lighter weight, I use a Vangard BH-250 ball-head most of the time.

Different heads for different reasons. And different legs for the different heads.

BuckSkin wrote in post #19064827
Meaning we no longer have to pay a fortune for a good locking mechanism ?

Since I have never owned one, I cannot vouch with accuracy. But there are lots of folks who state these knock-offs are 'just as good' as the recognized quality ballheads and tripods.

Wilt wrote in post #19064850
Since I have never owned one, I cannot vouch with accuracy. But there are lots of folks who state these knock-offs are 'just as good' as the recognized quality ballheads and tripods.

I’ve never owned one of the higher quality knock-off ball heads, but have a very inexpensive Desmond in a medium size that performs very well. I guess I’d say medium-plus quality at a very low price.

OTOH, I’ve owned a variety of true video heads with fluid damping (it’s actually all silicon grease these days). There is no substitute for a really nice Sachtler, Cartoni, Vinten, or O’Connor. What’s critical is an adjustable counterbalance spring. Every camera/lens combo is going to be weighted a little differently, and the cheaper video heads only accommodate one weighting if they have a fixed spring.

If you don’t spend the money to get that I’d have to agree with the gimbal users; you can balance a gimbal and get a quick still shot with good percentage of keepers. But you really do need the fluid-effect AND adjustable counterbalance for video, which would also be sweet for long-lens stills.

My current big video rig is a C100 on a Sachtler FSB6 head and CF75 sticks; a very nice match. With correct counterbalance, I can pan/tilt smoothly in a live shot and let go without locking.

My current big still rig is a crop canon with a Tamron 150-600mm on a genuine Sidekick on that Desmond ball head on Gitzo Series 3; also a very nice match.

We bought some Sachtler Ace heads/sticks for lighter cameras at school, that’s a real video head with adjustable counterbalance, it’s great when you work within its capacity.

Tom Reichner wrote in post #19064835
The only heads that I have found to be satisfactory with big supertelephotos are full gimbal heads,

I will have to look into these gimbal heads.

.
Oh my goodness! . I cannot imagine having to take the time to lock down a head so that the camera doesn't wobble or move.

Most of the time with wildlife, there is no time for such fiddling - if you don't take the shot NOW, the critter will not be in position for a good photograph any longer. . One has a fraction of a second to perfectly compose the image and fire off the shutter - that's it! . Literally, less than one second, in many situations.

My experience also, when I use a tripod, which is not that frequently.

While I have a gimbal head, I've also used a ball head with a 400mm lens for birds. I don't lock it to take the shot, so I have to steady it to keep it level and on target, a bit more cumbersome than a gimbal, but still very workable. Nothing against pan heads for other applications, but I can't imagine using one for birds.

BuckSkin wrote in post #19064720
Which do you prefer, Pan-Head or Ball-Head, and why ?

I have the SLIK Pro 700DX w/700DX Pan-Head
It seems plenty stout and stable enough for my use.

I have never used the video abilities on any of our cameras; only still shots.

With the 50-500-lbs Sigma at 500mm, it does seem to take me forever to zero in on an eyeball-sized target at fifty feet; I get the focus point exactly where I want it, tighten the handle, and it has moved a hair's breadth, either to the left or downward.
If I anticipate this and zero in a bit high and to the right, then it will be dead-on once I tighten the handles.

Buck.
The SLIK 700 DX is one of the most stable tripods for your money. About $150.00 US. It’s, big, heavy, but very stable.
I have two of them in the Titanium color. I also have two of the SBH 808 DQ Ball heads. I have two because we have second home. No need to take back and forth. I do have several other tripods as well including a Carbon Fibre Manfrotto 055 CF with a 410 Geared head, a MeFOTO travel tripod and an Induro GIT 304L with the Induro GHB2 Gimbal Head.
Different tools for different jobs. I bought the Induro Gimbal head after comparing back and forth between the Wimberly 2. As I was offered a deal I couldn’t refuse, I went with the Induro Gimbal head comparing side by side with the Wimberly mounted on my, you guessed it, the SLIK 700 DX. The 700 DX can certainly support a Full Gimball like the Wimberly2 and a long telephoto like you have.
The Gimbal head market has really nice offerings at nicer prices than a few years ago. The Benro Carbon Fibre, Side Mounts and Full Gimbal, Aluminum vs Carbon Fibre.
I really went back and forth on the Wimberly and the Induro GHB2. I may buy another Gimbal for the other place as well. Most likely the Wimberly 2, although they don’t have a Marking scale in the vertical column. Why I don’t know. But for a first time buyer, it certainly does allow faster set up without having to balance every time. Come on Wimberly and add to your product line like most of the competition.

I dont shoot enough with a tele on a tripod to invest in a gimbal head. For occasional use I've had good look with the manfrotto pistol grip ball head. You simply squeeze.the grip to release ball head move it, then release to lock it in. I dont have the exact model # handy but an Amazon or Google search will find it easily.

tomj wrote in post #19065257
I cannot imagine having to take the time to lock down a head so that the camera doesn't wobble or move.

Maybe I am missing something here; I thought the whole idea of using a tripod was so that the camera doesn't wobble or move.

Nick5 wrote in post #19065774
with a 410 Geared head

I have not looked it up yet, but I am envisioning something with worm-gears and a crank-handle for each direction, not unlike elevating a gun on a battleship.
I like things with precise geared movements like a Vernier sight.

gonzogolf wrote in post #19065779
I've had good look with the manfrotto pistol grip ball head. You simply squeeze.the grip to release ball head move it, then release to lock it in.

That sounds interesting.

BuckSkin wrote in post #19065822
.
Maybe I am missing something here; I thought the whole idea of using a tripod was so that the camera doesn't wobble or move.
.

.
I am the one who said that - Tom J quoted me, but didn't use the quote feature properly, so it didn't appear as a quote.

Of course you are right - the point of a tripod and head is so that the camera does not move. . But it should hold the camera rock steady without the user having to do anything to lock it down.

When you use a high quality gimbal head like a Wimberley 2, there is no need to lock anything down - the camera can be moved about and panned with your subject, but the instant you stop moving, the camera and lens stay in perfectly stable position by themselves - no need to do anything like tighten a clamp or a tension knob.

When shooting things like sports, or wildlife in action, there is no time whatsoever to adjust or tighten anything - you need to fire the shot off instantly, or the moment will be gone. . That is why you see almost every serious, successful wildlife or sports photographer using a full gimbal head when they are using a big supertelephoto.


.