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03/13/2013 12:41:49 PM · #26 |
Originally posted by mike_311:
Originally posted by johnbrennan:
Thanks Ann for your suggestion of the bubble in the hot shoe, however, it's the tiny adjustments that I'm worried about. Ann what type of head do you use? |
straight on landscapes and panning are easy, its when im trying to get my UWA and tripod into a weird angle (eglow to the ground) it gives me problems. |
Indeed. Like this, which was shot handheld laying on the floor, but I *swear* that I thought it was level:
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03/13/2013 01:06:27 PM · #27 |
If you thought the Manfrotto 808 was a bit much, then you can go with the Manfrotto 804 RC2 Head; that's a more compact version of the same thing. I use the 808 now, and I used the 804 before that. The 804 is a dandy head, that uses a smaller (RC2 v RC4) release-plate. I prefer the bigger plates, myself, but then I have a bigger camera. The 804 head is around 70 bucks, so it's substantially less expensive.
Message edited by author 2013-03-13 13:06:38. |
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03/13/2013 02:08:55 PM · #28 |
i use a 498rc4. midgrade manfrotto i'd say.
It works well with all the gear i have.
heres a link
Message edited by author 2013-03-13 14:09:23. |
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03/13/2013 02:12:00 PM · #29 |
| Just a short word about the Manfrotto RC2 vs. RC4; I've used both. I switched over to the RC4 a few years back, and I would never recommend the RC2. Not near as stable as the larger RC4. |
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03/13/2013 02:54:11 PM · #30 |
FWIW I saw a Manfrotto tripod at Costco for $129, but I didn't note which model it is since I already have all the tripod I can afford.
Seems like if one wants to shoot wildlife or sports or other potentially moving objects you'd use a ball-head, and if you want to pan across a landscape to stich a panorama or are shooting in a stable situation (studio, stage, etc.) you would want to use a pan & tilt head ...
Message edited by author 2013-03-13 14:54:31. |
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03/14/2013 01:45:11 AM · #31 |
Head Bubbles:
I was just wondering if anybody actually uses their tiny head bubbles to level.
I received a post from  Ann saying that she just levels in the viewfinder, then makes finer adjustments in post processing.
Ann posts "Personally, I find getting the camera absolutely level to be not that much of a problem. I look through the viewfinder and get the picture level. I don't think I've ever looked at the little bubble. If I get back to my computer and it isn't absolutely level, then it's just a minimal adjustment in Lightroom."
Do you find yourself doing the same thing as Ann or are you using the tiny head bubbles?
You see some heads have bubbles in all directions and others don't. I'm not sure how important they are, and will I regret it, if I purchase a P&T without spirit level bubbles in both directions. Please help.
3-Way Heads:
 Bear_Music  Devinder and kirbic all use pan and tilt heads and I thank each of you for your comments.  GeneralE thank you also.
You all use 3-way heads with 3 arms.
I have seen 3-way heads with 2 arms and wondered if they would also be as effective. One arm controls 2 planes.
Message edited by author 2013-03-14 05:54:59. |
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03/14/2013 07:54:13 AM · #32 |
Originally posted by johnbrennan:
Do you find yourself doing the same thing as Ann or are you using the tiny head bubbles?
You see some heads have bubbles in all directions and others don't. I'm not sure how important they are, and will I regret it, if I purchase a P&T without spirit level bubbles in both directions. Please help. |
I use them all the time. It's greatly preferable, from an image quality POV, not to have to adjust the rotation of an image in anything other than 90-degree increments. You lose a tiny bit of clarity each time you do. Plus I compose pretty carefully. I hate to lose ANY image area, most of the time.
The 2-arm heads aren't 3-way heads. They are, effectively, less-effective ballheads with a separate pan function. If you WANT to be able to do all the camera's spatial orientation off one clamp, just go ahead and GET a good ballhead with a separate panning collar. The 2-arm heads, IMO, are just the red-headed stepchild of the tripod world. |
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03/14/2013 10:02:03 AM · #33 |
Thanks for that Robert.
