Tripod & Head for Landscape

What is the most popular Tripod & Head for landscape photography?
Biggest lens used will be Canon 70-200 2.8 IS II with a 5D3.

I have a Gitzo 1548 & full size Wimberley for my big lens
so now I need a good lighter weight tripod for longer walks
and a good head with maybe a level?

I'm 6'2 so a taller tripod would be helpful.

Thanks in advance,
Michael W.

Uniqball head!?

I recently bought a smaller (lighter) tripod for landscapes. I got one of the Induro carbon models. It is half the weight of my Gitzo pods. I got the RRS B40 ballhead for it. I use the Canon 5DIII camera, a 16-28 lens, 24-70 lens, and a 70-200 f/4 lens. I have even used the 300 f/4 lens with it with no stability problems. It has cut the weight of what I schlep around about in half. (The clamp on the ball head is one of the the ones that RRS sells that lets you level the head and clamp, and then swivel the clamp to make panoramas.)

I've been using the Arca D4 head and absolutely love it.
I am currently trying to get an L-bracket for the 1DX fitted to that head. Not that easy as not everything that says "Arca" does really fit an Arca head.
Should see if it worked next week.
Beside that the head is fantastic. Small, not too heavy, very solid and flexible. Like it a lot. Expensive, though.

Another great head is the Manfrotto 410 geared head. If your camera works with that head (most do but not the 1DX in all positions) it is a very good head for landscape/macro at a very decent price.

Markus

If your exclusive use is landscape photography and you can work in a slower more methodical way then one of the multi-axis geared heads are the most precise and allow for the best fine tuning of the composition.  Markus's suggestion is one such head and is actually a hybrid between a ball head and a geared head.  The Arca Swiss cube and some others are excellent geared heads.

Most of us go for a compromise between speed and precision and opt for a quality ball head.

I agree with E.J.. Ball heads are very flexible. A good one could support both landscape gear or a 4/500 + 1.4.
With brands like RRS or Novoflex you can't go wrong.

A new head called Uniqball was recently announced which looked interesting incl. for landscapes but I have never seen one in real life.

Markus

Markus Jais wrote:A new head called Uniqball was recently announced which looked interesting incl. for landscapes but I have never seen one in real life.

I have the smaller of the two UniqBalls and it's pretty impressive. Build quality is up there with my Novoflex MagicBall 50. Since it's a new addition to my arsenal (about 1 month in my posession now) I can not give any long term experience. My initial impressions can be read on DPreview at http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/54009118

Karl Günter Wünsch wrote:

Markus Jais wrote:A new head called Uniqball was recently announced which looked interesting incl. for landscapes but I have never seen one in real life.

I have the smaller of the two UniqBalls and it's pretty impressive. Build quality is up there with my Novoflex MagicBall 50. Since it's a new addition to my arsenal (about 1 month in my posession now) I can not give any long term experience. My initial impressions can be read on DPreview at http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/54009118

Hilarious conversation with C. Fuji in that thread - a blind ship passing in the night...

E.J. Peiker wrote:Hilarious conversation with C. Fuji in that thread - a blind ship passing in the night...

Yes, he somehow didn't get the idea of the UniqBall - it's quite something different from the ArcaSwiss P0.
If you or anyone else wants something checked on the head, I can do so...

Thanks for all the replies.

I think I will try to keep the ballhead around the 500-600 range.
I like the looks of the Manfrotto 410 Junior Geared Head - Supports 11 lbs
that Markus mentioned. Anyone use the INDURO PHQ1 5-Way Pan Head
that I see in the NatureScapes store?

Michael Wolf wrote:Thanks for all the replies.

I think I will try to keep the ballhead around the 500-600 range.
I like the looks of the Manfrotto 410 Junior Geared Head - Supports 11 lbs
that Markus mentioned. Anyone use the INDURO PHQ1 5-Way Pan Head
that I see in the NatureScapes store?

