Are ball heads a PITA or is it just me?

I have 2 Manfrotto tripods with ball heads - one is lighter for travel, the other heavier duty. I find both to be a royal pain in the a$$ to get exactly where I want. No matter the lens I use, the camera creeps after locking it down. For example using my heavy duty set up and a 70-200 to shoot the moon, I frame the shot and tighten it down and when I let go, the moon is no longer center frame where I set it. Another example: I was adjusting my lenses last night using FoCal software. It requires you to set the center focus point on the center of a printed target. Even using a 50mm lens the ball head was horrible to position accurately. I had it as loose As I could get it and trying to make small adjustsments was problematic at best. The ball head wasn't smooth and easy to move unless wayyyyy loose and when I tried tried to tighten it a little to get some drag on it for small adjustments, it would stick and then jerk moving the target wayyyy out of frame. Frustrating. Yes. Very. Maybe I'm doing it wrong. I didn't think ball heads needed lubrication. I thought that once you tightened it what you framed was what you got. I frame it, lock it, let go and the camera drops enough to screw up my composition. It doesn't KEEP CREEPING- it's not broken that I can tell. It's just my hand holding the camera seems to be helping support the angle and when I let go it moves. It's is obviously much more pronounced at the telephoto end of the scale. Any tips?

Thanks in advance!
James

It's not you. It's the Manfrotto heads. I have the same problem with them, too, but for the stuff I used them for, the creeps really isn't an issue although it is annoying. Actually, it's not creep, per se, but more like a sag or droop. After tightening the knob, when you let go of the camera/lens, the weight causes it to droop down a little so that if you were aiming at a target, the target is no longer centered. Most of the time, I just compensate for that droop but it is annoying having to do that all the time.

I was in the same situation with a Manfrotto 322RC2. Different style of ballhead but still the same problems you're having. My solution was to lose the Manfrotto and buy a RRS BH-55, smooth action and zero creep. I'm not trying to be one of those "just buy the most expensive thing" people but the nicer ballheads just work better. RRS, Markins, Acratech, etc. all have models that would work for you.

I asked about adjustements and whatnot with the 322RC2 and never found anything at all that made it work like I thought it should. That's why I ended up buying something else entirely.

Buy one of the Arca-Swiss style ballheads and those problems go away; it's the way the Manfrottos are built that is your issue. I started with an RC2 head when I first got started and then, finally, changed over to a Markins ballhead; it was a night and day difference.

I've not owned but everything I've read about Manfrotto heads over the years and the few times I've put my hands on them certainly mirrors your experience. I thought I had heard there were some now that worked better but honestly I agree with yourdoinitwrong, inexpensive ballheads are usually too much frustration to be worth whatever you save.

I've been using a Markins M10 for a number of years now and have never had trouble with it.

Whew! Thanks all - time to upgrade!

James

Thats why I gave up using my Manfrotto ballhead and went for the Markins M10 with an Arca-Swiss plate. Solid as a rock.

I was also never totally convinced about the security of the RC2 system.

The ballhead on the $80 Dolica I got from Costco is rock solid with a 5D2 and 70-200 2.8 mounted

I'm curious which ball heads you have. I assume you have the 498 or similar. If so, then the droop is kind of expected. I haven't been able to test out their newer ball heads, though.

I agree with everyone else and say get a better ball head. If framing is critical for you, you might want to look at the geared heads as well.

klr.b wrote in post #15703173
I'm curious which ball heads you have. I assume you have the 498 or similar. If so, then the droop is kind of expected. I haven't been able to test out their newer ball heads, though.

I agree with everyone else and say get a better ball head. If framing is critical for you, you might want to look at the geared heads as well.

Yep it's the 498rc2 and 055xprob tripod. Do I really need to spend $400 on a decent ball head? I can do $200-$250 and need to support a 70-200mm at most. Any specific recommendations?

Check into some of the Adorama heads (F2, F3, etc) on a budget, but for the most part, yeah (unfortunately).

I've never been a fan of the Manfrotto heads - fiddly except for their most entry.

I like the Sunwayfoto heads. I sold my RRS BH-40 and kept the XB-44 I reviewed.

Pretty much any Arca-Swiss-based ball head will make you happier, and l-brackets are the icing on top!

Part of the problem is the ballhead, BUT part of the roblem is also the center column. I used to have Manfrotto sticks both 390 cxpro and 055cxpro. I had the same problem as you with both manfrotto ballheads, and when I upgraded to Acratech, and Arca-Swiss. I figured out that the heads were not the only source of problem, but that the center column was also playing a part. When I would releaase my grip on the camera/lens, the head was not drooping, but rather, the center column was drooping. Try as I might, I couldn't crank down the tension on the column enough to stop the movement when the weight balance changed, no matter what head I was using.

Don't get me wrong, the top-notch ballheads and the Arca-Swiss clamps are night and day better than the Manfrotto stuff, but you really need to eliminate the center column to get rock solid results. When I got rid of the Manfrotto stix, and got the Gitzo systematic legs, all my troubles went away along with the center column.

As many others on the forum have said, in hindsight, I should have just shelled out the $ for the good stuff right away, rather than buying a bunch of mediocre gear, and selling it at a loss in order to buy what I really wanted/needed in the frist place. When you stop to think about it, a good tripod setup is about the same $ as a nice lens, and just as important in my opinoin.

James33 wrote in post #15704063
Yep it's the 498rc2 and 055xprob tripod. Do I really need to spend $400 on a decent ball head? I can do $200-$250 and need to support a 70-200mm at most. Any specific recommendations?

No you most certainly don't! I have only tried 2 expensive ball heads (both Arcas) and was somewhat underwhelmed. Yes they were very good but frankly the lockup was barely as good as my Triopo RS3 at half the weight and 1/10th the price. I do not have a 1200 F5.6 to try it out but can confirm that a 600 F4 IS is not a challenge and shows no creep at any angle yet it weighs less than 300 grams. You will need to budget for a QR clamp (as it does not come with one (I have a couple of the Triopo Clamps - perfectly serviceable) - the total cost is around 40pounds UK.
To be honest I cannot say there is absolutely NO flex with the 600 F4, simply because my Gitzo's are too bendy, but I can find no creep even when the head is only lightly locked.

I love the method used by Markin where the ballhead is not actually locked down. Instead it is kept in a movable state with some drag, so that it stays where its left. When fully locked down, it suffers the same slight movement that my Manfrotto head suffered.

The size and weight of lens in my experience makes no difference, because its a balanced load.