Again, I need to apologize for the lack of product photos in this. Due to a combination of COVID-19 and dealing with my late uncle’s estate, I am not (and have not been) home in Tennessee for a while, so I do not have a lot of my gear with me here in Ohio.
Since we’ve covered the topic of what to look for when choosing tripod legs (along with some recommendations), we should logically cover the other half of that equation: a good tripod head. Choosing a head is quite a bit less complicated – you’ll know what kind you’re looking for and either they do the job or they don’t – but also somewhat frustrating because it’s practically impossible to gauge the actual quality until you use it yourself. It also depends on how strict your tolerances are; reading user reviews is probably the best way to narrow down potential purchases because sheer specs won’t tell you much.
There are far fewer variables when it comes to a head than the legs; the materials used isn’t typically a concern, you don’t have to worry about things like the number of leg sections, etc. A good head is one that allows you to do the job in the simplest, smoothest, and most stable way possible – if you don’t intend to take panoramic photos, you can easily rule out a specialized panoramic head. If your camera system is a tiny micro 4/3 mirrorless, you probably won’t need an Arca Swiss Cube.
So, I’ll just cover a few important points and then some suggestions. Again, these suggestions are only based on what I’ve used, which means equipment that I have no (or little) use for isn’t in the mix – for example, I don’t need a special head for panoramic or time lapse photography. If that’s what you need, you probably won’t find this very helpful.
First, determine what KIND of head you need. There are four primary types of heads: ball, geared (sometimes called pan & tilt), gimbal, and pistol grip. I don’t use gimbal heads, so we won’t get into that one. Avoid pistol grip heads; they seem appealing and cool, but I’ve never used one that could lock down with remotely decent accuracy. This leaves ball heads and geared heads – both are different enough and with their own advantages that you may want one of each. I’ll go into the differences and strengths of each shortly.
Determine your weight requirements: both load capacity and weight of the head itself. If you want a general head for a wide range of applications, you likely want something smaller and lighter. If you have a massive camera setup and/or you mostly stay in the studio, then the weight of a heavier head won’t be an issue.
Arca Swiss compatible* or not? Heads will typically either have a proprietary QR connection or they will employ the classic Arca Swiss quick release clamp. The Arca Swiss QR is always my preference – it’s quick, simple, standardized, and with an Arca Swiss L-bracket it makes shooting in both orientations very simple. If this doesn’t matter to you one way or the other, then don’t worry about it. But be sure to check if the head comes with a plate (whether it’s Arca or not); if not, make sure to get one (factor this into the cost as well).
Arca Swiss clamp plate. Camera plate/bracket slides in and is locked in place by tightening the knob.
(Image from Wikipedia, Creative Commons license)
*For those who don’t know what a head with an Arca Swiss quick release means: Arca Swiss is a French manufacturer known primarily for their top-of-the-line large format view cameras, which are designed to integrate with digital backs or even DSLRs/MILCs. Outside of this ultra-niche high-end market, they’re best known for their “Arca Swiss Quick Release System” developed in the 1990s and has now essentially become a standard – and for good reason. An Arca QR base plate is a 35mm wide (length can vary) CNC machined component with a 45º degree dovetail and usually a standard 1/4-20 (some are 3/8) screw. The other part of the QR system is the clamp on the head, which allows the base plate to be slid in from either side – once it has been inserted, the clamp is then tightened usually via a simple twist knob (sometimes a flip lock). It’s incredibly simple, especially because it does not matter what direction or orientation you insert the base plate – it’s completely identical on each side. Most other manufacturers’ proprietary systems require a special orientation to mount and unmount the camera. Arca Swiss QR bases can come as a simple universal plate with rubberized grip, as a universal L-bracket, or – and this is the best part – a base plate or L-bracket designed specifically for your model of camera. This ensures that the camera or plate have absolutely no room to flex or shift. They’re also far nicer if you hate removing/attaching tripod plates constantly – most other systems are awkward and unpleasant when attached to a camera, but Arca Swiss plates don’t hinder your comfort or ability to handhold the camera – an L bracket can even make for a decent sort of left-handed grip.
