3 Way Pan ~ Gear ~ Ball

[JBW]

My hands tremble and my fingers lack fine motor skills. There are no local stores where I can test different heads.

Whatever I buy will be connected to either a two or four way rail.

Staying under $300 (U.S.), suggestions ?

[Shadowman]

I purchased this about a month ago to attach to my monopod. It's pretty sturdy, haven't used it on a tripod yet but my focusing rail does attach pretty easily.

http://cameraspot.com/spec-sheet.html?catalog[name]=ProMaster-Superlite-3-Way-Head-%236874-Tripod-heads&catalog[product_guids][0]=591759\

[DanK]

Brian,

If cost were no object, I would say that a geared head would be best for your studio macro because trembling in your hands wouldn't be a problem. However, the few I know about are expensive. All of the others will have some sag when you tighten them, which will require a little more trial and error to get the framing just as you want.

I now use only ball and geared heads, but I had a three-way pan head years ago. A lot of ball-head users look down their noses at 3-way pan heads, but I have a hunch this type of head might be easier for you to use. With a ball head, you control the camera with one hand and fiddle with the tightening knob with the other. With a pan head, you twist a lever to tighten the locking mechanism, and if I remember right, the lever moves with the camera. If that memory is correct, then you could use both hands, not just one, to position the camera.

Just a hunch. Perhaps someone who uses a 3-way pan head should chime in and say whether I am remembering this correctly.

Dan