I wish this video had been available last year when I bought my gimbal. I’ve noticed a few wildlife photographers seem to be using fluid heads now. It was a superb, informative presentation Will, and should answer most people’s questions. Thanks for the top-notch videos you’re giving on CZcams. You have a great presentation style, which makes your content easy to watch in addition to being full of learning-goodness 😀
@@WillGoodlet Hi Will - I do love the gimbal, and I hadn’t really thought of doing video when I bought it. It was the right choice at the time but I think a fluid head would have been a more flexible choice in retrospect. The worst thing about the gimbal is like you pointed out = it’s very hard to carry in a backpack!
You have to get the tripod level if you are using a ballhead too, if you want to pan. For this reason, I don't use one. There are two workarounds I know. . Use a rotator between camera and head. This allows you to level the camera with the head, then pan. . Use a levelling base between tripod and head. It's like having your bowl tripod base, (You said bowl, I heard ball). It also converts any plate to ARCA Swiss. . Some manufacturers put the rotator at the top of the ballhead. I haven't used one, I expect they're fine. I haven't used a camera-top gimbal. There are those electronically-controlled ones from DJI etc. They might not be good for wildlife, but I think they'd be awesome for landscape photography. I have settled on video heads, with a levelling base where needed.
Thanks for watching and the great info. I sometimes use a levelling base too. Luckily, many of my pans are very tight with no horizon, so it's easy to correct them. For wider lenses though, it's much easier to use a levelling head as you say. I haven't tried the electronic heads either. I do have a nodal head (nodal ninja 4) which I didn't show in the video - I use it for astro landscapes and it is invaluable.. Love it.
Yup! I'm a nerd. I didn't realise that the Manfrotto plate had become a sort of standard for video heads. I've been unsuccessfulylooking for Arca compatible video heads. Now I know why. I use plate adaptors on various heads where I cant replace the "plate holder" They work well with lighter lenses/spotting scopes but less so with 500 f4. as they twist abd become loose.
Hi, thanks for watching. I think (not that I have laid my hands on them) that some of the longer clamp adapters have two or more screw holes and because most 502 plates are used on video rigs, they also have two or more screws, or a screw and locating pin. This should prevent the twisting problem?
Really enjoy your delivery and excellent information. As a SA living in the UK, it nice to hear that you’re in SA. Was hoping to see some bird life behind you in garden. Could hear them and made me homesick. Thanks for the excellent video.
Hi Will. I know a couple of others have commented on them too but I use a Uniqball (same basic principle as the Flexshooter) and really love the way it combines the benefits of a ball head fluid head and gimbal whilst avoiding some of the downsides.
Astrophotography tripods avoid the problem. Adjust the legs near enough right, use the bubble to level the ball mount, then use the fluid head bubble to level the platform. So easy.
Yes they look interesting thanks for the suggestion - not sure how they will suit me because of video. But not available here and pricing in Rand probably prohibitive given the exchange rate.
A superb video, brilliantly explained, and so very useful to any photographer interested in stability, manoeuvrability, and ease of use in regard to the various tripod heads. You're a star. Many thanks.
A superb description of the benefits vs limitations of various heads. Given I’m enjoying the video side of things, I will now avoid Gimbal! Thank you for the pertinent explanations. For wildlife your channel is indispensable
Hi Will, Just wanted to let you know that your content and how you present is perfect. Thanks for all your hard work. Coming to you from central Canada.
Thank you for a very practical discussion on the various types of Tripod Heads. I've been trying to talk myself into a Gimbal Mount for the past few months. After all, most of the 'cool kids' on the InterWeb have them. 😊 After a great deal of research and soul searching I've decided my Sachtler FSB-8 Fluidhead does everything I require of it. I've not found anything, with the exception of raising the height (without adjusting the tripod) I can't do with the Fluidhead. Plus, there's the video application. I use my rig with a Sony a6700 and Sony SEL200600G lens. For most wildlife and birds I use the Fluidhead without the Pan/Tilt arm. Just like a Gimbal I pan/tilt the lens holding the body with the one hand, and steady the lens with the other. My 'off hand' is used to zoom and focus. When balanced, with Drag and Counterbalance properly adjusted, the camera wil stay in position at the end of any pan/tilt. A big plus IMHO. All I can say is it works for me. If, I hadn't already owned the Sachtler FSB-8 I might have gone a different way?
Excellent information, Will. The Sidekick-type accessory seems like the most flexible and compact approach for stills shooters traveling by air though that approach would put even more stress on the stem of the ball head, I suppose.
Thanks, Will: you are my 'go to guru' for technical stuff. One thing that is so important to me is the weight situation- both carrying around and aircraft weight limits (chance would be a fine thing!). I guess I must be a nerd as I watched until the end!
Thanks again Christine :) I am told by other commenters that the Flexshooter is ticking a lot of boxes for them - it looks good, although I didn't know about it.
I have used a fluid head for long lens stills wildlife photography for around 20 years now and I swear by them. My old original manfrotto 501 is just about still serviceable and I use it on a very old tripod whenever I need support in ponds, rivers or other watery situations. I now have the Manfrotto 502 as my main head and a Benro S6 as an additional back up. I do own a ball head but am not a big fan having 'cut my photographic teeth' as it were, on the old standard 3 way head. The 3 way head is a great piece of kit, giving a good range of movement on 3 axis and is perfect for landscape, macro and most static subjects. It does fall short when it comes to moving subjects though. As with most things in this life, tripod heads are subject to whims. It seems that so many newcomers to photography have an inordinate desire to emulate their CZcams heroes and buy whatever equipment their favourite host is currently using in the hope that they may become better photographers themselves. Well explained Will and you actually opened my eyes to some of the possibilities of the ball head which I hadn't previously thought of. All the best.
Thanks for this Robert. Great to hear how you shoot. I prefer Fluids too - but if it's pure stills photography for landscape then I like the ball for compactness and easy use. I also have an ancient (and enormous) Manfrotto 3-way which I didn't introduce as there was a focus on wildlife. I like them, but this one is far too big for hiking. The trouble I have is also shooting video, I pretty much have to do that now wherever I go - unless I take a break and shoot only for myself. So a fluid has to go along too.
@@WillGoodlet hi Will, I never shoot video so I don't have that issue. My 3 way head is also ancient. It is coupled with a huge manfrotto triaut tripod which was bought around 1982 to support my equally huge Mamiya RB67. I'm glad I'm not carrying that lot around any more. It's probably the reason why my back and joints are in such a state. 😢
Cheers Ray, I think it is a silver vlei spider from the indigenous forest near Magoebaskloof - can't wait to head up there for the channel (it's upside down in the pic tho' - artistic licence).
By far the best explanation I've ever heard of the ball head, gimbal, and fluid head. Wow! I learned so much! I had the privilege of being in your beautiful country in the late 1980s and got to tour Kruger Natl Park. I'll never forget it, but I wish I knew then what I know now. You've got a new like and a new subscriber!
Hi Hugh, thanks for watching and the sub! Welcome I'm so glad you found the video useful. Great to hear that you visited Kruger - I'm busy planning another trip there right now :)
Very helpful and interesting. Just in the process of deciding on a new tripod and head so great timing. Also thanks for reminding us all of your wildlife toolkit. Got it recently and would recommend it to anyone.
Hi Neil, thanks for watching and glad it was helpful. Some people are talking about the Flex shooter (which I haven't heard of - SA is about 20 years behind the rest of the world ;) ) Probably worth checking that out too - it looks interesting. Thanks even more for you support with the Toolkit! Really helps me to fund these videos and software requirements!!
Awesome video. I really like hearing peoples educated opinion on gear. It give me a sense of direction when I’m looking into making a purchase. Since photography gear isn’t cheap, it’s good to know what the pros and cons are before the money is spent. Keep up the great work.
Your videos are so relevant for someone who lives in a climate very similar to yours with the issues of heat, drought and flood. You are also demystifying South Africa for me and make me appreciate that I can walk pretty much anywhere I want in the bush I usually shoot in far north tropical Australia. Being stuck shooting from a car as much as it appears you are, for numerous reasons (safety & regulation?), is not for me. Cyclone season here now too. Thanks Will.
Hi David, thanks for watching. Yeah, it is a great thing to be able to walk around the bush. So hard to do here. More and more we are seeing the reintroduction of species into areas that were safe to walk. e.g. Lions , elephants and rhinos in Marakele (a really scenic hiking area). Now we can't leave the vehicle. I get why they do it, for tourism and also conservation, but it is not nice being cooped up in a car and unable to shoot the angles. In Liuwa plains in Zambia, they have a rule that you can exit the car and stay within 10m - I was able to shoot from the roof and also the ground. I had a nice moment with a hyena walking past 1m away from me - not necessarily wise but I let it approach me in a squatting position and figured I could stand to change my 'threat' profile if I needed it to back off. It's a real liberation. It does get to me sometimes that we are nanny'd so much - I did spend some time up a tree after dark evading a hippo a while back too, It was scary but enjoyable too... Back in the 1900's people could go where they wanted. Even the 60's in Zambia - my mums dogs were eaten by leopard and my grandma chased up the drive by some lions - adds spice to life!
