'Best' Tripod Head?

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WhiteLight

Senior Member
Currently have the Manfrotto 498RC2... Lot of you have geared me whining about the sagging and the play it brings..
So thinking of a change and want to get one that will last longer than me :p

Is the Arca Swiss Z1 the best there is?
Or would the Manfrotto 405 do better?
Any other suggestions? Have seen some good reviews about the really right stuff heads too..
I would need to use this mainly for landscape, macro/ table top..
Appreciate your thoughts
 
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WayneF

Senior Member
It is of course debatable, but Markins or RRS are the best. I love my Markins, and RRS people love them.

One important thing on any is the Arca-Swiss plate, so you can use compatible L-plates.

I went decades using a regular old tripod head, and always imagined a ball-head was the most foolish unnecessary extravagent notion there is. But a L-plate made it necessary, and then it was very quick to modify previous notions. :)
 
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Browncoat

Browncoat

Senior Member
Like any other "best", it's all subjective. Nothing beats hands-on for something like this.

I've used the Manfrotto 322RC2 for years and have been very happy with it. Even with grip, 70-200m, and flash attached, it's solid as a rock. Was never a fan of traditional ball heads myself. Given what you'd be using it for, this would be an ideal head for you.
 
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pedroj

Senior Member
I have an [ebay] no name 3 way tilt head that does it for me...Cost less then $60...It's strong stable and ideal for what I shoot...
 
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WhiteLight

Senior Member
Fred & Anthony - How sturdy is this in terms of creep?
Specially for macro, even a minimal shift will send you way off focus.. as i've seen with the 498RC2
 
Browncoat

Browncoat

Senior Member
No creep on the 322. There are two tension settings, one for the grip tension and another (a hidden set screw) where you can increase tension on the ball. This tiny brass set screw is what keeps the 322 working flawlessly. It only takes about a 1/16th turn to increase the tension if you do start to notice some creeping.

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Fred Kingston_RIP

Fred Kingston_RIP

Senior Member
I have the 327 model of the Manfrotto... it's the bigger brother to the 322... There is no creep... as Anthony mentioned, you can adjust the tension from a smooth effort to a dead lock... The only reason I got the Vanguard, which also has no creep and can be locked down hard, was because I don't like the Manfrotto's plates and release mechanism... I find it too fiddley... and not very smooth in connecting and disconnecting... The Vanguard head slips right on in a track, the Manfrotto has to be positioned just right to snap in place, and if you get it wrong, you need a third hand to release the levers and align everything for a second attempt...
 
Browncoat

Browncoat

Senior Member
Yep, I agree. If I had to register a complaint about the Manfrotto system it would be the outdated plate. I've read about successful conversions to other systems, but haven't done it myself. The main reason I chose this particular head is that I'm a lefty. Other heads seemed awkward to me, but the 322 grip can be reversed to go full lefty without any loss of functionality. Manipulating the adjustment knobs on other heads feels backwards, and it was annoying.

The things we lefties have to put up with in your right-handed world. :mad:
 
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N_Addy

Senior Member
I agree with Wayne, the Markins and Really Right Stuff brands are hard to beat. I own the RRS BH-40 (on a Gitzo GT2540) and it is a rock-solid platform for my D80, even with my heaviest lens (Sigma 150). If the RRS BH-40 isn't enough for your gear go with their next size up (BH-55).

Really Right Stuff -
 
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gqtuazon

Gear Head
WhiteLight said:
Currently have the Manfrotto 498RC2... Lot of you have geared me whining about the sagging and the play it brings..
So thinking of a change and want to get one that will last longer than me :p

Is the Arca Swiss Z1 the best there is?
Or would the Manfrotto 405 do better?
Any other suggestions? Have seen some good reviews about the really right stuff heads too..
I would need to use this mainly for landscape, macro/ table top..
Appreciate your thoughts
Click to expand...
I have been using the arcs Swiss Z1 for a while now and all I can say is that it was a great choice. It was a toss up between RRS bh55 or the z1.
 
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Dave_W

The Dude
The *best* tripod head you can own is the tripod head that you own. And when you replace it, you'll replace it with the *best* tripod head that you can. :) But seriously, there are so many fine heads available and as long as you purchase one that will accept the proper amount of weight and avoid the very cheapest heads, you'll be fine. I use a Manfrotto mag ball head and am happy with it. Is it the *best* there is? I can't really say but it's the *best* head I own. ;)
 
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