Cheap P&T Tripod Head

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Bandicoot - 29 Oct 2006 02:23 GMT

My mother has just bought herself a new tripod and doesn't like the head on
it - she asked me to help her find a replacement. Now, it's a long time
since I bought a cheap tripod head, so my experience is actually not all
that relevant to her needs. She hasn't said whether she wants a ball-head
or a pan & tilt, but she's always had the latter in the past and I tend to
regard cheap ball-heads as more or less useless anyway, in a way that cheap
P&T heads are not necessarily. Hence I expect that we'll be looking at a
P&T.

So: any suggestions on brands that I should look at (other than, obviously,
a used Manfrotto), or that I should avoid? Will Slik be OK in this range?
Velbon? Any models to look out for?

Thanks for any help,

Peter

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TheDave© - 29 Oct 2006 04:11 GMT

> Bandicoot wrote:
> My mother has just bought herself a new tripod and doesn't like the
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
> Thanks for any help,

I use the Manfrotto 3265 grip ballhead and love it. Very easy and
quick to use. It's more expensive than a cheap P&T but not
outrageously so. I understand your comparison of a cheap BH vs a cheap
P&T, but P&Ts are such a pain in the butt. I have one, but only use it
for panorama shots.

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That_Rich - 29 Oct 2006 04:13 GMT

>My mother has just bought herself a new tripod and doesn't like the head on
>it - she asked me to help her find a replacement. Now, it's a long time
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
>Thanks for any help,

Hey Peter,

The Slik pan / tilt heads have served me well for many years. Very
sturdy, well built and secure. The one I own has a proprietary
circular quick release which makes the head even more versatile as the
camera can be rotated by loosening the release mechanism. This is a
nice option when using the camera vertically.

Cheers,

RP©

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Nicholas O. Lindan - 29 Oct 2006 15:00 GMT

> ... a cheap tripod head ...

What's 'cheap': 5d, 2'6d, £1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, £100?

What camera will be used with it...

What was Mum's last tripod and what caused her to
buy a new one?

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Nicholas O. Lindan, Cleveland, Ohio
Darkroom Automation: F-Stop Timers, Enlarging Meters
http://www.nolindan.com/da/index.htm
n o lindan at ix dot netcom dot com

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Bandicoot - 29 Oct 2006 15:23 GMT

> > ... a cheap tripod head ...
>
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> What was Mum's last tripod and what caused her to
> buy a new one?

LOL - well, I can't remember what her last tripod was, only that it was
junk...

She bought this one because it was £5 in a garage sale, and seemed sturdier
than the one she had - I haven't seen it yet, she was telling me all this on
the 'phone. In that context, I doubt she'll spend more than £20 on a head,
probably nearer £15, but it probably depends on what's out there.

Mother's a painter, and photography is only a sideline iterest for her. She
uses a tripod, but not all the time; she probably will want to use it for
copying paintings though.

Cameras are 35mm: a Canon SLR and a Voigtlander rangefinder. No lenses
longer than (from memory) 200mm.

So I don't think the head needs to be bomb proof, and she'll certainly want
it not to be heavy. My initial thought was a second-hand Manfrotto 115, but
even that may be more than she needs, and more weight than she wants.

Peter

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