Panning Ballhead and hardware question: I’m looking for some advice on purchasing a reliable cost effective panning Ballhead and related hardware. I realize RRS is great gear but they...

WIHorseman

I’m looking for some advice on purchasing a reliable cost effective panning Ballhead and related hardware. I realize RRS is great gear but they sure are shy about asking you to pay an arm and a leg for the gear. Does anyone have suggestions for a less costly alternative. I plan on using it with a L-Plate, my D850 and a Nikon f2.8 24-70 ED VR as my primary choice of attached gear. Should I just bite the bullet or is there a reliable alternative. Thanks

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

For panning, you want the camera level, but you want to be able to rotate it left and right. That's why I prefer a tilt & pan head. I think you would have to set the ball head and lock it in place, but you would have to be able to rotate it. Can that be done with a ball head?

EDIT: Yes, I guess it can.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1432477-REG/leofoto_nb_46x_ball_head_with_click.html/?ap=y&gclid=Cj0KCQjwyoHlBRCNARIsAFjKJ6BILsqDS00HuRy4o4jTbpZvk3877uXM7TQR96wHs910ZxEPFHCV6TIaAgJ1EALw_wcB&lsft=BI%3A514&smp=Y

https://www.adorama.com/us%20%20%20%20854841.html?utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=adl-gbase

Good video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVmKqnek60A

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

WIHorseman wrote:

I’m looking for some advice on purchasing a reliable cost effective panning Ballhead and related hardware. I realize RRS is great gear but they sure are shy about asking you to pay an arm and a leg for the gear. Does anyone have suggestions for a less costly alternative. I plan on using it with a L-Plate, my D850 and a Nikon f2.8 24-70 ED VR as my primary choice of attached gear. Should I just bite the bullet or is there a reliable alternative. Thanks

Consider a Feisol. This one has a load capacity of 33 lbs which will take you into your future lenses.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/848858-REG/FEISOL_CB_40D_CB_40D_Ballhead_With_QP_1444750.html

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

WIHorseman wrote:

I’m looking for some advice on purchasing a reliable cost effective panning Ballhead and related hardware. I realize RRS is great gear but they sure are shy about asking you to pay an arm and a leg for the gear. Does anyone have suggestions for a less costly alternative. I plan on using it with a L-Plate, my D850 and a Nikon f2.8 24-70 ED VR as my primary choice of attached gear. Should I just bite the bullet or is there a reliable alternative. Thanks

This is what attaches to your L bracket and lets you achieve balance -https://www.ebay.com/itm/140mm-Nodal-Rail-Slide-Plate-QR-Clamp-Macro-Panoramic-Bracket-Fit-Arca-Swiss-RRS/122003785740?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l9372

This is the cost effective ball head I like that pans at the top and bottom, 45mm ball. - https://www.ebay.com/itm/ProMaster-SP45P-Ball-Head/302816288861?epid=713326709&hash=item468141e05d:g:~b0AAOSw5ttbVgn9

..

rjaywallace Loc: Wisconsin

Acratech Universal L Bracket $229.95

https://www.acratech.net/l-brackets-and-nodal-rails/universal-l-bracket/

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

WIHorseman wrote:

I’m looking for some advice on purchasing a reliable cost effective panning Ballhead and related hardware. I realize RRS is great gear but they sure are shy about asking you to pay an arm and a leg for the gear. Does anyone have suggestions for a less costly alternative. I plan on using it with a L-Plate, my D850 and a Nikon f2.8 24-70 ED VR as my primary choice of attached gear. Should I just bite the bullet or is there a reliable alternative. Thanks

What are you trying to accomplish?

There are many ball heads that can pan independently. I use a Sirui K40x and an Arca-Swiss Z1 - both pan and both are Arca compatible. I would caution against a Feisol 40, the 50 is the one to get.

WIHorseman

I sure appreciate the sound advice. With multiple option I’ll get to work checking them out. I’m heading to Yosemite around the end of April and the first of May. I’ve been there many times in the past and if I can find a way to get through the heavy snow pack to the top of Glacier Point and Nevada Falls I want to shoot a couple of particular panned images I’ve had my eye of for years. I’ll share the images if I’m lucky enough to be able to find an open trail from the valley. Sounds like the roads won’t be plowed out in time. Thanks again.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

WIHorseman wrote:

I sure appreciate the sound advice. With multiple... (show quote)

I did the same thing with my ball heads for a number of years. You want to level your tripod. If it does not have a level, the least expensive workable solution is this:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/882986-REG/Sunwayfoto_LP_76_Leveling_Plate.html

It fits between the tripod head and the tripod's apex.

