Mr Brew, this is STILL the best video about this awesome piece of kit. You covered every issue of geared vs ball heads very clearly. For a non-factory video, you did awesome sir!!
I got this head at christmas for macro use, as I too was suffering from "droopage" on a ball head when using a heavy macro lens. I'd set up a shot tighten the ball head and then it would drop, only by a fraction of a mm, but enough to throw the composition if I was in tight. This has solved these issues for me and I love it.
Thank you for this review! I just bought one of these and I love it. I paid hundreds of dollars for a premium KLM ball head and I was still getting drooping and sagging after locking it in place. The Benro geared head is so much more accurate. I'll be returning the ball head immediately!
Speed vs. ballheads: you have to factor in tweaking it after basic composition. Ball heads can be tough to get precise with a large telephoto. You get pan and tilt but realize your roll is off. So you try to nudge it, and it slips back and forth past level. Meanwhile your geared head you just dialed it in quickly.
Thanks for your explanation, James. I think it's about more than one year since I saw your video for the first time and after that I have purchased that three way head and I have to say that I'm very happy with the results, during all these months. For instance: shooting the Moon that after rising from the horizon is pretty much precise and easy to follow "her" with this Geared tripod head than using a ball head. So thank you very much for your advice.
Thank you James. all of the points you made are exactly why I am looking at this particular geared tripod head. And judging from many the comments it seems as advertised. I like the quality, and it is affordable compared with some of the Arca geared heads. thanks!
Odly James, I had 'looked at' that geared head several months ago, but had forgotten about it at the time. It was very good to see your review, and I have (based on your review) put it onto my shopping list. Thanks for this mate.
UPDATE: Hi James; Since I last communicated with you I have purchased this gear head and I simply love it. I find the control offered by this product is amazing, and I really like that how it has forced me to slow-down my image creation process. We are heading to your Skye in the fall to work with your team-mates at Skye Photo Academy so maybe we might bump into each other. Keep safe. Cheers, Keith (Canada)
Great video James, very well presented. I'm tempted to sell my heavy Manfrotto and get this slightly lighter and geared head. I think it will be handy for commercial jobs as well and landscapes. thanks
Great video after using benro gh5c gimbal head with the telephoto lens for wildlife im now after a head for real estate and have no doubts about the reliability of their geared head 👍👍👍
I originally purchased this gear head for my macro photography, but quickly found out how well it worked with my landscapes, as well. It does take a while to get used to the three axis adjustments but the payoff is rock steady camera positioning and the ability to make small adjustments to one axis without changing the other axes. If I'm going to be in a situation where I need quick movement of the camera, such as sports or nature shots, I change to a gimbal head . The one area where this head has an issue is in astrophotography. The head can't tilt back more than 30 degrees. To get around this I just shorten the rear leg of the tripod. In my opinion this is the best head on the market at a very reasonable price.
I think probably the only major draw back for me is the occasion when the light is moving fast, but that will motivate me to plan, and get to the location earlier, anyways great video, I really found it useful, keep it man!
It seems like I always overtightened a ball head,thinking I might get droop.Then if I needed just a minor move, I had it so tight it would break free at once -even with twin tension knobs. I've had this Benro geared head since last spring, and I don't plan on going back .I don't mind the weight as much as the size perhaps, and it's soo smooth.
Thanks James good info. Got mine 2hrs ago and love it. The dreaded droop and difficulty in levelling my camera on ball heads with heavy lenses was my problem it appears this has resolved it - now off for some practice
Great review of a great head. Yes, I have more than a few ball heads, a gimbal, a Benro GD3WH. I really like the gear head, but you are right, it is bigger.
The value of a geared head comes into its own when used in conjunction with a Tilt Shift lens, particularly when shifting vertically to precisely reposition the horizon in your composition - and of course when doing any architectural work. I would also recommend ignoring the tiny built in spirit levels and, instead, use a hot shoe mounted 2 axis spirit level, they’re dirt cheap, much easier to see and make the essential levelling off easy peasy.
Gear heads were never designed for diddy 35mm SLR or DSLRS. They were to accommodate Field Technical cameras when used to photograph buildings, etc, or to do limited studio product photography. That is why you find them so useful with your T&S lenses. For landscape photography with DSLRs a well designed old style pan and tilt head is more than sufficient. I know that due to its construction the Benro gear head is rather ' light weight ' in the world of the gear heads but the majority of them including the junior Manfrotto are quite heavy and cumbersome. In any case, in these days of super fast digital photography, anything that slows the ' photographer ' down is a welcome factor. I too find the B&S heads rather overblown. I have a Foba B&S head that can easily carry a full spec 4X5 studio monorail and lock it in position, but even this marvel of engineering is of limited use with a DSLR.
For me it's been years (and years) w/ my Markins Q20i ballhead - to be honest, it works for me. Perhaps a geared head (or a fluid head) might be better, but certainly not enough to dump what I currently have. Really nicely done and level-headed review - thanks for sharing your expertise!
Thanks Alan. I think the differences in heads is very marginal and there is no such thing as the perfect one. All depends on individual needs and shooting styles
I'm a plodder with most things, particularly with photography. I do a lot of macro work and a geared head makes life so so so much easier and more accurate.
Many thanks for a great review. I do food photography and precision is really important to me. I have a Manfrotto 3 way head but it isn't easy to position as accurately or as previously as I would like. I also have a ball head and although great for positioning the camera, there's too much 'slippage' (love that word). So I have this Benbo on order and I can't wait.
I'm an animator, and with that what you need is control, so this is a god send. I use a ball head currently, which is very hard to get level and downright impossible for camera movements. I just bought this head, and it will no doubt change the way I film massively, so happy with it. And for me personally working in a studio environment with it, the draw back of it being heavier and larger is acctually a pro, it means I can keep my camera even more stable.
This is a well considered account. You've answered all of my questions. I am interested in the possibility of making controlled adjustments to framing when things are awkward and I can't really get a proper look - spatial bracketing! If you don't suffer from arthritis that might not mean much to you... I do have an ancient 3 way head which is sometimes better for me than a ball head and I have been wondering just how inconvenient a geared head might be in comparison. From what I've seen here it's going to be the right choice for me. Thanks!
