what do you guys think of this particular head? I sadly don't have much more of a budget being a starving college student. its going to be mounted 1340 legs.
well the heaviest combo I have that it has to take is a D7000+80-200 2.8 AF-D and an SB-800. I can't seem to find an Arca-Swiss compatible head at the $100 to $150 price point. Are there specific alternatives I should look at? For example, I don't know how this head compares to a Manfrotto 498RC2
I`ve got an 1177 ( the non-q/r version ) and whilst it`s a good head it does have some limitations in terms of usability. That single knob controls the ball and the panning motion so you can`t pan independently of the ball movement. Otherwise it`s a well made, solid and easy to maintain item. If you could find a used one for half the price of a new one it might be worth a punt. Alternatives in your price range would be it`s bigger brother the 1277m which is much overlooked and under-rated and again may be available on the used market for a good price. I would avoid the Manfrotto 498 and look for a used 488 instead. Replace the top disc or q/r with an Arca Swiss type. There are many of these available from the generic Chinese-made no-name or under different names to the fancy-dan boutique makes like RRS, Acratech, Wimberley etc. A more cost effective option would be a clamp and plates from Hejnar Photo. I have some of his gear and it`s well made, solid and reliable, maybe not in the same class as RRS in terms of finish but more than good enough without breaking the bank. The reason I don`t like the Manfrotto 498 is because of the comedy tension control, it`s imprecise, jerky and likely to change it`s setting without being touched. My first choice would be the 1277 + Hejnar, 2nd choice 488 + Hejnar. I have no experience of any of the Arca compatible heads from Benro, Induro, Vanguard etc so can`t offer an opinion.
Thanks for the informative reply. Now pardon my lack of knowledge, as I'm not too familiar with high end heads (I've only had a 468 RC2 some years back). Now I know that Arca Swiss plates are like an open standard. So basically you are recommending a non-QR head, then getting one of these
which I'm guessing screws on to the thread on the head. And then getting some Arca Swiss plates? Also what size clamps/plates would be the right size considering that I own a D7000, F3, FE and Yashica 6x6 TLR? Thanks again!
The ArcaSwiss design has pretty much become standard except for the 2 biggest names in the tripod/head market. I suppose they have their reasons but it`s got to be hurting sales. Unless you can find a decent head already fitted with an AS clamp then getting something else and upgrading to AS is the way to go.
Ideally an L-plate for the camera but this is seriously going to blow your budget. The great thing about the plates from RRS, Kirk, etc is that they are custom designed for each individual camera to avoid twist and are not usually able to fit a different model. An alternative to this expensive route is to get a "one size fits all" plate and swap it between bodies. I think RRS and Kirk make multi-fit plates, best to check their product lines. I have a plate (D 004 ) from Hejnar which fits both my Nikon D90, D70 and my Panasonic G2. It has a ridge about 1/8" high along it`s length which fits nicely against the contoured edges of the camera. I have L-plates for the 70 and 90 so it`s on the G2 atm until I find something more suitable. This ( or similar ) may work for you. What I really like about Hejnar`s eBay pages is that he provides several good photos and also an engineering drawing of most of his products. BTW- no affiliation. You will definitely need a plate for the 80-200. Whether to go wide clamp (4")/small lens plate or normal clamp(2") and longer lens plate? I`d say normal clamp/long plate, this allows you to slide the lens fore/aft to achieve better balance with lenses with tripod collars.
Even at this price point you will be stuggling to get everything you need. I`m guessing that the 7k is your primary camera so I would concentrate on making this your priority and deal with the other cameras in due course when fundsbecome available. HTH.
Feb 18, 2012 at 04:47 PM
Lars Johnsson Offline • • • • • • • Upload & Sell: Off
So I looked at the Hejnar options and while they seem pretty reasonable, I'm still leaning towards the Gitzo 1178 or maybe a Manfrotto 488RC2 or 486RC2?
The thing is, I'm not a big tripod user at all, I just need a decent one for when I do need it occasionally. And I don't plan on getting anything bigger/heavier than my AF-D 80-20 2.8 in the near or medium future either. I just need a satisfactory setup for my current gear, nothing more. (Need money for Spring break =P)