Alternately, you can get a leveling base like this:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/886344-REG/Sunwayfoto_DYH_66i_Leveling_Base.html/?ap=y&gclid=Cj0KCQjw7YblBRDFARIsAKkK-dKDE5nd5_J_28uV1oDOIjWLJ9C0VSuJIsqdLWCIFGYBKp4M_JPf80YaAsrdEALw_wcB&lsft=BI%3A514&smp=Y

Once you level the support, then you level your camera - many cameras have a built in level or azimuth function that is quite accurate.

Using that approach I took the first image, a 5 column, 3 row pano with a 45mm lens a couple of years ago.

The rest were panos at Yosemite's valley floor

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John N Loc: HP14 3QF Stokenchurch, UK

I use the ball head on my tripod for panning. If in the horizontal plane only, lock the ballhead and rotate on the tripod only. If doing birds in flight or aircraft slacken off the tension to get a smooth movement without play. It helps to use the largest ballhead you can get.

ncribble Loc: Albuquerque, NM

Horseman, Arca- Swiss builds exactly what you are looking for. I have used this one for the last couple of years, and it is now my Go To Ball head. Too, the price is right for a excellent ball head.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1029548-REG/arca_swiss_801215_monoball_p0_with_fliplock.html?sts=pi

nikondoug

You have spent a lot of $$ for your D850, L-Bracket, and your lens. Your complaining on the cost of a good RRS ball head. I hope you do not have a inexpensive tripod. You can find a RRS BH55 on eBay for less then buying the ball head from B&H or Adorama. The BH55 is superb, you will not regret purchasing it.

jackm1943 Loc: Omaha, Nebraska

WIHorseman wrote:

I’m looking for some advice on purchasing a reliable cost effective panning Ballhead and related hardware. I realize RRS is great gear but they sure are shy about asking you to pay an arm and a leg for the gear. Does anyone have suggestions for a less costly alternative. I plan on using it with a L-Plate, my D850 and a Nikon f2.8 24-70 ED VR as my primary choice of attached gear. Should I just bite the bullet or is there a reliable alternative. Thanks

I recently purchased the Induro PHQ3 - 5 Way Panhead. Haven't had a chance to use it much yet, but it appears to be solidly built. Price was about $270. It has small levels built into it but I find it easier to use the two-way level in my camera to level the thing.

redlegfrog

WIHorseman wrote:

I’m looking for some advice on purchasing a reliable cost effective panning Ballhead and related hardware. I realize RRS is great gear but they sure are shy about asking you to pay an arm and a leg for the gear. Does anyone have suggestions for a less costly alternative. I plan on using it with a L-Plate, my D850 and a Nikon f2.8 24-70 ED VR as my primary choice of attached gear. Should I just bite the bullet or is there a reliable alternative. Thanks

I found the Acratech GP Works great up to 300MM. You can convert it to shoot Panos and it works great for that.

steveg48

WIHorseman wrote:

I’m looking for some advice on purchasing a reliable cost effective panning Ballhead and related hardware. I realize RRS is great gear but they sure are shy about asking you to pay an arm and a leg for the gear. Does anyone have suggestions for a less costly alternative. I plan on using it with a L-Plate, my D850 and a Nikon f2.8 24-70 ED VR as my primary choice of attached gear. Should I just bite the bullet or is there a reliable alternative. Thanks

I have a RRS tripod and RRS ballhead that can pan. However, I purchased a RRS Panning clamp which sits on top of the ballhead. The reason this is a good configuration is that the panning element is the panning clamp. So all you have do is level the panning clamp by adjusting the ball head. It does not matter if the tripod legs are not level. The easiest way to do this is to put my Nikon D810 in live view and use the camera leveling display. The important point,IMO, is not that the gear is RRS but the use of a panning clamp on top of the ballhead.

CO

Markins has a great solution for you. They have their Q10i and Q20i ballheads that work with their BV series pan & tilt attachments. You use the ballhead as you would any other ballhead. With the pan & tilt attachment on, it gives you the same movement as a gimbal head. I rented the combo once. It's precisely machined and works great.

Here's a video that shows it in motion:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMu5vjEWLa8

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Markins ballhead with pan & tilt attachment

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