Pan Head Tripod Help: My first tripod is an inexpensive compact sturdy unit... fine for stills but not so good for panning video. I am looking to upgrade to a better quality tripod...

Carlo Loc: Maryland, NW.Chesapeake Bay

My first tripod is an inexpensive compact sturdy unit... fine for stills but not so good for panning video. I am looking to upgrade to a better quality tripod with good panning control and smooth motion. I have viewed the Oben AC 1451 4 section aluminum tripod with PD117 Pan Tilt Head online. Any feedback or experience on the Oben or other unit be appreciated...

OviedoPhotos

I can't find a model number but the small head I use has a separate knob for panning control. Made by Novoflex.

Gitzo Loc: Indiana

Carlo wrote:

My first tripod is an inexpensive compact sturdy unit... fine for stills but not so good for panning video. I am looking to upgrade to a better quality tripod with good panning control and smooth motion. I have viewed the Oben AC 1451 4 section aluminum tripod with PD117 Pan Tilt Head online. Any feedback or experience on the Oben or other unit be appreciated...

Carlo;
As you can probably tell by my username, I tend to be "biased". I can't comment on the particular tripod or head that you mention; I can however point out a few things about "tripods & heads" in general.

First; we use a tripod to get maximum stability; many things affect the stability of any tripod; one of the most important is......how many sections does it have? the more sections, the smaller in diameter each tube becomes, and the less stability we end up with. IMO, about the only reason to ever have more than three sections in a tripod, is to be able to fit it into a suitcase; (look at the size of those bottom tubes in ANY four section tripod, and you'll see what I mean. ) With four sections, you "gain a little" (length when closed ), but you "lose a LOT" (of stability, which is why you need a tripod in the first place! )

Tripod heads; All inexpensive tripods come with.......pan-tilt heads; there's a reason for this. (They're cheaper to make. ) P-T heads are great for "some" things.....(like video ); for "most" things, ball heads are much better; (that's probably why almost all pros use them, most of the time. ) And if all of that isn't enough to discourage you from a four section tripod........there's more! Three section tripods have 6 leg-locks........while four section tripods have 9! (They take longer to "fool around with" ); and speaking of leg-locks.....there are almost as many "schemes" as there are tripod brands! Levers? forget them! "twist-lock" is the only way to go. (after about 10 years of using them, you'll start remembering which way to twist them! )

Unlike camera bodies and lenses, tripods a relatively simple things; (but they are every bit as important to getting high-quality pictures. )

If you look at most, (if not all ) high quality tripods, you'll notice that they come with "legs only"; there's also a good reason for that. Also....most inexpensive tripods have "geared" center posts, while almost all "high end" have "twist lock" center posts, (or the ability to remove the center post when it's not needed. ) (I very rarely use the center post with my Gitzo. )

IMO, probably about the best "mid-priced" tripods currently offered are made by Induro. I know a lady who has been a pro for many years, shoots mainly motor racing with a Nikon D-4 and a f 2.8 / 400mm Nikon, and she swears by her CF Induro tripod on which she uses either her Induro gimbal head, or a ball head with a shorter lenses.

Personally, I use a Gitzo 340, three section, aluminum, twist lock legs, and usually an Arca-Swiss B-1 ball head; (and I very seldom shoot and video. ) I should probably add.....both the Gitzo and the A/S ball head were purchased on eBay, (both for less than half of their original cost. )
The A/S ball head is rated to handle 45 lbs, which it does with ease.

Regardless of what tripod or head you use, hanging a 10 bag of sand from the center will improve stability considerably; (and if I can't find any sand, driveway gravel works just as well. )

Looking back up at your "requirements".......(smooth panning ); if you do very much video, you need a fluid-filled panning head; (they make a BIG difference for smooth panning. ) What I'm really attempting to point out here is, NO tripod / head combo is "the best" for anything; that's why better tripods are made to use with P-T heads, ball heads, and gimbal heads, depending on the kind of work you're doing.

Tripod materials; aluminum is most common, it "works" just great, but CF is a "little" lighter; it also has several other advantages; it's less prone to vibration than Al, and it's MUCH "nicer to touch" in zero weather! (Al being metal is a great conductor of heat, and in cold weather, it "sucks" all the heat out of your hand when it's cold! ) CF costs the tripod maker more, so it's also going to cost YOU more. )
BEWARE of "cheap" CF tripods; On the rare occasions that I get out and tromp around in the woods in the snow, I always tape some split-foam pipe insulation around the upper sections of my aluminum Gitzo; (makes it a lot more "comfy" to grab hold of when it's real cold out. )

Carlo Loc: Maryland, NW.Chesapeake Bay

Gitzo wrote:

Carlo;
As you can probably tell by my username, I tend to be "biased". I can't comment on the particular tripod or head that you mention; I can however point out a few things about "tripods & heads" in general.

