Ballhead or Panhead?
Since we just talked about tabletop tripods, it got me thinking about tripod heads. Personally, I'm a fan of ballheads, but some people swear by 3-way panheads. So which is it for you? And why do you have that preference? I'm sure there are a few folks out there who are looking to get their first tripod, and having some insights on tripod heads would be helpful.
{democracy:45}
Also be sure to check the results from last week's poll having to do with autofocus methods. Almost 50% of us use “Single Shot” autofocus, while 25% use “Auto”. And as always, take a read through the comments for some additional insights from fellow readers.
Jim Goldstein
April 30, 2008For myself its about speed and flexibility. For this reason I use a ballhead tripod head
Martin Wolf
April 30, 2008I agree with Dillon and Jim. The reason for me to get a ballhead was that I think it is more flexible and also faster in adjusting.
Brian Auer
April 30, 2008I’m right there with you guys. I’ve got a nice panhead, but I’ve completely stopped using it since I got my ballhead. One hand operation that gives full rotational freedom is totally worth the few extra bucks.
Dillon Ross
April 30, 2008I find it easier to get my shots straight on a ballhead. Ballheads also seem more flexible to me.
the_wolf_brigade
April 30, 2008I’ve never had enough money for a ball head š
I do like my panhead though I wish I had gotten the size up. It’s struggling with my bigger medium format cameras.
libeco
April 30, 2008I have a Manfrotto 322RC2 pistolgrip (I believe that’s the word?) ballhead. It replaced a Giottos ballhead with three different scres for all directions. The Manfrotto is so much better, not only with the ease of use, but also much stronger. Two screws broke off he Giottos head in 1 year time…
Royston
April 30, 2008Looks like I will be adding a ballhead to the to be bought list. I am still using a $40 Ambico special from 1993.
Dominique
April 30, 2008I’m with you guys, ball heads are more flexible and quicker. I don’t regret buying mine. I have a Manfrotto 486RC2 and a Manfrotto 190 pro tripod.
Susheel Chandradhas
May 4, 2008I’ve always wanted to have a ball head for general photography, but have never been able to splurge on one.The equipment that sits atop my tripod tends to get a bit heavy, and I like the security of the pan/tilt model for that.
Having said that, I to use the spirit level a lot, and tend to take a lot of panned shots, so the pan head suits me more.
Brian Auer
May 4, 2008Yeah, the thing about ballheads is that they can’t support as much weight unless you get one that’s built for that kind of thing — and those are pretty spendy.
About panning… I don’t know how other ballheads are, but mine has the ability to pan or lock the pan. Then again, mine’s not a traditional ballhead — it’s one of the pistol grip ballheads.
Susheel Chandradhas
May 4, 2008Well, I cant say that I’ve used a ball head… but from what I’ve seen of them they dont look like they can pan and not tilt at the same time… Need to look into the pistol grip thingie though! Sounds like it could be fun “shooting” with it…
Gregg
May 5, 2008I forget the model number, but I have a ball head from Manfrotto that also has a pan with a degree scale in the base. I tend to use the ball first and then the pan second.