Tripod head for Hasselblad equiptment

[ted_roberts]

I have a Bogen 3221 (pistol grip) tripod head which I love, but when I add the Metz 45CL-4 flash in addition to a 150mm, 250mm, or 500mm lens, the stability of this tripod head is stressed. I am primarily a nature photographer and would like another head that is simple to adjust like the Bogen 3221.

[ellis_vener_photography]

ARCA-SWISS B1.

 

With the 500mm and the flash attached you might want the B2

instead.

 

Either way you'll have a tripod head that matches the quality of

your camera system.

[ellis_vener_photography]

ARCA-SWISS B1.

 

With the 500mm and the flash attached you might want the B2

instead.

 

Either way you'll have a tripod head that matches the quality of

your camera system.

 

I make this recommendation because of my history with the B1

and B2 heads after trying many, many heads from Gitzo (both

balheads and rational designs, the Graf Studio Ball (the

panoramic base broke on two of them), Majestic (indestructable

but heavy), Toyo and several models from Bogen/Manfrotto.

[mark_mitchell4]

Ted, I've used a Kirk BH-1 now for 7 months with my 501CM and 60 to 250mm lenses, and it's been great. Extremely solid & stable. Not a great difference in price, but a little less expensive. The AS would

be really the only (ballhead) alternative, but several friends of mine have sold or returned theirs for the BH-1 simply due to the

repeated lock up problems.

[ellis_vener_photography]

The lock up problems stem from people not reading the manual

(which is not the best piece of prose I've ever read) and trying to

force the head past the minimum resistance point.

The way to unfreeze the head is simple: tighten the main knob

(which controls friction), then back out the thumb screw, then

loosen the main knob.

 

Yes it really is that easy

[mark_mitchell4]

Ellis, you're right - I tried one of these prior to the BH-1 purchase and locked it in 2 minutes. Was fairly easy to unlock. But a buddy of mine whose B-1 locked on him didn't even have the main knob or thumbscrew tightened - it just completely froze up! He returned it

for a second one and it performed the same way. Watching him do this convinced me there are definitely quality control issues at AS.

[pete_su]

I bought an Arca B-1 that worked well out of the box except that you couldn't SET the mininum tension on the ball, because the little thumb screw was impossible to move. Nothing I did freed it up. I sold the head to someone who told me he freed it up in 30 seconds.

 

My conclusion: Arca heads are bad if you are uncoordinated or have weak thumbs.

 

I like my Kirk.

[ulrik_neupert]

I have the Arca Swiss B1 on a Gitzo 326 tripod. It holds my Hasselblad with the 500mm lens very stable. No problems so far.

[abiggs]

I have a Linhof Profi II, and that should work well with your Hassy. Not cheap, but definitely good caliber stuff. You might want to look at the Arca B-1 and B-2. The Linhof is good, but is rated to hold much less weight than the Arca.