@@WillGoodlet big cats, rhino and elephants don't mix with unsupervised tourists I guess. I saw you evading an elephant in one video in the car. One rule for everyone I assume. Amazing what you can do with 400mm from the car. Very impressive. Hiking and 4WDing are huge here, you would love it. Take care and thanks.
Great fluent video on what would otherwise have been a very boring topic. I particularly liked how you went through the pros and cons where you obviously brought your own experience to bear and that kept it interesting. You could tell you’d used them all and tried to get them all to work in a variety of situations. Keep going!! Bruce
Thanks Geoff, would like to try it! I think with heads, certainly in my case, they are a grudge purchase, and I accumulated a whole bunch looking for a 'value' option instead of buying one or two great ones. In any event, for most of my wildlife shooting the fluids are working well now and I like the ball the rest of the time.
Very good video Will. One of the better ones I’ve seen about stabilization equipment. I don’t do video, but it was still nice to learn about this equipment. Thanks for making and sharing all this info. Most informative.👍👍
Great video, Will. Agree with Simon Bunyard re the newer Flexshooter ball head. Ive skipped on the traditional tripod heads and just ordered the new Flexshooter Pro from B&H. Its a game changer.
Great video. I had never thought of using a ballhead under sling from a tripod or super clamp (though the clamp alone weighs more than my gimbal!). I have just bought a 3 legged thing fluid head and am enjoying it immensely. No control over pan and tilt setting but happily works for me as is. Also it has an arca clamp so no endlessly changing plates. And for travel I use a Jobu micro gimbal that is like the Sidekick just smaller and lighter. Stay safe and well.
Hudson Henry persuaded me that a video tripod for landscape photography is a good idea. The clearance for the battery grip problem might be solved with an arca swiss clamp adding to the height.
Hi Will I’ve had almost everything under the sun, but the best I have found for photography (not video) is the German FLM ball he’d. A superb bit of kit, silky smooth and precision built. Makes Manfrotto look like cheap tat. Having said that, I am using a tripod les and less as inbuilt IS of Olympus cameras and lenses is fantastic.
Hi Ray, yes I think we all end up collecting a bit of tat at first and then settle on something decent with experience. I remember trying to persuade my sister when she started (she's a chef/food photographer/blogger) that she didn't need to buy a Canon 24-70 F2.8 ii at vast expense and just to get a tripod and use the 50mm 1.4 she already had! Wow was she resistant. No need to hand hold food shots in a dark kitchen! I think a lot of people think camera and lens before support.
Thanks, Will. I sometimes find mounting a camera body directly on to the video head (rather than to a foot on a long lens) can be a pain as the body itself can foul the locking knob or the pan arm on my Benro head. On the other hand, I’m fine with the battery grip on my particular set up. Some of these things only come to light once you’ve lived with a head for a while. I just know I need to improve mine which is why I was watching this. Oh, and I also use mine for a spotting scope.
You didn't mention the Uniqball, or the newer Flex Shooter ball heads, that allow you to adjust the head for level panning, and then give you controlled movement in the horizontal and vertical planes, without the camera flopping to the side. These combine the best aspects of both the classic ball head and the gimbal head, without the problems inherent in either. The Flex Shooter is now the only head I take with me, for landscape and wildlife photography. It handles my 600mm f/4 as well as the Wimberley gimbal.
Very interesting. Never heard of this ball head. Can it handle a Canon FD 800mm 5.6 L lens with Canon T90 body (total weight of 6.0 kg = 13.3 lb) ?? Thank you.
Another informative video Will. I guess the only way to mount a ballhead or any other head on car door is with a doorbracket of some sorts? Or do you have a few tricks up your sleeve? What about a video on the most common mistakes people new to nature/wildlife photography make. Just an idea.
Hey Izak, thanks for watching. I think there may be very heavy beanbags that have a screw thread that mounts a head? I'm not sure if I am imagining this or I saw it somewhere though! Alternatively, I have often though of mounting some kind of swing down arm to my roofrack and mounting the ball upside down to that. And then finally, if you don't want to use a bag or a door mount for wildlife there is always the belt loop or strap option. In my case I'd dangle a strap from the roofrack an hook it to the lens - but thats not for balls. Oh! I forgot, I've seen Hahnes Lochners landy has a rail mounted all along the side for clamping heads and lights to. Obviously, quite a radical decision to alter the vehicle like that :) Thanks for the video idea! I know I make mistakes all the time - pot calling the kettle black as they say!?
Great topic,I found the Flexshooter Pro to be the most versatile head available,I am not affiliated with them,but after using Pro Media Gear,various models,Wemberley and Manfrotto the Flexshooter is the best of both. Hello Will,best wishes mate,
Hi David, thanks. I haven't heard of them, they aren't available in SA, which is fairly standard for accessories. I shall have to do some research - it would be nice not to need so many heads. I doubt I would get away from the need for a fluid head though?
Very relevant Will - I use a Benro fibre tripod with an Acratech Panoramic head and leveler together with a Benro GHA "sidekick" gimbal. This facilitates all the angles of movement and is small enough for transportation. Thanks Will.
Hi Axel, thanks for this info - I'm lucky at the moment with Basil acting as my camera bag but I hope to travel lighter in future, so I'll check this gear out.
Not boring at all Will, excellent overview of the various options, their strengths and weaknesses. BTW if you hadn't mentioned the cyclone I wouldn't have known, the audio was fine.
I on occasion use my gimbal head for shooting birds in flight but none of these manufacturers offer a suggestion for the fact that the fluids get soooo sticky in winter cold temperatures as to make the Gimbal unusable. They don't even answer my queries about a possible fix. Thanks for a great video as always.
Hi Larry, yeah I've read about that too. I did read somewhere about a special head or fluid change - obviously we don't suffer from nearly as cold conditions over here. But it's definitely an issue for anyone in colder climates. If I remember, the topic was on older fluid heads and the fact that these were made specifically for use in cold climates and modern equivalents were unavailable? - I'll if I can find it again.
I've made my own modification to my gimbal to give me an adjustable drag, with a 'spring-loaded' function, so that it has adjustable friction, instead of the ON/OFF locking...this gives quite smooth tracking,
@@WillGoodlet Also not available in AU, I had to order one direct from the manufacturer. Built like a brick and works just like a gimbal except you can't pinch your fingers ! Fine for my Sony 200-600 but I am sure it will also be fine for a bigger 600 f4. The only thing it doesn't do is panning for panoramas since you can't independently lock vertical movement.
Another great upload and imparting of real world experience...... I know you have made a video previously about your "vehicle door" mounted system but was hoping to see some reference to it with "heads" you have or can use with it.
Hi, I use the doormount with all the heads in this video. The articulated arm on the mount has an arca profile so I can fit a clamp (made for the doormount) to the bottom of each head and change them very quickly. I keep three heads lined up on the back seat and just grab the one I need. I'll try to put together a more in-depth video about it.
Excellent video. Sorry, but you do have security stops on the Arca Swiss type QR plates. I have 2 RRS QR release plates and do have the security stops at both ends to prevent your rig (camera and telephoto lens) from sliding out of the clamp. I have also flanges to put on the plate if needed. I have Wimberley MH-200 gimball head and I am very pleased with it fir my wildlife photography don't do videos though. I have an Arca Swiss ballhead B1 for my general photography and landscape photography. I understand that a Fluid head would be the right choice..but, thete tow points to consider with Fluid heads, the load capacity and the maintenance..I never used one, but cannot say much about that..really. For me, all these different heads are just tools in the box. each one has its own use.. Said that, great video and thank you very much for sharing your experiences with these heads and showing their pros and cons..this will help a lot of people in their choice for their type of photography they do.Agree with with, if I had to keep one head, it will be the Ballhead for its versatility Well done, Will.
Thanks so much for watching and more importantly for the extra details and experience in your comment, it’s very helpful for everyone! All the best, Will
Hey Will, another video full of great ideas, albeit not the most sexy subject. The cost of gimbals always put me off but I found a Yelangu A17 head from China at about a quarter of the price of a Benro (in RSA anyway) and so far it has proved to be smooth, well built and reliable. My largest lens is the Canon 100-400 with a 2x but I reckon it would also support the bigger lenses I can’t afford!
Cheers Steve. Thanks for the info on the Yelangu, it's great to see all these options appearing. It used to be a very niche option but its good to see some competition. We get very few of the options available in the US or UK over here. The retailers tend to stick to the well known brands whom they have relationships with. Import duties can also be prohibitive. I get very jealous when I see so many simple solutions on Amazon, or used hear at B&H and KES that I can't lay my hands on.