Ball vs. Geared. This is an obvious extension of the first note. Ball heads are fairly basic; usually the camera mount (QR plate connection) is positioned on a “neck” which is linked to a ball joint – this is fitted inside the socket of the main “body” (which screws directly to the tripod) and allows you to swivel, pan, tilt, angle, etc. in pretty much any direction very quickly. A knob is then tightened to lock down the head once you have positioned your frame. The Arca Swiss p0 uses an inverted design – the camera mounts to the main body of the head, which then pivots atop the neck. It also uses a knurled ring to lock the head down, rather than a knob. But the general idea remains the same in either.
Geared heads operate completely differently. While the actual design can vary quite a lot from model to model, the basic function of a geared head is the use of multiple independent locking mechanisms. Unlike a ball head, which has a single lock and moves freely in all directions when unlocked, a geared head will only move along the axis that is unlocked. This allows for precise positioning and fine-tuned adjustments without disturbing the other movements. Conversely, it also makes it slower to deploy and use, since each direction of movement must be locked/unlocked independently. Geared heads usually have markings to indicate angle and position; ball heads won’t have these markings, though they usually have markings around the 360 degree pan rotation at the base.
Because of the simpler design and lack of multiple locks/handles, ball heads can be considerably smaller in packing volume than geared heads and a bit lighter in weight, though exceptions exist on both ends of course.
For me? I like ball heads for travel and in the field – they’re smaller to pack and quicker to deploy in use. Geared heads are great for studio and macro photography – “no rush” photography that may also require precise adjustments, which product and macro work certainly does.
Now, onto the difficult part. Finding a head that works and works well. This entirely depends on your tolerances – mine are extremely tight and not very forgiving. I’ve gone through maybe a dozen and a half heads, testing and usually returning if there were any obvious problems (I typically buy used or openbox from Adorama as I do not care for returning brand new merchandise unless there is an actual problem with it or it’s just total garbage; Open box items are also cheaper while still retaining full manufacturer warranty).
The most typical problem is the dreaded droop – minor downward movement of the frame after locking the head. Even with perfect locking technique (there is such a thing, believe it or not) this is often unavoidable entirely with a majority of heads – particularly ball heads. Droop becomes a bigger issue at higher magnifications or with tighter framing (i.e. macro or telephoto work) and/or with more weight – thankfully the latter has become less of an issue with the mirrorless revolution.
My work demands are such that I essentially cannot tolerate any droop at all. This was very frustrating for a long time because I never thought I’d find a ball head that perfectly locked down, but alas… I did. Actually, I found two.
Manfrotto Hydrostatic Ball Head (468MG) (~$280)
The first ball head I ever found that locked securely in place with no droop – seemingly without regard to the amount of weight to boot. This head differs from others in that it uses a unique vacuum chamber and pressurized hydraulic lock to secure the ball and joint. The large size of the side knob along with its rubber-textured surface make it incredibly easy to gently but securely lock the head without inducing unwanted movement. On the opposite side of the head is the standard knob lock that allows you to pan the head.
There are several variants of this head – the base 468MG, one with an RC2 QR plate, one with an RC4 QR plate, and one with an MSQ6PL QR plate. I have the latter, but as far as I know, all are the same quality head.
See here at Amazon and Adorama.
Arca Swiss Monoball p0 Ball Head (~$300-450)
Arca Swiss products are notoriously the opposite of cheap, but here is a quite affordable though absolutely top-of-the-line tripod head that comes in right around the same price as the Manfrotto Hydrostatic (depending on which variant you get of either).
