Advice on ballhead for Gitzo 1340

[RogueCylon]

Hello, I just purchased a Gitzo 1340 as my first Gitzo tripod. What would be the recommended ballhead to go with, and do I need anything else?

I use a D90 with Nikon 70-300 zoom, 105mm macro lens and I may get a Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 later.

Would I be better going for a Arca or Markins ballhead? If so which one?

Thanks,
Jim

[Biff Wellington]

No experence with Arca, but my Markins m20 is a work of mechanical art!

[Mike66]

I bought a used Gitzo 1325 and have Markins M20 ball head for it. Unfortunately, the 1325 is still in the postal system somewhere, but I have the M20. I bought my new M20 from a eBay seller in Korea (where the M20s are made) for $320 with free shipping and it took about ten days to arrive. Considering my APO address, that is not bad.

I have the D90 with the 18-200mm lens and bought a Kirk L-bracket for it from B&H Photo for $130. The bracket fits nicely on the M20 in horizontal and vertical orientations and does not move unless I want it to.

I also bought the Op/Tech Pro Loop strap from B&H to replace the Nikon neck strap. It is great and I can carry the camera for a long time with no fatigue. After about ten minutes, the Nikon strap started to annoy me.

I wish I could tell you how sturdy this tripod and head setup is in the field, but the best I can say is that it is solid on my desk top.

[dryadsdad]

I bought my Markins from probably the same Korean vendor as Mike66 but I got the Q3. I'm perfectly happy with it. Based on my research, which I won't say is complete, the only step above the Markins is the RRS. The cost difference is significant while FOR ME, the benefits weren't.

[RogueCylon]

I'm steering towards either the Markins Q3 or M10. The m20 seems total overkill for my needs. In the future I can see myself with a D700 type camera body with battery grip and perhaps a 300mm f/2.8 or at the very top end a Nikon 200-400 f4. So we're looking at 10-11 Ibs of payload max.

I will likely add a Kirk L-bracket to the mix. Anything else?

[Mike66]

Here is a Pro Ball Head Review that shows several brands of ball heads, and if you scroll down a little, there is a picture of the Q3, M10, and M20 in a row for a visual comparison.

For the difference in price between the M10 and M20, about $30, I would choose the M20. It is certainly overkill for my needs now, but I don't know what I will be attaching to it a year from now. The heads can take a high compression load, around 100 pounds, which exceeds the capacity of any tripod I will likely own. However, the larger ball surface and internal clamping should offer more resistance to creep when attaching long lenses or positioning the camera at angles when the load is not centered over the head. I have never owned a ball head, so I cannot compare the M20 to anything else, but I do not plan on buying another ball head for a long time.

An additional purchase to consider is the $12 MP-3 ball head cover. If you are going to carry the tripod in a case or bag, this cover might not be required. I don't have a case yet (and might not buy one), but this cover fits perfectly over any of the Markins ball heads. When I bought mine, it was in stock and shipped quickly. Now I see that PhotoProShop has about a four-week lead time for them. The ebay seller from whom I bought my M20 has them for $27.

[Nikonfreak]

I have the markins and I really like it.

Next ball head I get though is going to be the RRS monster. There's just no two ways about it. The camera doesn't budge regardless of angle. that's my next head. Won't even blink twice about it when I buy it.

[Ed Shapiro]

Manfrotto makes some good ball heads- I have a few in different sizes and the all work well, are durable and long lasting. Interestingly enough, Manfrotto has purchased GITZO- I wonder who makes what for whom! I think one of my BIG Monfrotto heads is heavier that my Gitzo carbon-fiver tripod.

Ed

[ohenry]

I have a RRS BH-55 on my Gitzo 1325 that I love, even tho it is WAY overpriced. I've heard positive things about Markins heads, as well.

[20DNewbie]

I've got the M20 also and have zero complaints about it. Sure the RRS heads may be prettier, but as far as I'm concerned being pretty doesn't warrant the additional cost over the Markins heads.

[Ed Shapiro]

I don't worry too much about cosmetics either- for me it's all in the performance and durability. One would think that a ball head that is used in a portrait studio would last forever, however, this is not exactly true in my case.

