Every Type of Tripod Head Explained (almost)

[@Mariner1460]

Ah, so that's what a nodal head does! Great demonstration of paralax. Totally agree on spending for the good stuff. I always bought the cheap stuff. It looked about the same, and I had no basis to compare. Then, I inherited a really expensive ball head and gimbal head. Wow, what a difference! Super smooth, precise, and no sag!

[@mikesphotography]

Haha! Thanks David...yes, Nadal heads do look weird and it's not that obvious as to what they do. You're right...it is better to get good kit as it will make the job easier and more of a pleasure to shoot with. Thanks for watching 😁👍

[@Vergessener]

Excellent explanation of these different tripod heads.

[@mikesphotography]

Thanks very much! 😁👍

[@vk4vsp]

I've got a Neewer gimbal head for bird photography. It's not the best, but does the job. The good thing with a gimbal head is, there's enough adjustment that you could use it as a nodal head for panos as well.

[@cpanbalagan]

Well explained!! You went through all aspects!!

[@mikesphotography]

Thanks very much!

[@bobbowring1702]

The geared head is what I am saving for, but because I am disabled I have to save up the money from my benifits here in the UK. One of these geared heads would be exerlent for my macro in my garden as I cant travel to far due to walking issues and arthritis. Love all your videos Mike and I am looking back at some of your first ones. Take care and be safe.

[@mikesphotography]

Hey Bob, Great to hear you like my tutorials and videos! The geared head is a great way to get some fine tuning in the camera placement. I hope you don't have to save for too long before you can get it...and a garden is a perfect environment for macro photography! Thanks for watching 😁👍

[@lrkap52]

Excellent video. Thanks so much.

[@BeeMillah25]

What an in depth breakdown! Well done! Thank you! Just what I needed!

[@mikesphotography]

Great to hear it has helped Brandon! 😁👍

[@mikesphotography]

@@networkedperson which company are you talking about? I have 6 different heads in this video so you need to be a little more specific.

[@philipcolumbus3054]

I use a basic ball head on my tripod but I use the Edelkrone Z for a mount for digitization of slides/negatives on my copy stand and I have an old video tripod and have used the head on my carbon fiber tripod for videos. Sometimes, you just need the right tool for the right job!

[@mikesphotography]

Exactly Philip. There's no "one size fits all" tripod head. Each one has its uses, especially so in videography. Thanks for watching 😁👍

[@renoholland7090]

Excellent video. I have two big heavy tripods that are designed for studio work, so I can't haul those around . I'm in the market for a travel tripod, probably won't use it that much but it's good to have one when needed. I'm thinking getting one with a ball head that is easy to carry around and quick to set up. There is a huge selection in the $70 - $150 range and I find it hard to pick one but I'm leaning towards the SmallRig T200.

[@mikesphotography]

It's a good range to select from. Most of them will do a great job as they all follow a similar design and all use pretty much the same materials. 👍

[@akkarparkiamopas3401]

Hi Mike, Thanks for another good video of yours, I just switch from ballhead to geared head recently as I think the geared head is really good for landscape ,pano and astro photography as well. The “fine tune” ability is very crucial to me especially when you do polar align in case you are doing star tracker. So I think the geared head is versatile all around.

[@mikesphotography]

Most definitely. I didn't mention it but you're right, the gear head is great for astro, especially with a tracker. Great to hear you're enjoying your fear head as much as I am!! 😁👍

[@starhopper457]

Thinking along that same line for the Gearhead in regards to lunar and solar photography.

[@Danny_KC]

The 7:41 moment made my heart skip a beat. Great video and hope the lens is alright!

[@jamesraykenney]

Nice video and you introduced me to some types I had not seen before, but what happened to the old fashioned non-fluid head video style tripod, and the ones with two handles?

[@madcat1007]

Hey Mike, great video. Thanks. I have a long lens (tamron 150-500mm) which has an Arca Swiss tripod collar. How would I go about attaching that to the Manfrotto fluid head (which I really, really, want!!)

[@OlegStratienko]

Thanks for your video!!! This is exactly what I was looking for!!! Very helpful!!!

[@yukonica4560]

I use an acratech ultimate as my ballhead, a Manfrotto 410 Jr with a plate for studio and astronomy, a Jobi Jr for long lens. All are the lowend of good production and have served this enthusiast well for many years. The lesson from my perspective is: Buy good... once. If you look exclusively a the cost of purchase you are writing off the benefit of use and the potential for resale. I think these have each been a bargain.