As mentioned before, the p0 differs slightly in construction with the camera attaching directly to the body, inside which is the locking mechanism; most other designs separate these two. The upshot is that the locking mechanics are closer to the camera and the camera can rotate nearer to the ball (and therefore nearer to the center of gravity). It also means that you needn’t worry about leveling the base of the structure for panoramas or other stitching: the panning system is linked directly to the camera body.
The knurled ring that locks/unlocks the head is also very nice – I prefer it to the side knob of other designs because a) you don’t have to fumble around for it or worry about its positioning, b) it locks down with significantly more ease - I think this is a combination of both the design* and being a ring vs. knob.
*The locking ring has very little travel compared to what you’d expect from using other heads. When fully unlocked (it has hard stops, at least at the unlocked end) it takes only a few degrees of a turn to significantly tighten the head (but not totally) and only a bit more to totally and completely lock it. And it LOCKS - I’ve tried with all my might to move it with my hand and I simply cannot. A camera won’t even phase it.
Like the Hydrostatic, there are a few variants: the base with no plate connection, the Slidefix QS release, and the classic Arca Swiss QR release. I got the base with no clamp because it’s $70 cheaper than the Classic QR version and you can add a decent clamp of your choice for $20-30 or a nicer one for $50-120. I like the Feisol QRC-50 or one of the Really Right Stuff B2 variants with a dab of non-permanent Loctite (note: do NOT let the Loctite get onto the nut around the 1/4” screw on the head - that nut must be able to move to pan the head).
This is simply the best ball head money can buy below $500. I’d definitely recommend the p0 over the Hydrostatic, but you can’t go wrong with either – ultimately, it’ll probably come down to your preferences in the design, differences in price, and/or availability in your region. At roughly $300 for the base version, it isn’t necessarily cheap, but considering the quality, it’s truly impossible to be disappointed with it. Just a fantastic piece of engineering and one of my favorite gear investments; it’s basically permanently welded onto my Gitzo Traveler.
It’s worth mentioning the Manfrottos have warranties extendable to ten years, whereas the p0 has “only” a three year warranty (Adorama claims 5, they are wrong).
See here at Amazon and Adorama.
Gitzo GH2750 Series 2 Off Center Ball Head (~$275)
This was a very recent purchase and, somehow, I ended up incredibly lucky. I needed a second head and since I’m out of town, ordering one was my only option. I looked at a lot of options – considered a second p0 or Hydrostatic Head – and decided that if I’m going to spend a couple hundred bucks, I might as well get one that does something my other gear doesn’t. Lots of searching and pondering later, I came across a Gitzo GH2750 off center head, brand new and sold by Amazon, for $118. That was less than half the price I saw it listed anywhere else, even used on eBay. Since Amazon returns are simple and painless, there really wasn’t any risk in grabbing it up.
And I’m very pleased I did. Not only did I get a brand-new ball head that I can later sell at a profit, but this one does have some unique features that none of my others do – chiefly, the “off center” part of its name. The result is a head that can pivot and turn in literally any direction and assume any orientation without interference from other parts of the head. Not only does the neck pivot on the ball, but the housing of the ball can turn 360 degrees. This means you can achieve virtually any angle or framing you want without the need for an L-bracket. I wouldn’t use it this way with a huge medium-format camera unless you have a heavy, rock-steady tripod, but for regular mirrorless and DSLR cameras, it’s wonderful.
The head also locks down tight and exhibits no droop – at least none that I have noticed so far. The only niggle is that it doesn’t lock quite as easily as the Hydrostatic or p0; the knob requires more distance and torque compared to the others, which seemingly locks down with very little effort. The upshot of this is that you need to be careful to not knock your framing off when tightening the locking knob.
It also does not have any kind of built-in quick release, so you have to add your own (see above about the p0 for recommendations).
See here at Amazon and Adorama.
Sirui FD-01 Four-Way Geared Head (~$229)
Coming in at just $229, this geared head is surprisingly good. With an integrated Arca-type clamp, the FD-01 has four points of adjustability controlled by two knob locks and two handle-locks. One handle controls lateral movement and the other controls the vertical. Each of the knob locks control a 360 degree panning function – one at the base of the unit where it attaches to the legs and one at the top directly beneath the camera mount. The two separate panning systems allow greater flexibility and control for stitching and panoramas.
