Dziadzi Loc: Wilkes-Barre, PA

Fellow Hoggers, I was just given a Manfrotto 055XPROB Pro Tripod Legs. It does not have a head, thus the reason for this post. I am looking for recommendations on a head to attach my D7100. It will be used mostly for taking portraits. I am looking for a good quality head for under $100. I appreciate your responses. Thanks!

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

The tripod used to come with the 808RC4 pan head, which may be found used for less than $100.00.

OddJobber Loc: Portland, OR

Lucky you to have been given a good leg set. Lots of good Manfrotto pan/tilt heads heads for cheap. I don't do pan/tilt anymore but I have an 804RC2 which would be adequate for your 7100 and a portrait lens, about 80 bucks used. Just look for any 802/803/804 pan tilt at a reasonable price and you should be OK.

Dziadzi Loc: Wilkes-Barre, PA

Thanks, RWR

Dziadzi Loc: Wilkes-Barre, PA

Thanks, Larry

tenor57

look into Oben ball heads quite good for the money.

Brent Rowlett Loc: Atlanta, GA

Stay away from Manfrotto heads. Convert everything to ARCA Swiss and leave the tools etc. behind.

blackest Loc: Ireland

Perfect opportunity to get an arca swiss head. Manfrotto isn't terrible but when you want a different plate, it may not be available or expensive when it is. You may want an L bracket for example and arca swiss is no problem or perhaps you have more than one camera in which case extra plates are easily found.

Dziadzi Loc: Wilkes-Barre, PA

Thanks, Tenor

Dziadzi Loc: Wilkes-Barre, PA

Thanks, Brent

Dziadzi Loc: Wilkes-Barre, PA

Thanks, Blackest

Brent Rowlett Loc: Atlanta, GA

Reported this in a past post. If you have many jobs requiring you to switch from still photos to video to lighting, no doubt you have looked for a screw driver, quarter, allen wrench to change plates to accommodate all the proprietary quick change clamps out there--a real pain in the butt and time consuming. I have converted everything to ARCA Swiss including L brackets for all my camera bodies. The 120mm ARCA clamp on my DJI Ronin only cost me $9.00 new on Ebay saving me a good 20 minutes trying to change out the camera and mount it to one of the 20 holes in the base plate for insertion. In addition to moving the base plate, I can make a micro adjustment forward and back for balance adjustment of the camera front to rear. Taking the camera from the Jib to the DJI Ronin to the tripod is a snap.

All of my ball heads are ARCA, and as you can see I converted the Manfrotto Glidecam and Fluid Head to ARCA with inexpensive clamps purchased on Ebay. All of my battery powered speed lights are easily changed without having to screw them on and wrap the cords around the stands as the light turns.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

At today's prices, I don't know if you can purchase a high quality ball head within the $100. range so perhaps you may want to shop the used equipment market.

A ball head is ideal for portraiture in that you can make compositional and angle adjustments quickly and easily even with active subjects like young children. One lever controls the tension so you don't need to reach for different handles to tilt or pan.

I highly recommend the Manfrotto equipment. The ball head in the image has been in daily use in my studio for 20 years and has stood up well to hard use- I am kinda hard on my support gear in that I tend to over tighten and force- my bad! . Nonetheless theses heads perform perfectly without issue. I have two others that are set up for location work and they are just short of abused. They end up in car trunks in cold weather and being knocked around at industrial locations- again without issue.

I have never had difficulty with the plates, the spring-loaded locking levers or the main tension controls. They ain't particularly pretty but they are rugged and reliable tools.

Check out the next reply box for some images.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

Older models.

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Dziadzi Loc: Wilkes-Barre, PA

Thanks E. LET.