Like that geared head very much.. but I would mount it on my seriously solid BENBO tripod. Excellent video. PS did I notice Snaefell in the background..?? I have shots of that from my 'mancave' window, some 8k distant..!!
I mainly shoot macro and finally dished out the dosh after the frustration of "droopyness" making precision framing a frustrating chore. Mine was delivered this morning and I tried it out combined with a macro cross slide. I got my shots framed just as I wanted them really quickly. This compared to using a ball head, allow for droop, too much, try again, too little, try again, and again adjust my tripod leg a bit, AAAARRGGGHHH.
In Euclidean geometry, we have six degrees of freedom - three translational and three rotational. Large-format view camera users will be used to the fact that they have two translations (up/down - side to side) available, often on micrometer drives. I find these even more useful than the three rotational movements available on the geared head, BUT if you don’t have the former at your fingertips, the latter can be a useful substitute. For many photographers, anything that slows them down a bit, and makes them think more carefully about every single shot may be a useful contribution to their art.
I have this geared head but haven’t used it much, mainly because the Benro tripod and this head are large and heavy. BUT I’m making a decision to use this setup for my outdoor sports portraits, family sessions, landscape photography.
I was expecting this to be priced around $500 US. I was surprised at how cheap it is on the B&H website. I do want to upgrade my tripod at some point and I will keep this head in mind when I do.
I spend quite a lot of time wandering round 'off piste' in the hills, so weight is a big issue. One camera, one lens, lightweight tripod....droopage is a problem with longer lenses and my tripod is starting to look like something out of a 'Heath Robinson' illustration, cut down panning stalks, elastic bands easing worn tilt gearing and I'm about to put a bolt through the center column to keep the head on if I've inadvertently unscrewed it by repeatedly panning in one direction from one shot to the next. I've got a perfectly good Manfrotto with a geared head in the boiler cupboard but I don't carry it up hillsides...too damned heavy.
Mine just arrived today, I'm an aps-c shooter and was looking for a tripod head for some considerable time which was more accurate and far easier to get "on target" than a ball head which will often shift somewhat when tightening the lock. I haven't found pan & tilt heads to be much better in that regard either. While I've only just really had a decent look over the tripod head, the GD3WH seems to be very well made, easy enough to use (although not perhaps as much so as the Manfrotto XPRO-3WG) and doesn't add too much extra height or bulk to my older Manfrotto 190XPROB tripod. I suppose I'll see soon enough how good/bad/indifferent it works in practice but as well as landscapes, I'm also interested to put it to use with macro photography as well. Should be an excellent choice for lining up static subjects using the gears to get that precise composition. Great video.
I'm investigating a geared head to counter the drooping and sagging my bullheads always have when tightening them. When shooting with a long lens, that makes it really hard to get your composition at all. When shooting with a macro lens, it often means you just miss your composition, need to make small adjustments, and need to figure out by how much exactly you need to counter the drooping... For landscape shooting, I hope it will help me get the framing of the composition right and the horizon straight! Precision in making the small adjustments is what I'm hoping for, and no more sagging when setting the position. I like that the Benro has a lot of movement across all axis and has the release-knobs that allow making large adjustments. In this, it looks more attractive to me than the SunwayFoto GH-PRO II. What I wonder, is how well it will work when I put the arm of my tripod on an angle like a boom, to get closer to a subject in macro photography. The head is then at an angle more like 90 degrees, sometimes even more. How much flexibility will I still get with a geared head, and how well will it hold?
Hello, I'm curious if you have used this head in extreme cold weather. My ball head starts getting stiff around 10f and pretty much unmovable at -20f. (-10 to -30c) Have you noticed any expansion in the metals that might cause issues? I live in Alaska so cold weather shooting is half of my year.
I am still to decide whether to get this tripod head or the MANFROTTO MHXPRO-3WG XPRO. Any thoughts on this? I've seen a review of the latter and they both look great, but I haven't seen a comparison between both
Great review James, you seem to have mastered the geared head. I am a camcorder user but also use a scope for watching birds, I can easily attach my phone to the scope for filming and pictures. However at long distances it is difficult to lock off my fluid head in exactly the right place I just use a hide clamp with the tripod centre post and fluid head for low activity shots. Do you think this geared head would work to get a more accurate target as it seems to have a rapid and fine tuning mechanism?
Thank you! Yes the head is very good for getting precise fine tuning in composition. It's not rapid but its impossible to have both high speed and accuracy, its always a trade off.
I have it, but not used, yet. How practical is it for wildlife photography? I figured it would be great for the macro lens. But what about, in general?
I have the Manfrotto geared head, which looks very similar except mine doesn’t seem to be as smooth in operation. It also have a proprietary quick release which doesn’t work very well. I have adapted it to a Manfrotto video plate because I’m primarily a videographer.
Exact same gear head I use. Thing is sturdy as a fucking ox, love it for landscape photography and great value for the money. the only challenge I have with it, is on extreme hikes it's quite heavy to bring along. Can't ever go back to a ball head.
Hello, maybe a stupid question here, but is it going to hold my 100-400 lens tight? Can I also use it for wildlife instead of gimbal head, I know its not the same thing tho, beautiful piece of gear
Liked your analytical approach - ball head = yep it was also my go to head for a good many years. Only recently have I bought the Sunwayfoto geared head GH-PRO II; game changer for me [I am a landscape photographer]. I noticed in the opening sequence there were a couple of bubble levellers just under your lens - can you explain please?? I have just subscribed and Liked. thank you
Convincing and balanced review, including the “so what” factors, James. Another Brewism, “droopage”😁. Excellent point re pano increments. Looks like a practical device for table-top/product and perhaps some macro work. Phonetically, device sounds like auto-mechanic nickname (gearhead). Do any of the moving parts need periodic lubrication or special care in salt-air/wet environments? BTW, congrats on 9K subs.
Cheers Paul. Absolutely no idea how I've managed to get 9k, crazy! Good question on maintenance. I haven't had to do anything yet but I probably will give it a few drops of oil every now and again just to keep it loose. The pano benefit is not something I've seen mentioned before but I think it's quite a significant plus for using this setup 👍
@@JamesBrewphoto A nice summary of pros and cons of this geared head, thank you. Re the pano increment, just to point out the fact that the pan axis of this gear head DOES NOT align with the centre of the camera lens in this video @8:50 (you may already aware of this though). To do a proper pano, it is better to pair this geared head with a nodal point adjustment rail, find the nodal point and pan accordingly.