The head is an all-aluminum construction weighing in at 1.7 pounds with a rated load capacity of 22.1 pounds. I’ve only used this head with smaller gear (usually micro 4/3, occasionally FF mirrorless), so I have no experience with a large DSLR setup on it. But for the lighter-weight work, it is very sturdy and smooth in operation; you have to be gentle when locking the handles so you don’t shift the frame, but that is standard with any of the smaller geared heads.
With a six-year warranty and seemingly excellent construction, there isn’t much to complain about at this price if you aren’t planning to stick a monster setup on top of it. The head finely handles macro work with, for example, an Olympus E-M1 Mark II, Olympus 60/2.8, and accompanying flash trigger. If you have a DSLR + 85mm PC-E (for example), I’d look at something a bit higher end, like the next two recommendations.
See here at Amazon and Adorama.
Arca Swiss d4 Geared Head (~$849-$1169)
Jumping up quite a lot in price, we get to the impressive (though not cheap) Arca Swiss d4 which is essentially a hybrid head of sorts that combines the quick-deployment advantages of a ball head with the precision controls and adjustment capability of a geared head. With the horizontal and vertical axes unlocked, you can freely move the camera about like a ball head – however unlike a ball head, you can independently lock each one and operate as a geared head.
This is the pinnacle of small, lightweight tripod heads in every way. Weighing only 1.8 pounds, it has a rated load capacity of 75 pounds, and I wouldn’t bet against it. There are several variants – the Classic Arca, the Fliplock lever, and the monoballFix – the latter of which is several hundred dollars cheaper than the others and is my recommendation (along with an accompanying monoballFix plate) for that reason alone.
This is my primary head in the studio, supplanting the beautiful C1 Cube. Once I switched mostly to mirrorless for product/macro work*, I had to face the fact that the d4 is absolutely more than enough for any of my needs in the studio. The Cube is an insanely brilliant piece of engineering, and if you need all of what it offers then there isn’t a substitute – but otherwise you’re better off with the smaller, lighter, cheaper, and more flexible d4. Even with a moderately hefty DSLR setup, you’ll probably find your needs served by the d4 – it can certainly hold the weight.
*If you’re wondering why I use a Z6 over the D810 for product, it’s because a) the massive benefits of live-view and a tilt screen; especially with a lens like the 85 PC-E (or any tilt-shift lens), which you can now use handheld and see the true adjusted focus plane and/or shift in live-view which is a notorious issue when using an OVF, b) IBIS - and the tilt screen - allows me to do a decent amount of my work handheld, which was certainly never the case with the DSLRs - plus live-view has PDAF, and c) the lower density sensor permits roughly one more stop down for extended depth of field before diffraction kicks in. Plus, I almost never need 36MP product photos. The D810 still remains as a brilliant landscape tool - ISO 64 and incredible highlight headroom are not insignificant; also, the DSLRs are still superior for wildlife (and long lenses) as well as tracking AF.
The p0 is still used for most of my outdoor/travel work since it’s about a pound lighter and less packing volume than the d4 – it’s also nice to have a head basically welded to my Gitzo Traveler, ready to pick up and go, and one that stays behind on the larger tripods. I’m not a fan of constantly swapping out gear.
See here at Amazon and Adorama.
I won’t get too much into the Arca Swiss C1 Cube – it exists in a rather binary realm where you either need what it offers or you don’t. It’s large, bulky, expensive, and slower to use compared to other options; buy the d4 or something cheaper unless you need what the Cube offers. If you do, you’ll know it, and there isn’t anything better. I loved it, but found the flexibility of the d4 to outweigh the few benefits of the Cube (for me) and certainly couldn’t justify both. See here at Amazon and Adorama.