The big problem with Manfroto is the proprietary and sub-par quick release system.

E.J. Peiker wrote:

Michael Wolf wrote:Thanks for all the replies.

I think I will try to keep the ballhead around the 500-600 range.
I like the looks of the Manfrotto 410 Junior Geared Head - Supports 11 lbs
that Markus mentioned. Anyone use the INDURO PHQ1 5-Way Pan Head
that I see in the NatureScapes store?

The big problem with Manfroto is the proprietary and sub-par quick release system.

E.J.

Thanks for the tip.
Will you recommend a decent head in the 500 - 600 dollar range for me?
A little higher wont kill me either but under 1,000 would be better.

Thanks,
Michael

Michael Wolf wrote:I like the looks of the Manfrotto 410 Junior Geared Head - Supports 11 lbs
that Markus mentioned.

But the quick release of that one doesn't... Not even by a long shot. The RC4 plate is just short of the worst of the 4 different quick release plates that Manfrotto has the wisdom to use (the worst by a long margin is the RC2 plate) and divide their own line-up with... I think there is a kit for that head to replace that junk quick release with a solid ArcaSwiss type, so you will have to factor that in too!

Karl Günter Wünsch wrote:

Michael Wolf wrote:I like the looks of the Manfrotto 410 Junior Geared Head - Supports 11 lbs
that Markus mentioned.

But the quick release of that one doesn't... Not even by a long shot. The RC4 plate is just short of the worst of the 4 different quick release plates that Manfrotto has the wisdom to use (the worst by a long margin is the RC2 plate) and divide their own line-up with... I think there is a kit for that head to replace that junk quick release with a solid ArcaSwiss type, so you will have to factor that in too!

Karl - Thank you for that heads up!

Will you then recommend a head in the 500 -600 US $ range?

Thanks,
Michael

Michael Wolf wrote: Karl - Thank you for that heads up!

Will you then recommend a head in the 500 -600 US $ range?

Thanks,
Michael

With the small reservation of not having long term experience yet I would recommend the small UniqBall UBH-35 for you. It's well within budget and the guys in Hungary ship without additional cost to the US (as long as they don't have US distribution in place). The only thing you would need to factor in would be a l-plate for your camera as the UniqBall does lose it's big advantage if you have to use the head to switch the camera orientation from landscape to portrait.

Karl Günter Wünsch wrote:

Michael Wolf wrote: Karl - Thank you for that heads up!

Will you then recommend a head in the 500 -600 US $ range?

Thanks,
Michael

With the small reservation of not having long term experience yet I would recommend the small UniqBall UBH-35 for you. It's well within budget and the guys in Hungary ship without additional cost to the US (as long as they don't have US distribution in place). The only thing you would need to factor in would be a l-plate for your camera as the UniqBall does lose it's big advantage if you have to use the head to switch the camera orientation from landscape to portrait.

Karl -  Thank you. I will look at them more closely tonight. btw what is an I-Plate?

Michael

Michael Wolf wrote:Thanks for all the replies.

I think I will try to keep the ballhead around the 500-600 range.
I like the looks of the Manfrotto 410 Junior Geared Head - Supports 11 lbs
that Markus mentioned. Anyone use the INDURO PHQ1 5-Way Pan Head
that I see in the NatureScapes store?

If you want to go with Manfrotto then go with 405 instead. I originally bought 410 and then wanted 405 instead (better movement control).
You can get good deals at ebay (sometimes).I bought mine (405) as not fully functional for less than $200 and then new part from Bogen for $20 and
fixed it myself (pdf schematics are available at Bogen website).
To me biggest drawback is not quick release system but size and weight.

Now I'm looking to upgrade to Arca-Swiss D4 geared.

I use a Rally Right Stuff BH-55

E.J. Peiker wrote:I use a Rally Right Stuff BH-55

I notice several different models available. What model # do you use?

Thanks again.

Michael

EJ, do you have racing stripe?