[@Bonjour-World]

I have ancient Manfrotto bogen 410 gear head. I had to take it completely apart to give it a good cleaning and relube.I also mounted a 120mm Arca Swiss clamp on it. It sits atop a Giottos MT-7371 'Lava Leg' tripod (can not buy those anymore). It is strong enough to support everything that I have thrown at (including several telescopes) and versatile enough to work with nearly any still camera. It is however a beast .... especially if I am hanging a couple of weights off the bottom of the center pole for added stability. For a something a bit more portable I have a Giottos GB-2138 'Lava Leg' tripod with a Evumo H6R pan and tilt head (double pan). On another note: The weakest point of most tripod mounts comes down to a single 1/4-20 tripod screw (even most of the 3/8-16 screws have a reduced size shaft). Just consider for a moment the Thousands of (insert currency denomination here) hanging on three threads of a 1/4-20 screw .....

[@mikesphotography]

Thanks for sharing what you work with and how you make it work for you. That is true about the weakest point, although you might be surprised how much weight that small bit of metal can actually take, especially tensional and compressional ... when there is a pad around the thread to spread the load. I'm guessing that a lateral blow might cause a bit of a problem, but the kit would take the hit way before the thread. I've only really dropped kit from a tripod due to operator error. 😆🙈 Thanks for watching Lewis 😁👍

[@airdailyx]

The NEEWER gimbal head on Amazon is surprisingly good and solid. I use it with my A7R4 & 200-600 G. No balancing needed.

[@mikesphotography]

That's great to hear! I saw that one and nearly bought it instead of the one that I got for this video. I might have to get the neewer one now. Thanks for watching 😁👍

[@craigruchman7007]

A good video covering the basics. Thanks for staying on topic, no wasted words :)

[@mikesphotography]

Thanks Craig! 😁👍

[@martinoberstein8431]

To the point - as usual… thank you very much for this one, Mike. I use the Benro geared head (I also love it when it comes to nightscapes) and a Rollei Pano-Ballhead when hiking. If money was no issue I would like to have an Arca Swiss geared head… and I‘m happy with my Benro - perfect value for money.

[@mikesphotography]

The Benro Gear head is so good ins't it!! You can get so precise with it. Thanks for watching Martin 😁👍

[@benlancaster09]

Great video Mike, thanks for the run down! I bought that Benro geared head recently because I read that it was good for real estate work. Glad I'm not the only one struggling with those quick-adjust knobs lol. Always trying to turn it the wrong damn way!

[@mikesphotography]

Thanks Ben! Haha! Yep, they are really confusing aren't they...I always end up tightening them before turning them the "right" way! 😆 Thanks for watching 😁👍

[@tintin69rr]

Love the benro gh5c carbon gimbal head for wildlife and the benro gd3wh geared head for landscapes tried the manfrotto bhq pro ball head but ended up px for the geared head works great for me love em

[@mikesphotography]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts Tintin! 👍

[@entropytango5348]

Great video, I think I will try a geared head for some of my astro-photography

[@mikesphotography]

Hi Peter, A geared head would be fantastic for astrophotography! I can't wait to get under the stars with it! 😁👍

[@kristensareen8355]

This was SOO Helpful! Thank you! My husband bought me a camera as a gift, so I've been learning a lot as I go :)

[@mikesphotography]

That's great to hear Kristen! What camera did he buy you!?

[@kristensareen8355]

@@mikesphotography "Panasonic Lumix FZ80 4K Digital Camera" 🙂

[@JohnMichnowicz]

Use a geared head for polar alignment with a move shoot move star tracker. Works great

[@mikesphotography]

Hi John, that is a great use for the tracker, it would be perfect in that scenario. 😁👍

[@chetandoshi7053]

Absolutely brilliant Mike

[@mikesphotography]

Thanks very much Chetan! 😁👍

[@HydeMyJekyll]

I'm very new to photography, and currently have a good low-mid range tripod that is easy to travel with, has a ball head on it that I find easy to work with and make small adjustments. However, I really do want to be able to do good panorama shots, so a panoramic head and/or gear head both look nice to me. I often find myself in situations where I have to reposition the tripod several times due to fast changing light conditions, and the gear head looks like it could be even faster than my ball head for some of these things.

[@mikesphotography]

Thanks for sharing your setup. Once the camera is in the right place, the geared head is really good...and when the landscape isn't too close to the camera and you're using a long lens, you can do some really good panos with it. Thanks for watching 😁👍

[@TonyNeat]

I've watched quite a few videos on the use of nodal rails (because I'm a nerd and like to understand the technical stuff 😆). I've also watched a few videos where they were totally dismissed as unnecessary . I've never seen anyone demonstrate the advantage of using one quite like you did at 14:40. Makes all the difference if you've got something close to your lens.

[@mikesphotography]

Thanks so much Tony! Most definitely, if you having things in your frame that are close to you, the nodal pan head really helps, whereas if you have a landscape far away, it is not so important. Thanks for watching 😁👍

[@benjaminwymer7397]

Great video! Really helped in my decision making!

