Tripod head advice

I have a gitzo tripod with a simple gitzo ball head. This has one lock to hold the ball in place.

I find this a bit fiddly if I want to change the pan or tilt only, and am looking for a new head. The off-centre heads look like the solution http://www.gitzo.co.uk/product/72038.71852.83184.0.0/GH2750QR/_/Series_2_Mag_Off...

Anyone got experience of these, any pros and cons ?

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Peter



My Flickr page

I've not used the ball heads but I have one of the low profile heads and for precision work it's superb. I thought it was a little slow for some stuff so I bought a Slik AF2100 on ebay for £40. I'd known about them for years and always thought they were a gimmick, but I'm amazed how good they are... squeeze the trigger... move the head... release and it's rock solid. Very good quick release as well. I've actually mounted it on top of the Gitzo low profile so I have both sets of movements available. If I want really steady I just take off the Slik and use the Gitzo.
link

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Half Man... Half Pentax ... Half Cucumber

Pentax K-1 + K-5 and some other stuff

Algi

Sorry I can't help. I have a Markins ball head, which has two knobs and works superbly.

Manfrotto also do a pistol grip head. I have been tempted, but since the Markins uses an Arca Swiss QR plate I don't want to have to faff about with another sort of plate, or have the added expense of adding an A-S plate to the pistol grip.

I have a Manfrotto Pistol 322 RC2. Bought secondhand. I think originally designed for video - but it is certainly lot less fiddly than all those knobs. However it's now a bit 'slippy' and I am not sure how to tighten it up.

Do you not just adjust the friction knob on the handle, or do you mean it's gone past that level of adjustment?

I went for the 322RC2 because you don't have to fiddle with knobs or levers while trying to line up the camera.

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Barrie
Too Old To Die Young

http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/artists/barrieforbes
https://www.flickr.com/photos/189482630@N03/

I've also a simple gitzo ball head and I've looked at those as well.
I think it's very handy that the camera stays at roughly the same height if you switch from landscape to portrait mode.

I've tried the head out in the shop, they feel very good but they are quite expensive though and sadly don't have the cash for one

For the little bit extra I would go for the series 3 that can hold 8KG instead of the series 2 5KG.

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Stefan


K10D, K5
DA* 16-50, DA* 50-135, D-FA 100 Macro, DA 40 Ltd, DA 18-55
AF-540FGZ

Stefan

My tripod is rated at 5kg so I am not sure if I would gain much by putting a 8kg head on it... or have i got that wrong?

The heaviest i mount on it is K10 + DA* 300 so less than 2 kilos.

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Peter



My Flickr page

Hi yes I think is is going beyond it now. Expect you could dismantle it and tighten it up in some way - but I don't want to do that - no doubt the inside is full of lots of little springs that will fly off into distant parts

You would gain nothing - the tripod is rated for the weight of the head plus whatever you put on the head. So an 8kg head is pointless on a 5kg tripod.

Gwyn already said it.
So to take advantage you also need to buy a heavier tripod, don't know what your future plans are?

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Stefan


K10D, K5
DA* 16-50, DA* 50-135, D-FA 100 Macro, DA 40 Ltd, DA 18-55
AF-540FGZ

I am not sure i need to change the tripod. Camera +lens + head = 2.5 kilos. The tripod is rated at 5kg. Is this ok for using a 300mm lens ? or would i benefit from a stronger tripod ?

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Peter



My Flickr page

I have a 458B Bit of a tank - don't know its rating (Stefan??). Any way got that and the 322RC2 for £100 secondhand

Anybody any ideas about tightening it up (see above)

It's okay but the stronger the tripod the studier it is, so yes it's better but do you need it?
If you find the tripod you've now preform well I wouldn't get a new tripod.

But for 30 pounds more you can get a heavier version of the head you won't benefit from it now but if you would get a heavier tripod in the future than you would. So in the long end it might be cheaper.

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Stefan


K10D, K5
DA* 16-50, DA* 50-135, D-FA 100 Macro, DA 40 Ltd, DA 18-55
AF-540FGZ

8 kg
The grip you've is rated for 5 kg so you can improve stability if you get a heavier head.

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Stefan


K10D, K5
DA* 16-50, DA* 50-135, D-FA 100 Macro, DA 40 Ltd, DA 18-55
AF-540FGZ

Thanks Stefan. Don't think I will at the moment - have the K5 to think of

Any ideas how easy it is to dismantle the head to improve grip