# I Need A Ball-Head for my 20yr Old Manfrotto...



## Harry Muff (May 18, 2014)

My legs are 055C which I've had from new since 1994. It's rock steady, and reasonably light on its own. My head is a 029 which is in perfectly good condition, but I just don't get on with it and it's proper heavy. Then there's the fact I have to take the levers off to get it in its carrying bag...




First up, different maker's heads fit on each other's legs don't they? It's all the same 3/8" screw with a couple of friction inducing screws no?




Assuming we're all good there, which do I go for?




I was looking at Manfrotto to start with to keep it all in the family, but quickly learned that their ball-heads are not the greatest with regards to the quick release. So, no thanks.




Gitzo is now very much on my radar and I've seen a Series 2 with a good chunk off the price (open box deal).
Having a look through some of the threads on here, some love them, and some don't at all.


RRS get a lot of recommendations but getting one sent up here to Canada seems to be a lot of ball-ache (geddit?), and they could be cheaper.




So, should I just go for the Gitzo?


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## neuroanatomist (May 18, 2014)

Gitzo makes among the best legs available. Their ballheads...not so much. One downside (among others) is like Manfrotto, they use proprietary plates. Get a head that uses the Arca Swiss system. 

Look at ballheads from RRS, Kirk, Markins, Acratech, and Arca Swiss.


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## Harry Muff (May 18, 2014)

Thanks for replying.


The thing is, I'm not so bothered about compatibility, I just want something that's rock solid and reliable. 


It'll only see the one camera and I'm not usually rushed.




I just need to know if it has any failings and if there is any reason why it won't work on my old 055C.




Sound like it'll do what I want?


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## tolusina (May 18, 2014)

I'm liking the Acratech Ultimate GP Ballhead.
It seems a good match to the Gitzo legs it's on, the combination looks to be one to last the rest of my lifetime.

Your 055C legs have already proved themselves sturdy and durable, whatever head you choose should also.



Harry Muff said:


> ......The thing is, I'm not so bothered about compatibility.........
> 
> ...........It'll only see the one camera.......


Have you ever considered or think maybe you might in the future, accessories such as an L bracket, nodal or macro rails? Even for a single camera, compatibility matters.




.


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## neuroanatomist (May 18, 2014)

I've tried a couple of Gitzo heads, I find them clunky. On the ones I tried, the friction drag control was very finicky, hard to adjust to the right tension, something you often need to adjust when you change lenses. There are many, many people who recommend Gitzo legs...and very few who recommend their heads – there are reasons for that. There's a Gitzo head that keeps getting relisted on my local Craigslist – it's fairly priced, but the seller has been unable to offload it for going on two years. 

The compatibility is mostly about how you want to mount the camera, and what else you want to mount. If you'll use portrait orientation, an L-bracket is much better than the drop notch, and if you want to shoot a pano in portrait orientation, an L-bracket is required. I'm not aware of any L-brackets for the Gitzo clamps; Manfrotto makes an L-bracket for their RC2 system, and it sucks. L-brackets, macro rails, flash brackets, there are a variety of options for Arca-type plates/clamps...and none for Gitzo. 

But yes, the Gitzo head will fit on your Manfrotto tripod.


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## Harry Muff (May 18, 2014)

Thanks again for the feedback, chaps. 


I understand now what the L-bracket is for. But to be honest, If I find myself needing to do panoramics, or anything that requires that kind of movement, I'll just throw the old 029 3-way back on as I'm keeping it (after 20 years, it just seems wrong saying goodbye).


I actually shoot portraiture, and like the idea of loosen/frame/lock in one movement, rather than twisting three knobs/levers and having to move each plane individually before locking them all off again. It's also a hell of a lot lighter too at 0.4 Kg versus 1.5Kg as well as half the size. So it should breathe a whole new lease of life into the stand too.




Anyway, thanks for confirming that it will indeed fit, though. I've reserved the head, and I'll have looky see if it works for me in the next couple of days. I hope it does though, as I'm rather restricted being a foreigner here in Canada, trying to get my studio and portfolio straight.




Thanks again.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (May 18, 2014)

Harry Muff said:


> My legs are 055C which I've had from new since 1994. It's rock steady, and reasonably light on its own. My head is a 029 which is in perfectly good condition, but I just don't get on with it and it's proper heavy. Then there's the fact I have to take the levers off to get it in its carrying bag...
> 
> 
> 
> First up, different maker's heads fit on each other's legs don't they? It's all the same 3/8" screw with a couple of friction inducing screws no?


 
Those legs will last forever, and so will the head (Unfortunately), as far as I know, all removable heads will fit. Only Bogen / Manfrotto has the bottom of the head with the sawtooth surface that uses the screws to lock it into place. The others just use friction, don't ruin them with the pointed screws.


The head is toughest to find. When you are looking for a low price, the Aratech keeps popping up. I have a couple of Benro Heads that are pure junk, they will not lock solidly even when they are properly adjusted, its just poor manufacturing. 

There are some good reviews on "The Digital Picture", I trust them, and have found them to be right-on when I happen to have the same.


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## Harry Muff (May 20, 2014)

Well, I went to the store and checked it out and it just wasn't worth the money. Even with $120 knocked off for being Open Box.




It seems the only way to get a decent ball-head is to blow loads of cash and get an Acratech, which I can't justify doing.




So it'll have to be my trusty old 029 pan & tilt for the foreseeable future. It does its job and I can't complain about that.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (May 20, 2014)

Harry Muff said:


> Well, I went to the store and checked it out and it just wasn't worth the money. Even with $120 knocked off for being Open Box.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
Heads, good ones, at least, are quite expensive. If yours does what you need, keep it, it will last a long time, and you can always find another for a few dollars.


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