[@mikesphotography]

Great to hear I could help! Thanks for watching 😁👍

[@stevenwaldstein2249]

Thank you for the excellent video. I own high end ball, video with Arca Swiss capability, gimble, and others but always trying to find the reasonably priced best in bread. Do own products from RRS, Kirk, Wembley, Markins, and Manfroto but open to others. I know it’s a big task with lots of variables but recommendations on the best two or three brands/models to look at in each type would be a huge help. Take care.

[@photobydrea867]

Hey Mike, re: gimbal, can you zoom in & out w/o screwing up the balance every time? Also, can you go vertical/portrait from horz?

[@jeffsprouse31]

Great video, I currently use the ProMediaGear BH1 Professional Ball Head. I really like the large knob for the ball head, for me it is so much easier to control then the small knob on most. Is pricey but to me well worth the cost.

[@mikesphotography]

Great to hear Jeff! There are so many good options out there, it's just finding the best one for your needs. SOunds like you've got a good one! Thanks for watching 😁👍

[@wh0tube]

Thanks for the video 🙏 Very useful information and great no nonsense and engaging delivery 😊👍 Now, I want them all! Or at least a gear head bolted atop a video pan head! And, I can’t even take a half decent photo if my life depended on it! (yet)!

[@mikesphotography]

Haha!! I'm the same with gear, and I have to keep reminding myself not to buy when I really want new kit!! Thanks for watching 😁👍

[@stephenwoodburn2970]

Great review, Mike. Like most photographers, this is a topic that has driven me crazy at some point. I use a ball head, as it is the most versatile for what I do, but I really want a nodal pan head. I do have one of those Chinese flex tilt heads, but I rarely use it. You are so correct about lightning those Allen screws to hold its place. Its is either loose or never going to move, no in between. Hope you and yours are well, brother.

[@mikesphotography]

We're all good dude! I think it is one of those things that after a few years of photography, we build up a load of different accessories...some sit in the drawer and others we use all the time...it's getting it to tip in the right way, not having a drawer full of things we don't use...sometimes I'm ahead, and other times I'm way behind!! 😆😆😆 I hope all is good with you dude! 👍👍

[@FelixHuray]

Very useful content. Big fan from Indonesia 🇮🇩

[@mikesphotography]

Thanks so much Felix!! Ah man, I love your country...lots of volcanoes to photograph!! 😁👍 I wish we could all still fly at the moment as I'd be travelling there a lot right now!! Greetings from a Brit in Bangkok!! 😁👍

[@rahsaanephriam48]

Great video, Thank you so much for this information.

[@mikesphotography]

No worries, thanks for watching! 😁👍

[@alunrees3056]

Nice one! Cheers Mike. I use a ball head which suits me fine.

[@mikesphotography]

That's great to hear Alun. They are good all rounders and are great to travel with. Thanks for watching 😁👍

[@mtreadwell01]

very informative! Thank you

[@keithpinn152]

Thanks Mike for preparing and sharing this video. Your coverage of the various types of ball-heads is very thorough and informative. The timing of this video is perfect because as I mentioned previously, I am thinking of a geared-ball head but your explanation of the nodal ball head is very interesting as well. I currently have a Benro ball-head and I do like the versatility but I think I want/need just a little more control in fine-tuning my composition. Thanks again. Regards, Keith

[@mikesphotography]

Hi Keith, From what you said, I'd go with a geared head. You get so much precision with that and you can really fine tune your framing. Thanks for watching 😁👍

[@cristel1114]

I wonder which of these is best for horizontal, product photography?

[@mikesphotography]

I'd say for product photography, probably the gear head as you can be really precise with the framing.

[@davelong6727]

Thanks again Mike for a very informative video!

[@mikesphotography]

And thanks for watching Dave! 😁👍

[@ronjenkins4257]

A good survey. I'd add one more type: the basic pan-tilt head. The Manfrotto 804RC2 for example. The same three ranges of freedom as a three way geared head, but without the gears. Instead, tightening or loosening by twisting the handles makes movement or locking down possible. It's fast and secure, but not as precise as the geared head. I've used one for years for all needs but have added a geared head for capturing images of the upcoming total solar eclipse (stopping short of an automated equatorial mount). I have found in the past that keeping the moon in frame has been difficult with the basic pan-tilt head when using a longer lens, would expect the same difficulty with keeping the sun in frame. After that the geared head will be much used for macro photography. I also have a small ball head mounted on a monopod.

[@rachelg7371]

Nice explanations, thank you!

