which tripod head set up for landscape and pano photography?

I shoot landscapes with my Mamiyaflex C2 and I have been looking at ways at slimming down my kit to make it as efficient to the task at hand. I am interested in shooting panoramic at some stage so require a panning clamp.

As I shoot 6x6 I do not need to be able to shoot in the portrait position, so do not neccessarily need the ball head, but buying a panning clamp and attaching that to the ball head in place of the existing clamp is probably the cheapest option.

 

So option 1) buy a panning clamp and attach to my Vanguard ABH-340K ball head, then buy nodal rail etc.

 

Option 2) get rid of the ball head and buy a levelling base and attach panning clamp to the panning base. This to me seems the most compact option and since I do not use much vertical panning (up and down) the movements seem minimal and probably fast to set up is (as long as the required levelling of the base does not exceed 15 degrees or so). Price varies depending on brands of base and clamp and how many 'parts' you need. Depending on attachments, for example, a sunwayfoto set up would cost in the region of £150 for the base, a attach to that base, and pano clamp to attach to that clamp (pano clamps do not seem to have the threads to attach directly to the levelling base).

 

Option 3) I have found a good deal on the Arca Swiss monoball P0. Having watched videos it seems this head can act as both a ball head and panning clamp as the heads panning mechanism is above the ball rather than underneath it meaning I would not need an additional panning clamp, or levelling base. This option is the most expensive.

Eventually I will be using a nodal rail and will also use the paramender accessory for the Mamiya to correct for parallax so there will be a decent weight on the head, but all options can hold 20kg or so.

Does anybody use a similar set up? Or have recommendations?

Thanks

No experience with a similar setup, but just thinking out loud...a 3-way head could be a solution maybe. You can lock it down and make sure it'll only do panning, and the better ones should have a scale for the degrees of rotation to help out with that.

I had considered a pan & tilt as an alternative to my ball head, but because the panning mechanism is on the bottom of the head I would still need either a levelling base to level the head to be able to produce level panos with heads rotation, or a panning clamp on top of the head with bubble level so I could level all axis to make sure the top of the head is level to be able to produce perfectly level panos.

So I may as well stick with the ball head if I go down that route and buy either a levelling base, or pano clamp with spirit level. This is the cheapest option but you are adding to height and weight with each component.

I'd go with a bubble level fitted 3 axis pan/tilt & attach a click-stopped pan head to the top of that. You'd level with the 3-axis & panorama with the 1-axis.

Just looking on WEX and pan & tilts all seem to be either light but can't take a heavy load, heavy load but heavy head, and/or not very compact. the Arca Swiss, and my vanguard probably (haven't tried) can fit in a deep pocket. Also when lining up with a bubble level I find the ball heads quicker. But I do like the look of the geared p&t heads for precision. Probably not for me right now though.

If you're doing this on a professional basis, rather than amateur, you might want to consider a special panning device rather than a "pano" head typically sold on video tripods. The difference in output is that distortion is significantly reduced when rotating the body around the rear node of the camera's lens rather than about the tripod socket itself. There are several manufacturers who sell these devices (pretty easy to set up). I've used one from Jacobs Engineering quite successfully, although perhaps less expensive and more popular is one from Kaidan. There are others out there as well, I just haven't had experience with them.

These days the major image editors do a fairly decent job even starting with handheld images made by swiveling your body as you shoot. A number of options in merging are usually possible.

 

Here is an example made up of three "pan" shots in the slave quarters at Mount Vernon.

 

On the other hand, there are specialized aids available for those who are "picky":

I had a similar device for a rolleiflex.

SCL i do intend to buy a panoramic adapter (RRS or other brand) at some point but just a nodal slide will do for now, which will attach to the pano clamp. I dont think you can buy your suggestions in UK. I am definately leaning toward the Arca Swiss P0 monoball, even if it is the most expensive. Next up is a carbon fibre tripod!

These days the major image editors do a fairly decent job even starting with handheld images made by swiveling your body as you shoot. A number of options in merging are usually possible.

 

I assume that you're scanning to digital, then stitching. I hand hold my panoramas, with no fuss or muss.

 

Here's 700mm, hand held. I think it was a three-shot stitch:

 

Pike's Peak Covered With Fresh Snow by David Stephens, on Flickr

I've done many hand held panoramas on digital, and they work out pretty well, with a couple of caveats. The parallax problem is essentially nonexistent if there is no foreground, and you won't notice it for big scenic shots. If you swing the camera in an arc, close objects, such as the boat deck, pyramid, dock or whatever on which you stand, will be conspicuously curved, but the far horizon will not. It helps a lot if you have a defined horizon line that you can follow as you swing. It also helps to shoot a fair amount of waste area on the top and bottom so that it can be cropped out when you stitch.

 

I did a bunch of freehand pans in Antarctica a couple of years ago, with a D3200 and kit lens. Here's one that illustrates the foreground/background issue. The horizon is straight, but as you can see, the foreground is practically a horseshoe.

"I would still need either a levelling base to level the head to be able to produce level panos with heads rotation.."

 

- Eh? No, the whole point of a tripod is that the legs can be individually altered in height to level its platform. That's why surveyors use 'em.

 

Better tripods have a bubble level on the leg part, and then any rotation of the head follows that level.

 

Alternatively, the head has a bubble level or two spirit levels at right angles to each other that are used to level each axis in turn, but that requires the addition of a rotating pano device.

 

The two bubble method is painfully slow compared to a single bubble on the leg section, and the addition of a pano device adds weight and bulk.

 

If you want to minimise weight and bulk, then the easiest way to do that is to level the tripod legs by adjusting their individual heights, together with a simple rotating head like the Nikon pano device shown.

 

A nodal slide is what it is, and will add whatever weight and dimensions to any setup you choose.

 

"I shoot landscapes with my Mamiyaflex C2 and I have been looking at ways at slimming down my kit.."

 

Maybe a change of camera body to a medium format rangefinder would be the best move in that direction. A lightweight Fuji or Mamiya body would instantly reduce the demand on tripod and head over the metal shoebox.

Edited July 8, 2017 by rodeo_joe|1

Using a levelling base removes the need to fiddle with the legs to get it dead level.

Anyway, bought a second hand Gitzo GT2542LS from a local shop and an Arca Swiss Monoball P0. Both can take a massive weight.