I shoot real estate and have been looking for something that will make my work flow much quicker. I have been using the Ulanzi F38 quick release plates on my tripod and gimbal, and that has been excellent and I would prefer to maintain these. What would you recommend, the Benro geared head or the Benro ball head? And finally, what tripod would be good for each one? I've seen so many overpriced tripods, so I'm just looking for something stout that's not terribly expensive.
Hello, I have a Benro tripod and I'm interested in this gear head. Can I ask do others also use this in conjunction with a levelling base? Thanks in advance
Looks like the best panorama head especially for astro Milky Way capture where at night to see degree markings for horizontal and multilevel degree settings and with a center post leveler ball it would be a fast setup for run and capture places. would would be nice is glow in the dark paint/ink on the degree markings this would eliminate a clicking horizontal degree counter. Also with a parallax slider this would also rid the use of a L pano assembly for panos multi level BUT is that mount on top the center point of rotation and vertical axis?
Another comprehensive hands-on review, thank you. That head is bit pricey (£179 UKP), but it's clearly a piece of solid engineering, and your review here convinces. BTW is it "150 grams" (0.3 pounds) more weight when carrying the GD3WH over Benro's ball-head? Sounds like a minor increase, but I guess even the extra weight of the average nifty fifty adds up when trekking for miles on a shoot. Looking forward to more of your highly insightful uploads James.
Thanks very much! Yeah it's 150 grams more than the Benro ball heads I was considering. Every gram does count but I think this extra weight is worth it for the way I shoot. If I was on a really long hike I can always pack a lighter tripod too. Plus I do intend to switch to a mirrorless system later this year so the plan is to shed lots of weight in other areas of my gear. Watch this space 👍
My tripod brand model didn't have an arca Swiss quick release, so the original ball-head became a spare for a while, then I bought a cheapish macro slider, wasn't happy with various things, ended up adapting it for the quick release plus it has the ball head on it. It's not too heavy as slider is aluminium. The adjusters have locks which is great. The ball head is from a pretty good brand. It's a cheap solution if you have a spare ball head lying around.
I’ve just started doing some Astrophotography and I didn’t know I needed this till I saw it, I use a Jobu tripod head and it’s good for most things but it’s not precise and for Astro you need precision.
Love mine but dropped it sadly recently and unfortunately it has damaged one of the gear adjustments. Just debating getting another Benro or the Arca Swiss geared head. Leofoto do a great one too called the G4 but I’m struggling to get one. Currently using one of my Ballheads and it a real pain after having such precision with the Benro😀
Good review but im surprised you didn't compare it to non geared 3-way pan heads as well. My preference for a geared head over normal pan heads I've used before is mainly due to the smaller control stalks or knobs, which get in my way on your typical pan head.
Hi James: I have been re-watching your video as I am thinking that this geared head would be very beneficial to my photography. When you shoot pano's, are you concerned about the nodal point? Does the head rotate around the centre point of the tripod? Regards, Keith
Hi Keith, for the panos I shoot I never really have anything close to my lens therefore I don't really need to worry too much about paralax. I think the addition of a nodal rail would be recommended if you want the very best pano results with this 👍
Great review I'm looking at this option to switch over from ball heads. I have a Benro one and when I'm with the 70-200 its a nightmare to setup level and then the drooping effect makes me go crazy. One question on the Benro GD3WH have you had any problems with L-brackets connections to the clamp ? I saw some other reviews and many of them are complaining that the Arca Swiss Clamp is not compatible with many L-Brackets as sometimes they don't grab and lock down properly with the L-Bracket.
oops, not paying attention - I see the levellers are part of the gear head component. I thought it was under the gear head. I use the Andoer tripod levelling base with offset bubble to firstly level my tripod - use for pano (post stitch in LRc or Ps). The issue is this bit of kit is fairly heavy along with the gear head I use…. weight at my age is important to keep to a minimum which as most landscape photographers will know isn’t easy, especially with the addition these days of added drone for aerial photography….
Maybe I am wrong, but it seems like it would be a lot better if that large rotation axis was further up. As shown, the main tripod has to be perfectly level or that rotation will be off.
I bought this head and am very happy with it. But I take a lot of panoramas, and then I used the leveling base on the stand. I have two leveling base, but none of them fit this head because it does not pass the bottom screw / wheel on the head. So I wonder if you know of a leveling base or adapter that fits this head.
@@JamesBrewphoto No, it doesn't fit, but I have ordered a Camera Quick Mount Adapter Screw that I should have between the head and the leveling base. So then I think I get the leveling base screwed on my head.
I have the pano challenges where at night can't see my markings or have to guesstimate. When adjusting for pano on this gear head, do you hear the clicks?
I found this video while searching for reviews on this specific geared head. I currently use a ball head for all my photography but I like to do some astrophotography, sometimes with a big telephoto lens. When photographing the moon with this setup, at full focal length, the droop becomes so significant that I actually have to take the moon completely out of shot and then tighten down the head. Because the moon is out of shot this is obviously a frustrating guessing game. And, to worsen the scenario, at 1200mm the moon soon moves out of shot again and the guessing game has to be repeated. Hence, the search for a geared head.
For me personally I think it's the price that is the biggest drawback of geared heads. There are relatively compact geared heads such as the Sunway GH-Pro (the original version) that I've been using for may years now, that are (or were when I bought it at least) not overly expensive. Then there are also Arca Swiss C1 and it's knock off Photoclam Multiflex, which both are very much more expensive, and there are a few others as well. Cheaper geared heads tend to have some play in the gears or they tend to get play in the gears relatively quickly. This head, which I have not tried, seems interesting though and quite cheap (for a geared head). It seems like a good alternative to the Manfrotto 410, at a competitive price. It also has Arca style plates and not the proprietary plates the Manfrotto uses. I might add that, for panoramas, I find it much more useful to have a swivel plate on top of the head, so that you can "level the tripod" with the head, which I find a hassle to do by adjusting the legs on the tripod. As long as there are markings so that you can see how many degrees you turn the camera it is, for me at least, not that useful to have gears to swivel the camera. It's tilting, on both axis that needs the precision, I think.