[@mikesphotography]

No worries, thanks for watching Rachel! 😁👍

[@mariee.the.outlander]

i love watching informative videos. Thanks

[@andysuzierawlins5462]

I have a panosaurus 2, just ordered the move shoot move z and v plate ( designed with alyn Wallace) and a ball head. Also one of my tripods has a indexing head, levelling head and pan/ tilt on all together. Haven't used my panosaurus much as I lost the screws on location one time, but I have replacement now, and if we get out of lockdown in time for spring milky way, ill probably use it

[@mikesphotography]

Great to hear what you are using...I hear the move shoot move system is really good! Thanks for watching 😁👍

[@andysuzierawlins5462]

@@mikesphotography I just bought the v and z platforms, my tracker is actually an omegon lx2, but these platforms should help with composition

[@robertlagrange6388]

I have a really right stuff ball head as my primary head, a wimberly gimbal head for my large lenses, a giottos pan/tilt head for my studio work and a acratech head for macro. Also, I have a really right stuff focus rail for macro work.

[@mikesphotography]

Now that is a fantastic set to have Robert!! I have to say I am a little envious...the Really Right Stuff kit is sooo good! Thanks for watching 😁👍

[@chaitraramaiah7967]

Thanks for the edification about the heads. I have a 500 mm f4, a 180 mm macro, a 100-400 mm lens and planning to add a couple of wide angles to my arsenal. I mostly did wildlife and macro with my camera mounted on a bean bag. Now I wish to broaden my horizon into shooting different genres and now I feel the need of a good tripod and head. My question is can I use a single head for all purposes? For instance, can I buy a gimbal and use smaller lenses like wide angles on it?

[@mikesphotography]

That is a good question Chaitra. Yes you definitely can use a gimbal with all different types of lenses, you will just have to balance it for those different lenses you will be using when you do change them over. Thanks for watching 😁👍

[@fibranijevidra]

Thank you Mike. This was really helpfull. How do you find a nodal point in the field where it is difficult to distinguish paralaxing? Adjusting it up perfectly every time seams to be time consuming. Maybe to mark it somehiw for each of your lens?

[@mikesphotography]

And thank you for watching. The nodal sliders have marks on them so you can make a note of what they need to be on for each of your lenses. This makes it easy to replicate...thinking about it, I should have mentioned this in the video. 🤦🏻‍♂️ Thanks for watching. 😁👍

[@AdityaShakti-nn4mo]

I do astro and bird photography alot. So i use ultra wide and super zoom lenses alot. Till now i was doing by hand. Which tripod will be best for these ?

[@AlainLafleche1]

Hi! Great video. I use a video head manfrotto mvh500ah for all my stuff photos and videos. I modify the head with Kirk arca swiss rail so i can use it for pano or like a gimball. It is more heavy than a ball head but the stability is there.

[@mikesphotography]

Great to hear Alain! The manfrotto is a sturdy head isn't it! I use that one for my b-roll and filming out and about! Thanks for watching 😁👍

[@AlainLafleche1]

@@mikesphotography my pleasure

[@andreak4280]

excellent detailed video!! 💪🏼💪🏼 and with links for US & UK 🙏🏼thanks so much ... subscribed!

[@mikesphotography]

Thanks so much Karen! ... and welcome to the community!! I try and add the UK links as well as the US links when I have time!! 😁 Thanks for watching 😁👍

[@andreak4280]

@@mikesphotography my pleasure, looking forward to watching more of your content

[@guiguirado]

FANTASTIC VIDEO, THANK YOU!

[@philipedwardcaddick4294]

I have just bought a zomei tripod it has a ball head with a friction adjuster but im not a fan of them so I have bought a fluid head made by Artcise which the head has two u shape brackets that allows you to switch from horizontal to vertical orientation. The one thing I'd like to get some advice on is I'd like to fit spikes on my zomei but it has push on rubber feet, do you have any ideas to get around this? The only thing I can think of is to drill a hole into each of the feet smaller than the tread on the spikes and force screw them in

[@ConceptNewEra]

Learned quite a bit through this, love the video idea, thanks for sharing! 💯✔️🙏

[@mikesphotography]

That's great to hear!! Thanks for watching 😁👍

[@elverdaderojavier]

Thank you for this. I've been searching for a solution to use my camera in vertical portrait position with my video tripod and no one has given me a complete answer until I found this video. Could you please refer me to which "Arca Swiss adapter plate" you recommend? I haven't found anything with that exact name. Thank you.

