Topic: What is a decent Arca Swiss based Ball Head? (Read 15877 times)

donaldt · « **on:** July 20, 2011, 11:41:50 pm »

Hello
I got a RRS L plate for my Hasselblad H
was originally getting a RRS ballhead as well
but since I can still choose
what is a decent Arca Swiss Based Ballhead besides of course Arca Swiss and RRS?

thanks
Donald

Sheldon N · « **Reply #1 on:** July 20, 2011, 11:44:35 pm »

Markins makes a pretty nice ballhead, as do Kirk and Acratech.

I've personally settled on the Markins M20 as a good balance between light weight and very strong.

Rod.Klukas · « **Reply #2 on:** July 21, 2011, 10:21:59 am »

Have you looked at an Arca-Swiss P0 with a classic QR.
About 10 ounces and can handle about 45lbs lever wt.
Very small and has top pan.
It will handle your slightly larger plate size fine.

donaldt · « **Reply #3 on:** July 21, 2011, 10:56:56 am »

oh wow,
this one seems amazing for the size and not so expensive either
will look into it, any problems with it though?
and I just wonder who ever needs over 20kg loads?

Rod.Klukas · « **Reply #4 on:** July 21, 2011, 11:55:59 am »

The weight is a function of leverage. A head could be rated to support say 12 lbs. But the actual stress is much higher with a body and a fast lens such as a 70-200mm 2.8 etc. so you want to have a higher weight rating than you might think.
Did you know, that a turntable for playing records with a setting of 1gm on the needle equals 66lbs per sq inch?

So one can't say well my camera and lens weighs , say, 8lbs. This head is rated for 12lbs so it should be fine...
Doesn't work that way.

Rod

JohnBrew · « **Reply #5 on:** July 21, 2011, 02:00:20 pm »

+1 for the Markins.

donaldt · « **Reply #6 on:** July 21, 2011, 09:08:25 pm »

oh thats true
never actually though of the leverage part

thanks for reminding

Quote from: Rod.Klukas on July 21, 2011, 11:55:59 am

The weight is a function of leverage. A head could be rated to support say 12 lbs. But the actual stress is much higher with a body and a fast lens such as a 70-200mm 2.8 etc. so you want to have a higher weight rating than you might think.
Did you know, that a turntable for playing records with a setting of 1gm on the needle equals 66lbs per sq inch?

So one can't say well my camera and lens weighs , say, 8lbs. This head is rated for 12lbs so it should be fine...
Doesn't work that way.

Rod

stever · « **Reply #7 on:** July 22, 2011, 12:23:17 am »

there's a huge improvement in the performance of any ballhead at "normal" shooting angles (not using the notch) by balancing the camera/lens

i use a RRS L-Plate and nodal slide, adjusting the slide by feel for balance. if you're using a heavy lens like a 70-200 f2.8, then you really need to use the tripod mount ring on the lens - i use a long-enough Arca-Swiss plate on the tripod mount so the camera/lens can be re-balanced if a 1.4x or 2x is added

donaldt · « **Reply #8 on:** July 22, 2011, 09:24:08 pm »

i realize that there are different types of quick release for Arca Swiss
will they all work with my RRS L plate?

donaldt · « **Reply #9 on:** July 23, 2011, 03:29:14 am »

what about photoclam?
I just saw one, and it has the faster clam style qucik release

looks like a cheaper alternative but is it any good?

David Watson · « **Reply #10 on:** July 23, 2011, 04:30:39 am »

Hi

The best Arca Swiss head is the Cube but in my opinion their clamps do not work well with Kirk or RRS plates. I would suggest replacing the Arca clamp with one of the screw replacement clamps from RRS.

Rod.Klukas · « **Reply #11 on:** July 23, 2011, 10:35:28 am »

That is primarily because, though they are Arca-Swiss style, they are 1mm largerand you have to adjust.
The new head, the D4, with a classic clamp addresses that fine and actually allows use of classic Arca, New monoball fix, and third party Arca style plates
interchangeably. It is also a bit lighter so you might consider it as well. info: rodklukas.com

donaldt · « **Reply #12 on:** July 23, 2011, 10:22:30 pm »

good to know the clamp doesnt work well because I was thinking its faster and easier to use
how does the arca swiss P0 work on the number 2 Gitzo, and holding a Hasselblad H or Nikon D3 with lenses like 300/2.8?
its not easy to find Arca Swiss around my area so I might have to get it online

thanks
Donald

Rod.Klukas · « **Reply #13 on:** July 24, 2011, 12:53:55 pm »

