wapiti Loc: round rock, texas

[quote=rmalarz]I prefer a pan/tilt head. It does everything anyone would need.
--Bob[/quote

Have you tried photographing birds with a large telephoto lens?

Brent Rowlett Loc: Atlanta, GA

Depends on what you want to do with your camera. For stills a sturdy ball head is definitely the way to go. If you intend to shoot video, a fluid panning video head would be a good choice. I have both.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

Sort of like Canon or Sony.
What do you prefer.
I much prefer pan tilt heads as each axis can be independently adjusted without affecting the other settings.
I tried a ball head and absolutely hated it.

Spirit Vision Photography Loc: Behind a Camera.

I’ll never go back to a Pan head.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

I am going to die with my Linhof ball head.

Brent Rowlett Loc: Atlanta, GA

I shoot real estate full time, ball head and shooting on a grid a must. For models and portraits, the ball head mimics your holding the camera in your hands before tightening it down—fast adjustments.

jackpinoh Loc: Kettering, OH 45419

Call Really Right Stuff customer support and ask them. They will need to know what types of photography you do. They can tell you the advantages and disadvantages of each type of head.

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

A Manfrotto 410 Junior Geared Head is highly considered to be smooth and precise for photography where precision is required such as macro photography. You can dial-in the slightest movements while keeping everything else locked in. I find it frustrating when I loosen a handle on a tripod head and the camera moves all over as I try to reposition it. This one supports 11-pounds which is important with large heavy lenses and it will not wobble which is important for long-reach highly magnified lenses. Geared heads are also highly suited for astronomy photography. Not for everyone, but a good solution for many applications.

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

There are good heads to be found in each category, its all a thing of preference and intended use!

Paladin48 Loc: Orlando

I had an old 1952 Pan Head once. Great bike ... you could get parts EVERYWHERE!

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

That's a personal decision... based upon what YOU want to do with the tripod and the gear you plan to use on it. You'll find folks advocating both types (or others).

Pan/tilt heads tend to be larger, with protruding handles. They can be more precise and, depending upon design, may give better balance switching back and forth between horizontal/landscape and vertical/portrait orientation. I use a pan/tilt head on a (big heavy) tripod I now only use "in studio". It's great for that purpose.

Ballheads are typically more compact and streamlined. They usually have low profile knobs that make them easier to pack for travel or less likely to catch on branches, etc. when carrying them around outdoors. Many "flop" off to one side to provide vertical/portrait orientation, which may less well balanced. Some folks fit their cameras with "L-brackets" for this reason... those allow either horiz. or vert. orientation without having to flop the ballhead to the side... Also, larger lenses that have tripod mounting collars allow better-balanced changes in orientation. I use heavy duty ballheads on two tripods I mostly use in the field... but most of the lenses I use on a tripod are fitted with mounting rings (and I use a gimbal adapter which can serve to provide vert. orientation, too.)

Shopping around, you'll also find some specialized types of heads. For example....

"Pistol grip" heads are a form of ballhead (usually light to moderate duty, at best). They're fast to use, but rely upon a spring-loaded locking mechanism.

"Gimbal heads" of various types are typically used with longer telephotos. They allow smooth, easy panning and tilt with large, heavy gear. Personally, I use yet another tripod fitted with a full size (J-type) gimbal, but that makes the tripod "large telephoto only"... not really usable with short lenses at all, unless I swap the head on the tripod or buy and carry around additional accessories. OTOH, a "gimbal adapter" (mentioned above), I use with either of the heavy duty ballheads, to quickly and easily convert them for long lens use... or remove the adapter to quickly and easily convert it back for use with other lenses on my cameras.

"Hybids" such as pan/tilt with relatively low profile controls.

You'll also find heads with and without various "quick release" options. Without those, you simply screw a bolt into the socket in the bottom of your camera (or lens tripod foot, if it has one). Those are standardized using 1/4-20 fittings (except for some relatively uncommon, large, heavy duty that use a 3/8" socket and bolt).

Quick release involve some sort of plate that's attached to each camera and lens you may want to mount, left in place.... that corresponds to a mounting platform on the tripod head. The most common type of these is the Arca-Swiss-style.... Many different manufacturers make a wide variety of accessories that are compatible with versatile and reliable Arca-style. You will also find some less common, proprietary types of releases.... For example, Manfrotto has two different ones (a small rectangular and a larger hexagonal type), but over the last two or three years they've also begun making some heads that are Arca-compatible. I used the Manfrotto QR systems years ago (when the were still Bogen) and they're okay. But they are ONLY used on Manfrotto heads, are incompatible with any other system and few other manufacturers make anything to fit them. Some types of heads, including the gimbals I use, require an Arc-type release. Around 15 years ago I set out to and have now largely converted everything to Arca-compatible.

Hope this helps!

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

In that case, I like using a grip action ball head (Manfro #222 or 322) mostly for the speed and ergonomics and assuming you will be using a small to medium sized lens and a good L bracket properly balanced. You can adapt the RC2 QR to Arca/Swiss.

..

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

Yes, those old bikes were so great, I'll bet you could even gets parts on the side of the road...., if not complete BIKES!!! LoL
Yes, the good old days before rice burners!
I remember when the CB450 came out. That machine was a complete set of coffin nails!!!
SS

LoneRangeFinder Loc: Left field

In my opinion, there is no “better”. Certainly, some types of photography lend themselves to one or the other...but often it’s a preference...

RichardSM Loc: Back in Texas

[quote=jackpinoh]Call Really Right Stuff customer support and ask them. They will need to know what types of photography you do. They can tell you the advantages and disadvantages of each type



Really?