[@newtonsantos_photo963]

Great video, mike! Congrats 🤙🏻 Most of the time, my choice is a heavy duty Ball Head from Sirius assuring it will hold the position in any circustance and, enabling me fast adjustments. For wildlife photography, the Benro Gimbal GH2F is my best companion due to the compact size and light weight. See ya, blue skies 🍀📸

[@mikesphotography]

Great to hear what you like using in the different scenarios. Thanks for watching 😁👍

[@allumpfa]

I have a ball head but also bought a levelling base to make it easier for panoramas

[@mikesphotography]

Great to hear Peter! The leveling bases are really good aren't they!! Thanks for watching 😁👍

[@unclebob8419]

Great video, I'm still a bit lost. I'm going to be shooting mostly video content in portrait for social media on a canon 250d. What is the best head? Is it a ball head or pan head with an L bracket?

[@mikesphotography]

I'd go for a dedicated video head, and then use an L bracket to mount it in the vertical orientation. This will then help you with panning when needed. I hope that helps. Thanks for watching 😁👍

[@fragg1erock]

Great video! I have the same gear head as you and it's absolutely amazing! I've just got a Sigma 100-400 and the tripod collar mount is just facing one way, meaning it mounts awkwardly to my tripod now. Is there a cheap and easy adapter I can get to change this direction 90 degrees back? Thanks!

[@mikesphotography]

Thanks Ciaran, that gear head is really good isn't it. 👍 Does the collar mount have a thread on it? If so, I'd just put a quick release plate on it at 90 degrees. I think there are also some third party collars for it that do have a thread mount instead of the built in Arca Swiss mount as well. I hope that helps. 😁👍

[@josepmbernaus]

Excellent video Mike! I have a ball head, and I am very happy with it. But I have to admit that sometimes I miss a little bit more precision. I have recently purchased a telephoto lens (150-600mm) and I was thinking about purchasing a Gimbal head. They are expensive, and this is what is holding me off. We'll see if I can find something at "decent" price. As you mentioned during the video, good stuff is not cheap. Congratulations for your channel, I really enjoy your videos!

[@mikesphotography]

Thanks so much Josep! I know what you mean, I remember photographing kitesurfers with the sigma 150-600mm and my ball head was causing all sorts of problems. I ended up shooting handheld with higher shutter speeds and having achy arms at the end of the day! 😆 A gimbal head would have been so much better. I have some good ones linked in the description that aren't overly pricey. Check them out when you get the chance. Thanks for watching 😁👍

[@josepmbernaus]

@@mikesphotography Thanks Mike! Really appreciated!

[@daylight5500]

Hi Mike, when you showed the gimbal head you had a long plate attached to the camera. Is that part of the gimbal head or an add on? If an add on where can it be purchased? Cheers.

[@mikesphotography]

No worries, that's part of the gimbal head...or at least if you get a decent gimbal head, it should come with a mounting plate so you can properly balance it front to back. 😁👍

[@daylight5500]

@@mikesphotography Thanks.

[@Fredruiz622]

Mike, very nice review. I use the LEOFOTO VH-30R-US Two-Way Tilt Head w Integral Panning Clamp & Handle Arca / RRS Compatible, light weight and precise for panoramas and general shooting, price about 240 us on Amazon.

[@mikesphotography]

Thanks Fred. Great to hear what you use as well. There are so many different options available for us to use these days. I hear great things about the RRS kit!

[@kbqvist]

Very helpful, thanks!

[@mikesphotography]

And thank you for watching Karsten! 😁👍

[@fabriziocanale9768]

Hello Mike, may you tell me which adapter you use in the video to adapt the L-bracket on the Manfrotto MHV500? I have that video head but all the rest is Arca Swiss. Thank you, Fabrizio

[@mikesphotography]

Hey Fabrizio, I use one of the long plates and then attach an arca swiss clamp to the long plate, like this one: amzn.to/3npuigr I hope that helps. 😁👍

[@fabriziocanale9768]

@@mikesphotography thank you.

[@LouisePlusOne]

So is using a zoom lens with a fluid head going to be a problem due to the weight moving forward as you zoom in and therefore causing the camera to tip forward?

[@mikesphotography]

Not really. Most fluid heads have a solid pan and tilt arm which would give you control over this, also when you zoom in, you could adjust it on the tripod plate or just lock of the tilt. Thanks for watching 😁👍

[@LouisePlusOne]

@@mikesphotography Great thanks for that advice. I'm going to go ahead and by a fluid head. :)

[@jasontribe3326]

Excellent extremely helpful Mike

[@mikesphotography]

Thanks Jason! 😁👍

[@mcauleyrj]

Thanks for the video. Can you explain how to adapt an Arca Swiss to a video head? Also the Arca Swiss appeared to be oriented in the wrong direction and the safety pins would not work.

