Help with picking a ball head for upcoming trip to Iceland.

I'll be traveling to Iceland in May with the following:

Canon 6D
Canon 16-35mm F4
Canon 24-105mm F4
Canon 70-200mm f2.8ii
Mindshift Gear Panorama R180 Pack

I switched back to Canon after trying out M43 so the tripod I have now is too small for this setup. Because I'm going to be in Iceland, I want something solid to ensure I get good photos. I'm going to be hiking with this so weight is a factor, but not SUPER important as head weight isn't that much of a difference. I've been doing a lot of research on legs and I think I've decided to go with the Feisol CT-3442. However after about a week of research on legs I think I'm going to let you guys give me a hand with looking at which ball head to go with. There are so many options out there it's really confusing. Obviously the 70-200 2.8 is going to be the heaviest lens I have (and will probably ever own). I can't see myself getting lenses that are any heavier than that so with that said, what head is best value for a 6d with 70-200 2.8? I say best value as I know there are probably arca swiss and kirk heads that are great, but I'm looking slightly cheaper. I'm not trying to go super cheap, but something that gives you a lot of product for the money (like what I've read about feisol).

Thanks!

I would make sure what ever head I purchased used a Arca Swiss compatible quick release clamp. Arca Swiss does manufacture them, of course, just like they do ball heads, but many other manufacturers also use that system for their quick release clamps. I started out with the Manfrotto RC2 quick release system and suffered with it for a couple years before I changed everything over to an Arca Swiss style system.

Others will chime in, I'm sure, with their inexpensive head suggestions. I bit the bullet a couple years ago and bought a Really Right Stuff tripod/ball head and monopod/monopod head. Expensive stuff but well worth it for me.

I went through this a while ago. I don't want to confuse you if you are really set on your tripod but I was looking for a sturdy travel option and a fellow POTN member (peter_n) recommended the Benro C2680T. I bought it and I really couldn't be happier with it.

As for the head I bought a Manfrotto 410 mini geared head based upon recommendations form fellow members as well. Assuming you're going to Iceland primarily for landscapes I can hardly think of a better tool for the task except it might be a little cumbersome for travel. So with that said my latest tripod related purchase was a Sirui K20-X ball head (again recommended by peter_n I think) and it does the job exceptionally well - especially for the price.

I hope that helps you out.

FWIW, I have traveled a lot in the last year with an Induro head & carbon legs setup, and it is great. It's not the lightest out there, but I've hiked with it with no complaints. And it is very stable, and a good price compared to some of the top names. I also have a friend with a similar setup and recently ran into a pro landscape guy using the same thing. My shooting gear is similar to yours: 5DM3, 16-35, 24-70, 70-200.

And I agree with the comment above re: get something that is Arca Swiss compatible because it will allow you to use a variety of mounting plates. Good stuff.

Have a great time in Iceland; it is high on my list of to-go places.

I'll be picking up an arca compatible clamp as I plan on getting an L bracket for the 6D.

Your tripod choice looks good to me. A friend has the Feisol 3442 and, for the money, it is a fine piece of kit. However another friend has the Feisol 3342 (it's true I have more than one friend!) which I think is better. Both are very good but with one less leg section the 3342 is a bit stiffer and damps down vibration a touch better, though it is a little longer for transport. Both are quite adequate for my Canon 300 F2.8 + a 1 series body.

I notice that the Manfrotto 410 has been recommended and I completely agree that for landscapes it is one of the best heads going. To make my 410 compatible with the Arca system I have simply attached an Arca clamp to the 410 QR plate - this works just fine. The 410 is slow to use but landscapes do not tend to run around too much so it's not a problem! My only concern with the 410 is that it is quite heavy - something to consider.

The Sirui K20x has also been suggested. I have the K40x which is excellent but, frankly, overkill for your needs. The K30x and K20x look more appropriate for your needs. One point to note is that the Sirui QR plates are a slightly different size to Arca plates. Don't worry about this as the Sirui screw type clamps work fine with all Arca style QR plates that I have access to (6-8 different manufacturers).

