Tripod heads - pistol or traditional?

Olympus 8mm f/1.8 M.Zuiko Digital ED Fisheye PRO Lens

02/25/2012 01:40:14 PM · #1

I asked this question as part of a discussion on tripods in this thread.

I was looking at this Vanguard combination, and like the look of the tripod, but I don't know anything about heads, so I wanted to know whether the GH-100 was a good head. The only other head I have seen for this tripod is a plain ball head in a much more expensive kit (at a shop where the salesman knew even less about the tripod than I did, in an area to which I am unwilling to return).

So far I have had two responses:

Originally posted by jagar:

I use a Manfrotto 322RC2 Joystick Head and i really like the ease of use and the rapidity with wish you can get things right, a joystick is just so easy to use.

Originally posted by Bear_Music:

I think pistol grips are horrible. One MAJOR disadvantage is you can't point the camera up much at all. In general, I find them imprecise and troublesome. I don't much care for ballheads anyway, on grounds of precision, and this is the worst sort of ballhead IMO.

R.

As this discussion is off topic to the thread in which it was started, I thought it was better to start a new thread. With two such contradictory opinions, I don't feel any the wiser. I'm not really in a position where it's going to be easy to test out the different options as the variety available in South Africa is seriously limited, so I'm curious to know what others at DPC think of these two types of heads.

sfalice

Canon PowerShot SX60 HS

02/25/2012 02:17:30 PM · #2

I've used this 322RC2 Manfrotto head for years
and it is just wonderful. Actually, when I looked it up, I was amazed to find it is still available.
Usually the manufacturers seem to "New and Improve" the good ones and they go away.

:)

scalvert

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

02/25/2012 02:22:22 PM · #3

I have a 322RC2 collecting dust in my basement. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but I found the pistol grip annoying in practice and you can forget about panning.

Spork99

OM System OM-1

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

02/25/2012 03:28:02 PM · #4

I have a 322RC2 as well. I like how fast I can adjust it. I hate how imprecise it is.

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

02/25/2012 03:35:55 PM · #5

My main issue with pistol grips has been how tall they are, a problem the Vanguard you linked to does not have. The trade-off is that it's going to be impossible to tilt it back very far, so if shooting up0ward is something you do often, it might not be so good.
Overall I know nothing of the quality of the Vanguard products, so I cannot comment there.

ETA: If you look at the Manfrotto products, you'll find both RC2 and RC4 versions of some products. They have different quick-release plate designs, the RC2 being much smaller. I used to use the RC2, found it lacking in stability and security. The RC4 I like.

Message edited by author 2012-02-25 15:37:38.

Olympus 8mm f/1.8 M.Zuiko Digital ED Fisheye PRO Lens

02/25/2012 05:22:38 PM · #6

I don't think tilting is far back is something I'm likely to try often. But the possibility of it not doing what I want it to do sounds worrying. I'm also worried about

scalvert's comment about panning, though the video they show on the GH-100 page looks like it should work for panning. That said, these aren't things I've even dared to attempt with the tripod I've been using. It's a real piece of junk with a head which I can't even get to lock level to the ground.

I've also got a really old Slik tripod which I bought second hand recently, not realising that one of the clips was broken, and that the legs don't always hold at the angle they've set. I have to be really careful with it, but still find it a pleasure to use compared to the cheap junk I bought new a couple of years ago. But I doubt that the Slik is worth fixing. Besides, I really want the tilting centre column.

Message edited by author 2012-02-25 17:23:27.

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S24, S24+, S24 Ultra

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

02/25/2012 05:58:38 PM · #7

I'll give the Vanguard pistol grip credit for one thing: it has a separate, locking "panning collar" function, so you can pivot horizontally without losing your vertical lock. It does look to be very well made. As pistol grips go, it looks like a winner. I still wouldn't want one, but that's a personal bias.

R.

Olympus 8mm f/1.8 M.Zuiko Digital ED Fisheye PRO Lens

02/25/2012 06:29:11 PM · #8

Originally posted by Bear_Music:

That makes me feel a bit better about it. One thing seems very clear - this is a subject on which people are very divided. I suppose the only way I'll ever know whether it's right for me is by trying it. Could prove to be a costly experiment!

If I have time tomorrow, I will see if I can find out how far it can or cannot tilt.

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

02/25/2012 06:48:03 PM · #9

Originally posted by GinaRothfels:

If I have time tomorrow, I will see if I can find out how far it can or cannot tilt.

Looking at all the photos of it, I see it may have tilt flexibility that I did not originally see. It does look like a well-made unit.