[@mikesphotography]

All I do is put an arca swiss quick release plate on the larger video tripod quick release plate. With the arca swiss system, it can be used in either orientation I like locking it front to back as the L-brackets I use are also oriented in this way...but this comes down to the users preference. I'm not 100% sure what you mean by the safety pins not working...🤔

[@mcauleyrj]

@@mikesphotography the two little pegs that stop the plate from sliding out of mount

[@mikesphotography]

@@mcauleyrj So with those, as long as you don't open the clamp too wide they will work, no matter what orientation you have the plate. That's what I've found with my experience in using the arca swiss system. 👍

[@mcauleyrj]

@@mikesphotography Thank you for the clarification

[@msnspy]

Very detailed thank you 🙏

[@mikesphotography]

And thank you for watching! 😁👍

[@paulm8157]

Super useful post, Mike - subject seldom covered in that depth, w/illustrations, use cases, pros and cons.👍 Have geared head you mentioned; use for macro indoors so portability not an issue; otherwise ball head, in general. Thought you might have covered your namesake type (boxhead)😁. One other issue is thread size of mounting screw - not all tripods have thread size at base to match specialty heads. Future vid suggestions: about LAB color values option for LR histogram (in contrast to RGB color values). OR .. wireless remote shutter releases.

[@mikesphotography]

Thanks dude! 😁 I might just have to cover the backstory to Boxhead sometime soon! That is a good point with the mounting screw, although most do come with an adapter from the larger thread to smaller thread... Thanks for the suggestions, I'll get them in the list of videos to do. 😁👍

[@shayrealestatephotography]

Love that Tshirt!

[@mikesphotography]

Haha! Thanks very much!! 😁👍

[@MrRick1100]

Thanks Mike great video

[@mikesphotography]

And thanks for watching Rick! 😁👍

[@roxannekeomaka4754]

I need a sturdy tripod for a heavy pochade plein air box about 11lbs. Please recommend one . I’m frustrated choosing. Thanks

[@mikesphotography]

With that paint box, it looks like it would put a lot of pressure and torque on the tripod head as well as the legs so it would be worth investing in a decent tripod. I'd probably go for something like the iFootage TC7: geni.us/ifootage-TC7 with this tripod head: geni.us/ifootage-tripod-head Or for a smaller budget, the Manfrotto 055: geni.us/Manfrotto-055 with the manfrotto tripod head: geni.us/Manfrotto-video-head These are both very sturdy tripods and would hold the paint box nice and steady. The first one from iFootage is more expensive as it is made from carbon fiber, it has the leveling bowl and has spikes as well as rubber feet ... whereas the Manfrotto is made form aluminium and the clips are a little cumbersome. I hope that helps. Thanks for watching 😁👍

[@stavrosgavalas]

I am using Artcise AS90C, Artcise LB52, Leofoto G4, Leofoto VH30R, Leofoto LB-75. They are beasts!

[@mikesphotography]

Good to hear. 😁👍

[@onikaimu]

Thank you for this great video, Mike. You said a while ago you were going to do a video about tripod heads and I have been waiting. I am curious about your thoughts on the Sony A1 though. I watched the video on KZbin live and I don't see me upgrading anytime soon. Maybe because I want the FX6 instead. Stay safe.

[@mikesphotography]

Hey Lance, That's a great question...I think I am going to talk about the A1 in my monday video...so keep an eye out for that one...👍 I didn't watch the live stream but I have watched a few of the promos...it does look like an interesting camera. I don't want to have to sell a kidney to buy my next camera so I think I'll be waiting for the A7iv...😁👍

[@onikaimu]

@@mikesphotography Yes, yes, I like my organs in my body as well.

[@masterstacker2833]

Excellent video.

[@mikesphotography]

Thanks very much!!

[@Albert-the-Astro]

Well done video, thx.

[@mikesphotography]

Thanks Albert! 😁👍

[@repillager]

Howdy, I have a question for my first time. I will only have a cellphone to work with and am happy about, yet my concern and question I hope you can help me over come is that I want to be able to mount it such that it is centered well. Most of the stabalizers and mounts are a clip and rest with gravity and the pan would be off. Thank you for any help!!

[@repillager]

Parallaxing, that is what the cell phone mounts all seem to have an issue with. How does one get around that?

[@mikesphotography]

That's a good question David, unfortunately with cell phones, due to the camera being at one end of the phone, this will always be a problem as a camera stabilisers and gimbals will need it to be balanced properly.

[@Bazzasphotolife]

Great vid Mike!

[@mikesphotography]

Thanks Bazza!

[@johnoldridge7735]

Hi Mike. Would the Nodal pan head be the best for Astrophotography? Love the video

[@mikesphotography]

Thanks John! A nodal pan head would be great for stitching an astro pano together. 😁👍

[@johnoldridge7735]

Thanks mate. I just placed an order on Amazon for the Neewer one you had linked. I’ll give it a crack.