Donald a P0 would handle this fine, although one might consider a P1.
It is similar but larger ball.
I would get it with the classic QR. And perhaps the Universal L Bracket for the camera.
If you go to rodklukas.com you can download the P series brochure.
There you will see it and can judge. The leverage weight is high in some cases with the configuration so I
would recommend the P1 in stead. Works the same though except doesn't do 90 degrees, But with a L bracket
no problem for the body, and the 300mm lens has a foot.
Rod

donaldt · « **Reply #14 on:** July 25, 2011, 12:58:20 am »

classic QR meaning the knob one? not the clamp one?
I really thought the clamp was faster and better but seems like I am very wrong I guess

ErikKaffehr · « **Reply #15 on:** July 25, 2011, 03:09:52 am »

Hi,

In my view the RRS lever type quick releases work just fine, but they work only with plates having the right dimensions. The fliplock on my Arca D4 works fine with my RRS-plates, but I see benefits with RRS-QR, so I'm interested in replacing the "Fliplock" with "RRS lever type QR". The Fliplock is niceley made, but to flimsy in my mind. That said it works well with my 400/4.5 and 1.X extender.

The Fliplock can be adjusted for different widths of plates. My feeling is that the clamping force is less than on RRS and the RRS stuff has more heft. It's like American...

Best regards
Erik

Quote from: donaldt on July 25, 2011, 12:58:20 am

classic QR meaning the knob one? not the clamp one?
I really thought the clamp was faster and better but seems like I am very wrong I guess

hassiman · « **Reply #16 on:** August 31, 2011, 07:01:34 pm »

I have a P0 and I love it. I bought the standard "Classic" Arca Swiss clamp and attached that. It works great for my Hasselblad... It would handle a 300 3.8 no problem. Very easy to use and 1/2 the size of the B1 I sold. Rock solid. Buy from Bob Watkins at Precision Camera repair. Great fellow and he really know Arca Swiss stuff. My setup works great with my RRS L brackets... and adjusts and locks with one hand... NO knobs to deal with.

Ellis Vener · « **Reply #17 on:** September 01, 2011, 09:53:11 am »

'The best Arca Swiss head is the Cube"
Neither the Arca-Swiss Cube or the D4 are ball heads.

For a modern ball head I'll second the recommendation of the Arca-Swiss p0. I am kind of a fanatic about tripod heads and the p0 is the best ballhead for the money and definitely in that size /weight class. For overseas travel work I've even used it to support the full Really Right Stuff Ultimate Omni-Pivot panoramic rig carrying a Canon EOS-1Ds MArk III + 50mm f/1.4 combination to make multi-row cityscape pans. Normally I'd prefer to use my Foba ASMIA or a MAnfrotto leveling base as a head for that kind of work.

tm3 · « **Reply #18 on:** September 25, 2011, 10:50:23 pm »

the P0 looks like a great ballhead but i'm confused about several of the comments re the clamping system.

it looks to me as though the head is offered in two configurations

1) with a screw stud

2) with an arca QR that requires use of camera plates that are different from the "standard" arca plates sold by kirk, rrs, etc. arca refers to this as the "slidefix" QS system

how does one go about setting the P0 up so that it works with the older style plates?

Ellis Vener · « **Reply #19 on:** September 26, 2011, 10:57:07 am »

Quote from: tm3 on September 25, 2011, 10:50:23 pm

the P0 looks like a great ballhead but i'm confused about several of the comments re the clamping system.

it looks to me as though the head is offered in two configurations

1) with a screw stud

2) with an arca QR that requires use of camera plates that are different from the "standard" arca plates sold by kirk, rrs, etc. arca refers to this as the "slidefix" QS system

how does one go about setting the P0 up so that it works with the older style plates?

Actually there are three options:
The third one is to replace the SlideFix clamp with one that uses a clamp with the older wider and taller specifications. I have done this with mine, replacing the SlideFix system (which works very well BTW - unless you have lots of plates already based on the wider and slightly taller Arca-Swiss design) clamp with a Really Right Stuff PCL-1 panning clamp. I prefer the PCL-1 over the built in and very smooth panning capabilities of the p0 as it demarcates angles of rotation. I have used the p0 = PCL-1 combination in conjunction with RRS' Ultimate Omni pro panorama kit and a Canon EOS1Ds MArk III to shoot three row, 25 frame per row panoramas without a problem. The p0 is very, very strong and really does support a lot of weight.

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