That’s a very relevant video Will. I have changed through the different heads over the years too, and have concluded the fluid head is my favourite choice. My ballhead is on a shelf gathering dust, my gimbal is too but I hope to get it out if airshows ever happen again! The only issue with the fluid head, as you say is levelling it. No problem if you have plenty of cash but all gets expensive if not. I might have to sell my body, but doubt it’s worth much
Hi Andrew, thanks for watching it. Yeah, I doubt there are many who haven't got a collection of heads. My problem is I tried to buy cheap/value and ended up buying more than one. Are the airshows in doubt due to covid or the crash a while back?
@@WillGoodlet Airshows were stopped by Covid. The crash had the effect of keeping the aircraft more distant from the crowd. However some Airshows are advertising this year so I hope! I am like you, buy cheap but not always worth it! I am planning to start a n aircraft photography channel this spring so might ask you to judge it if you are interested!
Awesome, Sunday just got better lol ... just off to get a Coffee!!! Back and watched 😂..... Have you seen the FlexShooter ballheads, quite expensive but i like the look of them. Jealous of your FStopper bag ive had one on order for over a month now and im being told its down to importing into the UK due to Brexit? cant see it to be fair as ive had stuff shipped in since ordering it Via Ireland etc with no problems at all 🤔..... Great video well presented as always buddy, and yes, im a nerd.... lol
Thanks JP. No I haven't heard of it before - we don't get a lot of accessories imported here as we are such a small market, so we are often behind the latest gear. I just wanted to talk about what I use and why. All my bags were stolen (x 3) The Fstop is not big enough but it is a nice bag. I am going to get a couple custom made over here when I get a chance, the one thing we do have is some great makers of rifle cases etc... that can make stuff for cameras to spec.
@@WillGoodlet I've bought a 70ltr with all the gubbins kit one so hopefully that will be fine for my needs, have a look at that head, i'm trying to get over the fact its 450 quid then ill probably get one, i currently use the Gitzo tripod and fluid gimbal for my 300 and 600 but that ball head looks the business and is very compact...Custom made bag sounds great! hurry up and get one so when i come to SA i can pick one up lol 😂
Will, my apologies if you’ve already answered this question, but have you considered the Gitzo 2-way Fluid Head (GHF2W)? It has fluid cartridges for smooth operation, allows the use of standard Arca-Swiss lens/camera plates, and doesn’t break the bank at a little over US$300. What I don’t know is whether it balances with a battery grip on the camera. Used with the leveling base and tripod that I saw earlier on in this video, that might make a solid setup that isn’t too difficult to pack.
Hi Philip, thanks for watching and the suggestion. No, I hadn't seen or heard of it. Normally, I shy away from Gitzo because there is often a massive markup applied here. But I see it is listed at $313 (but no stock). The only issue I see is the payload at 4kg is quite a lot lower than my needs. Thanks for pointing the option out!
Great point about the Gitzo head’s payload - I hadn’t noticed that detail. I have a different question though. What’s that support device on the door of your vehicle? You usually have that Benro or Manfrotto head attached to it. Is it custom manufactured?
@@WillGoodlet Thanks mate, I am watching it now. Will, you have a wealth of knowledge to share keep it up. Hopefully, We will be abler to catch up in SA when this Covid-19 in more controlled. Take care.
I have a Really Right Stuff ball head although it doesn`t get a lot of use . Its on a Manfrotto Art 190 tripod which I`ve had for probably over 30 years .
Yeah, if you get the good stuff to begin with (unlike me!!) you can use it forever. I would have saved a lot if I had just bought a good ball at the beginning. I now have 3 useless balls, 1 OK ball and a good one. I am lucky in that I can use the bad balls for attaching gopros and the like...at least
What do you mean at 9:10 that you can't level the camera side to side? Of course you can, just loosen the knob on the side of your lens and it swivels. Obviously you can't do that with all lenses when it's the camera that's mounted to the gimbal, rather than the lens, but you certainly can with the lens you're using here.
Oh haha, just answered your other comment! Yes, it's a fairly substantial topic, I wasn't sure if most people on here were mainly stills shooters. But I do have some info I could share on this.
Hi Will, I learn so much from you, thank you. And I must apologise I often forget to like a video after watching it. I haven't watched one yet I haven't liked. Cheers from the Flinders Ranges South Australia.
tzur lisbona לפני שנייה will, thank you. you raised my problems exactly. got to the same conclusions. one note though: as we move to mirrorless, gear gets lighter. with time, I will immigrate and trade my beloved, expensive lenses to native mirroless mount. this means lighter heads. today I use a 2.7 KG system, might get to 3.2 with the grip. so, a manfrotto 500MH is the next purchase. don't like this firm too much, but they seem to be the reasonable price to value choice. hope it will do the job. thank u.
@@WillGoodlet still going to RSA in July hope we can meet and shot together. Will go first to the Kgadagari first for two weeks then drive to Johannesburg
Hopefully by July things will be a lot better - although we are predicted to have a 3rd wave here around then, hopefully there will be a vaccine program kicking in by then.
Thanks Will. Good timing have just been trying to figure out how to stabilize my videos as I have been hand holding up till now and even with the in body stabilization on the R5 it is not perfect.
Hi, thanks for watching. Yeah keeping steady isn't easy - really hard hand-held. You can also do a lot to help by shooting a high frame rate, but you probably know that already? I am shooting a 60fps at the moment and slowing down to 23.976 on the timeline which evens out a lot of the jitter.
Will another good video. Could not agree more with you on the Gimbal especially shooting from inside the car. The height of the camera then also makes it difficult. On other videos from you I do see you are using the Gimpro door bracket. However, are you using the ball head, fluid head or gimbal on the gimpro door bracket. I also find the gimpro door bracket a nightmare to deal with depending on the car model. What are other options for shooting from inside a car?
Hi Alpesh, I use mainly the fluid head on the Gimpro. But there is a clamp one can screw in the bottom of the heads. I have one on each of my heads so I change head very quickly if needed. I think the newer brackets fit a few different vehicles. The original one I use was made for landrovers specifically, so it works really well. If I didn't have the gimpro, I'd use a beanbag. I've also seen some nice brackets made in the US - www.eckla.de/en/eckla-eagle.html - I like that you can mount this inside. Also, you can make things very simple! Two poles with padding arranged on top of the passenger seat and dashboard horizontally and strapped tight. Your camera bag fits on the seat underneath and you shoot out the left window braced on the poles.
I think it is interesting that if you could only keep one head it would be a ball. I'm beginning to think I'm alone in disliking them! I hate not being able to lock one axis, other than the fudge method which I wouldn't trust with expensive gear as I'm concerned it could easily shear the ball. For my gimbal I always use a Sirui levelling head. Cheap, light and very effective. The Benro carbon fiber head is already light so no issues with weight. In fact the Sirui is great with any pan and tilt head
By design, or the lack of, all video heads present a problem when used for still photography: how do you shoot in portrait mode? Though not nearly 50/50, I found myself in portrait mode quite often intuitively.
I almost never shoot portrait. But with the tele's that I use pretty much all the time, it's easy to rotate to portrait. Understandably this is not possible for a lot of the shorter lenses. For wildlife, using tele's, the video heads are a good fit generally. Especially for hybrid shooting.
Hi have a Gitzo Series 3 non Centre Colum Graphite Tripod for in camp Birds etc and Landscapes all over SA. The Head I use for my new Nikon Mirrorless Wild Life system lens (70-200 f2.8 S Plus 2.0 x Convertor on Full Frame Z Mount camera (DX for 600mm) BH 1 Kirk Head >> For camera support driving around I use a OD Photo Supplied Badger Bag for the Door frame ..ROCK SOLID and far Quicker than Gimbal jobs etc
By the time all the knobs etvc have been set etc >> Subject usually has moved, Ran away , Flown away ..I need speed for that first shot so Bean Bag it is
Thanks Peter, pretty much the same as me. I originally bought the gimbal and door mount for use with the 6KG unstabilised Sigma 300-800 so they were great for that. The bean bags were ok but huge risk of falling out or over. With my 400 I can use a bean bag now too but not for video and also, the design on the canon 400 is a bit problematic with bags as they easily move the focus wheel. But yeah, bean bags are good too.
As always a very informative and thought provoking video. I never thought of using a ball head in the ways you demonstrated. I personally use a Benro Gimbal head for wildlife using long lenses from 100-400 and 500 f/4. I shoot most of my video on an M50 with some M series lenses as well as with the 100-400 with EF-M adapter. Do you think a fluid head would be best for the M50?