[@mikesphotography]

Awesome! Let me know how you get on with it John. 👍

[@johnoldridge7735]

Hi Mike. The Newer Nodal pan head arrived. Whoop whoop. Took it out last night..... It was so hard to get my tripod level in the dark. I need way more practice. 😜 Question, when I was rotating the head, my inbuilt level on the camera was always out. Dam Does this matter? If so, I’ll need to get really good at levelling my tripod. Dark and not so good eyes 👀 not looking good. I took 2 rows of 4 photos Still, great the see the Milky Way starting to come back. So love the night sky. Never gets bad down here in NZ. Apart from the clouds ☁️

[@jerryfortenberry1956]

I have an older Sunpack tripod with a tilt head mount I think it is called. Is there a way to mount a ballhead on top of that?

[@mikesphotography]

If the head is removable, you can just swap it out for a ballhead. If not, you can just attach the ballhead to the quick release plate, however, this would make it a little less stable ... and probably more wobbly. I think the best bet would be to invest in a whole new tripod with a little more stability. The K&F tripod is a great little unit: amzn.to/3Ef1T4p And for a slightly smaller budget, this one looks ok as well for smaller cameras like the A6000: amzn.to/2YZD38n I hope that helps 😁👍

[@alvarobenitez1952]

Thanks Mike!!

[@mikesphotography]

And thanks for watching Alvaro! 😁👍

[@historyarmyproductions]

Looking into getting a new tripod, as the one I'm using is problematic while I animate. The legs are too light, and I've found that as I'm shooting my stills it slowly either goes down, or it will shake on some frames. I'm guessing due to the ball joint, although I'm sure that the lack of weight isn't helping. This taught me a lot. Anything you'd recommend that'd work best?

[@mikesphotography]

It sounds like you need a much heavier tripod. If your current tripod has a removable ballhead, I'd suggest getting the geared head as this would give you the precise camera placement you need, and they are pretty heavy which would help with the shake you sometimes get. As for the legs being too light, if it has a bag hook on it, you could hook a bungee cord to it and attach it to a heavy bag ... I sometimes do that out in the field when it is windy and this really helps with the stability of my tripod. If this isn't an option, I'd probably invest in a more sturdy set of tripod legs. The Manfrotto 055 legs are fantastic and are sturdy and rigid. amzn.to/3wdCVil The gear head from benro is really good, sturdy and precise. amzn.to/3w8OxmZ If that is out of your budget, maybe the K&F tripod would be a good option ... I have one of these as my filming tripod amzn.to/3sjrAwd ... but if you do go down this route, I'd still suggest saving up and getting the geared head which would fit on this one. I hope that helps. Thanks for watching 😁👍

[@historyarmyproductions]

@@mikesphotography Thanks so much!

[@kareemtejumola5443]

am into only still landscape photography . My lenses ranged macro to zoom lenses like 100 -400mm. am interested in an easy, very easy to slide the camera on and also equally easy to slide the camera off. please which head would you advise \

[@mikesphotography]

By slide on and off, do you mean one with a good quick release system?

[@vfx888]

Really useful, thanks

[@mikesphotography]

Thanks very much! 😁👍

[@behnambagherzadeh6773]

Did you recommend Benro GD3W or manfrotto xpro geared head? (For jewelry shot) I saw some reviews that manfrotto is wobbly

[@flipinfin]

Great video kinda made me make up my mind what ball head I want to purchase. Do you have a link for the arca Swiss release plate and bracket? Thanks

[@mikesphotography]

Thanks. Yes, here's a link for the quick release clamp adapter: amzn.to/2SNGFrf ...and here's a link for the arca swiss QRP in case you don't have one already: amzn.to/3huQi6A Thanks for watching 😁👍

[@flipinfin]

@@mikesphotography Thanks for replying and listing the links. Will this work with a Zhiyun crane? If not you have any recommendations? Thanks

[@mikesphotography]

With the crane, I'd go for one with a longer turny nob...a bit like this one amzn.to/3ABOzFm or longer if you can find it...then you can move it back and forth when balancing without it getting in the way. 👍

[@arthurconnolly4409]

Good stuff Mike! :)

[@mikesphotography]

Thanks so much Arthur! 👍

[@Augnos]

Does anyone make an undampened video head. I just need the tilt and pan function but without the dampened motions. Something like a video head but aimed for sports photographers

[@zeTETicTruthTube]

Hi. I wonder if you can help me. I cant find out how to remove my manfrotto 496 ballhead from my befree tripod.

