I just got into photography at 55 years of age about 4 months ago and love it! I bought a ball head mount & am always frustrated with it as I take a lot of moon pictures. My frustration is that I get the moon perfectly framed and as soon as I tighten up the ball head and let go of it it slowly droops a few millimeters and then the moon is either out of the frame or halfway out. I loosen it up slightly and try to reposition it and it slightly moves again. With this thing I'm sure it will be easier to get it to stay in one place!
Hello Martin. I am quite sure that any geared head will help you with your moon compositions. I should warn you though that they are not cheap, although I've had some success with shopping around on eBay for the heavier Manfrotto 410 model. Hope that you find something that suits.
I have found a ball head to be supremely frustrating. The money just isn’t there for an upgrade at the time, but it is on my wishlist. To me, it is worth the weight to avoid the frustration and to get more precise adjustments.
Thank you Julie. I bought my first geared head - a Manfrotto 410 - on eBay. Had to wait for one that sold at a price I was prepared to pay, but well worth it. The Manfrotto model is build like a tank and there is so little to go wrong with it. Keep safe
Yep, this is definately another option although I do love the precision of the geared head. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment. Your support and interest is greatly appreciated.
@@huwalban from what I gathered, a fluid head it is as precise as a geared one. And it is faster. The geared head let you put the the camera in a tilted position though, you can't do that on a fluid head.
Thank you Jim. You are most kind. I'd recommend a look through eBay. I picked up my head second hand, but was very careful with the seller to ensure that I was very clear on what I was buying. Usually asking the seller a couple of questions with reveal whether the person is genuine or "dodgy". If you get one then I hope that you get on with it as well as I have. Stay well and stay safe.
Hi Huw: I have recently purchased this product and I can't believable how enjoyable the use of this geared head has been. I am enjoying the fact that I am now taking a more deliberate approach to composition and I think it has helped me tremendously. I use this with my new Innorel RT80C tripod which is actually a bird watchers tripod but it is tall and very well priced. I highly recommend both. Cheers, Keith (Canada)
Awesome stuff Keith. Like I said in the video, it is a personal choice but I am delighted that the choice worked for you. I did a 121 with a lady some years ago, and one of her bug-bears was that she was forever moving her tripod fractionally to get her composition just right. I swapped my tripod plate for hers and it was a complete transformation in control for her and she used it for the remainder of the day! I've got my eye on the Benro TMA48CXL (which I think is the one that Chris also uses) but I want to have a play with one first before parting with my hard earned £s. Stay safe sir.
Hi Keith: I too have an Innorel bird watching tripod but not this head: I'm happy enough with my standard 3-way pan head and, at this time, I don't think I'll switch to a geared.
Hi Julian: If you get a chance, I would highly recommend you to try one of these ball heads. I have found that since I purchased this, my compositions have increased so much, because believe it or not, it does force you to slow down. As well, I always found that my regular 3-way ball head didn't keep the lens from moving slightly regardless on how tightly I closed it down. If you do decide to get one, buy it from Amazon.CA as I paid about $235 Can. Cheers, Keith
I am indeed. In fact I now have two of these heads on my two tripods of choice! The original that is in this video is still going strong despite being battered and bruised. Well worth the money in my book.
@@huwalban Thanks im sat here waiting for it to be delivered as i have two weeks of work so will be out to cornwall as all the holiday makers have gone 😆 lol Its going to be mached up with my benro mach3 TMA38CL which i have been using my manfrotto MHXPRO -BHQ2 ball head for the last 2 years but im finding my self doing more pano shots from my local location & the ball head has been good but its time to try a geared head, Itwill be a learning curve but it will make me slow down a bit i think.
@@andysweeny63 Should be an excellent match. I've got mine on an Innorell RT90C - a monster of a tripod but as steady as a rock. The other is on a Benro Tortoise 34CLV which is a recent purchase - not quite as sturdy as the Innorell but handy if I don't want to lug the weight around. One thing to be aware of is that you might need the Benro GDHAD1 spacer to lift the head away from the tripod plate? It seems to only be a "thing" if your tripod plate is wide, but I've got one on my Innorell. It lifts the head up a bit so that the vertical adjustment knob is clear of the plate. Worth trying yours first before committing to a purchase. They are about £20 to £25 if you shop about. Have fun in Cornwall. I'm off to the Wastwater area again in a weeks time! So looking forward to it! All the best
Thanks George. If you can, try one out in a camera store before committing to buy. I would hate for you to part with your hard earned cash to then find that it did not work out for you as you had hoped. As you can see from the video, it definitely works for me :)
Hohoho I am you 400th subscriber. I was wandering about geared head, whether should I buy or not because of its price is too much compare to ball head and pan head. I think this will give me some more insight to decide. Thanks for making this video. All the best for your channel.
Thank you for watching and commenting, and congratulations on being number 400! :) To be honest I shopped around when I bought mine, and now because they've been out for a while there are also some good condition second hand ones appearing on eBay as well. I hope that you find one at a price that suits you. Thanks again. Stay well and safe.
