Who makes a good reliable ball-and-socket head?

I'm looking for a ball-and-socket head to replace my trusty old Leitz head,
which just came apart in my hand.

Actually the base of the head was attached to a copy stand, and the platform
was attached to my camera... which just happened to be safely supported by
my hand when the breakup occurred.

I'm rather shocked that a Leitz product could fail this way, even after
years of good service. I want to buy a replacement that will hold my camera
with the optical axis precisely vertical, without drooping or slipping, and
will NOT let go without warning. What should I look at?

"Jonathan Sachs" wrote in message
nk.net...
I'm looking for a ball-and-socket head to replace my trusty old Leitz
head,
which just came apart in my hand.

Actually the base of the head was attached to a copy stand, and the
platform
was attached to my camera... which just happened to be safely supported by
my hand when the breakup occurred.

I'm rather shocked that a Leitz product could fail this way, even after
years of good service. I want to buy a replacement that will hold my
camera
with the optical axis precisely vertical, without drooping or slipping,
and
will NOT let go without warning. What should I look at?



http://acratech.net/
http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-...?msg_id=008IPQ

--
Regards,
Matt Clara
www.mattclara.com

"Matt Clara" wrote in message
.. .

http://acratech.net/
http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-...?msg_id=008IPQ

The Acra head looks impressive, and it certainly meets my requirements, but
I think it's overkill for my needs. My camera weighs just under 3 pounds, so
I don't really need a head that is very conservatively rated at 25 pounds!
Also, while I rebel against the idea that a $60 head's eventual failure
could put a $700 camera at risk, it seems absurd to pay $280 to eliminate
the risk. That makes cheap equipment and insurance sound a lot more
sensible.

I would hope that I can get a well-designed, reliable ball head for a small
camera without paying $279.95 for an Acra, just as I can get a
well-designed, reliable car without paying $60,000 for a Mercedes-Benz.

"Jonathan Sachs" wrote:

I would hope that I can get a well-designed, reliable ball head for a small
camera without paying $279.95 for an Acra


You cannot. That is the "ball head conundrum".

TP wrote:

"Jonathan Sachs" wrote:

I would hope that I can get a well-designed, reliable ball head for a small
camera without paying $279.95 for an Acra



You cannot. That is the "ball head conundrum".


Nonsense. A basic Manfrotto mini-ball is both well designed and
reliable for use with a small camera. I'm not claiming it is as
good as an Arca, but certainly more than enough for a small
camera kit.

--
--e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch.--

Alan Browne wrote:

TP wrote:

"Jonathan Sachs" wrote:

I would hope that I can get a well-designed, reliable ball head for a small
camera without paying $279.95 for an Acra



You cannot. That is the "ball head conundrum".


Nonsense. A basic Manfrotto mini-ball is both well designed and
reliable for use with a small camera. I'm not claiming it is as
good as an Arca, but certainly more than enough for a small
camera kit.


No, it isn't nonsense.

Of course you are confusing "Arca" with "Acratech", which was being
discussed as "Acra". It is a lot cheaper than an Arca. I suspect the
brand name was chosen specifically in order to confuse, and it
certainly worked on you!

But Manfrotto are yet to make a decent ball head; they have made junk
ballheads for years and the current, revised range are no better.
Giottos are worse; they look as though they might work but the
precision engineering just isn't there. Slik are a joke. Velbon are,
well, they're just Velbon, made from that wonderfully flexible alloy
that no other manufacturer offers. Gittzo are OK but they're just too
quirky for most people. Benbo are well made but just too basic.

So what does a keen shooter choose? Arca, Acra(tech), Kirk,
Wimberley, Novoflex ... they are all expensive, but they all work well
for people who need a competent, reliable tripod head.

But for people like Alan Browne, who appreciate mediocrity in all
things, anything will do, and a Manfrotto is probably overkill.

TP, perhaps you have given me my answer.

If the Benbo is "well made but just too basic," it may be exactly what I am
looking for. I need something to level the camera on the copy stand, and
occasionally let me swing it 90° (to the position that would be vertical if
I were using a tripod). You can't get much more basic than that.

Is there anything about it that would need to "basic" for this?

"Jonathan Sachs" wrote:

TP, perhaps you have given me my answer.

If the Benbo is "well made but just too basic," it may be exactly what I am
looking for. I need something to level the camera on the copy stand, and
occasionally let me swing it 90° (to the position that would be vertical if
I were using a tripod). You can't get much more basic than that.

Is there anything about it that would need to "basic" for this?


Hi Jonathan,

I think you may have left the words "be more than" out of your last
sentence.

The Benbo would probably be a good choice for copy work. Other ball
heads in its price range would also do the job, but the Benbo is
particularly well made.

It comes in two sizes; the compact head suits the Benbo Trekker range
of lightweight tripods and the professional head suits the rest.
There is a basic version of the compact head which doesn't have a
panning base and a more expensive version which does.

The compact (Trekker) head would be adequate for a small/medium SLR
and a lens up to 135mm. For larger 35mm SLRs and/or longer lenses,
plus medium format you need the larger head.

Prices at B&H PhotoVideo, New York, NY:

Compact, fixed base $59.95
Compact, panning base $79.95
Professional, panning base $119.95

I hope this is useful.

Tony

Compact w/o panning head sounds fine for my needs... professional will be
nice if I find a fantastic deal or suffer an attack of wealth in the next
couple of weeks. Thanks.

"Jonathan Sachs" wrote:

Compact w/o panning head sounds fine for my needs... professional will be
nice if I find a fantastic deal or suffer an attack of wealth in the next
couple of weeks. Thanks.


You're welcome.