I bought my father the vanguard veo 3+ 263cb tripod (haven't got it yet, so i can't test for myself). Can i take off the ballhead on the tripod and attach this head, the gd3wh on the vanguard tripod ? Anyone know ?
I have the same setup, and I'm extremely satisfied. I also have supplied it with the Benro levelling base LBA2, so I don't need to get the tripod itself levelled, I just level the tripod head. Another 45 millimeters extra height and a few more grams to carry, but making panorama shooting even easier. Yes, it's heavy in total, but the stability is worth it.
Hello friend, it has been a few months since you published this video on the Benro head, and I would like to know how it continues to work, I use a ball and it molests me its operation for panoramic views, especially. And also that it has lost fluidity due by humidity and The salt. One thing that is not clear to me is when you are moving the thread to vary or correct the angle, if it has any hard block to avoid unexpected movements. In that price range there are other brands such as Manfrotto, with its exclusive plate, that bothers so many photographers, or the one used by AdamGibbs, Sunwayfoto GH Pro ll, which seems quite interesting,but more delicate for brutes like us ,but is somewhat more compact. What bothers me about your Benro is how tall it seems and avoid putting close to the ground
I like the odd moonshot but tracking it with an mto and tc (3000mm) on apsc is literally hard to follow.. Might give this head a trial.. Any thoughts from other astro guys/girls out there??
Not a bad choice but I prefer the flexibility of a Wimberley gimbal head specially when balancing long lenses. Finding the initial composition is easier with a gimbal head and tracking adjustment isn't too difficult. It does suffer the "droopage" effect, though. Finding initial composition for moon shots using a telezoom will be a chore with a GD3WH but tracking may be somewhat easier.
@@JamesBrewphoto other than the possibility to skew the camera they check all the boxes. Maybe not as precise as a geared head but definitely more precise than a ball head. Way faster to move that both though.
Yes to the first. As for the second, it's quite stable, depending on how much weight you put on it, but panning and tilting won't be anywhere close to smooth.
I love geared head too but I sure don't love the Benro one, the similar price Leofoto GW-01 operates much smoother, and the Leofoto G4 is in different level, and of course there is super expensive Arca-Swiss D4 that's out of this world good.
Hi, interesting video. One thing I think all geared heads suffer from (below £1000) is that the camera position is not central over the precise centre of the tripod; it is slightly off-centre, more so on the 410 than the 405 and also from what I can see also on the Benro. I use a pano head onto of a geared head to get perfect centralised rotation around a single point. Without that approach I believe you MAY get parallax problems in your stitch. Just my two cents...
Thanks Joe - I am actually thinking of getting a Benro leveling base to sit under this geared head with nodal rail for this reason. Hopefully will get that soon 👍
@@JamesBrewphoto Hi James, if you joined the leveling base and a Pano head with the Arca plate under the leveling base, the "joined" unit could sit on top of my the geared head making leveling and panning simple without requiring the legs to be dead level. This wouldn't change the geared head base configuration. Based on your video and the fact I'm getting older and the 405 seems to be getting heavier, your video has convinced me to swap, and I'll be trying out the suggested setup soon Kind regards and stay safe and well. Joe
Interesting point. I wonder if getting a longer Arca-Swiss camera mounting plate would allow one to move the camera over to the precise center of the tripod? It looks like the camera would only need to move an inch or two.
hello friend ... good video ... I see that you have a small accessory under the head that helps to prevent the gear system from crashing on the tripod ... could you tell me where to buy it ... it does not allow to move it in some occasions .... thank you very much in advance
GD3WH is basically an acronym for Gear Driven 3 Way Head, or something like that, but I call mine Ben G3 for short.
Mr Brew, this is STILL the best video about this awesome piece of kit. You covered every issue of geared vs ball heads very clearly. For a non-factory video, you did awesome sir!!
James has a way with words. I like your through explanation with a twist of accenting your points to every detail. Nice, Cheers James.
I got this head at christmas for macro use, as I too was suffering from "droopage" on a ball head when using a heavy macro lens. I'd set up a shot tighten the ball head and then it would drop, only by a fraction of a mm, but enough to throw the composition if I was in tight. This has solved these issues for me and I love it.
It's awesome isn't it 👌👍 makes a big difference at telephoto end as you say
This would be the best demonstration on this bit of gear from Benro on CZcams
I own the same head James.
Thank you for bringing this one to us.
Cheers
thanks for this! definitely thinking of getting one to start my landscape journey
Thank you for this review! I just bought one of these and I love it. I paid hundreds of dollars for a premium KLM ball head and I was still getting drooping and sagging after locking it in place. The Benro geared head is so much more accurate. I'll be returning the ball head immediately!
Speed vs. ballheads: you have to factor in tweaking it after basic composition. Ball heads can be tough to get precise with a large telephoto. You get pan and tilt but realize your roll is off. So you try to nudge it, and it slips back and forth past level. Meanwhile your geared head you just dialed it in quickly.
thanks for that I really found that helpful and helped me to make my mind up on these heads for what I do I think they will he helpful
Thanks for your explanation, James. I think it's about more than one year since I saw your video for the first time and after that I have purchased that three way head and I have to say that I'm very happy with the results, during all these months.
For instance: shooting the Moon that after rising from the horizon is pretty much precise and easy to follow "her" with this Geared tripod head than using a ball head.
So thank you very much for your advice.
Thank you James. all of the points you made are exactly why I am looking at this particular geared tripod head. And judging from many the comments it seems as advertised. I like the quality, and it is affordable compared with some of the Arca geared heads. thanks!
Odly James, I had 'looked at' that geared head several months ago, but had forgotten about it at the time. It was very good to see your review, and I have (based on your review) put it onto my shopping list. Thanks for this mate.
Thanks Dennis - good luck with your purchase
This looks really interesting, I've always found ball heads a bit tricky for fine tuning compositions especially with long lenses.
Very nice info will look into getting one
UPDATE: Hi James; Since I last communicated with you I have purchased this gear head and I simply love it. I find the control offered by this product is amazing, and I really like that how it has forced me to slow-down my image creation process. We are heading to your Skye in the fall to work with your team-mates at Skye Photo Academy so maybe we might bump into each other. Keep safe. Cheers, Keith (Canada)
Great video James, very well presented. I'm tempted to sell my heavy Manfrotto and get this slightly lighter and geared head. I think it will be handy for commercial jobs as well and landscapes. thanks
Thank you, I just bought one it arrived today...