@@huwalban no problem, this video helps me to make wise decision instead buying unwanted and spending some more in future. Thanks for video. All the best.
You'd have to pry my GH out of my cold, dead hands, but don't forget the fluid video head. Not necessarily the correct use, but works nicely and is a bit lighter. OK, just saw the comment below. Scratch that 😂
Ha ha ha, thanks Mike. I love mine so much I’ve just bought another one (found a cracking sale in eBay with low bids so grabbed it). I’ve tried lots of other head types and the geared just fits the way I go about photography. I know from experience that it doesn’t suit everyone, but then again we are all different (thankfully). Thanks for the support by leaving a comment.
I heard you tried this kind of head "www.vanguardworld.com/products/veo-3-263ap-aluminum-tripod-with-panhead". I feel this has the same function but agree with your comment about more action required while adjusting but I agree this is not so accurate as Benro. Any thoughts?
Hello there. Yes, this head achieves the same thing, but without the accuracy. I had one of these sorts of heads when I first started out. It frustrated me because I'd get the tilt right, and then the horizontal position, and then when it came to levelling the camera there would always be something not quite where I wanted it. If the movement on this head is relatively stiff then I think I would be frustrated less by that characteristic.
Awww, it hurts to see a serious photographer using a center column! They defeat the whole purpose of the TRIpod! Take it apart and loose it right away!
@@dilliboirubirosa9638 Unfortunately my little Vanguard just isn't high enough so in some situations I have no choice but to use the centre column. A compromise between weight and outright stability. You are right about the other choices - the ones I quoted were the only ones I could remember at the time :)
Good talk through, very helpful in decision making. Thanks for posting.
Thank you. Very kind
Thanks Huw. Watching your videos is like going to school.
Thanks Alan. Someone said to me years ago that I would have made a good teacher! I'm not sure that I'd have the stamina for it. Keep safe
I just got into photography at 55 years of age about 4 months ago and love it! I bought a ball head mount & am always frustrated with it as I take a lot of moon pictures. My frustration is that I get the moon perfectly framed and as soon as I tighten up the ball head and let go of it it slowly droops a few millimeters and then the moon is either out of the frame or halfway out. I loosen it up slightly and try to reposition it and it slightly moves again. With this thing I'm sure it will be easier to get it to stay in one place!
Hello Martin. I am quite sure that any geared head will help you with your moon compositions. I should warn you though that they are not cheap, although I've had some success with shopping around on eBay for the heavier Manfrotto 410 model. Hope that you find something that suits.
@@huwalban the BENRO brand new on eBay is only $155 so it's not too bad.
@@highwayman1224 Yeah, I would go with the Benro. It is much much lighter in weight than the Manfrotto model.
Many Thanks !
I have found a ball head to be supremely frustrating. The money just isn’t there for an upgrade at the time, but it is on my wishlist. To me, it is worth the weight to avoid the frustration and to get more precise adjustments.
Thank you Julie. I bought my first geared head - a Manfrotto 410 - on eBay. Had to wait for one that sold at a price I was prepared to pay, but well worth it. The Manfrotto model is build like a tank and there is so little to go wrong with it. Keep safe
Leveling base plus fluid head.
Yep, this is definately another option although I do love the precision of the geared head. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment. Your support and interest is greatly appreciated.
@@huwalban from what I gathered, a fluid head it is as precise as a geared one.
And it is faster.
The geared head let you put the the camera in a tilted position though, you can't do that on a fluid head.
Yet another informative and enjoyable video - thanks Huw
Thanks Paul. Style and approach is still very much work in progress, but I'm starting to feel that I am getting somewhere :)
the vide is useful! Thank you!
Thank you Vlade
Thanks for this nicely produced video. I’ve struggled with positioning a ball head and even a 200mm lens. I’ll be saving for a geared head.
Thank you Jim. You are most kind. I'd recommend a look through eBay. I picked up my head second hand, but was very careful with the seller to ensure that I was very clear on what I was buying. Usually asking the seller a couple of questions with reveal whether the person is genuine or "dodgy". If you get one then I hope that you get on with it as well as I have. Stay well and stay safe.
Hi Huw: I have recently purchased this product and I can't believable how enjoyable the use of this geared head has been. I am enjoying the fact that I am now taking a more deliberate approach to composition and I think it has helped me tremendously. I use this with my new Innorel RT80C tripod which is actually a bird watchers tripod but it is tall and very well priced. I highly recommend both. Cheers, Keith (Canada)
Awesome stuff Keith. Like I said in the video, it is a personal choice but I am delighted that the choice worked for you. I did a 121 with a lady some years ago, and one of her bug-bears was that she was forever moving her tripod fractionally to get her composition just right. I swapped my tripod plate for hers and it was a complete transformation in control for her and she used it for the remainder of the day! I've got my eye on the Benro TMA48CXL (which I think is the one that Chris also uses) but I want to have a play with one first before parting with my hard earned £s. Stay safe sir.
