Opinons on tripod heads

I am currently in the market for a new tripod head. Up til now i have always used 3 way heads but am considering upgrading to a ball head. The tripod will primarily be used for my Wisner 4x5 and Canon 5D(which already has an L Bracket from Really Right Stuff installed).

What tripod heads are you guys using and what units do you think work the best for you?

Thanks.

RichieV

RRS BH-55 Solid. A joy to work with.

Kirk BH-1. I have no complaints about it. I bought it when its only real competition was the Arca Swiss B1. It was (and is) cheaper than the Arca Swiss and I didn't want to deal with the lock-up problem that Arca Swiss had at the time. Now there are quite a few in this size and load bearing capacity to choose from. If I had to buy today, I'd get something a little smaller and lighter like the Kirk BH-3 or the RRS BH-40 as I don't shoot with long telephoto lenses much at all.

I love my Kirk BH-3. Smooth, SOLID and lightweight. Both heads in the BH series get rave reviews from users.

I've been shooting with a Kirk BH-1 and have been VERY happy with it. The only downside has been weight as its mated to a older aluminum Gitzo. With this and my digital gear I'm hauling about 40-45lbs hiking. I've been considering building a lighter solution for hiking and will look at either carbon or basalt with a Kirk BH-3 or RRS BH-40. If you won't be wandering far from the car (2-3 miles) then I prefer the BH-1. For any more than that something lighter would be preferrable.

I was first put off by the high price of the ballhead designs but picked my BH-1 up used. Now that I've used it for a couple of years I wouldn't hesitate to spend the $$$ on Kirk or RRS heads (and other gear).

Hope this helps!

Mark

I've been using a Graf Studioball for many years with both 4X5 and 35mm with lenses up to a 600 f4 and it's been terrific. Currently in the market for something smaller like the Foba Mini Super ball for travelling. The Graf is a big heavy ball head and kind of a pain to deal with when I fly somewhere.

I have both an Arca Swiss B-1 and the Acratech ultimate ballhead. I use these with my 5D, 4x5, and 6x17 setups with no problems. I bought the acratech when I had my B1 panning nob lock up on me. For the price the Acratech is great, easy to clean and very lightweight. Just make sure you get the rubber knobs with it as it would be tough on your fingers otherwise. My observations on both ball heads are this. The Arca Swiss B-1 is the head I prefer more because its just seems silky smooth and a tad easier to opertate. That being said, I have had to send it back twice now (7 years old) to be serviced and although the service is fine, it makes me a little nervous that a $400 ballhead is not all that reliable. Because of this the Acratech head stays on the tripod now and the Arca is used as a backup. I also like the lighter weight of the Acratech head. I think you purchase the Acratech directly from them or from B&H for aboutr $279 with the rubber knobs. The Acratech design is great and you would really have to try hard to damage it or have it break down on you out in the field.

I've tried a number of tripod heads and by far, the winner is my current Acratech. I've never cleaned it and it's as smooth as day one, even after use in sand, a couple unintentional dunks in water and other non-ideal conditions. It has also been banged around on rocks, etc. and still functions perfectly. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another one in the event this one should ever die or disappear.

As an aside, the service I've received from Acratech has also been top notch. Their staff is friendly, knowledgeable and (gasp) they actually do what they say they are going to do and when they say they are going to do it!

Another vote for the Acratech. If you intend to use your gear in the elements and don't want to worry all the time about getting dust/dirt/sand/rain/etc. on it, Acratech is the only one I'd recomend. I've literally thrown it into piles of sand, snow, and dirt, and it still works perfect. I have owned it since they first came out. Even though it's super lightweight, it is extremely well built and strong. I've actually used it to hold the 8x10. Acratech is one of those rare companies that fully understands what customer support is all about. You can actually call them up and talk to the owner or person that hand builds the heads. I haven't met one person who has regretted buying one. Worth every penny and wouldn't hesitate to buy another.

My Kirk BH-1 has been flawless during more than 9 years of (ab)use. As Doug said, I might opt for something smaller now that there are more options.

I've been using a Bogen/Manfrotto Gear Head (Model 410) for 5 or 6 years now. I use it for my 4x5 as well as my DSLR. I think it's a 'you hate it or you love it' thing. I love it - you can have small, precise movements on an individual axis by rotating the outer knob or quick, large adjustments on an individual axis by releasing the inner knob.

I really likethe Kirk ball head I have I think it is the BH-1, but I do not remember exactly (it is the same size as the popular Arca Swiss head). It has been good and I have not needed any service for it. Well, not exactly TSA unrapped it in my luggage and the pan knob got bent. It still worked, but not as well. They fixed it and the total time was 5 days from the day I shipped to the day I got it back (shipped on Monday and got it Friday to use on Saturday (I did not ask for fast handling). Like Steve I am not gentle with stuff . . .

That said I also really like the new Really Right Stuff ballheads - I do not own one but I have used them as well. I am thinking that if for some reason I was going to replace my current head I would likely get the RRS head.

Bottom line, try several of them out and see which you like. If you are used to using a 3-way head, it will likely take you a couple of attempts to get used to using a ball head. I used about 4 different ballheads before I stayed with the Kirk head. I had a Kaiser (the worst head I have ever dealt with, I had lots of problems with it) and the large Studioball which I still use from time to time for long lenses.

I know you said ball head, but I too have a 410 geared head. While it quite heavy, I LOVE the ability of percise small movements.

FWIW...

Thanks for all of the information.

Wondering if anyone has any opinions on the Acratech heads?

RichieV

Im using the bogen's 410 big brother, the 405 sitting on a neotek, love em both.

In the interest of weight I replaced my old Kirk (predecessor to the BH-1) with an Acratech Ultimate. I love it when I'm hiking and backpacking - very solid and lightweight.

Guy

Guy,

How well does it work with your 4x5?

RichieV

My Acratech Ultimate has performed well. Neither dirt nor water seems to faze it.
I must confess that I am tempted by the Really Right Stuff newest model. Not because
I need it, but because all the rest of the stuff from Really Right Stuff is such classy
gear.

Art L.

RichieV,

Go back and read Tom, Bret, and my response.

another vote for geared heads... i gave up on ball heads after just one week of buying my first geared head. they are awsome to use!

Richie,

It works very well. The only annoyance is that when the controls are in their "proper" place (left on my model) you can't tilt the camera backwards and need to flip the head around. With LF it's not a big issue since I can use rise but with the SLR it can be a little frustrating.

Guy

BH-1 for landscape, Kirk King Cobra for big glass. I've tried many and these heads work every time.

Dave Showalter

I've used the Arca-Swiss B1 for years with good results, but recently switched to RRS BH55 with quick release. By the way, that quick release is the coolest!

For my smaller travel tripod (Gitzo 026), I've been using a medium-sized Kaiser, which I've been happy with.

I had a chance to check out the Manfrotto fluid ball heads during the NANPA show and they seemed really smooth - maybe worth a look...

For big glass, I'll respectfully suggest the Wimberley Head II, rather than the Kirk King Cobra. The latter apparently has a "creep" problem after tightening the tension knob.

Ken

Count me as another very happy BH-3 user....great head at a great price.