Great video after using benro gh5c gimbal head with the telephoto lens for wildlife im now after a head for real estate and have no doubts about the reliability of their geared head 👍👍👍
I originally purchased this gear head for my macro photography, but quickly found out how well it worked with my landscapes, as well. It does take a while to get used to the three axis adjustments but the payoff is rock steady camera positioning and the ability to make small adjustments to one axis without changing the other axes. If I'm going to be in a situation where I need quick movement of the camera, such as sports or nature shots, I change to a gimbal head . The one area where this head has an issue is in astrophotography. The head can't tilt back more than 30 degrees. To get around this I just shorten the rear leg of the tripod. In my opinion this is the best head on the market at a very reasonable price.
Can you tilt it forward and attach the camera backwards?
@@dirtywhitellama I haven't tried that but it is possible. The only issue I see is that the camera will cover the adjustment knobs.
I think probably the only major draw back for me is the occasion when the light is moving fast, but that will motivate me to plan, and get to the location earlier, anyways great video, I really found it useful, keep it man!
It seems like I always overtightened a ball head,thinking I might get droop.Then if I needed just a minor move, I had it so tight it would break free at once -even with twin tension knobs.
I've had this Benro geared head since last spring, and I don't plan on going back .I don't mind the weight as much as the size perhaps, and it's soo smooth.
Thanks James good info. Got mine 2hrs ago and love it. The dreaded droop and difficulty in levelling my camera on ball heads with heavy lenses was my problem it appears this has resolved it - now off for some practice
Great review of a great head. Yes, I have more than a few ball heads, a gimbal, a Benro GD3WH. I really like the gear head, but you are right, it is bigger.
The value of a geared head comes into its own when used in conjunction with a Tilt Shift lens, particularly when shifting vertically to precisely reposition the horizon in your composition - and of course when doing any architectural work.
I would also recommend ignoring the tiny built in spirit levels and, instead, use a hot shoe mounted 2 axis spirit level, they’re dirt cheap, much easier to see and make the essential levelling off easy peasy.
Some nice suggestions there 👍
Gear heads were never designed for diddy 35mm SLR or DSLRS. They were to accommodate Field Technical cameras when used to photograph buildings, etc, or to do limited studio product photography. That is why you find them so useful with your T&S lenses. For landscape photography with DSLRs a well designed old style pan and tilt head is more than sufficient. I know that due to its construction the Benro gear head is rather ' light weight ' in the world of the gear heads but the majority of them including the junior Manfrotto are quite heavy and cumbersome. In any case, in these days of super fast digital photography, anything that slows the ' photographer ' down is a welcome factor. I too find the B&S heads rather overblown. I have a Foba B&S head that can easily carry a full spec 4X5 studio monorail and lock it in position, but even this marvel of engineering is of limited use with a DSLR.
@@lensman5762 i agree. I have the Manfrotto junior head a ts lenses. I raretuse it. I use a video head instead, so much better
I love this tripod head, it really does slow you down in the field and gives you thinking time, I got mine new for £99!
Wher was this deal, please Steve?
@@SmartPhotoVault Sounds almost impossible..
@@Stylish85 Got one now on eBay.
For me it's been years (and years) w/ my Markins Q20i ballhead - to be honest, it works for me. Perhaps a geared head (or a fluid head) might be better, but certainly not enough to dump what I currently have. Really nicely done and level-headed review - thanks for sharing your expertise!
Thanks Alan. I think the differences in heads is very marginal and there is no such thing as the perfect one. All depends on individual needs and shooting styles
It’s a great way to spend 3 hours on a single shot and enjoy it to the fullest. ❤
Great video, Thanks
I'm a plodder with most things, particularly with photography. I do a lot of macro work and a geared head makes life so so so much easier and more accurate.
Many thanks for a great review. I do food photography and precision is really important to me. I have a Manfrotto 3 way head but it isn't easy to position as accurately or as previously as I would like. I also have a ball head and although great for positioning the camera, there's too much 'slippage' (love that word). So I have this Benbo on order and I can't wait.
I'm an animator, and with that what you need is control, so this is a god send. I use a ball head currently, which is very hard to get level and downright impossible for camera movements. I just bought this head, and it will no doubt change the way I film massively, so happy with it. And for me personally working in a studio environment with it, the draw back of it being heavier and larger is acctually a pro, it means I can keep my camera even more stable.
This is a well considered account. You've answered all of my questions. I am interested in the possibility of making controlled adjustments to framing when things are awkward and I can't really get a proper look - spatial bracketing! If you don't suffer from arthritis that might not mean much to you... I do have an ancient 3 way head which is sometimes better for me than a ball head and I have been wondering just how inconvenient a geared head might be in comparison. From what I've seen here it's going to be the right choice for me. Thanks!
Like that geared head very much.. but I would mount it on my seriously solid BENBO tripod. Excellent video. PS did I notice Snaefell in the background..?? I have shots of that from my 'mancave' window, some 8k distant..!!
I mainly shoot macro and finally dished out the dosh after the frustration of "droopyness" making precision framing a frustrating chore. Mine was delivered this morning and I tried it out combined with a macro cross slide. I got my shots framed just as I wanted them really quickly. This compared to using a ball head, allow for droop, too much, try again, too little, try again, and again adjust my tripod leg a bit, AAAARRGGGHHH.
Yup. One of the best case uses of a geared head over a ball head.
In Euclidean geometry, we have six degrees of freedom - three translational and three rotational. Large-format view camera users will be used to the fact that they have two translations (up/down - side to side) available, often on micrometer drives. I find these even more useful than the three rotational movements available on the geared head, BUT if you don’t have the former at your fingertips, the latter can be a useful substitute. For many photographers, anything that slows them down a bit, and makes them think more carefully about every single shot may be a useful contribution to their art.
Thanks for the video, does your tripod have a spacer on top to accept the head. I think without a spacer, the mechanisms would be too near my tripod?
I am a property photographer and bought one of these recently and I love it, before I was using the magnesium Manfrotto ball head.
