StevenPA wrote:
2. Allow for the camera to be taken down and put back up several times (say 100) in one evening out. I think the quick release is going to be more efficient than a screw release, and if I'm going to pay so much for a ballhead, I'm going to get something that works best for me with as few compromises as possible.
What subject and conditions require fixing and removing the camera from the tripod 100 times a day? If you are shooting that much while walking, it might be best to leave the camera on tripod with a more-secure screw-fixing, rather than quick release, so that you can put the rig, legs extended, over your shoulder when going to the next destination.
Rest assured, Markins is smooth and allows fine adjustments before locking down. I frame shots precisely and bought this head after selling the much lighter and less expensive RRS BH-25 Pro, which lacked independent panning and tension control knobs. That ball head was frustrating. Now I can mount a camera on the Markins and move it around smoothly without the camera flopping. Once satisfied with framing, I turn the knob a bit more and done. If need be, pan slighty left or right, lock that down and shoot.
Aug 12, 2007 at 05:18 AM
Lars Johnsson Offline • • • • • • • Upload & Sell: Off
StevenPA wrote:
I don't know! I've been calling the lever release quick release because the screw release is anything but quick, at least on the Q3 I've tried in shops on numerous occasions.
For clarity, I'd prefer to have a lever release, not a screw release.
If you like to have the lever-release. Buy a ballhead that already has that when you buy it. Like Arca-Swiss or RRS. Especially when order it from another country. Just getting one lever-release from RRS shipped to Sweden cost me about $ 240-250.
Hundreds of times is an exaggeration, but not by much. I do a lot of city night photography and am in and out of elevators, up and down escalators, along sidewalks, etc. quite a few times per outing.
I try to leave things set up as much as possible and just sling the rig over my shoulder but sometimes that's not practical. Seoul is also a pretty "tight" city and I don't want to crash into anything.
There's been a lot of talk on FM about the Markins panning base. Is it really as problematic as people make it out to be?
Aug 12, 2007 at 05:42 AM
Lars Johnsson Offline • • • • • • • Upload & Sell: Off
Lars, that's the one I've been thinking of getting (Q3), and I understand your advice to just get the quick release with the ballhead in one go. That's what initially confused me: go with the Markins without the lever or just go all out and get the RRS with lever. It was never my original intention to mix and match plates and heads.
I really appreciate all the advice here guys.
Aug 12, 2007 at 05:49 AM
Lars Johnsson Offline • • • • • • • Upload & Sell: Off
I understand that you can get the Markins in Korea, but you have to order the RRS over their website. For me it would be an easy choice. I would get the Q3. It will only cost you about half the money then I belive. I have both the Q3 with scew.knob and the RRS BH-55 with lever-release. And for me it's not a big deal if I use lever or screw. Not even if I change the camera adjustment a lot.
Maybe I would buy the Markins M10 if only using one ballhead.
Yeah, the Q3 is readily available. Why oh why don't Markins have a lever release!? By comparison RRS is mail order only, and Arca-Swiss is stocked only at a few shops and is really pricey - about $520 for the Z1sp with lever plus another $70 for the camera plate. I'm thinking with this purchase that it would be my one and only if I did it right, hence my slight willingness to get the RRS, which even after postage (excluding possible duties) would be $520. The Q3 plus plate will cost me less than $300.
Aug 12, 2007 at 06:06 AM
Lars Johnsson Offline • • • • • • • Upload & Sell: Off
I will have to get to a shop to see if I like the M10 more than the Q3. I'll probably just go with the Q3 though. It will go on a Manfrotto 190ProB (I know, but one thing at a time).
One thought about the screw-type connector - no one says you need to fully open it up all the way to extract your camera and plate. A turn or two does it. And a turn or two to fix it securely again. A hidden benefit is that nothing will accidently snag on it to open position, leading to a disaster for your camera and lens.
M-10; 20; Q3 panning lock issue is a non-issue. Who locks their panning base and then forcibly turns the camera and lens with all the torque that it provides?
Thanks for replying. I thought the panning base issue arose when securing the ballhead down on a tripod; the ballhead just spun around on the panning base rather than tightening down onto the tripod legs. Honestly, I've tightened a Q3 panning base up finger tight and can't move the darn thing, but that's with just the ballhead in my hand. Maybe this is more of a problem for people with big teles, which apply more torsional force on the panning base?
Thanks also for the tip on half loosening the screw plate. I feel most comfortable just buying in Korea and avoiding the whole RRS mail order thing and am days(?) away from a purchase.
sjms, that's what I want, RRS lever release on a Markins head! How difficult was it to make the conversion? I think I'll get the Markins now to see how I like working with the screw release in the field, and then possibly go the route you've gone with the RRS lever release. I can get them to service that here easily enough.
I'm quite late to this discussion, but have to put in my $0.02. I'm actually late as I was out using my BH-40. I'm still fairly new to the head, so keep that in mind, however I am completely happy with it already.
I have to disagree with the PITA comment several pages back; I find the controls to be intuitive and easy to use. I don't mess with the drag setting much, but it works very nicely. The main locking lever doesn't need to "spin all the way around"--it's about 1/4 turn from locked to open & you can re-orient where that is by pulling it out and rotating to and of 6 positions. In the field it's very quick; I had my doubts when I first looked at it on their site, now I'm totally sold.
Anyway, enough of my fanboy-ism. I think any of the heads discussed will work well.
I've been calling the lever release quick release because the screw release is anything but quick, at least on the Q3 I've tried in shops on numerous occasions.
I'm still fairly new to the head, so keep that in mind, however I am completely happy with it already.
I think any of the heads discussed will work well.