Hey Martin, thanks for watching and the info here - I think we are in a lucky position as wildlifers. For video, we have such tight shots most of the time that levelling is not an issue. I find that pans feel a little 'retro' to me, so I'm trying to use them less. The fluid heads really help when shooting tight B-roll when you need smooth movements for foliage, tilt-ups along roads - that kind of stuff, I like them a lot. For stills a gimbal is fine too. But you are doing commercial work, interiors, exteriors, buildings maybe people? Little different to me. You may find a fluid really good for that. Also any kind of product shot, plate of food on a table etc... With the M50 IS, 60FPs you can pan reasonably well if you then slow down the video in post and stabilise it.
Your still images always appear to be pin sharp. Do you turn off the image stabilising system on you cameras and lenses when using camera support in your Land Rovers and tripod and/or monopod. Thank you for the excellent videos. Alun
Hi Alun, generally I don’t unless I remember to at very high shutter speeds! Normally I’m just grabbing the camera to take advantage of a moment and leave stabilization on in case I have to hand hold. Some canon lenses purport to have tripod sensing features so perhaps that is helpful
I've been watching so many videos for such a long time on photography, kit and techniques etc, in an attempt to drive my own photography to the next level (I've been taking very average images since a boy!) - away from the technical towards the thinking, art and emotion. As a predominantly wildlife and nature photographer we are bombarded by kit updates and technical comparisons - it's really overwhelming. I watched your video on sharpness and was really moved by your thoughts on the art and emotion of photography (in ref to the elephant image you took). What if we could combine nature and wildlife with the same (non-constant scientific approach) to photography? Combine nature / wildlife with the art and expression of say Roni Horn, Eggleston or Winogrand?? Maybe too ambitious. I know one thing - we all just need to get out there, be empathic, really look... and tell a story from our own experience... it's that which is important I think.
Hi Kevin, yes I know and feel the same. The products and reviews bury everything else. You've probably come across that famous quote by Wittgenstein - 'the limits of my language mean the limits of my world' and it strikes me as resoundingly true of internet search engines. They aren't passive - but shape most of what we see and read - it's disturbing - placing products ahead of art and ideas. It seems to me that there is a lot to nature photography and not all of it is actually about photography! To be capable of producing great images - like the heroes of photography - well that would be something - but so is their inspiration to, as you say, 'tell a story from our own experience'.
Excellent content as usual Will. I've been toying with getting a fluid head, looking at the Manfrotto 502. Is the Benro worth the extra money? I have the Benro GH5C carbon fibre gimbal and it is a supberb head, strong light and smooth. I also have a Manfrotto 3 way head which is also very good, so I'm torn!
Hi Tristan - I'm copy pasting a response below - I haven't yet decided on it. Subject of the next video if you have time....? PS. I finally got my pin from google :) Was demonetised for a while too - boy did that make me grumpy! That's a tough one and the subject of an upcoming video head to head. It will depend on your equipment and how important video is to you. The Manfrotto has better and more consistent drag adjustment. The Benro tends to loosen and tighten in the pans (which is awful) unless it's above '7' in the 1-10 adjustment. For big lenses you would want 10 for video anyway. It also doesn't lock down as firmly as the Manfrotto despite being heavier and having more metal build and more expense. But, the motion of the beginning and ends of the pans and tilts is definitely better in the benro. It produces better video. The other advantage of the Benro is the adjustable counter balance, this makes it FAR better for large lenses and video equipment. For 70-200 and 100-400 the Manfrotto is fine. If video 'sticktion' is not a big problem (primarily a stills shooter) the Manfrotto is my preference. For better video and 400-500-600mm lenses the Benro is my preference.
@@WillGoodlet thanks Will. For my needs it sounds like the Manfrotto will so the trick. I dont have any of the large lenses (yet!), using a combo of a 70-200 2.8 and the two Nikon PF lenses (300 amd 500, super sharp and light)
haha. Thanks again, ball head under tripod, never even knew you could do it... Another good video tried the upside-down ball head worked a treat :) im going to get a fluid head soon. Whats the best ball head you recommend for a all-round set up, Canon 6d mk2 with sigma 150 600.. .
Hi Rick, thanks :) I've had my ballhead so long now that I am out of touch! There must be a lot of new contenders. I also see some of the guys have been talking about the flexshooter - that looks pretty awesome (but pricey!) The good news is that unlike cameras, heads will be with you for many years so it's worth making a good choice.
A descent pan head will always outperform a ball head. Ball heads are awful at tracking, slow, unstable and unpleasant to use. I hate my ball heads. Give me gimbal or fluid any day. If a lens isn't internally focusing then it will thow off the balance - especially on a gimbal. Those Mafer super clamps are fantastic especially along with a magic arm. Most arca swiss plates come with the same safety stop...
Thanks for watching and your thoughts Roy, have you tried out the Flexshooter people are suggesting? Looks interesting. My arca plates have an end stop but not one I trust as much as the locks on the video plates.
![Best TRIPOD HEAD for WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY | Ballhead vs gimbal vs video head [photo friday]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/eL4eOVsvO4g/mqdefault.jpg)
Who would have thought that something so boring was such fun! More please!
Thank You. Very informative on various tripod heads , and its various issues.
Glad it was helpful!
You have a gift for anticipating a question and answering it (even before it is asked). Amazing! Lucid and useful. Thank you.
Thanks glad to help Sreeni!
I wish this video had been available last year when I bought my gimbal. I’ve noticed a few wildlife photographers seem to be using fluid heads now. It was a superb, informative presentation Will, and should answer most people’s questions. Thanks for the top-notch videos you’re giving on CZcams. You have a great presentation style, which makes your content easy to watch in addition to being full of learning-goodness 😀
Thanks Stephen, really appreciate the encouragement - I hope you are at least happy with your gimbal? Are you doing video as well?
@@WillGoodlet Hi Will - I do love the gimbal, and I hadn’t really thought of doing video when I bought it. It was the right choice at the time but I think a fluid head would have been a more flexible choice in retrospect. The worst thing about the gimbal is like you pointed out = it’s very hard to carry in a backpack!
I bought a Manfroto and since using it, I wish I had bought it first. I strongly dislike the ball head.
Thank you so much for your prompt and helpful rely Will. Very much appreciated. Alun
You have to get the tripod level if you are using a ballhead too, if you want to pan. For this reason, I don't use one. There are two workarounds I know.
. Use a rotator between camera and head. This allows you to level the camera with the head, then pan.
. Use a levelling base between tripod and head. It's like having your bowl tripod base, (You said bowl, I heard ball). It also converts any plate to ARCA Swiss.
. Some manufacturers put the rotator at the top of the ballhead. I haven't used one, I expect they're fine.
I haven't used a camera-top gimbal. There are those electronically-controlled ones from DJI etc. They might not be good for wildlife, but I think they'd be awesome for landscape photography.
I have settled on video heads, with a levelling base where needed.
Thanks for watching and the great info. I sometimes use a levelling base too. Luckily, many of my pans are very tight with no horizon, so it's easy to correct them. For wider lenses though, it's much easier to use a levelling head as you say.
I haven't tried the electronic heads either. I do have a nodal head (nodal ninja 4) which I didn't show in the video - I use it for astro landscapes and it is invaluable.. Love it.
I I really like the way you are going in to detail, Awesome 👍
Yup! I'm a nerd. I didn't realise that the Manfrotto plate had become a sort of standard for video heads. I've been unsuccessfulylooking for Arca compatible video heads. Now I know why. I use plate adaptors on various heads where I cant replace the "plate holder" They work well with lighter lenses/spotting scopes but less so with 500 f4. as they twist abd become loose.
Hi, thanks for watching. I think (not that I have laid my hands on them) that some of the longer clamp adapters have two or more screw holes and because most 502 plates are used on video rigs, they also have two or more screws, or a screw and locating pin. This should prevent the twisting problem?
Really enjoy your delivery and excellent information. As a SA living in the UK, it nice to hear that you’re in SA. Was hoping to see some bird life behind you in garden. Could hear them and made me homesick. Thanks for the excellent video.
Picked up a couple of tips today. Thanks
Excellent!
Veri informative and enjoyable video. Thanks, Stefano
Thanks for watching Stefano!
Superb presentation. "Liked" and suscribed, and looking forward to many more of your very thorough presentations.
Thanks for watching Bob, great to have you here :)
Not at all boring. Useful information. Thanks for discussing the pros and cons of the various kinds of tripod heads.
Haha :) Thanks Paul! Glad you found it useful
You deserved a million subscribers!
Haha thanks :)
Hi Will. I know a couple of others have commented on them too but I use a Uniqball (same basic principle as the Flexshooter) and really love the way it combines the benefits of a ball head fluid head and gimbal whilst avoiding some of the downsides.
Thanks. Yep I am behind the times it seems!
No problem and still a useful video Will. With my Uniqball , as with most things, there are still compromises but overall it suits me.
Astrophotography tripods avoid the problem. Adjust the legs near enough right, use the bubble to level the ball mount, then use the fluid head bubble to level the platform. So easy.