I Love gear head tripods
Especially when hunting good for precision shots and good for animal photos
I have this geared head but haven’t used it much, mainly because the Benro tripod and this head are large and heavy. BUT I’m making a decision to use this setup for my outdoor sports portraits, family sessions, landscape photography.
I was expecting this to be priced around $500 US. I was surprised at how cheap it is on the B&H website. I do want to upgrade my tripod at some point and I will keep this head in mind when I do.
I have never tried the geared head, looking forward to trying one soon.
If I have the chance I'll show you the Benro in Scotland 👍
¡ EXCELENTE TRÍPODE Y EXCELENTE CABEZAL , JAMES ! AUNQUE UN POCO CARO PARA MI GUSTO . PRECIOSA LA LOCALIZACIÓN , GRACIAS POR LA REVIEW .
De nada, gracias Francisco 🙏🙂
I spend quite a lot of time wandering round 'off piste' in the hills, so weight is a big issue. One camera, one lens, lightweight tripod....droopage is a problem with longer lenses and my tripod is starting to look like something out of a 'Heath Robinson' illustration, cut down panning stalks, elastic bands easing worn tilt gearing and I'm about to put a bolt through the center column to keep the head on if I've inadvertently unscrewed it by repeatedly panning in one direction from one shot to the next. I've got a perfectly good Manfrotto with a geared head in the boiler cupboard but I don't carry it up hillsides...too damned heavy.
Mine just arrived today, I'm an aps-c shooter and was looking for a tripod head for some considerable time which was more accurate and far easier to get "on target" than a ball head which will often shift somewhat when tightening the lock. I haven't found pan & tilt heads to be much better in that regard either. While I've only just really had a decent look over the tripod head, the GD3WH seems to be very well made, easy enough to use (although not perhaps as much so as the Manfrotto XPRO-3WG) and doesn't add too much extra height or bulk to my older Manfrotto 190XPROB tripod. I suppose I'll see soon enough how good/bad/indifferent it works in practice but as well as landscapes, I'm also interested to put it to use with macro photography as well. Should be an excellent choice for lining up static subjects using the gears to get that precise composition. Great video.
Can you position the head in a portrait orientation without L bracket?
Geared heads are a must for large format as trying to make micro-level adjustments requires three hands.
Good point 👍
Hi James, how do you use nodal rail on this geared head? The construction does not seem to accommodate one I guess.
I'm investigating a geared head to counter the drooping and sagging my bullheads always have when tightening them. When shooting with a long lens, that makes it really hard to get your composition at all.
When shooting with a macro lens, it often means you just miss your composition, need to make small adjustments, and need to figure out by how much exactly you need to counter the drooping...
For landscape shooting, I hope it will help me get the framing of the composition right and the horizon straight!
Precision in making the small adjustments is what I'm hoping for, and no more sagging when setting the position. I like that the Benro has a lot of movement across all axis and has the release-knobs that allow making large adjustments. In this, it looks more attractive to me than the SunwayFoto GH-PRO II.
What I wonder, is how well it will work when I put the arm of my tripod on an angle like a boom, to get closer to a subject in macro photography. The head is then at an angle more like 90 degrees, sometimes even more. How much flexibility will I still get with a geared head, and how well will it hold?
Hello, I'm curious if you have used this head in extreme cold weather. My ball head starts getting stiff around 10f and pretty much unmovable at -20f. (-10 to -30c) Have you noticed any expansion in the metals that might cause issues? I live in Alaska so cold weather shooting is half of my year.
I am still to decide whether to get this tripod head or the MANFROTTO MHXPRO-3WG XPRO. Any thoughts on this? I've seen a review of the latter and they both look great, but I haven't seen a comparison between both
For solar or astrophotography purposes, how well does the Benro Gearhead work when pointing high in the sky near Zenith (straight up)??
Would this head work fine with Maksutov 127mm telescope in visual observing planets at 150x magnification?
Great for tele lenses. Where the ball head can be hard to accurate set the camera.
It can handle up to 6kg gear.
Great review James, you seem to have mastered the geared head. I am a camcorder user but also use a scope for watching birds, I can easily attach my phone to the scope for filming and pictures. However at long distances it is difficult to lock off my fluid head in exactly the right place I just use a hide clamp with the tripod centre post and fluid head for low activity shots. Do you think this geared head would work to get a more accurate target as it seems to have a rapid and fine tuning mechanism?
Thank you! Yes the head is very good for getting precise fine tuning in composition. It's not rapid but its impossible to have both high speed and accuracy, its always a trade off.
Good review. I have found ball heads to reduce speed as always find it awkward locking such into the exact desired position.
I have it, but not used, yet. How practical is it for wildlife photography? I figured it would be great for the macro lens. But what about, in general?
Found the answer to my earlier question...!
I have the Manfrotto geared head, which looks very similar except mine doesn’t seem to be as smooth in operation. It also have a proprietary quick release which doesn’t work very well. I have adapted it to a Manfrotto video plate because I’m primarily a videographer.
Exact same gear head I use. Thing is sturdy as a fucking ox, love it for landscape photography and great value for the money. the only challenge I have with it, is on extreme hikes it's quite heavy to bring along. Can't ever go back to a ball head.
Hello, maybe a stupid question here, but is it going to hold my 100-400 lens tight? Can I also use it for wildlife instead of gimbal head, I know its not the same thing tho, beautiful piece of gear
Liked your analytical approach - ball head = yep it was also my go to head for a good many years. Only recently have I bought the Sunwayfoto geared head GH-PRO II; game changer for me [I am a landscape photographer]. I noticed in the opening sequence there were a couple of bubble levellers just under your lens - can you explain please?? I have just subscribed and Liked. thank you
Convincing and balanced review, including the “so what” factors, James. Another Brewism, “droopage”😁. Excellent point re pano increments. Looks like a practical device for table-top/product and perhaps some macro work. Phonetically, device sounds like auto-mechanic nickname (gearhead). Do any of the moving parts need periodic lubrication or special care in salt-air/wet environments? BTW, congrats on 9K subs.
