Photo/video head advice (1 Viewer)

I'm doing a bit of forward-thinking here as I am looking at a set up for my 70d - which I won't be buying for a good few months at least and may have a change of heart if it gets poor reviews, however ....

I've been looking at suitable tripod heads but every time I think I may have come up with a solution I then detect a catch, the most recent being the weight of the head I liked the look of. My original choice was the Lensmaster rh2 which would, in my opinion, do for both photo and video with the above camera and the 300 f4 I currently use. However, if I wanted to use a smaller lens such as the ef-s 55-250 or possibly my Canon sx50 bridge camera it wouldn't work would it?

After looking at several other options, mainly Manfrotto video heads I realised that they were all beasts and as I also want to use the central column of the, admittedly cheap, Manfrotto tripod I use the set up would become alarmingly top-heavy. What I dislike about the head that came with the tripod is that to tilt I have to twist the pan handle to release it and as there is no friction control I have to support the lens to prevent it flopping forward at a rate of knots that would lead to disaster.

So what I think I need would be something reasonably light, up to approximately a kilo I guess, that would allow me to pan and tilt freely but that could be balanced so that I could operate camera at the same time without fear of letting go. For £150 or less and I am not overly bothered about portrait format.

It may be that I am looking for something that doesn't exist but surely there must be something suitable?

Cheers Paul

Hi Paul

I think you'll find that two tripods are ultimately needed.

A camera like the 70d and 300 f/4 lens needs a moderately robust solution. You're probably looking at a 2.5-3 kilo solution. Something like the Manfrotto 055XPROB is a good low cost set of legs. The tripod head can be expensive - especially a ballhead. Good ballheads run $275-400. You might have luck with something from Photo Clam or even a pan tilt head typically used for video. These heads are more challenging to use for photos, but work for video and save money.

For small cameras, there are lots of low cost solutions. The Gorillapod is an option. There are some small table top tripods. I'm not sure I would invest in a full size light tripod - it's going to move around like a tall blade of grass or tall thin tree if there is any vibration or wind. Compromise a little on height, and you dramatically increase stability. Now if your interests involve something ultralight, the Gitzo Mountaineer series is an option. But they are not cheap and you don't save large amounts of weight. And none of these solutions really work for a full sized DSLR.

Thanks for the reply Eric. The tripod I have is similar to the Manfrotto 190B with a Manfrotto 391RC2 head - it's a few years old so the models have changed slightly but not by much.

The tripod itself is probably going to be sturdy enough for my requirements so not looking to replace it just upgrade the head. It's probably difficult to answer my question as I am not sure what I want but the I am looking for something with the balancing ability of a gimbal coupled with the feel of a fluid head.

Like I say, I'm probably trying to find something that doesn't actually exist but would like a reasonable compromise

cheers Paul

I use a gimbal head from Really Right Stuff. It's great and supports the heaviest gear - and probably overkill for you. I also have a 4GD Companion and a Wimberley Sidekick depending on what I am likely to need and what lens I am using.

The starting point is typically a ballhead with a gimbal type attachment. A good ballhead with the Wimberley Sidekick is a good option to serve as both a ballhead and occasional use as a gimbal type head. There are several good options from 4th Generation Design - the Mongoose 3.6 gimbal head and the C-201 Companion might work.
http://stores.4gdphoto.com/-strse-60/C-dsh-201-~-Multifunction-Companion/Detail.bok

I've seen some good alternatives from Jobu Design. The Jobu Junior might provide enough support, and certainly the larger heads would do the job.

http://www.jobu-design.com/Jobu-Jr-3-Deluxe-Kit_p_16.html

All this gear involves compromise - you get what you pay for. The design and workmanship of the top heads is expensive for a reason. But for hobbyist use, you might be able to save some money with a cheaper alternative.