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Medium Format Pano's

carstenw

Active member
I'll chime in here, as I am looking for a good ballhead as a compromise between portability and stability, including for MF, eventually with a 22MP back and lenses as long as at least 200mm, possibly 350mm. Can I get by with the middle RRS head?
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
I'll chime in here, as I am looking for a good ballhead as a compromise between portability and stability, including for MF, eventually with a 22MP back and lenses as long as at least 200mm, possibly 350mm. Can I get by with the middle RRS head?
IMO the RRS BH40 with panning top clamp would be minimally marginal for your Contax with the 210, though probably adequate with the 140 or less. You would be far better served with the BH55, Arca B1 or a Gitzo 3 sized head.
 

Don Libby

Well-known member
RRS makes excellent equipment and I’ve certainly helped them build that new wing onto their factory however I have no experience with their ballheads.

My first ballhead was from Kirk which worked fine until I found Acratech and started using them. I’ve continually used an Acratech ballhead for several years without any problems what so ever in rain, snow, freezing sleet, and howling desert winds. This was my primary head until I found the CUBE (don’t get me started and hopefully Jack isn’t reading this:salute:).

I don’t want to be a snob here but I really do not think a ballhead is the proper tool for panorama landscape work; yes it will work and yes I’ve done it as well. I firmly believe that for a constant level of quality you need a good dedicated panorama kit.

The hardest thing to do is finding the nodal point of whatever lens you’re using and that means you need the correct tool. The second hardest is keeping the camera/lens totally level during the capture. It has taken me several minutes to achieve the first two before I ever take the first capture. Using a level attached to the hotshoe I’ll swing the camera left to right several times to make sure it stays level the entire time, if not I stop and make adjustments.

I had someone very recently contact me regarding panorama techniques and equipment. Tool wise this was my recommendation:

1) Lowest level: RRS “Pano Elements Package”
2) Second level: RRS “Ultimate Omni-Pivot Package”
3) The top level: RRS “Ultimate-Pro Omni-Pivot Package”
4) Acratech leveling base

I started out with #1 and #4 and moved quickly to #3 and #4 using this combination with my Canon 1Ds II and Mamiya AFD II kits. I’ve constantly gotten good results with this kit using lens up to 300mm.

Ballheads can work and they are shown working on the RRS website and catalog. My concern with a ballhead is camera weight as well as the potential of slippage at the critical moment, beside the closer to the base of the tripod the better for keeping vibration to a minimum.

Just my two cents worth.

don
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
And frankly Don, with your new Cube the tilts are close enough to nodal so that with a simple sliding rail in the top clamp to get to the lens nodal point, you can even do spherical stitches using the Cube's tilts that will be close enough for CS or Autopano Pro to assemble perfectly.

Pretty cool eh?

:D,
 

woodyspedden

New member
God I hate these posts.

Jack, you do realize that this means a "cube" is in my future. I think the age of digital really means the age of stitched images as well as multi-focus images a la Helicon Focus. All the rest, may be more difficult in film rather than digital, but still possible. Stitched images including spherical stitches are simple processes with the commercial software now available. Same with multi-focus. The end image possibilities nowadays are just unbelievable.

Some of your work, as well as others like Arne Hvaring, really inspires. I look forward to working on these techniques for quite some time

Good stuff my friend

Woody
 

jlm

Workshop Member
now i'm getting excited...unfortunately, the dovetail base for the RRS gear doesn't quite fit the Arca dovetail on the cube. Milling machine weekend for me
 

Don Libby

Well-known member
I totally agree with you Jack that’s the reason that I just sold my pano kit!

I just readjust the latch on the Cube instead of changing the dimensions of my Kirk L brackets whenever I switch from the Cambo to the AFD. I even tried my G9 on it while in movie mode.


don
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
now i'm getting excited...unfortunately, the dovetail base for the RRS gear doesn't quite fit the Arca dovetail on the cube. Milling machine weekend for me
John,

The Cube's clamp is adjustable for width -- that's the silver knob insde the jaws. However, I *hate* the Arca QR clamp even more than the RRS QR clamp, so I replaced it with a basic RRS screw-tighten clamp :D. Positive locking and easier to work with gloves on too.

Cheers,
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
God I hate these posts.

Jack, you do realize that this means a "cube" is in my future.
Woody,

Fret not... Just ask any of the three or four folks that recently bought them after the gentle pushing in the other thread --- I am confident not a single one will say they regretted the purchase after the first 15 minutes in the field with it :thumbs:
 
D

DougDolde

Guest
B&H sells the cube for $ 2,399.95. Comon, you gonna tell me it's worth that?
 

Don Libby

Well-known member
The worth of a tool is completely up to the individual. I feel the Cube was worth what I paid for it.

don
 

bensonga

Well-known member
$2,400? Wow, I didn't realize a Cube was that expensive.

I'll have to be satisfied with the Gitzo leveling base I bought from Jack recently with my G2270 pan tilt head perched on top.....at least until the economy and stock market recovers. What's that, 5 years? Maybe longer..... :scry:

Gary Benson
Eagle River, Alaska
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
B&H sells the cube for $ 2,399.95. Comon, you gonna tell me it's worth that?
Every little penny. But then I like tools that make my life more convenient and efficient and don't mind paying for that convenience. I respect however, that you and others may not find those same conveniences worthwhile. But I will add, don't knock it until you've actually used it! :D

Cheers,
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
Hi Chris:

I like the Wimberley plates for lenses, but in general I am not a fan of the type of camera base that uses a rubber pad for anti-twist as a permanent or dedicated solution. In my experience, they always feel spongy and never locked down tight, hence I prefer Kirk or RRs camera plates. That said, the Wimberley camera plates are universal and can be mounted to a variety of cameras, and a salesman or workshop leader might be well advised to always have a few on hand -- wink wink ;)

However, the Wimberley lens plates use screws as posts at either end to prevent twisting on the lens foot and work quite well -- I have several of them...



Best,
 

woodyspedden

New member
John,

The Cube's clamp is adjustable for width -- that's the silver knob insde the jaws. However, I *hate* the Arca QR clamp even more than the RRS QR clamp, so I replaced it with a basic RRS screw-tighten clamp :D. Positive locking and easier to work with gloves on too.

Cheers,
I also switched to the screw clamp after accidentally knocking my QR clamp loose in the parking lot at Arches a few years ago. The 1DsMkII landed directly on the top of the prism. Thankfully Canon did the repair for $350 so while expensive not nearly so bad as I feared.

Woody
 
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