You should have a look at the flexshooter heads... interesting compromise between a ballhead and a gimbal head....
Yes they look interesting thanks for the suggestion - not sure how they will suit me because of video. But not available here and pricing in Rand probably prohibitive given the exchange rate.
Thank you for explaining the difference between all the heads. Appreciate the show and tell of all the different heads
Thanks for watching Paul :)
really enjoying your videos Cant wait to use some of your knowledge
Wonderful to hear this, thanks Geri
Thanks! This video helped me to save alot of money, I was about to buy gimbal head, but i will go for fluid head for wildlife now:)
Glad it helped in the decision:) thanks for watching!
A superb video, brilliantly explained, and so very useful to any photographer interested in stability, manoeuvrability, and ease of use in regard to the various tripod heads. You're a star. Many thanks.
Thanks so much Daniel! I was worried I would bore people to death - glad you survived it! ;)
Fantastic presentation. I loved to watch it.
A superb description of the benefits vs limitations of various heads. Given I’m enjoying the video side of things, I will now avoid Gimbal!
Thank you for the pertinent explanations. For wildlife your channel is indispensable
Thank you! I am often a bit lost as to whether anyone will find these videos useful. Glad they have been.
Hi Will, Just wanted to let you know that your content and how you present is perfect. Thanks for all your hard work. Coming to you from central Canada.
Hi Richard, really appreciate this encouraging comment. Thank you. Hope it's not to cold there!!!
Perfect timing for this video Will... As I have just started looking for a decent head... thanks again
Great, hope it helped in your decisions. Thanks for watching David!
Thank you for a very practical discussion on the various types of Tripod Heads. I've been trying to talk myself into a Gimbal Mount for the past few months. After all, most of the 'cool kids' on the InterWeb have them. 😊 After a great deal of research and soul searching I've decided my Sachtler FSB-8 Fluidhead does everything I require of it. I've not found anything, with the exception of raising the height (without adjusting the tripod) I can't do with the Fluidhead. Plus, there's the video application. I use my rig with a Sony a6700 and Sony SEL200600G lens. For most wildlife and birds I use the Fluidhead without the Pan/Tilt arm. Just like a Gimbal I pan/tilt the lens holding the body with the one hand, and steady the lens with the other. My 'off hand' is used to zoom and focus. When balanced, with Drag and Counterbalance properly adjusted, the camera wil stay in position at the end of any pan/tilt. A big plus IMHO. All I can say is it works for me. If, I hadn't already owned the Sachtler FSB-8 I might have gone a different way?
I think you made the right choice. That fluid head is by all accounts excellent.
Excellent information, Will. The Sidekick-type accessory seems like the most flexible and compact approach for stills shooters traveling by air though that approach would put even more stress on the stem of the ball head, I suppose.
Thanks Timothy! I am getting a lot of comments about the Flexshooter - I hadn't heard of it, maybe check it out too.
Thank you
You're welcome Natalia :)
Thanks, Will: you are my 'go to guru' for technical stuff. One thing that is so important to me is the weight situation- both carrying around and aircraft weight limits (chance would be a fine thing!). I guess I must be a nerd as I watched until the end!
Thanks again Christine :) I am told by other commenters that the Flexshooter is ticking a lot of boxes for them - it looks good, although I didn't know about it.
I have used a fluid head for long lens stills wildlife photography for around 20 years now and I swear by them. My old original manfrotto 501 is just about still serviceable and I use it on a very old tripod whenever I need support in ponds, rivers or other watery situations. I now have the Manfrotto 502 as my main head and a Benro S6 as an additional back up. I do own a ball head but am not a big fan having 'cut my photographic teeth' as it were, on the old standard 3 way head. The 3 way head is a great piece of kit, giving a good range of movement on 3 axis and is perfect for landscape, macro and most static subjects. It does fall short when it comes to moving subjects though.
As with most things in this life, tripod heads are subject to whims. It seems that so many newcomers to photography have an inordinate desire to emulate their CZcams heroes and buy whatever equipment their favourite host is currently using in the hope that they may become better photographers themselves.
Well explained Will and you actually opened my eyes to some of the possibilities of the ball head which I hadn't previously thought of.
All the best.
Thanks for this Robert. Great to hear how you shoot. I prefer Fluids too - but if it's pure stills photography for landscape then I like the ball for compactness and easy use. I also have an ancient (and enormous) Manfrotto 3-way which I didn't introduce as there was a focus on wildlife. I like them, but this one is far too big for hiking.
The trouble I have is also shooting video, I pretty much have to do that now wherever I go - unless I take a break and shoot only for myself. So a fluid has to go along too.
@@WillGoodlet hi Will, I never shoot video so I don't have that issue.
My 3 way head is also ancient. It is coupled with a huge manfrotto triaut tripod which was bought around 1982 to support my equally huge Mamiya RB67. I'm glad I'm not carrying that lot around any more. It's probably the reason why my back and joints are in such a state. 😢
That first spider shot was awesome! 🕸
Cheers Ray, I think it is a silver vlei spider from the indigenous forest near Magoebaskloof - can't wait to head up there for the channel (it's upside down in the pic tho' - artistic licence).
By far the best explanation I've ever heard of the ball head, gimbal, and fluid head. Wow! I learned so much! I had the privilege of being in your beautiful country in the late 1980s and got to tour Kruger Natl Park. I'll never forget it, but I wish I knew then what I know now. You've got a new like and a new subscriber!
Hi Hugh, thanks for watching and the sub! Welcome
I'm so glad you found the video useful. Great to hear that you visited Kruger - I'm busy planning another trip there right now :)
Very helpful and interesting. Just in the process of deciding on a new tripod and head so great timing. Also thanks for reminding us all of your wildlife toolkit. Got it recently and would recommend it to anyone.
Hi Neil, thanks for watching and glad it was helpful. Some people are talking about the Flex shooter (which I haven't heard of - SA is about 20 years behind the rest of the world ;) ) Probably worth checking that out too - it looks interesting.
Thanks even more for you support with the Toolkit! Really helps me to fund these videos and software requirements!!
Awesome video. I really like hearing peoples educated opinion on gear. It give me a sense of direction when I’m looking into making a purchase. Since photography gear isn’t cheap, it’s good to know what the pros and cons are before the money is spent. Keep up the great work.
Thanks so much for watching Daniel, great to hear that you found it useful!
Your videos are so relevant for someone who lives in a climate very similar to yours with the issues of heat, drought and flood. You are also demystifying South Africa for me and make me appreciate that I can walk pretty much anywhere I want in the bush I usually shoot in far north tropical Australia. Being stuck shooting from a car as much as it appears you are, for numerous reasons (safety & regulation?), is not for me. Cyclone season here now too. Thanks Will.
Hi David, thanks for watching. Yeah, it is a great thing to be able to walk around the bush. So hard to do here. More and more we are seeing the reintroduction of species into areas that were safe to walk. e.g. Lions , elephants and rhinos in Marakele (a really scenic hiking area). Now we can't leave the vehicle. I get why they do it, for tourism and also conservation, but it is not nice being cooped up in a car and unable to shoot the angles.
In Liuwa plains in Zambia, they have a rule that you can exit the car and stay within 10m - I was able to shoot from the roof and also the ground. I had a nice moment with a hyena walking past 1m away from me - not necessarily wise but I let it approach me in a squatting position and figured I could stand to change my 'threat' profile if I needed it to back off. It's a real liberation. It does get to me sometimes that we are nanny'd so much - I did spend some time up a tree after dark evading a hippo a while back too, It was scary but enjoyable too... Back in the 1900's people could go where they wanted. Even the 60's in Zambia - my mums dogs were eaten by leopard and my grandma chased up the drive by some lions - adds spice to life!
@@WillGoodlet big cats, rhino and elephants don't mix with unsupervised tourists I guess. I saw you evading an elephant in one video in the car. One rule for everyone I assume. Amazing what you can do with 400mm from the car. Very impressive. Hiking and 4WDing are huge here, you would love it. Take care and thanks.
Great fluent video on what would otherwise have been a very boring topic. I particularly liked how you went through the pros and cons where you obviously brought your own experience to bear and that kept it interesting. You could tell you’d used them all and tried to get them all to work in a variety of situations. Keep going!! Bruce
Hi Bruce, thanks for watching and making it through :) Thanks for the encouraging comment too!
Great comparison! At 10:38 - this is where I find the fluid gimbal from Gitzo, along with a levelling bowl, really delivers the best of both :)
Thanks Geoff, would like to try it! I think with heads, certainly in my case, they are a grudge purchase, and I accumulated a whole bunch looking for a 'value' option instead of buying one or two great ones. In any event, for most of my wildlife shooting the fluids are working well now and I like the ball the rest of the time.