With electronic flash, as far as camera movement or shake is concerned, I could hand hold my cameras if I wished to and still come up with tack sharp results. I use a tripod or studio camera stand to free my hands so that I can make adjustments and guide the subject during the sessions. I can even leave the camera position momentarily if I want to direct the subject's eyes off camera. I sometimes use subtle tilts to create a more dynamic composition so I keep my ball heads semi-tight so I can continuously move the camera without locking and unlocking the head when I am working quickly. Mechanically speaking, this is not a good procedure in that I a placing lots or additional stress on the head. Nonetheless, all my Monfrotto ball heads are workin fine- some of the are more than 20 years old. The ball heads that I use at weddings and location shoot look as if the were dragged through a war zone but they still work as well as the day I purchased them.

Whatever ball head you fancy, make sure the locking mechanism is very positive, If you have ever had one of those things fail and hada heavy camera lunge forward and clamp you fingers against part of the head or the tripod platform, you will know what I mean. If you have not experienced that, believe me- don't do dat!!

For general photography in and out of doors where electronic flash is not going to freeze action for you, investments in really god support equipment is money well spent. Sometimes a bit of overkill is not a bad thing, especially if you are using telephoto lenses or the long end of your zooms. At first, many photographers are disappointed in their telephoto lense's performance only to find out the the cause of un-sharp images is camera shake that happens when wobbly or poor support gear is used. Even with image stabilization, a slower shutter speed a good tripod and head is essential. Buy the best you can afford.

Ed

[RogueCylon]

What advantages does the RSS BH-55 have over the Markins M20?

I like the idea of the clamp on the BH-55 and the exterior leveling. Any thoughts?

[ohenry]

I don't know what, if any, advantages the BH-55 has over te Markins M20. All I can tell you is that I get ZERO creep with my BH-55. It is rock solid. The clamp is really nice. At first I was concerned about the strength and feasibility, but after the first use, that concern was gone. I have NO problems carrying my tripod over my shoulder with my camera and lens securely mounted in the clamp.

The BH-40 is probably a better choice for me, but when I was in the market, the BH-40 was not yet available.

Again, I'm not trying to compare the RSS to Markins or downplay any ballhead out there. I'm only giving you my thoughts on what I use.

Prior to going with the BH-55, I used the Acratech Ultimate Ballhead and was not very happy with the stability, nor with the convenience of functionality. It worked, but I found it a bit awkward at times.

[Mike66]

Originally Posted by RogueCylon

I'm steering towards either the Markins Q3 or M10. The m20 seems total overkill for my needs. In the future I can see myself with a D700 type camera body with battery grip and perhaps a 300mm f/2.8 or at the very top end a Nikon 200-400 f4. So we're looking at 10-11 Ibs of payload max.

I will likely add a Kirk L-bracket to the mix. Anything else?

I really wish I had my tripod...but it is at the mercy of the USPS somewhere. Here are some pictures of my D90 with Kirk L-bracket attached to the M20. I apologize for the quality, as my other camera is a point-and-shoot. I bolted the M20 to a board because I did not have anything else stable enough.

If you do not use the L-bracket, you can still tilt the camera onto its side, but this moves the load away from the center of the tripod. The camera can be removed from the head with one and one-quarter turns of the locking knob.

Unrelated: In the second and third pictures, you can see the spots on the LCD caused by the ACMAXX screen protector touching the LCD. This is not noticeable when the LCD is on, but it is annoying at other times. If anyone has suggestions of how to fix this, I would appreciate it. I am tempted to replace it with the GGS.

[RogueCylon]

I went to a local camera store to try some heads on my tripod and I got a little carried away

[20DNewbie]

Originally Posted by RogueCylon

I went to a local camera store to try some heads on my tripod and I got a little carried away

A little? Are you jolly and green?

[RogueCylon]

Nope, just much poorer. I will be working a lot harder on my learning curve here to do some justice to this piece of art.

[20DNewbie]

Lol, I hear ya.

I would have never imagined spending over a grand on a set of legs and a head.

[Mike66]

Originally Posted by RogueCylon

I went to a local camera store to try some heads on my tripod and I got a little carried away

Wow...congratulations! So much for not wanting overkill on the ballhead.

Which model of Gitzo did you buy to go with the Z1? I would never have imagined that four-section legs would be so tall.

Edit: Never mind...I saw your post on Nikonians

[sunway_ray]

wow.....four-section legs are so amazing. looking at my gear, I use a common ballhead work on GITZO tripod, it fits and works well.