Hi Flavio,
>Do you have any experience or advice?
>Should I look at standard 3-way heads?
I have both the 308RC ballhead and the 141RC 3-way head, used with my
Manfrotto 190 tripod (I also have a heavier old Velbon tripod) .
For general outdoor use the ballhead is my favorite, because it's compact
and quick to use with the single lever.
However I use one specific technique for "bug" photography up to 1/30s with
the 3-way head:
Using the tripod as a bipod, and approaching the bug swinging over the 2
legs.
With this technique I feel more confident about shake by holding the
tripod/camera combination by the tilt handle on the standard head, then by
holding it by the camera on the ball head. (It also doesn't seem to make
sense using a cable release when you have to hold the camera anyway)
But this is the only thing I use the standard head for, except for the
occasional use with a spotting scope for birdwatching.
>The remainig options are: the smaller 308RC (Bogen 3413QR) ballhead or
>the older 168 (Bogen 3055). I think I remember not very good comments
>about the last one and the first looks a bit too light for my liking.
I can also give you some not very good comments about the 308RC, as it came
new from the box. It was very "jerky". But then I cleaned some of the black
stuff (paint?) of the ball, and started lubricating it, first with light
machine oil (better but still a bit jerky), later with industrial copper
grease. With the grease I am quite happy about it, considering the low price
ticket.
A nice feature of the 308 is that you can point the ratchet lever up, so you
can lock it with the palm of the left hand while focussing.
I don't think it's too light for me, but the heaviest lens I have is an
F*300 4.5+converters. The "lightest" part seems the quick release plate, so
I if could do it over, I might go for the 308 withouth the quick release.
OTOH a quick release is convenient though.
Neither of these 2 heads are real "fingertip control", so I am considering a
new fluid head to replace my completely worn old Velbon fluid head. But that
is for my birdwatching scope and for bird photography, I don't think it
would be usefull for the uses you mentioned.
Hope this helped,
Erwin
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