Very good video Will. One of the better ones I’ve seen about stabilization equipment. I don’t do video, but it was still nice to learn about this equipment. Thanks for making and sharing all this info. Most informative.👍👍
Cheers Terry, thanks for watching once again. Appreciate it and your kind comments :)
Brilliant content Will, thank you for making these videos!
Glad you like them!
Great video, Will. Agree with Simon Bunyard re the newer Flexshooter ball head. Ive skipped on the traditional tripod heads and just ordered the new Flexshooter Pro from B&H. Its a game changer.
Yes they look pretty nice - shame I have such a large collection now!! Kind of stuck with it.
Thank you for the walk through Will. In my opinion like camera bags, you can never get by with just one tripod or head!
Haha sounds about right to me!
Great video. I had never thought of using a ballhead under sling from a tripod or super clamp (though the clamp alone weighs more than my gimbal!). I have just bought a 3 legged thing fluid head and am enjoying it immensely. No control over pan and tilt setting but happily works for me as is. Also it has an arca clamp so no endlessly changing plates. And for travel I use a Jobu micro gimbal that is like the Sidekick just smaller and lighter. Stay safe and well.
The benefits of lightweight Micro 43!! Thanks for pointing these products out to me
Hudson Henry persuaded me that a video tripod for landscape photography is a good idea.
The clearance for the battery grip problem might be solved with an arca swiss clamp adding to the height.
Hi Will
I’ve had almost everything under the sun, but the best I have found for photography (not video) is the German FLM ball he’d. A superb bit of kit, silky smooth and precision built. Makes Manfrotto look like cheap tat.
Having said that, I am using a tripod les and less as inbuilt IS of Olympus cameras and lenses is fantastic.
Hi Ray, yes I think we all end up collecting a bit of tat at first and then settle on something decent with experience. I remember trying to persuade my sister when she started (she's a chef/food photographer/blogger) that she didn't need to buy a Canon 24-70 F2.8 ii at vast expense and just to get a tripod and use the 50mm 1.4 she already had! Wow was she resistant. No need to hand hold food shots in a dark kitchen! I think a lot of people think camera and lens before support.
Terrific explanations. Thanks for doing this.
A great pleasure :)
Thanks, Will. I sometimes find mounting a camera body directly on to the video head (rather than to a foot on a long lens) can be a pain as the body itself can foul the locking knob or the pan arm on my Benro head. On the other hand, I’m fine with the battery grip on my particular set up. Some of these things only come to light once you’ve lived with a head for a while. I just know I need to improve mine which is why I was watching this. Oh, and I also use mine for a spotting scope.
Yes, you are dead right on that, I forgot to mention it!
You didn't mention the Uniqball, or the newer Flex Shooter ball heads, that allow you to adjust the head for level panning, and then give you controlled movement in the horizontal and vertical planes, without the camera flopping to the side. These combine the best aspects of both the classic ball head and the gimbal head, without the problems inherent in either. The Flex Shooter is now the only head I take with me, for landscape and wildlife photography. It handles my 600mm f/4 as well as the Wimberley gimbal.
Thanks Simon, good to know - I've never heard of them before (I see they are not available here - like most things), I'll check them out.
Very interesting. Never heard of this ball head. Can it handle a Canon FD 800mm 5.6 L lens with Canon T90 body (total weight of 6.0 kg = 13.3 lb) ?? Thank you.
Very informative video and excellent presentation, (as always) thank you.
Cheers Fintan, very kind of you. Thanks for watching and commenting :)
If I had six thumbs you would get them all up. Clear and concise as usual. Thank you sir.
Thanks so much Mike :)
Hi Will, this was fascinating. I learned all new tricks for my old Arca Swiss ballhead.
Thanks Peter, glad it was interesting!
Another informative video Will. I guess the only way to mount a ballhead or any other head on car door is with a doorbracket of some sorts? Or do you have a few tricks up your sleeve? What about a video on the most common mistakes people new to nature/wildlife photography make. Just an idea.
Hey Izak, thanks for watching. I think there may be very heavy beanbags that have a screw thread that mounts a head? I'm not sure if I am imagining this or I saw it somewhere though! Alternatively, I have often though of mounting some kind of swing down arm to my roofrack and mounting the ball upside down to that. And then finally, if you don't want to use a bag or a door mount for wildlife there is always the belt loop or strap option. In my case I'd dangle a strap from the roofrack an hook it to the lens - but thats not for balls. Oh! I forgot, I've seen Hahnes Lochners landy has a rail mounted all along the side for clamping heads and lights to. Obviously, quite a radical decision to alter the vehicle like that :)
Thanks for the video idea! I know I make mistakes all the time - pot calling the kettle black as they say!?
@@WillGoodlet thanks. What is your thoughs on window mounts similar to the ones Vanguard and GPB makes?
I haven't tried them before. I guess they are ok for smaller lenses and camera systems?
Great topic,I found the Flexshooter Pro to be the most versatile head available,I am not affiliated with them,but after using Pro Media Gear,various models,Wemberley and Manfrotto the Flexshooter is the best of both.
Hello Will,best wishes mate,
Hi David, thanks. I haven't heard of them, they aren't available in SA, which is fairly standard for accessories. I shall have to do some research - it would be nice not to need so many heads. I doubt I would get away from the need for a fluid head though?
Very relevant Will - I use a Benro fibre tripod with an Acratech Panoramic head and leveler together with a Benro GHA "sidekick" gimbal. This facilitates all the angles of movement and is small enough for transportation. Thanks Will.
Hi Axel, thanks for this info - I'm lucky at the moment with Basil acting as my camera bag but I hope to travel lighter in future, so I'll check this gear out.
Not boring at all Will, excellent overview of the various options, their strengths and weaknesses. BTW if you hadn't mentioned the cyclone I wouldn't have known, the audio was fine.
Thanks Mick!
Hey Will, yet another very useful video. Really enjoyed it and learnt a bit.
Thanks! Great :)
Thanks Will, good skills. Very helpful. Keep safe.
Thanks Steve you too!
Very nice and informative video. Thank you!
Cheers thanks :)
Hey Will great video, very informative. Thanks for sharing and stay safe!
Thanks. You too JC!
Thanks Will, great Info and advise as usual.
Thank you Ralph :)
I on occasion use my gimbal head for shooting birds in flight but none of these manufacturers offer a suggestion for the fact that the fluids get soooo sticky in winter cold temperatures as to make the Gimbal unusable. They don't even answer my queries about a possible fix. Thanks for a great video as always.
Hi Larry, yeah I've read about that too. I did read somewhere about a special head or fluid change - obviously we don't suffer from nearly as cold conditions over here. But it's definitely an issue for anyone in colder climates.
If I remember, the topic was on older fluid heads and the fact that these were made specifically for use in cold climates and modern equivalents were unavailable? - I'll if I can find it again.
I've made my own modification to my gimbal to give me an adjustable drag, with a 'spring-loaded' function, so that it has adjustable friction, instead of the ON/OFF locking...this gives quite smooth tracking,
Good stuff. How does it work?
Very interested in your mod since I have a gimbal currently
Greetings from Finland. Thanks for the nice videos.
Thanks Benny! :)
Excellent video Will! Thank you for going over all the different types of heads you use. I learned a lot! :-D
Thanks Steve! Glad it was helpful and not too dull :)
You left out the best one - the Flexshooter PRO
I don't own one, and hadn't heard about it. I will look into it although I can't see them available in SA.
@@WillGoodlet Also not available in AU, I had to order one direct from the manufacturer. Built like a brick and works just like a gimbal except you can't pinch your fingers ! Fine for my Sony 200-600 but I am sure it will also be fine for a bigger 600 f4. The only thing it doesn't do is panning for panoramas since you can't independently lock vertical movement.
Have you tried it for video? That's my main limiting factor these days. Looks like a great stills solution especially for travel.
Another great upload and imparting of real world experience...... I know you have made a video previously about your "vehicle door" mounted system but was hoping to see some reference to it with "heads" you have or can use with it.
Hi, I use the doormount with all the heads in this video. The articulated arm on the mount has an arca profile so I can fit a clamp (made for the doormount) to the bottom of each head and change them very quickly. I keep three heads lined up on the back seat and just grab the one I need.
I'll try to put together a more in-depth video about it.
Excellent video. Sorry, but you do have security stops on the Arca Swiss type QR plates. I have 2 RRS QR release plates and do have the security stops at both ends to prevent your rig (camera and telephoto lens) from sliding out of the clamp. I have also flanges to put on the plate if needed. I have Wimberley MH-200 gimball head and I am very pleased with it fir my wildlife photography don't do videos though. I have an Arca Swiss ballhead B1 for my general photography and landscape photography. I understand that a Fluid head would be the right choice..but, thete tow points to consider with Fluid heads, the load capacity and the maintenance..I never used one, but cannot say much about that..really. For me, all these different heads are just tools in the box. each one has its own use.. Said that, great video and thank you very much for sharing your experiences with these heads and showing their pros and cons..this will help a lot of people in their choice for their type of photography they do.Agree with with, if I had to keep one head, it will be the Ballhead for its versatility Well done, Will.