Hi Keith: I too have an Innorel bird watching tripod but not this head: I'm happy enough with my standard 3-way pan head and, at this time, I don't think I'll switch to a geared.
Hi Julian: If you get a chance, I would highly recommend you to try one of these ball heads. I have found that since I purchased this, my compositions have increased so much, because believe it or not, it does force you to slow down. As well, I always found that my regular 3-way ball head didn't keep the lens from moving slightly regardless on how tightly I closed it down. If you do decide to get one, buy it from Amazon.CA as I paid about $235 Can. Cheers, Keith
Really good information! Thank you!
Thank you Matthew. Really stoked to hear that it was useful to you.
With 3 years passing are you still using the benro geared head, are you still happy with it !
I am indeed. In fact I now have two of these heads on my two tripods of choice! The original that is in this video is still going strong despite being battered and bruised. Well worth the money in my book.
@@huwalban Thanks im sat here waiting for it to be delivered as i have two weeks of work so will be out to cornwall as all the holiday makers have gone 😆 lol Its going to be mached up with my benro mach3 TMA38CL which i have been using my manfrotto MHXPRO -BHQ2 ball head for the last 2 years but im finding my self doing more pano shots from my local location & the ball head has been good but its time to try a geared head, Itwill be a learning curve but it will make me slow down a bit i think.
@@andysweeny63 Should be an excellent match. I've got mine on an Innorell RT90C - a monster of a tripod but as steady as a rock. The other is on a Benro Tortoise 34CLV which is a recent purchase - not quite as sturdy as the Innorell but handy if I don't want to lug the weight around. One thing to be aware of is that you might need the Benro GDHAD1 spacer to lift the head away from the tripod plate? It seems to only be a "thing" if your tripod plate is wide, but I've got one on my Innorell. It lifts the head up a bit so that the vertical adjustment knob is clear of the plate. Worth trying yours first before committing to a purchase. They are about £20 to £25 if you shop about. Have fun in Cornwall. I'm off to the Wastwater area again in a weeks time! So looking forward to it! All the best
Great advice I am going to get one looks a lot better then ball head
Thanks George. If you can, try one out in a camera store before committing to buy. I would hate for you to part with your hard earned cash to then find that it did not work out for you as you had hoped. As you can see from the video, it definitely works for me :)
Hohoho I am you 400th subscriber. I was wandering about geared head, whether should I buy or not because of its price is too much compare to ball head and pan head. I think this will give me some more insight to decide. Thanks for making this video. All the best for your channel.
Thank you for watching and commenting, and congratulations on being number 400! :) To be honest I shopped around when I bought mine, and now because they've been out for a while there are also some good condition second hand ones appearing on eBay as well. I hope that you find one at a price that suits you. Thanks again. Stay well and safe.
@@huwalban since we don’t have eBay service in India (I’m not aware) but will give a try. Thanks for suggestion.
@@sunrise_sunshine My apologies. I was not aware of that. Have a great day ahead.
@@huwalban no problem, this video helps me to make wise decision instead buying unwanted and spending some more in future. Thanks for video. All the best.
You'd have to pry my GH out of my cold, dead hands, but don't forget the fluid video head. Not necessarily the correct use, but works nicely and is a bit lighter. OK, just saw the comment below. Scratch that 😂
Ha ha ha, thanks Mike. I love mine so much I’ve just bought another one (found a cracking sale in eBay with low bids so grabbed it). I’ve tried lots of other head types and the geared just fits the way I go about photography. I know from experience that it doesn’t suit everyone, but then again we are all different (thankfully). Thanks for the support by leaving a comment.
Geared heads, more knobs than Westminster. 😅
I'd prefer the: "Sunway Geared Head"..
I have a Sunway in my eBay watch list. It is slightly more expensive than the Benro but I like the smaller size and weight saving too
I heard you tried this kind of head "www.vanguardworld.com/products/veo-3-263ap-aluminum-tripod-with-panhead". I feel this has the same function but agree with your comment about more action required while adjusting but I agree this is not so accurate as Benro. Any thoughts?
Hello there. Yes, this head achieves the same thing, but without the accuracy. I had one of these sorts of heads when I first started out. It frustrated me because I'd get the tilt right, and then the horizontal position, and then when it came to levelling the camera there would always be something not quite where I wanted it. If the movement on this head is relatively stiff then I think I would be frustrated less by that characteristic.
Awww, it hurts to see a serious photographer using a center column! They defeat the whole purpose of the TRIpod! Take it apart and loose it right away!
And you forget one sort of head: the panoramic head (Leofoto, Acratech). Thomas Heston uses one, I do too, they’re not too bad.
@@dilliboirubirosa9638 Unfortunately my little Vanguard just isn't high enough so in some situations I have no choice but to use the centre column. A compromise between weight and outright stability. You are right about the other choices - the ones I quoted were the only ones I could remember at the time :)