Cheers Paul. Absolutely no idea how I've managed to get 9k, crazy! Good question on maintenance. I haven't had to do anything yet but I probably will give it a few drops of oil every now and again just to keep it loose. The pano benefit is not something I've seen mentioned before but I think it's quite a significant plus for using this setup 👍
@@JamesBrewphoto A nice summary of pros and cons of this geared head, thank you. Re the pano increment, just to point out the fact that the pan axis of this gear head DOES NOT align with the centre of the camera lens in this video @8:50 (you may already aware of this though). To do a proper pano, it is better to pair this geared head with a nodal point adjustment rail, find the nodal point and pan accordingly.
I shoot real estate and have been looking for something that will make my work flow much quicker.
I have been using the Ulanzi F38 quick release plates on my tripod and gimbal, and that has been excellent and I would prefer to maintain these.
What would you recommend, the Benro geared head or the Benro ball head?
And finally, what tripod would be good for each one? I've seen so many overpriced tripods, so I'm just looking for something stout that's not terribly expensive.
Hello, I have a Benro tripod and I'm interested in this gear head. Can I ask do others also use this in conjunction with a levelling base? Thanks in advance
Would you use a levelling base for panoramas with the geared head James? Good review, I’ve purchased the Benro
Yes a leveling base would make life easier - thank you
I use the Leofoto G-4 gear head. Gear heads are the best for me.
Looks like the best panorama head especially for astro Milky Way capture where at night to see degree markings for horizontal and multilevel degree settings and with a center post leveler ball it would be a fast setup for run and capture places. would would be nice is glow in the dark paint/ink on the degree markings this would eliminate a clicking horizontal degree counter. Also with a parallax slider this would also rid the use of a L pano assembly for panos multi level BUT is that mount on top the center point of rotation and vertical axis?
Another comprehensive hands-on review, thank you. That head is bit pricey (£179 UKP), but it's clearly a piece of solid engineering, and your review here convinces. BTW is it "150 grams" (0.3 pounds) more weight when carrying the GD3WH over Benro's ball-head? Sounds like a minor increase, but I guess even the extra weight of the average nifty fifty adds up when trekking for miles on a shoot. Looking forward to more of your highly insightful uploads James.
Thanks very much! Yeah it's 150 grams more than the Benro ball heads I was considering. Every gram does count but I think this extra weight is worth it for the way I shoot. If I was on a really long hike I can always pack a lighter tripod too. Plus I do intend to switch to a mirrorless system later this year so the plan is to shed lots of weight in other areas of my gear. Watch this space 👍
You can purchase this geared head on ebay for £98 ...just takes a few moments to check the listings!
My tripod brand model didn't have an arca Swiss quick release, so the original ball-head became a spare for a while, then I bought a cheapish macro slider, wasn't happy with various things, ended up adapting it for the quick release plus it has the ball head on it. It's not too heavy as slider is aluminium. The adjusters have locks which is great. The ball head is from a pretty good brand. It's a cheap solution if you have a spare ball head lying around.
Nice idea 👍
I’ve just started doing some Astrophotography and I didn’t know I needed this till I saw it, I use a Jobu tripod head and it’s good for most things but it’s not precise and for Astro you need precision.
Je viens de commander cette rotule pour mon trépied Benro TMA 38CL
Love mine but dropped it sadly recently and unfortunately it has damaged one of the gear adjustments. Just debating getting another Benro or the Arca Swiss geared head. Leofoto do a great one too called the G4 but I’m struggling to get one. Currently using one of my Ballheads and it a real pain after having such precision with the Benro😀
Yeah can feel weird going back to ballheads. Good luck with your purchase 👍
Good review but im surprised you didn't compare it to non geared 3-way pan heads as well. My preference for a geared head over normal pan heads I've used before is mainly due to the smaller control stalks or knobs, which get in my way on your typical pan head.
Thank you - sadly I have limited experience with those so couldn't really offer any real valuable comparisons
What is the tripod model?
Hi James: I have been re-watching your video as I am thinking that this geared head would be very beneficial to my photography. When you shoot pano's, are you concerned about the nodal point? Does the head rotate around the centre point of the tripod? Regards, Keith
Hi Keith, for the panos I shoot I never really have anything close to my lens therefore I don't really need to worry too much about paralax. I think the addition of a nodal rail would be recommended if you want the very best pano results with this 👍
I use a Manfrotto 410 Junior Geared Head, its so much quicker and easy to do tiny alterations. 👍👍
I've heard great things about that tripod head 👍
Great review I'm looking at this option to switch over from ball heads. I have a Benro one and when I'm with the 70-200 its a nightmare to setup level and then the drooping effect makes me go crazy.
One question on the Benro GD3WH have you had any problems with L-brackets connections to the clamp ? I saw some other reviews and many of them are complaining that the Arca Swiss Clamp is not compatible with many L-Brackets as sometimes they don't grab and lock down properly with the L-Bracket.
I've not experienced any issues like that what so ever. Maybe I've just got lucky :-)
Yes, my "Arca Swiss" L bracket won't fit on this either. Have had 2 that don't fit!
Thank you. The tripod head I am looking for.
Unfortunately it is too expensive 🥺.
Will it work with 200-600 lenses?
oops, not paying attention - I see the levellers are part of the gear head component. I thought it was under the gear head. I use the Andoer tripod levelling base with offset bubble to firstly level my tripod - use for pano (post stitch in LRc or Ps). The issue is this bit of kit is fairly heavy along with the gear head I use…. weight at my age is important to keep to a minimum which as most landscape photographers will know isn’t easy, especially with the addition these days of added drone for aerial photography….
Maybe I am wrong, but it seems like it would be a lot better if that large rotation axis was further up.
As shown, the main tripod has to be perfectly level or that rotation will be off.
I bought this head and am very happy with it. But I take a lot of panoramas, and then I used the leveling base on the stand. I have two leveling base, but none of them fit this head because it does not pass the bottom screw / wheel on the head. So I wonder if you know of a leveling base or adapter that fits this head.
Have you tried the Benro brand leveling base? I would be surprised if it did not fit that (not tried it personally)
@@JamesBrewphoto No, it doesn't fit, but I have ordered a Camera Quick Mount Adapter Screw that I should have between the head and the leveling base. So then I think I get the leveling base screwed on my head.
I’m currently using a 3 way Manfrotto Head. I didn’t like the design of Manfrotto’s gear head. The Benro on the other hand looks quite appealing.
Hi James, I have this geared head and have 2 "Arca Swiss" L Brackets that will not fit it!! What make of L Bracket do you have? Thanks!
