Compact pan/tilt tripod head vs. ball heads

Member said:

caver101 said:

I looked at the Benro HD3A head, but at 910g it sounded very heavy (significantly more than my camera, and the same as my Benro Tripod).

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I saw that number also, but I find it difficult to believe. I'll try to weigh mine. Anyway, it's quite small and handy. And yet it's also quite solid and feels stable.

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OK, do share the number when you weigh it.

Member said:

Member said:

I've found the LeoFoto G2 Geared head (385g) is pretty good for precise adjustments.

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I considered that one but I understood that it doesn't have much range of up/down motion and I was already happy with my Benro GD3WH so I bought a second one. Just from the looks of things, the Benro panhead would be quicker to adjust than the G2, unless the G2 has a free spool feature like the Benro gear head.

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Yes, the G2 is quite slow to adjust. I tend to use it at home for test pictures to compare cameras & lenses, etc.,

Member said:

Member said:

Mike Cowlishaw

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Not the guy from IBM?!

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That's me. https://speleotrove.com/mfc/

caver101 said:

caver101 said:

caver101 said:

I looked at the Benro HD3A head, but at 910g it sounded very heavy (significantly more than my camera, and the same as my Benro Tripod).

Click to expand...

I saw that number also, but I find it difficult to believe. I'll try to weigh mine. Anyway, it's quite small and handy. And yet it's also quite solid and feels stable.

Click to expand...

OK, do share the number when you weigh it.

Click to expand...

Benro HD3A

This is on a finnicky Rhino Coffee scale, tared after adding the microfiber cloth of course. I would say reality would be plus/minus 10g. Probably the spec included the mounting plate, which I leave on a video camera.

As you may or may not be able to tell from the photo, the head does not seem large even on a small Benro FIF28C tripod (collapsed in photo). I bought the head to use for video, mostly, and I also didn't want the long handle.



HD3A on FIF28C C.F. tripod

caver101 said:

That's me.

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Well, you need no introduction! You're quite famous in my line of work, and very nice to see you on an unrelated forum

Bogie 1 said:

caver101 said:

Member said:

caver101 said:

I looked at the Benro HD3A head, but at 910g it sounded very heavy (significantly more than my camera, and the same as my Benro Tripod).

Click to expand...

I saw that number also, but I find it difficult to believe. I'll try to weigh mine. Anyway, it's quite small and handy. And yet it's also quite solid and feels stable.

Click to expand...

OK, do share the number when you weigh it.

Click to expand...

Benro HD3A

This is on a finnicky Rhino Coffee scale, tared after adding the microfiber cloth of course. I would say reality would be plus/minus 10g. Probably the spec included the mounting plate, which I leave on a video camera.

As you may or may not be able to tell from the photo, the head does not seem large even on a small Benro FIF28C tripod (collapsed in photo). I bought the head to use for video, mostly, and I also didn't want the long handle.

Click to expand...

OK ... many thanks! Call it 860g without the plate, which sounds reasonable for video work, where extra weight can be an advantage.

Member said:

HD3A on FIF28C C.F. tripod

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I do like those short handles.

Member said:

Member said:

That's me.

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Well, you need no introduction! You're quite famous in my line of work, and very nice to see you on an unrelated forum

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Thank you .

caver101 said:

Thank you .

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Glad to help!

By the way, I think you might enjoy this (at least the opening few moments):

The Sirui L-20S is a great choice! Pan/tilt heads aren’t as widely used because they’re bulkier than ball heads, but they’re perfect for precise adjustments. If you’re looking for compact options without long handles, the Manfrotto MH293D3-Q2 is another good pan/tilt head to consider.

No personal experience, but this is the one recommended by Hudson Henry, primarily for landscape photography.

https://www.acratech.net/acratech-panoramic-head-can-be-used-like-a-long-lens-head/

He uses it with a levelling base for the tripod.

OK, thanks!