Ball Head For Landscape Photos
Tripod Heads Are An Essential Tool In Photographing Landscapes
Many photographers are surprised to find when they buy a professional standard photographic tripod that it does not come with a head. The head is the bit you attach the camera to, and includes all the mechanisms for changing where the camera points.
Type of Heads
The range of different heads allows the photographer to choose the features and style to suit their particular needs and preferences. There are two basic types of head: pan-and-tilt and ball heads.
Pan-and-tilt are more common and they are more suitable for video work as there are separate controls for each plane of movement. This is advantageous for video, where often the camera follows the subject while shooting.
Ball heads are the choice of many serious still photographers; they allow the photographer to point the camera to compose the shot using only one control on the tripod head. Once the composition is correct, the photographer clamps the movable ball in position using one control.
The ball head unit used as the example for this article, the Manfrotto 488RC0, operates with only one knob. With only one control, adjustment is fast and the single control knob is easy to find and operate by feel, so you can keep the composition exact while operating the locking knob.
Ball Head Horrors
Some photographers report bad experiences with ball heads not locking properly. One common cause is they have bought a head that is inadequate for the weight of their equipment. Manufacturers rate their heads according to maximum weight and types of camera. The Manfrotto 488RC0 and has a maximum load of 8Kg (approx 17 lb), and Manfrotto say it is suitable for DSLR cameras with long telephoto zooms and medium format cameras. It is more expensive than models with lighter load capacity. The temptation is to try and save money by buying the cheaper unit, only to end up with unit that fails after use with heavy camera and lens combinations. It is worth the extra money to get something that is more rugged and reliable.
Pan Control
This Manfrotto model has the bonus of a separate panning movement for the whole head, ideal for taking a series of images for stitching together to make a panoramic image. The pan locking control is a lever, so it feels different from the round ball-locking knob, helping reduce the likelihood of confusing the controls while concentrating on the composition through the viewfinder.
Keeping The Horizon Level.
One common mistake landscape photographers make is to tilt the camera slightly so the horizon in the resultant image is on an angle. The Manfrotto 488 has two spirit levels built into the head for checking for any unwanted inclination of the camera.
Mounting Plate
Most serious tripods do not attach directly to the camera body. Instead, a shaped metal plate screws onto the mounting thread on the bottom of the camera. This plate fits into a receptacle on the tripod head and locks into place with a spring-loaded lever. The Manfrotto 488 has a second security lock for releasing the plate to prevent accidental release of the mounting plate and attached camera.
Horizontal or Vertical mode
Moving the camera from the traditional landscape horizontal mode to the vertical mode is easy with the double 90° groove, one on each side of the head.
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