RRS BH-55 or Arca-Swiss Z1 sp

Any opinions on this? The Arca is slightly lower priced and gets great reviews...but I know the RRS is known as the "best".

Can either be used along with a Gimbal sidekick?

Also I have this question...I am buying a set of Manfrotto 055xPro3 legs. Do these ball heads just screw right on? I know I need to buy a quick release plate to go with the head but do I need any other stuff to make the head/leg combo work?

Thanks!

Both are great heads. I have the BH-55 and love it.

I had the BH-55 on the Manfrotto before I bought TVC-33. Yes it just screws on. If I were you I'd buy the L-bracket (RRS) for your 7D.

If you buy into RRS their customer service is outstanding. You will have no worries buying from RRS.

I voted with my wallet for the Arca-Swiss Z1, with a RRS screw clamp and plates.

Either of them are fantastic ball heads, I just liked the layout of the controls on the Z1 and the design of the elliptical ball a little better.

The Z1 just screwed right on to my manfrotto legs without any problems.

From what I am reading...you can use a gimbal sidekick with either head.

The Arca-Swiss on Amazon has a quick release on it and the plate is $45. So basically it's the Arca Swiss with plate for $450 or the RRS with plate for $510. I would like to wait on the L plate...just to save a little$$ for right now. That would be a good birthday present or something lol.

Both the BH-55 and the Z1 are excellent ballheads and both will accommodate a Sidekick and will give you great service for a very long time. It's really down to personal preference. Both have a 3/8"-16 tapped socket in the base which will screw onto most tripods including yours.

I like the low profile design of the BH-55 as to me that means a lower center of gravity so it's maybe marginally more stable. However I don't like the design and layout of the controls that much (although I could live with them) and I don't particularly like the two off-center drop slots either. Not quite sure why they did that. My major issue is the weight; it really does need to go to the fat farm and I could only use it on a Gitzo 4 or 5-series tripod and I'm unlikely to ever get one of those.

I use a Z1 on a Gitzo 3-series with a RRS leveling base and like the rig a lot. The Z1 is the best ballhead I've used and so far (2+ years of use) it has been very reliable. It's lighter than the BH-55. If you decide to get a Z1 I can write further with recommendations for clamp replacement, the only thing I've noticed with the head is that the panning action is not particularly smooth. I use a panoramic camera so it's not an issue for me but this is a known issue with Z1 heads.

BTW, "best" is relative to the criteria you use. With camera support I suppose stability, max load, post-lock droop and reliability are decent criteria and if you go by those then the Burzynski is the top dog. Plenty of people have sold their BH-55 and Z1 heads to get one.

Thanks!!!

Well now I'm not sure the 055 legs are my best bet anymore. I'm really thinking about picking up a used 500 f4 in the next 6 months so I guess I'm looking at something about twice the price of the manfrotto. This hobby is overwhelming sometimes!! Lol.

Might just go with the RRS head and legs combo for $1300. Or try a gitzo

I have to decide if I want a center column or not. I read center column takes away from the sturdiness but I am so used to having the ability to change the height easily on a tripod.

I am 5'6...if anybody has any recommendations I'm all ears!

With a 500mm lens you don't want a center column.

I have one on my tripod but I never use it as the tripod is so much sturdier without using it.

Ok. Yeah, it makes sense...and I do have a slik 500dx if I ever go anywhere and I really want the center column for some reason.

cbowlsby wrote in post #15969862
With a 500mm lens you don't want a center column.

I'd extend this to all situations, wherever possible I use my Gitzo systematic without a center column - much more stable. The RRS and Gitzo systematic tripods both come without center columns. The RRS tripods are more expensive than the Gitzos but the Gitzo center columns are about twice the price of the RRS ones. Both manufacturers have a wide range of accessories for their tripods like leveling bases, center columns, etc. WRT pricing RRS are invariant - they never go on sale. Gitzo have had sales with big discounts for the last few years in December and January, I bought my 3-series Gitzo systematic for $540 in one.

Both brands are very good. Many think the RRS tripods are better than Gitzo, others are not so sure. It really doesn't make too much difference and often comes down to personal preference. RRS makes a small number of models and they use milled aircraft grade aluminum to manufacture the base and the other metal hardware. Their customer service has a stellar reputation. Gitzo has a very large product line with many models and sizes. They mostly use cast magnesium alloy for their hardware, it's lighter than aluminum but can fail in extreme environments if there's a defect in the casting. This can happen but it is rare. Their customer service is not so great.

Since you are 5' 6" you'll undoubtedly find a suitable size tripod in the Gitzo range without too much trouble. You need to figure out which series you need, Gitzo recommends 3 & 4 series systematics for a 400mm lens and 4 & 5 series for a 600mm lens so it looks like a 4-series is the sweet spot for a 500mm. I'm sure RRS would recommend their series 3 for a 500mm. You just need to find a model that with ballhead and camera on top is right for your height.

I am looking at a Gitzo GT3531s used for $499. It's listed as excellent..80-89% of original quality meaning it could have some scuffs or whatnot...is that a good deal?

I would say it's a deal. You can get a new 3532S from B&H for $700 with free shipping. The mail-in rebate ends June 15. The 3532S is their latest design with better specs but a wee bit heavier. It also has a beefier base so it can handle a RRS BH-55 should you go that route.

I'm really leaning towards an arca Swiss at this point. I'd most likely use the qr system that comes with it to see if I like it and possibly switch to a RRS QR down the line and pick up an L plate. I watched a video on YouTube on how to use the Arca Swiss qr lever and it seems pretty straight forward to me. I had read online that some people don't like it but I do like how there's no way you are accidentally releasing the camera from that thing.

If you're going to get a Z1 get the version with the round base and remove the base and screw. Get the latest RRS B2 AS II clamp that fits the stem of the Z1 and self-adjusts to any plate. I use this clamp on an Acratech head and can verify it works as I have plates from 6 different manufacturers.

Why am I suggesting you do this? Because the new design clamps that come with the Z1 are a "double-decker" design that come with two jaws. The upper jaw is the regular A-S dovetail that we all use. The lower jaw is a new A-S design called "Slidefix" that uses plates that are narrower. Unless you buy an Arca-Swiss camera you'll never use a Slidefix plate. The problem is that if you use safety stop screws on your regular camera plate they won't work because you're using the upper jaw in the clamp. Very bad. Also it's kind of fiddly to get a plate into that top jaw. Arca-Swiss have really screwed up with these new clamps, I don't know what they're thinking.

I recommend that instead of getting a Z1 with an A-S lever release that you'll almost certainly discard in the future you get the cheapest Z1 you can buy (with the round base). Get the RRS clamp that you'll keep for good and you'll save money in the long run...

Thanks for the input! I will hopefully be making a purchase this week.

peter_n wrote in post #15972283
If you're going to get a Z1 get the version with the round base and remove the base and screw. Get the latest RRS B2 AS II clamp that fits the stem of the Z1 and self-adjusts to any plate. I use this clamp on an Acratech head and can verify it works as I have plates from 6 different manufacturers.

I can vouch for this too. This is the exact setup I use other then I use the screw lock clamp rather then the lever release from RRS. Absolutely love the setup!