Manfrotto/Bogen tripod & ballhead: which is most appropriate?

[witolda_maruszewska]

I need a tripod and head...

 

Now as a motorsports photographer, a tripod isn't something I use

more than once or twice a year but I am doing a 24 hour race at the

end of this month and I need something to use to shoot light trails

and extended exposures. I don't want to borrow from a colleague and

as it is a piece of equipment that would normally sit and gather

dust in my possession I do not want to spend a great deal of money.

 

I know there are many expensive and probably better solutions out

there, but I have narrowed my choice down to two tripods and two

ballheads with quick release plates which I can justify buying.

These are as follows:

 

TRIPOD: Manfrotto 055PRO or 190PRO (Bogen 3001 or 3021 for you US

folks)

BALLHEAD: Manfrotto 486RC2 or 488RC2

 

The objective is to be able to support a 1D Mk2 with 100-400L

attached - that will be the maximum I would expect to use the tripod

and ballhead for. Does anyone use any of these with the camera-lens

combination I have mentioned? If so, what is your verdict?

[lee hamiel]

I own a 3001 & my son has the 3021 - I recommend the 3021 if you are using a big lens.

 

I previously used the 3021 with a Nikkor 400 2.8 with good results but would never consider using the 3001.

 

I like the Manfrotto tripod legsets but prefer other ballheads - may want to consider either a Kaiser, Giottos or FLM ballhead.

 

Good Luck!

[._kaa]

Do you actually need a BALLhead? A geared head (Bogen makes one) provides more precision and no droop. The price is that you can't pan from a tripod and that rapid changes in the direction the lens is pointing are, well, not that rapid :-)

 

In my experience low-end ballheads tend to suck in a major fashion.

[witolda_maruszewska]

Well, the thought behind selecting a ballhead is that there's less fumbling around when it is dark as there's only a single lever that operates all the adjustments.

 

I did the same event last year with a borrowed tripod that had a 3-way head and it was a pain to work it in the cold and wet with a torch clamped between my teeth at 1:30 in the morning...

 

For the same reason I've selected legs with lever lock mechanisms.

[._kaa]

If you take photographs in the dark do yourself a favor and buy a head-mounted LED flashlight (e.g. Petzl's Zipka) -- it will make your life SO much easier :-)

 

Anyway, your alternative is to come back to the tripod and find that your 100-400 is no longer looking at what you pointed it at a few minutes ago. I have the 100-400 and I'm not kidding -- low-end ballpoints suck.

[witolda_maruszewska]

I know that the cheaper solutions won't always be particularly effective, but I honestly can't justify spending major money on something that will only see use a couple of times a year. As a result, I can put up with something that's less than optimal.

 

The 100-400 is the heaviest of my lenses so is the worst-case scenario. I reckon that I shouldn't have many problems with my other glass i.e. 28-70 2.8 and 20 & 50 primes...

 

Thanks for the suggestion re the flashlight - I'll look into that.

[cbender]

I've got the 3001 legs and 486RC2 head, and they work great for me. On the other hand, I typically only use small primes (<=100mm).

[phyrpowr]

I have a Canon 20D, 100-400, Bogen 3021, and the heavier of the ballheads you cite (in the car, too lazy to go look)

 

Works fine

[craig_gillette]

Have you considered a good pan/tilt head? Panning only requires one control after leveling and tilt is a separate control. If you don't expect to use it much, it may do all you need for well less than the ballheads.

[joel_blacher]

I shoot off of Gitzos (1325 & 2220) with Kirk's (BH-1 & BH-3), but I also have a Bogen 488 w/ an RRS clamp on a 3001 (for hiking). The 488 most certainly does not "suck." It was very solid w/o the Arca mod., but even better with. I've used this head on a 3221 and with rigs up to and including an F5 plus lenses up to 400/3.5. It is very stable with 300f4's and can handle bigger in a pinch. It is the best non-arca system head I've seen as far as smoothness and stability go. If you shoot large rigs or just predominantly from a tripod then by all means go with Kirk, Markins, Arca, or RRS (too expensive for its capacity IMO), but for lighter gear or limited use the less expensive heads are quite capable.

[Michael R Freeman]

Witolda,

 

I use a 055NAT (essentially the same legset as the 055PRO) and a 486RC2 head with a Nikon F4s and lenses up to a 400/3.5 (approximately 4kg/9lbs total). Works fine for me and locks down solid, but there is a bit of droop with heavy lenses like the 400/3.5 (not a problem with lighter lenses). For your equipment and occasional usage the options you listed would be perfectly adequate. Note that the 488 is basically a 486 with the addition of a separate panning control lock.

 

For an inexpensive head, the 486/488 is good value for the money IMHO. The new Manfrotto heads have improved significantly over the older versions. An Arca-Swiss B1 or Kirk ballhead is a lot nicer and smoother operating head by all reports, but it is a *LOT* more $$$, and not everyone (including myself) can justify spending that much money on something that is only used occasionally.

 

Michael

[witolda_maruszewska]

Thanks for the useful replies.

 

I have just bought a 190PRO tripod with 488RC2 head - just what I needed!