Ball head problem

sl60

Senior Member
My old cheap pan and tilt tripod wore out so I bought an Alta Pro ball head and don't really like it. I like to shoot forest interiors, taking multiple shots in succession up the length of trees and it's a pain to keep unscrewing and screwing the adjustment knob with every move, whereas the pan and tilt was a breeze. I suppose I can sell the Vanguard because it's barely used and buy a pan and tilt, but is there a way to convert a ball head to pan and tilt? I looked at some pistol grips on YouTube but they seem a little dicey to me and good ones are expensive.

Is there a reasonable (under $100) pan and tilt available that's reliable? I've looked at reviews for some cheaper ones and it seems like there are a lot of problems.
 

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
I have the Manfrotto X-Pro 3-way Pan-and-Tilt Head which I really like. Sometimes it's on sale for just under $100. It is rather large but holds my 70-200mm f/2.8 without any problem. I'm not a big fan of the Arca Swiss type ball heads for the very reason you mention. Just be aware the plate on the Manfrotto isn't the same as an Arca Swiss plate.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...d.html/c/product/1034870-REG/STAND_ALONE_HEAD
 

BF Hammer

Senior Member
I have a Sunpak pistol-grip type head. It came installed on a tripod I still use, but I swapped it out for a very large ball-head.

I will give the pistol-grip design it's due, it is extremely easy and fast to aim. But the mostly-plastic Sunpak head has a very tiny ball inside and the spring pressure to hold it in place is not solid enough to carry a long telephoto lens no matter how well you get it balanced. If a more expensive version has a larger ball inside with a solid grip, it could be worth it. But you get what you pay for when it comes to tripods and heads.

Did you buy a tripod that allows you to remove the head? If you like the 'pod, then just shop for a new head. The mount screw is normally one of 2 sizes, and typically has an adapter to be more universal in use. If you don't need to do the tilt for a portrait-mode shot (I use L-brackets for that) then maybe consider a video fluid head. The trade-off there is they typically use the larger size mount plates video gear uses. You can add an adapter. But aiming is quick and easy once the tripod is leveled.
 
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