A Feisol + Sirui combination should make you quite happy.

Thanks John. I might just make the drive to B&H to take a look at the feisols in person as I'm just going off specs online. Thanks for the pointers on the sirui heads, I'll have to read up on them.

I used the Feisol 3441T (same legs as the 3442) in Iceland in 2012, worked perfectly in all sorts of harsh terrain. I had it paired with a Cullmann MB6.5 head which worked more than well enough. I'm going back to Iceland this year, with the same tripod, but with an RRS BH-40 attached for lighter weight and better locking.

As far as the legs go, I couldn't ask for anything better. Small, light, sturdy, durable. For the head, I highly recommend the BH-40, but if you want something cheaper, you could take a look at Induro, Sirui or Photoclam. All three of these are lower priced and have great reviews. I have no experience with them. I don't like Benro or Markins heads in case you were wondering.

I have tried the Benro legs mentioned above, they are good too, especially for the price. However, the Feisol is a bit lighter, and works a bit nicer (smoother, higher quality CNC parts).

I've been using the Feisol 3442 and a Markins ballhead for the last few years as a travel and trekking tripod. Used it extensively without any problems. Compact yet very stable. You won't be disappointed with the Feisol.

Well I'm joining the chorus to get a ballhead that's got an Arca-Swiss type clamp. If you want value the best I've seen recently are the Sirui K20-X through K40X series. Look at their K20X and K30-X models as the K-40X will be too big for your application.

nebulight wrote in post #17439821
Thanks John. I might just make the drive to B&H to take a look at the feisols in person as I'm just going off specs online. Thanks for the pointers on the sirui heads, I'll have to read up on them.

While you're in B&H check out the Sirui ballheads there, you'll be able to directly compare them with Photo Clam heads as the two brands are displayed and available for use together.

With any foldback design tripod Feisol or otherwise, you'll need to take care that whatever ballhead you buy works with it. Most small to medium sized heads will work, but it's best to check and make sure. You want the legs to fold back reasonably parallel to the center column if it has one, but an outside diameter that's too large or the placement of knobs on the ball housing can cause problems sometimes.

Good to know that the Feisol legs are a good choice.

It looks like the Sirui K30x is also highly recommended. It looks like a clone of some other more popular brands and from what I've read here and elsewhere online, it looks to hold up pretty well and is a steal at the price.

nebulight wrote in post #17440459
Good to know that the Feisol legs are a good choice.

It looks like a clone of some other more popular brands...

Most of the ballheads that look similar to the Sirui like Markins, Photo Clam etc. are copies of the original Arca-Swiss B1 design which is now currently the Z1. Unfortunately Arca-Swiss don't make smaller versions of the Z1 although they do make the p0 and P1 medium sized heads which have a totally unique design.

Thanks Peter.

nebulight wrote in post #17440459
Good to know that the Feisol legs are a good choice.

It looks like the Sirui K30x is also highly recommended. It looks like a clone of some other more popular brands and from what I've read here and elsewhere online, it looks to hold up pretty well and is a steal at the price.

I don't think that you will find any unhappy Feisol users. Although I have only used friends Feisol tripods I have been very impressed with the combination of price/performance and weight that they offer. Gitzo/RRS tripods are better but at a price that most are unwilling/able to pay, so unless you have an unlimited budget then (from those tripods that I have used) Feisols are about as good as it gets!

For those that may search down the road and come across this thread, I ended up going with a Acratech GP-S head to go on a set of Feisol CT-3442 legs. I liked how it was an open design to prevent dirt from getting into the ball housing. However what really sold me on the head was it's ability to move the clamp, install it on the bottom of the head and flip it upside down to use a built in leveling base. With a nodal rail this is a very light weight way to shoot panos. I have a RRS multirow setup but I might sell that in favor of Acratech's pano head as that's even more light and compact.