Tripod head advice

[joaopedroglm]

Hello Guys,

So i m buying the manfrotto 055cxpro3 tripod , and i need some advice on the head. At this moment i`m between these 2:
1. Manfrotto 054 Magnesium Ball Head with Q2 Quick Release
2. Vanguard BBH-200

Any experiences, advices or thoughts?

Thanks

 

[J.R.]

I'd suggest you don't get a manfrotto head. It is better to get an Arca-Swiss plate compatible head.

 

[neuroanatomist]

I'd suggest you don't get a manfrotto head. It is better to get an Arca-Swiss plate compatible head.

+1 - and even though Manfrotto now has a 'AS compatible' head it's really not (their plate fits in other AS clamps, but normal AS plates don't fit in their clamp).

I'd recommend looking at the Really Right Stuff BH-40 or the Kirk BH-3.

 

[mackguyver]

I'd suggest you don't get a manfrotto head. It is better to get an Arca-Swiss plate compatible head.

+1 - and even though Manfrotto now has a 'AS compatible' head it's really not (their plate fits in other AS clamps, but normal AS plates don't fit in their clamp).

I'd recommend looking at the Really Right Stuff BH-40 or the Kirk BH-3.

+2, it's a costly mistake to go with Manfrotto first, then realize you need Arca Swiss later. After selling my Manfrotto heads and plates, I lost $400-600. Painful. I will say that their hydrostatic heads are awesome and in retrospect, I wish I'd kept mine and retrofitted it with a RRS clamp. My RRS BH-55 is great, but it's not that much better than the 486RC2 and I miss some things about the Manfrotto.