Thanks so much for watching and more importantly for the extra details and experience in your comment, it’s very helpful for everyone! All the best, Will
@@WillGoodlet You are very welcome. Thank you.
Hey Will, another video full of great ideas, albeit not the most sexy subject. The cost of gimbals always put me off but I found a Yelangu A17 head from China at about a quarter of the price of a Benro (in RSA anyway) and so far it has proved to be smooth, well built and reliable. My largest lens is the Canon 100-400 with a 2x but I reckon it would also support the bigger lenses I can’t afford!
Cheers Steve. Thanks for the info on the Yelangu, it's great to see all these options appearing. It used to be a very niche option but its good to see some competition. We get very few of the options available in the US or UK over here. The retailers tend to stick to the well known brands whom they have relationships with. Import duties can also be prohibitive. I get very jealous when I see so many simple solutions on Amazon, or used hear at B&H and KES that I can't lay my hands on.
Thanks for this - very comprehensive.
Thanks Richard.
That’s a very relevant video Will. I have changed through the different heads over the years too, and have concluded the fluid head is my favourite choice. My ballhead is on a shelf gathering dust, my gimbal is too but I hope to get it out if airshows ever happen again! The only issue with the fluid head, as you say is levelling it. No problem if you have plenty of cash but all gets expensive if not. I might have to sell my body, but doubt it’s worth much
Hi Andrew, thanks for watching it. Yeah, I doubt there are many who haven't got a collection of heads. My problem is I tried to buy cheap/value and ended up buying more than one.
Are the airshows in doubt due to covid or the crash a while back?
@@WillGoodlet Airshows were stopped by Covid. The crash had the effect of keeping the aircraft more distant from the crowd. However some Airshows are advertising this year so I hope! I am like you, buy cheap but not always worth it! I am planning to start a n aircraft photography channel this spring so might ask you to judge it if you are interested!
Hi Andrew, great to hear the airshows may be coming back and exciting news on the channel! Look forward to seeing it :)
So, it’s our fault that this is boring?! 😉 well, I found it useful. Thank you 🙏
Happy to hear that!
Check out the Fanotec Eze leveller for use under a gimbal or fluid head!
Thanks Arnold, I had a look. I do have a levelling head but rarely need it.
Awesome, Sunday just got better lol ... just off to get a Coffee!!!
Back and watched 😂..... Have you seen the FlexShooter ballheads, quite expensive but i like the look of them. Jealous of your FStopper bag ive had one on order for over a month now and im being told its down to importing into the UK due to Brexit? cant see it to be fair as ive had stuff shipped in since ordering it Via Ireland etc with no problems at all 🤔..... Great video well presented as always buddy, and yes, im a nerd.... lol
Thanks JP. No I haven't heard of it before - we don't get a lot of accessories imported here as we are such a small market, so we are often behind the latest gear. I just wanted to talk about what I use and why. All my bags were stolen (x 3) The Fstop is not big enough but it is a nice bag. I am going to get a couple custom made over here when I get a chance, the one thing we do have is some great makers of rifle cases etc... that can make stuff for cameras to spec.
@@WillGoodlet I've bought a 70ltr with all the gubbins kit one so hopefully that will be fine for my needs, have a look at that head, i'm trying to get over the fact its 450 quid then ill probably get one, i currently use the Gitzo tripod and fluid gimbal for my 300 and 600 but that ball head looks the business and is very compact...Custom made bag sounds great! hurry up and get one so when i come to SA i can pick one up lol 😂
Will, my apologies if you’ve already answered this question, but have you considered the Gitzo 2-way Fluid Head (GHF2W)? It has fluid cartridges for smooth operation, allows the use of standard Arca-Swiss lens/camera plates, and doesn’t break the bank at a little over US$300. What I don’t know is whether it balances with a battery grip on the camera. Used with the leveling base and tripod that I saw earlier on in this video, that might make a solid setup that isn’t too difficult to pack.
Hi Philip, thanks for watching and the suggestion. No, I hadn't seen or heard of it. Normally, I shy away from Gitzo because there is often a massive markup applied here. But I see it is listed at $313 (but no stock). The only issue I see is the payload at 4kg is quite a lot lower than my needs. Thanks for pointing the option out!
Great point about the Gitzo head’s payload - I hadn’t noticed that detail. I have a different question though. What’s that support device on the door of your vehicle? You usually have that Benro or Manfrotto head attached to it. Is it custom manufactured?
@@ppierpont I have a video on it - it’s a Gimpro door mount made on SA.
czcams.com/video/-b224uT-tVk/video.html
Will, awesome video. Thanks for sharing this information with us. I note you use a Manfrotto and Benro fluid head, any reason for one over the other?
Hi Quentin, I was actually trying them out - I've got a video on it but it is hyper-boring, not sure whether to inflict it on people!
@@WillGoodlet Thanks mate, I am watching it now. Will, you have a wealth of knowledge to share keep it up. Hopefully, We will be abler to catch up in SA when this Covid-19 in more controlled. Take care.
You can use a cheese cake plate or 2 to raise the height..
Have you tried arcatech' s long lens head? You can use arca-swiss plate on it.
I have a Really Right Stuff ball head although it doesn`t get a lot of use .
Its on a Manfrotto Art 190 tripod which I`ve had for probably over 30 years .
Yeah, if you get the good stuff to begin with (unlike me!!) you can use it forever. I would have saved a lot if I had just bought a good ball at the beginning. I now have 3 useless balls, 1 OK ball and a good one.
I am lucky in that I can use the bad balls for attaching gopros and the like...at least
What do you mean at 9:10 that you can't level the camera side to side? Of course you can, just loosen the knob on the side of your lens and it swivels. Obviously you can't do that with all lenses when it's the camera that's mounted to the gimbal, rather than the lens, but you certainly can with the lens you're using here.
Yes you are right I had in mind wide angles while talking , I should have been clearer!
Hi again .I would appreciate a video from you on settings and techniques for video on the R5 and the 100-500 if you have it. Thanks.
Oh haha, just answered your other comment! Yes, it's a fairly substantial topic, I wasn't sure if most people on here were mainly stills shooters. But I do have some info I could share on this.
@@WillGoodlet Wood be appreciated. It is very difficult to find information on videoing for birds when you are just beginning.
@@rentoulzz Ok I will see what I can do :)
Hi Will, I learn so much from you, thank you. And I must apologise I often forget to like a video after watching it. I haven't watched one yet I haven't liked. Cheers from the Flinders Ranges South Australia.
Thanks again Lisa, so glad to hear that! The Flinders look gorgeous!!
tzur lisbona
לפני שנייה
will, thank you. you raised my problems exactly. got to the same conclusions. one note though: as we move to mirrorless, gear gets lighter. with time, I will immigrate and trade my beloved, expensive lenses to native mirroless mount. this means lighter heads. today I use a 2.7 KG system, might get to 3.2 with the grip. so, a manfrotto 500MH is the next purchase. don't like this firm too much, but they seem to be the reasonable price to value choice. hope it will do the job. thank u.
Thanks for the tips and tricks.
No problem!
@@WillGoodlet still going to RSA in July hope we can meet and shot together. Will go first to the Kgadagari first for two weeks then drive to Johannesburg
Hopefully by July things will be a lot better - although we are predicted to have a 3rd wave here around then, hopefully there will be a vaccine program kicking in by then.
@@WillGoodlet lets hope so
Thanks Will. Good timing have just been trying to figure out how to stabilize my videos as I have been hand holding up till now and even with the in body stabilization on the R5 it is not perfect.
Hi, thanks for watching. Yeah keeping steady isn't easy - really hard hand-held. You can also do a lot to help by shooting a high frame rate, but you probably know that already?
I am shooting a 60fps at the moment and slowing down to 23.976 on the timeline which evens out a lot of the jitter.
@@WillGoodlet Thanks for the tip I will try that.
Will another good video. Could not agree more with you on the Gimbal especially shooting from inside the car. The height of the camera then also makes it difficult. On other videos from you I do see you are using the Gimpro door bracket. However, are you using the ball head, fluid head or gimbal on the gimpro door bracket. I also find the gimpro door bracket a nightmare to deal with depending on the car model. What are other options for shooting from inside a car?
Hi Alpesh, I use mainly the fluid head on the Gimpro. But there is a clamp one can screw in the bottom of the heads. I have one on each of my heads so I change head very quickly if needed.
I think the newer brackets fit a few different vehicles. The original one I use was made for landrovers specifically, so it works really well.
If I didn't have the gimpro, I'd use a beanbag. I've also seen some nice brackets made in the US - www.eckla.de/en/eckla-eagle.html - I like that you can mount this inside.