In the past I have used a cheaper P&T Head without any levelling bubble and it drives me nuts, not knowing where level actually is.
You mentioned two very valid points:
1. The loss of resolution when rotating in post production.
2. The loss of image area when rotating in post production.
You said "You lose a tiny bit of clarity each time you do. Plus I compose pretty carefully. I hate to lose ANY image area."
I'm glad that you mentioned that because it re-inforces my thoughts.
On the subject of heads, I'm heading out again tomorrow to have another look at your 808 RC4.
I have NEVER used a 3-Way Head, so I don't know what it's like to use. I know that you are very familiar with yours.
I shall have a bit more of a play with one tomorrow.
Thanks for your input.
Message edited by author 2013-03-14 10:05:26. |
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03/14/2013 12:18:28 PM · #34 |
| If you're serious about landscapes, I would take Bear's advice before mine. He's a real landscape photographer, and I'm a poor imitation of one. |
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03/14/2013 01:00:11 PM · #35 |
Originally posted by Ann:
If you're serious about landscapes, I would take Bear's advice before mine. He's a real landscape photographer, and I'm a poor imitation of one. |
Ditto. Also, unless your bubble level is a lot more precise than mine, you'll still need to fine-tune the horizon through the viewfinder or on the screen. If I'm taking a series for stitching into a panorama I try to rotate the camera through the whole sweep while watching on the screen before taking any shots, to see if the horizon wavers up or down. |
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03/14/2013 01:05:13 PM · #36 |
Bear in mind that the circle-levels, those silly little round levels where the bubble can float any which way, are more or less useless. The bubbles you want are the single-plane, tube bubbles, one on each plane of adjustment. If your tripod head doesn't have those, but you have a flash shoe on top of your camera, you can use a small carpenter's level across the shoe and those are VERY easy to read.
Back in the day, with my Sinar-P view camera, I had accurate levels built in to each plane of both the front and rear stands, but I STILL used to use the carpenter's levels sometimes, especially in poor lighting conditions, because you could BACKLIGHT them with a small penlight and read them very accurately. |
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03/14/2013 01:20:54 PM · #37 |
| How accurate are the in-camera digital levels in the newer cameras? |
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03/14/2013 03:10:19 PM · #38 |
Originally posted by gcoulson:
How accurate are the in-camera digital levels in the newer cameras? |
I donno, never used one :-) Old school all the way (more or less)... |
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03/14/2013 03:44:44 PM · #39 |
Originally posted by gcoulson:
How accurate are the in-camera digital levels in the newer cameras? |
I haven't done a serious test on this but I can say that I am happy enough with the one in my Canon 5D3. Its supper sensitive and when it get it lined up, the pic is straight and level enough for me. I have not needed to use the straighten tool in PS since. If it is out, it must be under 1 degree coz it looks incredibly straight to me. |
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03/14/2013 10:12:56 PM · #40 |
Just my thought...
I like the ball head for my wide angle/70-200 use. The set up and handling speed is great! I only miss the smooth panning, of the...well..panhead..
I don\'t think I have used my level, in the mark III. Yet I do remember playing with it earlier and it seemed good.
I actually find the levelling of the tripod to be more important. Giving you a good flat base, for future camera head adjustment. My Gittzo tripod, has a very useful level built in. It\'s a circle type, but has a very good guide, almost the same size as the bubble. Creating quite an accurate system. As long as you have time, to set it perfect. Very useful for landscape shots. As you may need to change camera direction quickly. Hey weather can do the coolest things, just not in the direction you thought. If so, just pan and know you will be levelled. It\'s a good
feeling....
Message edited by author 2013-03-14 22:13:26.
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03/14/2013 11:02:55 PM · #41 |
i use tripod level to get in pretty close, and the mkiii to seal the deal. Tis a good feature.