In hos notes, he lists a SunwayFoto PNL-D850.
I have the pano challenges where at night can't see my markings or have to guesstimate. When adjusting for pano on this gear head, do you hear the clicks?
No audible clicks - I just look at the degree markings
Just the click of your torch going on (sorry :-) )
I found this video while searching for reviews on this specific geared head.
I currently use a ball head for all my photography but I like to do some astrophotography, sometimes with a big telephoto lens. When photographing the moon with this setup, at full focal length, the droop becomes so significant that I actually have to take the moon completely out of shot and then tighten down the head. Because the moon is out of shot this is obviously a frustrating guessing game. And, to worsen the scenario, at 1200mm the moon soon moves out of shot again and the guessing game has to be repeated.
Hence, the search for a geared head.
Exactly the same reason I'm here too :D
What type of tripod do you recommend for landscape photography. Excellent vid for heads and I'll make my geared head purchase shortly.
I use the Benro Mach3 Tripod - its awesome!
@@JamesBrewphoto I'll look into the Mach3 Tripod for purchase and thanks for replying.
For me personally I think it's the price that is the biggest drawback of geared heads. There are relatively compact geared heads such as the Sunway GH-Pro (the original version) that I've been using for may years now, that are (or were when I bought it at least) not overly expensive. Then there are also Arca Swiss C1 and it's knock off Photoclam Multiflex, which both are very much more expensive, and there are a few others as well.
Cheaper geared heads tend to have some play in the gears or they tend to get play in the gears relatively quickly. This head, which I have not tried, seems interesting though and quite cheap (for a geared head). It seems like a good alternative to the Manfrotto 410, at a competitive price. It also has Arca style plates and not the proprietary plates the Manfrotto uses.
I might add that, for panoramas, I find it much more useful to have a swivel plate on top of the head, so that you can "level the tripod" with the head, which I find a hassle to do by adjusting the legs on the tripod. As long as there are markings so that you can see how many degrees you turn the camera it is, for me at least, not that useful to have gears to swivel the camera. It's tilting, on both axis that needs the precision, I think.
I bought my father the vanguard veo 3+ 263cb tripod (haven't got it yet, so i can't test for myself). Can i take off the ballhead on the tripod and attach this head, the gd3wh on the vanguard tripod ? Anyone know ?
Yes you should be able to provided they share the same screw fitting
I have the same set up it's great! But like you said it just a bit heavy !!
Yeah I guess if there was no negative then everyone would probably be shooting with them. Im happy to be in the minority on this one with you 👍
I have the same setup, and I'm extremely satisfied. I also have supplied it with the Benro levelling base LBA2, so I don't need to get the tripod itself levelled, I just level the tripod head. Another 45 millimeters extra height and a few more grams to carry, but making panorama shooting even easier. Yes, it's heavy in total, but the stability is worth it.
I was tempted by the leveling base and may still get it. Thanks for the recommendation 👍
Hello friend, it has been a few months since you published this video on the Benro head, and I would like to know how it continues to work, I use a ball and it molests me its operation for panoramic views, especially. And also that it has lost fluidity due by humidity and The salt. One thing that is not clear to me is when you are moving the thread to vary or correct the angle, if it has any hard block to avoid unexpected movements. In that price range there are other brands such as Manfrotto, with its exclusive plate, that bothers so many photographers, or the one used by AdamGibbs, Sunwayfoto GH Pro ll, which seems quite interesting,but more delicate for brutes like us ,but is somewhat more compact. What bothers me about your Benro is how tall it seems and avoid putting close to the ground
I like the odd moonshot but tracking it with an mto and tc (3000mm) on apsc is literally hard to follow.. Might give this head a trial.. Any thoughts from other astro guys/girls out there??
Not a bad choice but I prefer the flexibility of a Wimberley gimbal head specially when balancing long lenses. Finding the initial composition is easier with a gimbal head and tracking adjustment isn't too difficult. It does suffer the "droopage" effect, though. Finding initial composition for moon shots using a telezoom will be a chore with a GD3WH but tracking may be somewhat easier.
Geared heads are amazing, but isn't the Benro like the Dacia of geared heads?
Have you considered a fluid head or something like an akratech long lens head?
Not really although those solutions do look nice
@@JamesBrewphoto other than the possibility to skew the camera they check all the boxes.
Maybe not as precise as a geared head but definitely more precise than a ball head.
Way faster to move that both though.
You think this head will work in upside down position? Also is it suitable for video, so it doesn't change its position with time?
Yes to the first. As for the second, it's quite stable, depending on how much weight you put on it, but panning and tilting won't be anywhere close to smooth.
I love geared head too but I sure don't love the Benro one, the similar price Leofoto GW-01 operates much smoother, and the Leofoto G4 is in different level, and of course there is super expensive Arca-Swiss D4 that's out of this world good.
Hi, interesting video. One thing I think all geared heads suffer from (below £1000) is that the camera position is not central over the precise centre of the tripod; it is slightly off-centre, more so on the 410 than the 405 and also from what I can see also on the Benro. I use a pano head onto of a geared head to get perfect centralised rotation around a single point. Without that approach I believe you MAY get parallax problems in your stitch. Just my two cents...
Thanks Joe - I am actually thinking of getting a Benro leveling base to sit under this geared head with nodal rail for this reason. Hopefully will get that soon 👍
@@JamesBrewphoto Hi James, if you joined the leveling base and a Pano head with the Arca plate under the leveling base, the "joined" unit could sit on top of my the geared head making leveling and panning simple without requiring the legs to be dead level. This wouldn't change the geared head base configuration. Based on your video and the fact I'm getting older and the 405 seems to be getting heavier, your video has convinced me to swap, and I'll be trying out the suggested setup soon
Kind regards and stay safe and well.
Joe
Interesting point. I wonder if getting a longer Arca-Swiss camera mounting plate would allow one to move the camera over to the precise center of the tripod? It looks like the camera would only need to move an inch or two.
hello friend ... good video ... I see that you have a small accessory under the head that helps to prevent the gear system from crashing on the tripod ... could you tell me where to buy it ... it does not allow to move it in some occasions .... thank you very much in advance
There is no accessory - the head is mounted straight to the tripod. Look in my video description for details on the items. Thanks
but need a spacer for manfrotto tripods