Fujifilm XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4 OIS

02/25/2012 07:46:51 PM · #10

I've recently purchased a GH-100 Pistol Grip and I've only taken it out for a test drive a couple of times. If you are used to using a traditional ballhead, it will feel awkward.

VANGUARD GH-100 Pistol Grip Ball Head.f4v - YouTube

1) If you mount the camera body to the grip with a short lens (No lens collar), the grip will hit you in the chest when you focus when orientated like in the video linked above. You will end up moving the grip to the side most of the time (I actually like it that way).

2) Which side you move the grip handle when mounting directly to your camera will depend on if you think you will want your camera to be able to tilt up or down with the most range of adjustment. The head clamp has 2 long slots at 90 degrees to each other for tilting the camera up or down, depending on orientation. The head will tilt almost straight up or down depending on how you align the slots. The tilt range in the opposite direction of the full up or down is about 20 to 30 degrees.

3) When the camera is in portrait orientation, your up and down tilt adjustment is strictly by the 360 pano adjustment collar. This will allow you to tilt at any angle whan shooting portrait.

4) The gripping pad on the circular camera mount plate is not very grippy. It works much better with heavier lenses if you add a thin rubber washer with a 3/16" hole (They are called fender washers at the big box hardware stores and the 3/16" hole grips the standard 1/4" screw nice and snug). This is especially true when the camera is in the portrait orientation.

5) This thing is built like a tank (1.65 pounds) and the tightening feature for the pistol grip works as advertised.

Like any new piece of equipment, it will take a little while before the adjustment features become second nature.

Tim

ETA: This ebay seller is an authorized Vanguard dealer (I emailed Vanguard to confirm). If you decide to use him, make sure you use the Make An Offer feature to get their lowest price (He will counter offer if you are too low)

Message edited by author 2012-02-25 21:50:12.

docpjv

Fujifilm X-E1

02/25/2012 09:10:14 PM · #11

As a South African, stay away from the pistol grip! You may get shot or jailed ;-)

Stay with a Manfrotto Ball head strong enough to hold your longest heaviest lens, or the one Bear music is using. Services in the RSA is not up to par.

Olympus 8mm f/1.8 M.Zuiko Digital ED Fisheye PRO Lens

02/26/2012 01:41:22 PM · #12

Originally posted by docpjv:

Peter, I know crime is bad in SA (and that you had bad experiences while you were here) but I really don't want to believe it's that bad. I really like the look of the pistol grip head, and was planning to buy Vanguard, not Manfrotto. The difference in price is quite substantial and there's so many other things I need/want to buy that I really don't want to spend more on a tripod than is absolutely necessary. Even the Vanguard with the ordinary ball head is a lot more expensive than the one with the pistol grip.

atupdate thanks for your comments. None of my lenses have a lens collar, and I didn't think of the possibility that the grip would get in my way while trying to focus. I will have a look at that video later.

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 28-300mm f3.5-5.6G ED VR

02/26/2012 04:20:05 PM · #13

Originally posted by GinaRothfels:

I really like having the grip on the side when I have it on my monopod. It feels really natural with the grip rotated 90 degrees to the horizontal. On my tripod, it works as well as a three knob standard gear head (Which I sold to buy the Vanguard).

Tim

NikonJeb

Nikon D850

02/26/2012 04:29:59 PM · #14

Originally posted by Spork99:

I have a 322RC2 as well. I like how fast I can adjust it. I hate how imprecise it is.

Ditto...

RayEthier

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM

02/26/2012 05:37:34 PM · #15

Doesn't seem to matter to me. I have a variety of tripods, monopods and different heads, all of which I forget to bring with me whenever I go somewhere.

Ray

Olympus 8mm f/1.8 M.Zuiko Digital ED Fisheye PRO Lens

03/14/2012 01:16:02 PM · #16

In the end I went with my gut and stuck to the Vanguard with pistol grip. I haven't used it much yet, but locking it in the position I wanted seemed to work better than on any other tripod I've ever used, so hopefully I made the right choice.

03/14/2012 01:36:10 PM · #17

Originally posted by GinaRothfels:

I like mine more and more every time I use it. Welcome to the club and thanks for reporting back.

Tim

Olympus 8mm f/1.8 M.Zuiko Digital ED Fisheye PRO Lens

03/14/2012 02:37:51 PM · #18

Originally posted by atupdate:

Originally posted by GinaRothfels:
In the end I went with my gut and stuck to the Vanguard with pistol grip. I haven't used it much yet, but locking it in the position I wanted seemed to work better than on any other tripod I've ever used, so hopefully I made the right choice.

I like mine more and more every time I use it. Welcome to the club and thanks for reporting back.

Tim

Glad to hear it. You're the only person I've come across who had experience of that particular head.