Luminous Landscape Forum
Equipment & Techniques => Cameras, Lenses and Shooting gear => Topic started by: PeterAit on March 31, 2016, 09:14:39 am
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My wife is looking for a panning ballhead to use with her Panasonic FZ-1000. This is a lightweight camera and does not require the load-bearing capabilities of an Acrotech or RRS. Any suggestions?
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Kirk BH-3 Ball Head. I have one on a light carbon fiber tripod for hiking with a similar lightweight camera.
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I recently did a search on B&H for lightweight ball heads with independent pan lock and found the Sunway FB 28i at 7.3 oz with clamp $99. I didn't buy one yet, but ordered a Desmond SCV-FK flip kit for $20 that may allow one of these (or one of my old heads) to be used upside down - it's special order and non returnable and you can't tell from the image or specs what the compatibility is - i'll update this when I receive it.
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there is also the sirui C-10 7oz and $80
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I purchased a Sirui K-20x (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/822261-REG/Sirui_BSRK20_K_20x_Ball_Head.html)for my smaller tripod, to be used with my Fuji system. I have a big RRS BH55 on my full size Gitzo, and to be honest I wasn't expecting much from the Sirui. I was very pleasantly surprised -- it's well made, and, crucially, tightening the knob doesn't move the camera at all.
The K-20x is slightly larger than I expected. It works well with the Gitzo 15xx tripod that I have, but I probably could have used a K-10x just as well.
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I have the Arca p0, which is about 9 oz with the Sunwayfoto discal clamp made for it, but that's overkill - I use it for DSLRs and compacts. It's an "upside down" ballhead, so pan platform is on top where you want it. I have heard lots of good things about Sirui heads.
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I have a Sirui K-10X, K-20X and K-40X in addition to having some RRS ballheads.
For a lightweight rig the K-10X is a marvel in design, build quality, durability and value.
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I should add that a somewhat smaller ballhead works for me as I use a nodal slide to balance the camera-lens when I'm not taking panos and an L-plate for verticals
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I have the Arca p0, which is about 9 oz with the Sunwayfoto discal clamp made for it, but that's overkill - I use it for DSLRs and compacts. It's an "upside down" ballhead, so pan platform is on top where you want it. I have heard lots of good things about Sirui heads.
I have to ask why the panning clamp vice a regular clamp? The whole point of the P0 is that when the camera is leveled, so is the panning base of the P0 such that a panning clamp is not necessary as opposed to a traditional ballhead where the leveling occurs above the panning base.
BTW, I use an RRS panning clamp on a Arca B1.
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My bad for poor explanation. The clamp is not a panning clamp, it is just a round-shaped compact Arca-style screw clamp. The head's pan platform is underneath the cheap compact lightweight clamp that allows my tripod legs to fold around the head. My clamp: Sunwayfoto DDY 64 Long (has been around for a while). Recommended clamp is the DDY 60 p0 which is sized specifically for p0 (thus looks a bunch more slick), and which didn't exist when I bought my head and clamp.
Page showing the clamp selections: http://www.sunwayfoto.com/e_goodsmulu.aspx?cid=45
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clicked on the Sunwayfoto link supplied by Nancy, browsed, and found the FB-28iDDHi which has a panning clamp w/bubble and weighs 8.7 oz. does not appear to be available in the US (yet?) - only availability I found was imported and fairly expensive. this is what I've been looking for for a long time.
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Have a look at some of the smaller models by FLM. very well engineered and finished.