First; we use a tripod to get maximum stability; many things affect the stability of any tripod; one of the most important is......how many sections does it have? the more sections, the smaller in diameter each tube becomes, and the less stability we end up with. IMO, about the only reason to ever have more than three sections in a tripod, is to be able to fit it into a suitcase; (look at the size of those bottom tubes in ANY four section tripod, and you'll see what I mean. ) With four sections, you "gain a little" (length when closed ), but you "lose a LOT" (of stability, which is why you need a tripod in the first place! )

Tripod heads; All inexpensive tripods come with.......pan-tilt heads; there's a reason for this. (They're cheaper to make. ) P-T heads are great for "some" things.....(like video ); for "most" things, ball heads are much better; (that's probably why almost all pros use them, most of the time. ) And if all of that isn't enough to discourage you from a four section tripod........there's more! Three section tripods have 6 leg-locks........while four section tripods have 9! (They take longer to "fool around with" ); and speaking of leg-locks.....there are almost as many "schemes" as there are tripod brands! Levers? forget them! "twist-lock" is the only way to go. (after about 10 years of using them, you'll start remembering which way to twist them! )

Unlike camera bodies and lenses, tripods a relatively simple things; (but they are every bit as important to getting high-quality pictures. )

If you look at most, (if not all ) high quality tripods, you'll notice that they come with "legs only"; there's also a good reason for that. Also....most inexpensive tripods have "geared" center posts, while almost all "high end" have "twist lock" center posts, (or the ability to remove the center post when it's not needed. ) (I very rarely use the center post with my Gitzo. )

IMO, probably about the best "mid-priced" tripods currently offered are made by Induro. I know a lady who has been a pro for many years, shoots mainly motor racing with a Nikon D-4 and a f 2.8 / 400mm Nikon, and she swears by her CF Induro tripod on which she uses either her Induro gimbal head, or a ball head with a shorter lenses.

Personally, I use a Gitzo 340, three section, aluminum, twist lock legs, and usually an Arca-Swiss B-1 ball head; (and I very seldom shoot and video. ) I should probably add.....both the Gitzo and the A/S ball head were purchased on eBay, (both for less than half of their original cost. )
The A/S ball head is rated to handle 45 lbs, which it does with ease.

Regardless of what tripod or head you use, hanging a 10 bag of sand from the center will improve stability considerably; (and if I can't find any sand, driveway gravel works just as well. )

Looking back up at your "requirements".......(smooth panning ); if you do very much video, you need a fluid-filled panning head; (they make a BIG difference for smooth panning. ) What I'm really attempting to point out here is, NO tripod / head combo is "the best" for anything; that's why better tripods are made to use with P-T heads, ball heads, and gimbal heads, depending on the kind of work you're doing.

Tripod materials; aluminum is most common, it "works" just great, but CF is a "little" lighter; it also has several other advantages; it's less prone to vibration than Al, and it's MUCH "nicer to touch" in zero weather! (Al being metal is a great conductor of heat, and in cold weather, it "sucks" all the heat out of your hand when it's cold! ) CF costs the tripod maker more, so it's also going to cost YOU more. )
BEWARE of "cheap" CF tripods; On the rare occasions that I get out and tromp around in the woods in the snow, I always tape some split-foam pipe insulation around the upper sections of my aluminum Gitzo; (makes it a lot more "comfy" to grab hold of when it's real cold out. )

Carlo; br As you can probably tell by my username,... (show quote)

Gitzo, Thanks for all your feedback and the time you took to share it with me. Just what I was looking for as you mentioned several key points I had not fully considered...chances are I will eventually make 3 purchases. 1. tripod 2. ball or gimbal head for stills and 3. a p/t head for video..
Thanks ALOT...!!

TheDman Loc: USA

Gitzo wrote:

for "most" things, ball heads are much better

What things?

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

Gitzo wrote:

Carlo;
As you can probably tell by my username, I tend to be "biased". I can't comment on the particular tripod or head that you mention; I can however point out a few things about "tripods & heads" in general.

