Ball head for 1DmkII

[ike k]

Folks,

 

Any suggestions between Bogen ballhead 468RC4 with Acratech? I'm

going to use with my 1DmkII. I'm choosing them since they are in the

same price league, I can not afford arca ball head for now. This is

my first time using ball head so pardon my ignorance. Appreciate all

info and Thanks in advance!.

 

Ike

[yakim_peled1]

No knowledge on this but after spending 4K on a body, it seems little sense to me to get cheap on the camera support. You also need to tell us what is the maximum weight (e.g. what is your heaviest lens, flash etc.) you are going to put on it.

 

Happy shooting ,

Yakim.

[tan]

I am not familiar with the Bogen ballhead, but I am using the Acratech and

love it, mainly because it's extremely light and it locks really tight. If I am not

wrong, the Bogen ballhead does not come with an Arca-style clamp and

camera plate. If you cannot use an anti-twist plate with the Bogen, forget

about it - and check out the Kirk compact BH-3 instead.

 

You NEED an anti-twist plate, as otherwise you won't be able to use big/

heavy lenses in the vertical position as the camera will definitely twist on the

plate. But if I am wrong and Bogen offers an anti-twist plate, then you have to

compare them more closely - preferably trying it out in a store.

[chris_leck]

I had a Bogen 468RC2 for a day or two and sent it back. It's the same thing as the RC4 but with the more common 3157 QR plate.

 

The ball suffered from stiction. Additionally, the ball would slip or shift slightly after tightening, so it was maddening to try to get something framed. I was always trying to pre-correct. This problem was with the modest combination of a Nikon N70 and 24-120mm zoom.

 

Much later I got the Acratech. It locks down securely with my D100 and 70-200 f/2.8 VR. This combo may also droop slightly, but if so, it's much less than the Bogen and I don't really notice it. For me, the Acratech is much better.

 

Another advantage of the Acratech is that you aren't locked into Bogen's QR clamps and plates. I don't like any of them that I've seen or tried, for various reasons. (I used the 3157 plates for a number of years.) Go with Arca-Swiss-style clamps and plates, there is no comparison. It seems that Bogen would be smart to offer them as options.

 

The Acratech can be purchased with an Arca-Swiss clamp. I bought mine without ($50 discount) and installed a Really Right Stuff lever release clamp. At $112, the purchase of the RRS clamp was painful! However, every time I use it I marvel at how smoothly and easily it works--and how securely it clamps. I quickly forgot about the initial cost.

[chris_leck]

It doesn't appear from Bogen's website that the 3271 plate is available in an anti-twist version (or "architectural" version, as Bogen calls them). My experience is that an anti-twist plate is mandatory even for a modest body and lens combo.

 

When I used the Bogen stuff, I had several heads that used 3157 plates. I used only the 3157AR architectural plates because I always had trouble with the regular plates slipping. I never felt comfortable with the spring-loaded clamp that Bogen uses, there's always some slop because they don't clamp tightly. That's probably why they added the secondary safety catch a few years ago.

 

Since then I've moved on to Really Right Stuff L brackets and plates. They are expensive but work flawlessly.

[fxdonny]

No experience with either one, but one point that I want to point out is, Acratech is using Arca Swiss style QR clamp for use with Arca Swiss style plate, which I think would be beneficial to you, if you later upgrade to Arca Swiss ballhead. If you buy the Bogen, you will have to toss them all away/sell them when you upgrade. Also, IMHO, the AS QR style is much better than Bogen.

[kevin_bell1]

For a 10D with battery pack, I've been very pleased using the Manfrotto Proball 468RC that I found used about a year ago. I use a Kirk QR-9 platform, a Kirk plate for the battery grip, and Kirk plates for the tripod mount on longer lenses. The largest lens I've used in this set up is a 300/4L IS with a 1.4x, which works well for me. For this lens, I tend to adjust framing by moving the lens at the tripod mount rather than moving the body. This avoids flexing in the camera/lens setup that can cause slight shifts in framing after you take your hand of the camera. When I tension the ball properly, I have not had any problems with the ball moving after it's set. While I think the 468RC ballhead is well made and I would buy it again, my advice would be to jettison the Bogen QR in favor of the Kirk or Really Right Stuff QR platforms and plates.

[ike k]

Thanks Folks!,

 

I guess the majority seems in favor with head that is compatible with arca swiss style QR. So that might be my choice, and Yakim I guess I don't have tospent extra $200 for ball head like Arca swiss if you can get less than that for a good ballhead like acratech plus I have to spend another $180 on RRS L plate that's why alternative is always good. BTW I tend to use with some heavy tele lens up to 500/4 IS, I'm going to rent the lens first before I decide to buy. Thanks again guys!.

 

Ike

[richard_tynan2]

The 468 will take a 1DmkII no problem. The real question is what is the biggest lens you will put on it?

 

My 468 failed the second time a 500/4.5 was used. As far as I can see it simply cannot take that sort of weight in a long tele.

 

I think the 468 is fine up to say 400/5.6 any bigger and you risk breaking it. It might handle a 300/2.8 or 400/4 as the weight will be more centralised.

 

If you will only every use shorter lenses then it should be fine.