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Tripod Head
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Nov 12, 2019 06:05:10   #
leftyD500 Loc: Ocala, Florida
 
I understand that a "pan and tilt" tripod head is designed, and best used for video shooting. But, does anyone use a pan and tilt tripod head for still photography? If so, any recommendations on ease of use and product to consider?

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Nov 12, 2019 06:21:06   #
CO
 
I have a Manfrotto 460MG magnesium 3-way pan/tilt head. It weighs only 1 lb but its magnesium construction is very strong. I take it if I'm going to hike for long distances because of its light weight.

Benro has a new series of 3-way pan/tilt heads that have an Arca-Swiss clamp which is more secure than Manfrotto's quick release clamp system. It's the HD1A, HD2A, and HD3A.

I still prefer the Arca-Swiss clamp of my Acratech ballhead but it weights a little more.

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Nov 12, 2019 06:42:01   #
rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona
 
I have used a pan/tilt head exclusively for 65 years, or so. I wouldn't use anything else.
--Bob
jradose wrote:
I understand that a "pan and tilt" tripod head is designed, and best used for video shooting. But, does anyone use a pan and tilt tripod head for still photography? If so, any recommendations on ease of use and product to consider?

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Nov 12, 2019 06:45:20   #
Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis
 
jradose wrote:
I understand that a "pan and tilt" tripod head is designed, and best used for video shooting. But, does anyone use a pan and tilt tripod head for still photography? If so, any recommendations on ease of use and product to consider?


I have used Pan tilt heads for many years but found them to be a PITA, Then the Ball heads came out. I have a couple of them the best being an Acra Tech which I use for everything except macro and Telephoto work. I use a Wimberly Gimble) for these.

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Nov 13, 2019 06:51:00   #
tcthome Loc: NJ
 
jradose wrote:
I understand that a "pan and tilt" tripod head is designed, and best used for video shooting. But, does anyone use a pan and tilt tripod head for still photography? If so, any recommendations on ease of use and product to consider?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIJY88-wcoM if you scan thru his vids , there is probably a couple that mention fluid head for tripod use. believe he recommends the manfrtto 500ah or something like that for around $150.00 or so. to be honest for that price it looks better than any ball head in that price range, but can't tell without real world experience.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J01nQg_f4fo

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Nov 13, 2019 09:55:25   #
camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.
 
I do not use a pan and tilt head my go to head is a Linhoff ball head with an Arca Swiss attachment that I have been using for as long as I can remember.
I just feel comfortable using it.

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Nov 13, 2019 10:33:28   #
BartHx
 
I will admit to unreasonable prejudice. I first started shooting in early high school (about 65 years ago). At that point, my major limiting factor was cost. My first tripods were small and light weight with permanently affixed ball heads. On several occasions it was only young, quick reflexes that avoided disaster when the ball failed to hold the camera in place. Since then, I have used exclusively pan/tilt heads and find them no less efficient or easy to use than the ball heads I replaced with them. I am sure there are high quality ball heads available that are more than adequately secure. However, I am now an old dog. I am totally happy with my pan/tilt heads for stills and have no plans to change.

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Nov 13, 2019 10:35:54   #
mflowe Loc: Port Deposit, MD
 
I started out with a pan and tilt but once I discovered the joy of using a ballhead, I quickly ditched it and never looked back. I guess if you're shooting nothing but landscapes or architecture the P & T is great for making slow micro adjustments, but I always thought it was cumbersome in the field and the handles were always getting stuck on something in the truck or getting entangled while walking through brush, etc.

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Nov 13, 2019 11:42:16   #
imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida
 
I believe the OP is specificly talking about a 2-way pan/tilt NOT a 3-way !

I am currently using the Manfro 502 video fluid (big and heavy) on my tripods and the Surui VH10 - https://www.ebay.com/itm/Sirui-VH-10-Aluminum-Professional-Fluid-Video-Head-8-8-lbs-Load-Capacity/253276751134?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l9372 - on my monopods - (smaller/lighter) and I do like them - and yes, I have used All the other types of heads ! - but I do shoot mostly wildlife/bird ACTION and some large format landscapes.
.

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Nov 13, 2019 11:48:45   #
billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont
 
jradose wrote:
I understand that a "pan and tilt" tripod head is designed, and best used for video shooting. But, does anyone use a pan and tilt tripod head for still photography? If so, any recommendations on ease of use and product to consider?


I still have my 50 year old Quickset tripod that has photographed over 600 weddings, one leg went bad and Quickset send me a new (free) one when it was 10 years old.
It is tilt and pan and still works like new. However, it sits in the closet now because I use a ball head on my much less weight Benro tripod.

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Nov 13, 2019 13:55:42   #
Bill P
 
A pan-tilt head is at best marginal for video. I've used on all my life for stills, and continue to use on my Tiltall tripod. I have used ball heads on occasion, and I find that they go from solid locked down to flaccid in a nanosecond, so I don't own one.