First; we use a tripod to get maximum stability; many things affect the stability of any tripod; one of the most important is......how many sections does it have? the more sections, the smaller in diameter each tube becomes, and the less stability we end up with. IMO, about the only reason to ever have more than three sections in a tripod, is to be able to fit it into a suitcase; (look at the size of those bottom tubes in ANY four section tripod, and you'll see what I mean. ) With four sections, you "gain a little" (length when closed ), but you "lose a LOT" (of stability, which is why you need a tripod in the first place! )

Tripod heads; All inexpensive tripods come with.......pan-tilt heads; there's a reason for this. (They're cheaper to make. ) P-T heads are great for "some" things.....(like video ); for "most" things, ball heads are much better; (that's probably why almost all pros use them, most of the time. ) And if all of that isn't enough to discourage you from a four section tripod........there's more! Three section tripods have 6 leg-locks........while four section tripods have 9! (They take longer to "fool around with" ); and speaking of leg-locks.....there are almost as many "schemes" as there are tripod brands! Levers? forget them! "twist-lock" is the only way to go. (after about 10 years of using them, you'll start remembering which way to twist them! )

Unlike camera bodies and lenses, tripods a relatively simple things; (but they are every bit as important to getting high-quality pictures. )

If you look at most, (if not all ) high quality tripods, you'll notice that they come with "legs only"; there's also a good reason for that. Also....most inexpensive tripods have "geared" center posts, while almost all "high end" have "twist lock" center posts, (or the ability to remove the center post when it's not needed. ) (I very rarely use the center post with my Gitzo. )

IMO, probably about the best "mid-priced" tripods currently offered are made by Induro. I know a lady who has been a pro for many years, shoots mainly motor racing with a Nikon D-4 and a f 2.8 / 400mm Nikon, and she swears by her CF Induro tripod on which she uses either her Induro gimbal head, or a ball head with a shorter lenses.

Personally, I use a Gitzo 340, three section, aluminum, twist lock legs, and usually an Arca-Swiss B-1 ball head; (and I very seldom shoot and video. ) I should probably add.....both the Gitzo and the A/S ball head were purchased on eBay, (both for less than half of their original cost. )
The A/S ball head is rated to handle 45 lbs, which it does with ease.

Regardless of what tripod or head you use, hanging a 10 bag of sand from the center will improve stability considerably; (and if I can't find any sand, driveway gravel works just as well. )

Looking back up at your "requirements".......(smooth panning ); if you do very much video, you need a fluid-filled panning head; (they make a BIG difference for smooth panning. ) What I'm really attempting to point out here is, NO tripod / head combo is "the best" for anything; that's why better tripods are made to use with P-T heads, ball heads, and gimbal heads, depending on the kind of work you're doing.

Tripod materials; aluminum is most common, it "works" just great, but CF is a "little" lighter; it also has several other advantages; it's less prone to vibration than Al, and it's MUCH "nicer to touch" in zero weather! (Al being metal is a great conductor of heat, and in cold weather, it "sucks" all the heat out of your hand when it's cold! ) CF costs the tripod maker more, so it's also going to cost YOU more. )
BEWARE of "cheap" CF tripods; On the rare occasions that I get out and tromp around in the woods in the snow, I always tape some split-foam pipe insulation around the upper sections of my aluminum Gitzo; (makes it a lot more "comfy" to grab hold of when it's real cold out. )

Carlo; br As you can probably tell by my username,... (show quote)

I too have a Gitzo, and a Manfrotto. My Gitzo is rather old and was given to my by my then girlfriend, now wife. It was intended for my 4x5" view camera but I later bought a second smaller head that can be used with my 35mm film cameras and digital cameras. The Manfrotto is a modern design and I have both a pan head and a ball head, though in both cases I now wish I had purchased larger models. And the Aluminum tripod itself could be more hefty. I agree the Gitzo is far more stable. Only issue with mine is that it is a really short model and often inappropriate for a given shoot. I have a side arm for the Gitzo as well. Your post gave good advise, though I am sure someone will differ. :-p

Jerry Green Loc: Huntsville, AL

I purchased an old used Slik Pro400DX and am impressed with how light and sturdy it is. The new replacement for it is the Pro500DX $150 which is taller.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/716875-REG/Slik_615_501_PRO_500DX_Tripod_with.html

Carlo Loc: Maryland, NW.Chesapeake Bay

Jerry Green wrote:

I purchased an old used Slik Pro400DX and am impressed with how light and sturdy it is. The new replacement for it is the Pro500DX $150 which is taller.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/716875-REG/Slik_615_501_PRO_500DX_Tripod_with.html

Thanks...a great option...! Meets all my needs.