Manfrotto Ball Head vs Pan & Tilt

I am going to be getting a new tripod, using my Adorama bonus points. I am probably going to get the Manfrotto 290 Xtra carbon fiber tripod: http://www.adorama.com …tml#source=prod​uctOptions

What I'm debating is what type of head to get. I've never used a ball head before. So in a way, I'm considering that just to try it. I've read that ball heads are less precise, although a little bit faster to use. They also are more compact, without the handles sticking out. It looks like the tripod comes with either of these two heads:

P&T: http://www.adorama.com​/bgmh8043wus.html
Ball: http://www.adorama.com​/bg496rc2.html

I am mostly using my Sony A7RII body these days, and my heavy lens is the Canon 11-24mm f/4 L, which combined comes to about 4 pounds. This tripod & head combo can support 8 pounds, so I should be good. I do a lot of landscape, cityscape shots. And so speed isn't too much of concern. The ease of carrying and not having handles get caught on things is probably the bigger attraction of the ball head than speed.

What are people's thoughts on this decision? I appreciate any feedback. Thanks.

Firstly I would suggest that you TOTALLY ignore weight ratings - they are meaningless! For example I used to have a Manfrotto tripod rated for 8 kilos but was unstable with loads over 4 kilos, I currently have a Gitzo rated at 18 kilos that is nice and stable with 110 Kilos (namely Me!). There is no standard for tripods or heads so you really need to try them for yourself.

Personally I like a good (not necessarily expensive) ball head, though if I have time I prefer a geared head - but they are heavy! Whilst Manfrotto make some good and sensibly priced tripods I find their ball heads to be mediocre at best. Have a look at the Sirui range of ball heads, very rigid and good value - the K30X would be a very nice solid mount for your gear though the smaller K20X would also do a good job.

Regarding the tripod - well it is very much down to your budget! I would point you towards RRS or Gitzo but they are very expensive - cheaper in the long run but a bit of a shock when you pull the credit card out! A couple of friends of mine have the Feisol Tournament tripods and they are excellent for the money. Sirui also make some very nice tripods and, I am told, that Benro and Induro make some nice tripods but I have little experience of them.

The bottom line is buy the very best that you can afford - in that way you will not be replacing them in a year or two, much cheaper in the long run.

the ball head is much easier to pack and use. That said a very important feature to look at is the QR plate I would highly recommend the dovetail plate that fits with the Arca-Swiss style. When you upgrade to an L-bracket for your camera or other accessories this is a hugh benefit. Would NOT even consider a tripod head that didn't use the Arca-Swiss style QR plate unless you're doing video and want to go 501

Good point! I forgot to mention that - the Arca style clamps and plates are definitely the way to go.

Thanks for the replies. One thing I was considering was to get just the legs, and a different head. And thank you for pointing out the QR plate connections. I definitely want to get something that conforms to the arca-swiss standard as I do have plans on getting an L bracket that uses arca-swiss connections. So I will probably get these legs and research the heads more thoroughly. My budget is very close to $200. I can justify spending another $100. I have $200 in bonus points, and my fiancée doesn't want me going over that. So I can probably get away without too much strife spending an extra $100. A gitzo would be very nice to have, but it's just not in the current budget, and I have a lot of things I want/need to buy before I can spend that much on a tripod (like a (nice) telephoto lens). I've got 7 days before my points expire, so I'll some addition research and repost my thoughts this weekend.

I appreciate the feedback.

Regarding ball heads vs. pan & tilt heads, pan & tilts are better when movement precision is the top priority (e.g. recording video). For general photography, a ball head is usually faster and more compact compared to a pan & tilt head.

I would suggest going to a store and trying both types out to see which style you like best. There are several types of ball heads as well as several types of pan & tilt heads, but trying them out firsthand will allow you to narrow your focus.

johnf3f wrote in post #18138325
Good point! I forgot to mention that - the Arca style clamps and plates are definitely the way to go.

I agree. Several manufacturers make Arca-compatible accessories, so it really simplifies things. I used to have hexagonal Manfrotto plates on my video cameras, but I even use Arca-style plates on them now for simplicity's sake.

lgormley wrote in post #18173937
Regarding ball heads vs. pan & tilt heads, pan & tilts are better when movement precision is the top priority (e.g. recording video). For general photography, a ball head is usually faster and more compact compared to a pan & tilt head.

I would suggest going to a store and trying both types out to see which style you like best. There are several types of ball heads as well as several types of pan & tilt heads, but trying them out firsthand will allow you to narrow your focus.

lgormley wrote in post #18173940
I agree. Several manufacturers make Arca-compatible accessories, so it really simplifies things. I used to have hexagonal Manfrotto plates on my video cameras, but I even use Arca-style plates on them now for simplicity's sake.

Well, I ended up getting the Benro Travel Angel 9X Carbon Fiber Series 1 Tripod and the Sirui K-20X 38mm Ballhead. I'm very pleased with both purchases. My Adorama bonus points were separated in two distinct codes which couldn't not be applied to the same order, which was fine as rather than buying a tripod/head together I got to select my top choice for each. My only complaint is that the padded carrying case for the tripod is cut such that the tripod will not fit inside with the ballhead attached. I can get the ballhead in the bag if I detach it from the legs. Which I suppose isn't really an issue considering if I am going to be out shooting, I will be using a different bag to carry all my gear. This is sufficient for storage or traveling. After some more experience with both I plan on writing a thorough review and posting in the relevant forums here with photos. I've already got quite a bit written based upon my first & early impressions.

I have used a pan & tilt head for years, but never a ballhead, and I think the only way I'm really going to end up with a firm preference is to use a ballhead for my actual photography work for a considerable amount of time. So even if in the end I prefer a pan & tilt, this will turn out to be a worthwhile purchase.

Also, the Sirui comes with Arca style compatible plate/cradle. I plan on getting an arca-style L bracket for my Sony A7RII with the battery grip. So the included plate that came with the ballhead can then be attached to my Canon 40D body, which my fiancée is now using to learn how to shoot with a DSLR camera. So that'll make this tripod/head combo useful for both cameras, being able to quickly trade off.

Thanks to everyone for the advice given. In the end I think I made the best choice for me and my current budget, and really got a lot out of my bonus points from Adorama. I don't know if I previously mentioned this, but my bonus points had expired. I missed using them by about 20 hours. So I emailed Adorama's customer support asking if they would reinstate my codes for a day so I could execute my purchase and receive nearly $200 off. The immediately replied back and gave me an additional 2 weeks with the codes valid. They would have kept me as a customer regardless because of their quality products and competitive prices, but such a focus on customer satisfaction has turned me into an advocate as well. That's treating the customer right!

Have you tried reversing the legs with the center column at full height? It may well fit the bag this way. Have a look at the video on the Benro site:

http://www.benroeu.com​/products/photo-travel-angel/

heldGaze wrote in post #18192228
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...............My Adorama bonus points were separated in two distinct codes which couldn't not be applied to the same order, which was fine as rather than buying a tripod/head together I got to select my top choice for each.

My only complaint is that the padded carrying case for the tripod is cut such that the tripod will not fit inside with the ballhead attached. I can get the ballhead in the bag if I detach it from the legs. Which I suppose isn't really an issue considering if I am going to be out shooting, I will be using a different bag to carry all my gear. This is sufficient for storage or traveling. After some more experience with both I plan on writing a thorough review and posting in the relevant forums here with photos. I've already got quite a bit written based upon my first & early impressions.

Unfortunately our website won't currently allow more than code to be entered for the same order - but you can use more than one if you call your order in:


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