I have two Manfrotto heads, the 322RC2 and 468MGRC2. And a Kirk BH-1 with Arca-Swiss type QR mechanism. These heads are higher end than the 86 model line and don't creep when the camera is turned 90 degrees. The 468 is very precise and a pleasure to work with. What is less precise is the RC2 plate mount itself ... compared to the Arca- Swiss style clamp and plates, there is a little bit of motion in the QR mechanism itself. It's adequate for most of my purposes, but the Kirk BH-1 with Really Right Stuff lever action clamp and plate is superior in precision.
I also have the Manfrotto Junior Elbow Bracket. It's unnecessary with the 322, I use it with the 468 head. Makes doing vertical orientations MUCH easier and more flexible. The 322RC2 is an excellent choice for field work where speed is more important than precision and it's not particularly expensive. The 468MGRC2 is expensive but I love the hydrostatic clamping mechanism and precision. I bought the latter even though I had the Kirk already because it is lighter, smaller, and uses the same light and small QR plates as the 322. (You can also get the 468 with some of the higher- end Manfrotto QR clamps, which are superior in positioning accuracy.) If you are looking for a less expensive, lighter weight, very high quality solution, I recommend the Acratech Ultimate Ballhead. Beautifully made, light weight, very precise, available with a variety of Arca-Swiss type QR clamps. Using an L adapter for portraits to keep the head under the camera is always a benefit... Godfrey On Jul 3, 2006, at 6:35 AM, Don Williams wrote: > Well. I'd forgotten about turning the camera. So I took another > look and > found the 3-way head with #2 plate. It costs £10 more and weighs more > too, but the separate right angle plate is terribly expensive. More so > than most of the smaller heads. The 3-way head has a bubble level as > well; something I need because the one on the tripod died in the cold > some years ago. > > Don > > Tom Reese wrote: >> The legs are independent of the heads. You can put pretty much any >> tripod head you want on your Bogen legs. >> >> My SO uses a CR2 system head and she's happy with it. One item you >> might want to consider is the Bogen Junior Elbow Bracket for the >> CR2 system. It makes it much easier to shoot vertically. The ball >> heads in the CR2 system tend to creep when you flop the ball to >> the side. The elbow bracket allows you to turn the camera >> vertically and still keep the ball under the camera. It's much >> less prone to creep. >> >> I hope this helps. >> >> -------------- Original message ---------------------- >> From: Don Williams <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> >>> Hi all, >>> >>> The ball head I've been using for about 35 years is a little >>> tired. I'm >>> thinking of a Manfrotto 86RC2 >>> does anyone know of a reason why this plate and head would not be >>> suitable for the D? I use a >>> Manfrotto tripod (big one) and that's why I haven't bothered to >>> look at >>> other makes. >>> >>> Don >>> >>> -- >>> Dr E D F Williams >>> www.kolumbus.fi/mimosa/ >>> http://personal.inet.fi/cool/don.williams/ >>> 41660 TOIVAKKA – Finland - +358400706616 >>> >>> >>> -- >>> PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List >>> [email protected] >>> http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net >>> >> >> >> >> >> --------------------------------------------------------------------- >> --- >> >> No virus found in this incoming message. >> Checked by AVG Free Edition. >> Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.9.8/380 - Release Date: >> 30.6.2006 >> > > > -- > Dr E D F Williams > www.kolumbus.fi/mimosa/ > http://personal.inet.fi/cool/don.williams/ > 41660 TOIVAKKA – Finland - +358400706616 > > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > [email protected] > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