Also, you can make things very simple! Two poles with padding arranged on top of the passenger seat and dashboard horizontally and strapped tight. Your camera bag fits on the seat underneath and you shoot out the left window braced on the poles.
@@WillGoodlet thanks
Very interesting, with the side to side tilt issues on the gimbal and fluid head, is it an option to loosen the lens foot sleeve and rotate the lens?
Yes sure - I do this most of the time. It’s just that some short lenses don’t have that ability
I think it is interesting that if you could only keep one head it would be a ball. I'm beginning to think I'm alone in disliking them! I hate not being able to lock one axis, other than the fudge method which I wouldn't trust with expensive gear as I'm concerned it could easily shear the ball. For my gimbal I always use a Sirui levelling head. Cheap, light and very effective. The Benro carbon fiber head is already light so no issues with weight. In fact the Sirui is great with any pan and tilt head
I have a sirui as well but rarely need to use it. I like the ball for landscapes and travel. very handy.
Great video Will! was wondering if you've heard of the gitzo fluid gimbal head? sounds like a neat option as well
Yes I have! It looks very nice but expensive I’d guess. I haven’t used one myself.
By design, or the lack of, all video heads present a problem when used for still photography: how do you shoot in portrait mode? Though not nearly 50/50, I found myself in portrait mode quite often intuitively.
I almost never shoot portrait. But with the tele's that I use pretty much all the time, it's easy to rotate to portrait. Understandably this is not possible for a lot of the shorter lenses. For wildlife, using tele's, the video heads are a good fit generally. Especially for hybrid shooting.
If you have a high res camera such as the 50 megapixels 5DsR, you don't really need to shoot in portrait.
Hi have a Gitzo Series 3 non Centre Colum Graphite Tripod for in camp Birds etc and Landscapes all over SA. The Head I use for my new Nikon Mirrorless Wild Life system lens (70-200 f2.8 S Plus 2.0 x Convertor on Full Frame Z Mount camera (DX for 600mm) BH 1 Kirk Head >> For camera support driving around I use a OD Photo Supplied Badger Bag for the Door frame ..ROCK SOLID and far Quicker than Gimbal jobs etc
Looking at you flopping your lens around on the Kirk Ball Head is living proof why I use a BIG Bean Bag ..No Knobs etc
By the time all the knobs etvc have been set etc >> Subject usually has moved, Ran away , Flown away ..I need speed for that first shot so Bean Bag it is
I Will Never hang an expensive Lens on a Side Kick
Gimbals etc take up so much space too
Thanks Peter, pretty much the same as me. I originally bought the gimbal and door mount for use with the 6KG unstabilised Sigma 300-800 so they were great for that. The bean bags were ok but huge risk of falling out or over. With my 400 I can use a bean bag now too but not for video and also, the design on the canon 400 is a bit problematic with bags as they easily move the focus wheel. But yeah, bean bags are good too.
As always a very informative and thought provoking video. I never thought of using a ball head in the ways you demonstrated. I personally use a Benro Gimbal head for wildlife using long lenses from 100-400 and 500 f/4. I shoot most of my video on an M50 with some M series lenses as well as with the 100-400 with EF-M adapter. Do you think a fluid head would be best for the M50?
Hey Martin, thanks for watching and the info here - I think we are in a lucky position as wildlifers. For video, we have such tight shots most of the time that levelling is not an issue.
I find that pans feel a little 'retro' to me, so I'm trying to use them less. The fluid heads really help when shooting tight B-roll when you need smooth movements for foliage, tilt-ups along roads - that kind of stuff, I like them a lot. For stills a gimbal is fine too. But you are doing commercial work, interiors, exteriors, buildings maybe people? Little different to me. You may find a fluid really good for that. Also any kind of product shot, plate of food on a table etc...
With the M50 IS, 60FPs you can pan reasonably well if you then slow down the video in post and stabilise it.
Enjoyed your video very much, One other thing with camera flop on a ball head is you can also trap your fingers. Ouch !
Haha yeah, forgot about that! Thanks for watching Colin :)
Your still images always appear to be pin sharp. Do you turn off the image stabilising system on you cameras and lenses when using camera support in your Land Rovers and tripod and/or monopod. Thank you for the excellent videos. Alun
Hi Alun, generally I don’t unless I remember to at very high shutter speeds! Normally I’m just grabbing the camera to take advantage of a moment and leave stabilization on in case I have to hand hold.
Some canon lenses purport to have tripod sensing features so perhaps that is helpful
I've been watching so many videos for such a long time on photography, kit and techniques etc, in an attempt to drive my own photography to the next level (I've been taking very average images since a boy!) - away from the technical towards the thinking, art and emotion. As a predominantly wildlife and nature photographer we are bombarded by kit updates and technical comparisons - it's really overwhelming. I watched your video on sharpness and was really moved by your thoughts on the art and emotion of photography (in ref to the elephant image you took). What if we could combine nature and wildlife with the same (non-constant scientific approach) to photography? Combine nature / wildlife with the art and expression of say Roni Horn, Eggleston or Winogrand?? Maybe too ambitious. I know one thing - we all just need to get out there, be empathic, really look... and tell a story from our own experience... it's that which is important I think.
Hi Kevin, yes I know and feel the same. The products and reviews bury everything else.
You've probably come across that famous quote by Wittgenstein - 'the limits of my language mean the limits of my world' and it strikes me as resoundingly true of internet search engines.
They aren't passive - but shape most of what we see and read - it's disturbing - placing products ahead of art and ideas.
It seems to me that there is a lot to nature photography and not all of it is actually about photography!
To be capable of producing great images - like the heroes of photography - well that would be something - but so is their inspiration to, as you say, 'tell a story from our own experience'.
Excellent content as usual Will. I've been toying with getting a fluid head, looking at the Manfrotto 502. Is the Benro worth the extra money? I have the Benro GH5C carbon fibre gimbal and it is a supberb head, strong light and smooth. I also have a Manfrotto 3 way head which is also very good, so I'm torn!
Hi Tristan - I'm copy pasting a response below - I haven't yet decided on it. Subject of the next video if you have time....? PS. I finally got my pin from google :) Was demonetised for a while too - boy did that make me grumpy!
That's a tough one and the subject of an upcoming video head to head. It will depend on your equipment and how important video is to you.
The Manfrotto has better and more consistent drag adjustment. The Benro tends to loosen and tighten in the pans (which is awful) unless it's above '7' in the 1-10 adjustment. For big lenses you would want 10 for video anyway. It also doesn't lock down as firmly as the Manfrotto despite being heavier and having more metal build and more expense.
But, the motion of the beginning and ends of the pans and tilts is definitely better in the benro. It produces better video.
The other advantage of the Benro is the adjustable counter balance, this makes it FAR better for large lenses and video equipment.
For 70-200 and 100-400 the Manfrotto is fine. If video 'sticktion' is not a big problem (primarily a stills shooter) the Manfrotto is my preference. For better video and 400-500-600mm lenses the Benro is my preference.
@@WillGoodlet thanks Will. For my needs it sounds like the Manfrotto will so the trick. I dont have any of the large lenses (yet!), using a combo of a 70-200 2.8 and the two Nikon PF lenses (300 amd 500, super sharp and light)
With the fluid heads could you not level the camera by rotating the lens collar?
Yes sure but only in the lenses with collars.
haha. Thanks again, ball head under tripod, never even knew you could do it... Another good video tried the upside-down ball head worked a treat :) im going to get a fluid head soon. Whats the best ball head you recommend for a all-round set up, Canon 6d mk2 with sigma 150 600..
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Hi Rick, thanks :) I've had my ballhead so long now that I am out of touch! There must be a lot of new contenders. I also see some of the guys have been talking about the flexshooter - that looks pretty awesome (but pricey!) The good news is that unlike cameras, heads will be with you for many years so it's worth making a good choice.
I use a Wimberly "knock-off" with my Canon 1D and 100-400L...all good thus far so feeling pretty smug about the money I've saved :D
Haha yes, it's quite a feat NOT to have accumulated a bunch of useless heads and made the right choice first time round ! :)
Really cool seeing this, for work I’m a CNC machinist and we actually make tripod heads and lens mounts, check out KES products ;)
I have one prized KES head - not easy to get them over here :)
Hi Will! I have been trying to access your website, but it seems to be down for the last few days. Please check!
Nope it's working willgoodlet.com
A descent pan head will always outperform a ball head.
Ball heads are awful at tracking, slow, unstable and unpleasant to use.
I hate my ball heads. Give me gimbal or fluid any day.
If a lens isn't internally focusing then it will thow off the balance - especially on a gimbal.
Those Mafer super clamps are fantastic especially along with a magic arm.
Most arca swiss plates come with the same safety stop...
Thanks for watching and your thoughts Roy, have you tried out the Flexshooter people are suggesting? Looks interesting.
My arca plates have an end stop but not one I trust as much as the locks on the video plates.