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Nov 13, 2019 14:05:28   #
imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida
 
Bill P wrote:
A pan-tilt head is at best marginal for video. I've used on all my life for stills, and continue to use on my Tiltall tripod. I have used ball heads on occasion, and I find that they go from solid locked down to flaccid in a nanosecond, so I don't own one.


All video heads are 2-way pan/tilt !
.

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Nov 13, 2019 14:26:18   #
cambriaman Loc: Central CA Coast
 
Before ball heads we ALL used pan and tilt. That's all there was.

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Nov 13, 2019 15:58:42   #
amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA
 
jradose wrote:
I understand that a "pan and tilt" tripod head is designed, and best used for video shooting. But, does anyone use a pan and tilt tripod head for still photography? If so, any recommendations on ease of use and product to consider?


Actually, what is generally referred to as "pan/tilt" heads are designed for photography. They have panning and tilting movements, as well as some means of reorienting the camera vertically.

Video heads look similar and have panning and tilting movements. It's fair to say they are also "pan/tilt". However, they are a more specialized type of pan/tilt head that doesn't provide any means of orienting the camera vertically, the way "pan/tilt" heads for photography typically do. All video is shot in a horizontal/landscape orientation so there's no need for the head to allow the video camera to be turned to in a vertical/portrait orientation. It's common for video heads to be mounted onto a "bowl" in the top of the tripod, which allows for leveling on uneven surfaces. Some video heads have "fluid" dampened movements, to make for smoother panning and tilting. Video heads also may have a very high weight bearing capacity... Some well over 100 lb., due to the size and weight of some of the gear involved. This makes video heads themselves rather bulky and, often, quite expensive.

Many pan/tilt heads have protruding levers or control handles (as do video heads) that make them a bit bulky too. This can be problem when trying to pack the tripod for travel or when carrying the tripod in the field. Some have folding or removable levers. But they are typically smaller, lighter and more affordable than video heads... plus pan/tilt can have an advantage (versus ballheads) that when the camera is oriented vertically, it remains reasonably well centered above the tripod's center line.

Ballheads are typically a lot more compact, so might be better for packing and travel purposes. But most of ballheads will "flop" the camera off to one side when the camera is oriented vertically, making things somewhat unbalanced.

There are "L-brackets" that can be installed on the camera and used with either type of head, to allow the camera to be vertically oriented and remain better centered upon the tripod... And thus less likely to tip over!

There are other types of heads....

"Grip" heads are fast acting.... Essentially a small ballhead that uses a spring loaded locking mechanism, which can be released by gripping the head. Like a ballhead, an L-bracket will usually be needed for direct camera mounting in vertical orientation, or the whole rig would be "flopped" way off to one side and make for poor balance.

"Gimbal" heads are designed for use with very large, heavy lenses (usually with a tripod mounting collar). They're designed so that the lens can be adjusted close to equilibrium, making it very smooth and easy to move both for panning and for tilt. (In most cases, horizontal and vertical orientations are achieved by rotating the camera and lens in the lens' mounting collar.)

"Gimbal adapters" are used in conjunction with a ballhead. The adapter provides the tilt movement, while the ballhead provides the panning motion. Adapters usually don't have as high weight rating as standard "full size" gimbal heads. But an adapter allows the tripod to be converted back to "regular" use quickly and easily... while a full size gimbal fully replaces any other type of head, pretty much making the tripod "long lens only", largely unusable for use with shorter lenses unless a ballhead or pan/tilt is swapped with the gimbal.

"Geared" heads of various types have rack and pinion or other mechanisms for precision control. Some tripods also use a geared center column for height adjustments.

"Panoramic" heads are designed to allow very precise mounting of a camera in order for rotation around the lens' "nodal point", so that multiple images taken to make a panorama "fit together" as best possible.

There are also hybrid heads.... pan/tilts with compact designs, ballheads with precision gearing and more.

Personally I use two tripods with ballheads (one with a gimbal adapter), another tripod with a full size gimbal head (dedicated to large telephoto lenses w/tripod collars), and a very hefty "studio" tripod with a pan/tilt head. I have several others accumulated over the years, but those four are my main "users".

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Nov 13, 2019 17:10:24   #
Architect1776 Loc: In my mind
 
jradose wrote:
I understand that a "pan and tilt" tripod head is designed, and best used for video shooting. But, does anyone use a pan and tilt tripod head for still photography? If so, any recommendations on ease of use and product to consider?


3 way pan tilt are for still cameras.
2 way are for video.
Generally.
I have the Manfrotto Xpro 3 way pan tilt head.
Love it because I can lock each axis independently.
It holds heavy equipment easily.
Very easy to use and an excellent value.

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