Bill P

You're right, but there's good pan/tilt and there's bad. I'm probably more familiar with fluid heads than most of you as I spent several years shooting TV newsfilm with one. In those days they were big but very good and very dependable..

jcboy3

Lots of people do. There are two types of "pan and tilt" heads. Video heads have fluid damping and balancing springs for smooth motion and to keep the camera from flopping about. Other heads do not have damping, are usually designed for monopod use where you don't want the camera flopping over to the side.

The drawback with these heads is that you have to level the tripod. Most photo tripods do not have built in levelers, so you either add a leveler or you adjust the legs (using a bubble level). With practice, leveling a tripod by adjusting the legs can be done pretty quickly; just not as quickly as leveling with a leveler or a ball head. The other drawback is that video heads can be pretty big and heavy.

But there are a lot of folks that swear by these heads.

My recommendation for photo use is to get a head that has Arca compatibility. Sirui makes Arca compatible video heads; I have one of their smaller ones and love it. But for still photography I usually use an Acratech ball head or a gimbal head (with big lenses shooting wildlife).

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

They were BIG because the cameras were ! - Today, not so much !
.

BartHx

[quote=jcboy3]The drawback with these heads is that you have to level the tripod. Most photo tripods do not have built in levelers, so you either add a leveler or you adjust the legs (using a bubble level). With practice, leveling a tripod by adjusting the legs can be done pretty quickly; just not as quickly as leveling with a leveler or a ball head. The other drawback is that video heads can be pretty big and heavy.

My Manfroto tripod includes a bubble level as does my 3-way Manfroto pan/tilt head.

jcboy3

[quote=BartHx]

I said "leveler", not level. You need a level somewhere to level the tripod. A leveler will let you level the base without adjusting the legs. Some tripods have levelers (such as those that have a 75mm bowl), or you can put a leveler on top of the tripod (I tend to favor my Acratech leveler, which is basically a low profile limited throw ball head).

For example:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/834487-REG/Acratech_1170_LARGE_LEVELING_BASE.html

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/554093-REG/Manfrotto_438_438_Compact_Levelling_Head.html

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/850732-REG/Nodal_Ninja_EZL_II_C_EZ_Leveler_II.html

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/272854-REG/Manfrotto_555B_555B_Leveling_Center_Column.html

DaveyDitzer Loc: Western PA

I use a pan and tilt head with a red dot sight on my Df for birds in flight

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

A pan and tilt is not best for video shooting, for that a fluid head is best! A pan and tilt is mostly used for still shooting, and it was designed for it!

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

I use 3-way pan/tilt heads whenever my lens has a rotating tripod mount. I have a Manfrotto 391RC2, Bogen 3030 and Bogen 3047 - the one I use depends on which camera or lens I’m using.

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

I think you are right.

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

I purchased an Arca Swiss Z1 ball head after my Cambo geared head, which I used to use with my view camera, wore out. Aside from the savings in weight, I found the Z1 to be more than adequate and easier to set up and use. I also use a gimbal when I go out with a long, collared lens and I know I won't be moving much. Cheap ball heads, like cheap tripods that people often mount them on, are a complete waste of time and money. Anyone who dislikes ball heads probably has never used a Markins, RRS or Arca ball head. They are not the same as the under $200 crop of ball heads.

aellman Loc: Boston MA

Agreed! I have never sat around contemplating my navel while wondering, "Would a ball head improve my photographs?"

Bill P

Wow! May I congratulate you on your wise approach to a non-problem, we need more of this good thinking. Too many here are constantly wailing over first world problems.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

A fluid head IS a 2-way pan/tilt ! - and, it is best for video !

aellman Loc: Boston MA

We all determine our own priorities. World events and politics mean nothing to me. The issue of tripod heads fascinates me.