Looking for a tripod head for vertical shots??? Please help!!! :)

[haring]

I am looking for a tripod head for vertical shots. Do you have any recommendations? My head can't support my camera with heavy lens attached to it while the camera is in the vertical position. It doesn't swivel sideways, either.

Please help!!!

[stever]

you need an L-plate  -- no tripod properly supports a camera vertically

[jrsforums]

you need an L-plate  -- no tripod properly supports a camera vertically

+1

[AreBee]

stever,

...no tripod properly supports a camera vertically

Pentax 645D/z.

[NancyP]

L-bracket - one of the "must-have" landscape photography accessories, along with tripod/head, remote shutter release, polarizing filter. Sure, it adds weight to the camera, but it is most convenient to leave it on 100% of the time.

[Paul Roark]

If you're handy, you can make excellent custom L brackets from standard 1"x1/8" aluminum stock that any hardware has.  All (US) photographers ought to have a 1/4" x 20 (thread/inch) tap.  I've made lots of these.  Some have remained on the camera, giving a horizontal and vertical mode tripod thread in a very compact and inexpensive fashion.

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com

[Ken Bennett]

An "L PLate" will allow the camera to be mounted to the tripod head in vertical orientation. But if you have heavy lenses, you might need a Wimberly head, either the full gimbal head (http://www.tripodhead.com/products/wimberley-main.cfm) or the Sidekick (http://www.tripodhead.com/products/sidekick-main.cfm). These support the whole camera/lens combo from the lens tripod mount, which gives much better balance and saves stress on the lens mount.

There are cheaper knockoffs available at Amazon, too.

[dwswager]

I am looking for a tripod head for vertical shots. Do you have any recommendations? My head can't support my camera with heavy lens attached to it while the camera is in the vertical position. It doesn't swivel sideways, either.

Please help!!!

Assuming an L-Plate is available, then that is the easiest solution and most efficient solution.  Know arca Swiss makes a generic L bracket.  There are also L brackets that have an arca swiss clamp on the vertical as shown.



With ball heads, they all have sag to them when tightened down.  A bigger head obviously can hold more weight better than a similar designed smaller ball.  I personally don't know any heads that work great at 90°!   Which is why the best solution is one that allow the head to work from it's normal 0° position and rotates just the camera.  Why I am a fan of rotating collar mounts.  Why the Nikon PN-11 Extension tube is popular...it has a rotating tripod collar.

Heavy lenses usually are meant to be supported and let the camera hang or support both.  Know RRS has some rigs like that to support both the lens and the camera.
Here is the overkill (for most people and situations) solution.

[Don Blauvelt]

If your "heavy lens" is a telephoto, a lens collar would probably solve your problem. Otherwise, as has been mentioned, an L-Plate.

[JaapD]

I think the Novoflex-magic-ballhead-50 is a strong contender for easily changing horizontal to vertical position. Refering to the attached picture, you'll need to mount the camera another 90 degrees on its baseplate, so with the 'knob' facing backwards. Then you'll have even more than 90 degrees rotation sideways while still maintaining sufficient movement up and down.

[dwswager]

I think the Novoflex-magic-ballhead-50 is a strong contender for easily changing horizontal to vertical position. Refering to the attached picture, you'll need to mount the camera another 90 degrees on its baseplate, so with the 'knob' facing backwards. Then you'll have even more than 90 degrees rotation sideways while still maintaining sufficient movement up and down.

Kinda cool.  A take on the P0 pivot on top of the ball approach without the vertical slot limitation.  Still think, for me anyway, a L-Plate is just way easier to deal with a lot less tinkering of tripod position.

[Colorado David]

The Novoflex head still has all the weight of the camera and lens off axis. The only difference from a traditional ball head is the lack of the slot.  The L-Plate is still the answer.