Message edited by author 2013-03-14 23:03:40. |
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03/15/2013 09:10:02 AM · #42 |
| New offering from Manfrotto, a lightweight, collapsible, 3-way head with independent levels on each plane, at a very reasonable price. Looks interesting for John's kit... |
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03/15/2013 09:28:19 AM · #43 |
| And there is always: Edit-> Image -> Rotate. ;-) |
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03/15/2013 09:49:10 AM · #44 |
Originally posted by ShutterRev:
And there is always: Edit-> Image -> Rotate. ;-) |
sure, but after rotating you need to crop to square the image again. Which leads to loss of image area. |
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03/15/2013 10:40:38 AM · #45 |
Everyone seems clear on what a ball head is. I don't know if it's been mentioned before, but there's a difference between a 3 way head and a pan/tilt head.
A 3 way head allows rotation about three axes; vertical (the pan) and both axes in the horizontal plane (front/back tilt and side to side tilt). These are usually used in still photography.
A pan tilt head allows rotation only about two axes; the vertical axis and one horizontal axis (front/back tilt). The side to side tilt is fixed with the tripod setup. These are usually used in video and the movements are usually fluid for smooth motion during filming. |
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03/16/2013 03:37:04 AM · #46 |
With relation to a 3-Way Head and a Pan/Tilt Head [2-Arm Head] Bear_Music correctly states that "The 2-arm heads aren't 3-way heads. They are, effectively, less-effective ballheads with a separate pan function."
In a recent post Spork99 re-inforces this.
"A 3 way head allows rotation about three axes; vertical (the pan) and both axes in the horizontal plane (front/back tilt and side to side tilt). These are usually used in still photography.
A pan tilt head allows rotation only about two axes; the vertical axis and one horizontal axis (front/back tilt). The side to side tilt is fixed with the tripod setup. These are usually used in video and the movements are usually fluid for smooth motion during filming."
So is the Manfrotto Head that Bear_Music is referring to a 3-Way Head or a 2-Arm Head?
Originally posted by Bear_Music:
New offering from Manfrotto, a lightweight, collapsible, 3-way head with independent levels on each plane, at a very reasonable price. Looks interesting for John's kit... |
Yesterday when I went shopping I ended up purchasing a Cullmann CW30 a 3-Way Head for $90.
I can, however, return it. I have 7 days to do so. I may consider the Manfrotto that Robert is referring to about.
The bad thing about the Cullmann CW30 is that the tilt handle is a full 60 degrees off the horizontal and goes ever so close, if not at times touching, the tripod legs when panoramically rotating. I don't want to have to raise the centre column each time the subject is above camera height.
Robert, looking at that NEW Manfrotto, the handle is at about 45 degrees off the horizontal, which is better than 60 degrees.
But is it a 3-Way Head?
Message edited by author 2013-03-16 04:16:16. |
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03/16/2013 04:54:06 AM · #47 |
| One other consideration in head type is how hard it will be to carry. I used to have a pan-tilt for years and recently switched over to a ball head, and I never realized that the levers on the pan tilt used to catch on stuff all the time, until they didn't anymore. There are certainly drawbacks on a small ball head to get the framing right for long exposures with long lenses, but I like being able to move through a crowd or through underbrush with my tripod on my back and never snag on anything anymore. |
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03/16/2013 08:28:20 AM · #48 |
Originally posted by johnbrennan:
Robert, looking at that NEW Manfrotto, the handle is at about 45 degrees off the horizontal, which is better than 60 degrees.
But is it a 3-Way Head? |
Manfrotto says: "The head has three leveling bubbles (one for each axis of rotation)" So it has the 3-way function, but you're right, I hadn't actually noticed only 2 arms, so what's controlling the axis of rotation? Honestly, I don't know, I'd just gotten a notification of this brand-new head in my e-mail, I've never seen one... |
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03/16/2013 09:13:05 AM · #49 |
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfZBcf-psdk
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-RBStgqdT0
I don't have any sound on this pc, so whether you'll be any the wiser from seeing these...
hang on, I think I heard Robert gently snickering a little there... |
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