[@mikesphotography]

Unfortunately I don't own the befree tripod so I can't help...it might be worth contacting manfrotto to see if they can help. 👍

[@roxannekeomaka4754]

It’s me again. I need a tripod that comes with a heavy duty mount for a 11lb. Plein even air paint box. Thanks again for any remmendations

[@mikesphotography]

Hi Roxanne, With that paint box, it looks like it would put a lot of pressure and torque on the tripod head as well as the legs so it would be worth investing in a decent tripod. I'd probably go for something like the iFootage TC7: geni.us/ifootage-TC7 with this tripod head: geni.us/ifootage-tripod-head Or for a smaller budget, the Manfrotto 055: geni.us/Manfrotto-055 with the manfrotto tripod head: geni.us/Manfrotto-video-head These are both very sturdy tripods and would hold the paint box nice and steady. The first one from iFootage is more expensive as it is made from carbon fiber, it has the leveling bowl and has spikes as well as rubber feet ... whereas the Manfrotto is made form aluminium and the clips are a little cumbersome. I hope that helps. Thanks for watching 😁👍

[@FrancoContreras]

Hi Im a begginer !! thank for the videos, I subscribed!!

[@mikesphotography]

And thank you for watching and subscribing Franco, welcome to the community! 😁👍

[@lamb998]

hello does anyone know what Z head fitting work is with the king joy VT 850 tripod?

[@ojocaptor]

Hello Mike! i´m from Argentina, don´t have enough money, so and i can buy only one head. what would you recommend me? all type of photography, mainly landscape, astrophotography.Thanks in advance!

[@mikesphotography]

If you're on a budget, I recommend one of the ball heads. They are good all rounders and even though the others do specific jobs really well, they might be slower in other aspects...so a ballhead is the one I'd go for for landscapes and astro. Thanks for watching and I hope that helps 😁👍

[@ojocaptor]

@@mikesphotography it helps a lot! Thanks! 🙏

[@thischangeseverything972]

You could at least mention the brand of "the cheaper ones" gimbal that you're demonstrating

[@MohdGyver]

Thanks, i want geared tripod head

[@mikesphotography]

Geared heads are really great for getting that precision!! Thanks for watching 😁👍

[@philliphickox4023]

I bought the K tripod but dislike the ball head, as it drifts and it is difficult to get it level and my big toss up was either a video head or a gimbal. I do shoot a variety of subjects at present including some video so I went with the video head, which weighs probably a little more than my tripod. Eventually I will have different heads for different purposes.

[@mikesphotography]

Thanks for sharing your experiences Phillip. Some heads do drift quite a bit when you tighten them, which is frustrating. Thanks for watching 😁👍

[@philliphickox4023]

@@mikesphotography Tonight the moon was almost full, I attached the 150-600 zoom to the video head and it worked perfectly. So that is what I will be using for that heavy lens from now on

[@mikesphotography]

Video tripod heads are fantastic for moon photography with a big lens like that. Great to hear it worked well. 😁👍

[@jorisbeugen3562]

What tripod legs and head do you recommend to a wildlife/macro/landscape photographer? For under 150 euro's

[@mikesphotography]

Because you want it for all those three different genres, you would need a lot of stability. So I'd suggest the 055 set of legs from manfrotto: amzn.to/3apPsV2 These are big and sturdy and will keep your camera really steady. 👍

[@jorisbeugen3562]

@@mikesphotography okay! Thank you very much!

[@sorchahannah288]

I have a cheap tripod with a ballhead.... and I just dislike it so so much. The advice to just spend the dollars on your tripod and head is real. Cannot wait to upgrade. Thanks for the video! Great information, thank you!

[@mikesphotography]

It is well worth spending the money on a good tripod. When I first started I had a cheap one and my photos were coming out pretty bad...and when I got a decent one, it really did help get my camera solid and really stable. Thanks for watching 😁👍

[@cmichaelhaugh8517]

Wish I’d seen this years ago when I was a newbie. That said, I had no idea the Neweer pano head was so affordable.

[@mikesphotography]

There are some good affordable options out there nowadays. 😁👍

[@jimbarber6368]

Nice KZbin! After watching your video, should I win the lotto, I can visualize using four of the heads you described. Previous tripod of 40 years was Manfrotto with pistol grip ball head. A few months ago I drove away and left them standing at the waterfall of their last picture. Eventually decided I can't live without a tripod so after intense shopping and soul-searching I am the proud owner of the VEO BH-110S ball head that came with gorgeous Vanguard legs. Took ’em for an outing and was surprised by my disappointment in the time and amount of twist adjusting required. I know it will get easier with practice, but I want my pistol grip back! Now considering selling my new ball head if I can find a more desirable substitute. Back to shopping, soul searching, and … where did I put that “extra” money?

[@mikesphotography]

It sucks losing kit. I hope you find another pistol grip ballhead. 👍

[@raghavendradasa1971]

Valuble video

[@mikesphotography]

Thanks very much! 😁👍