"Ball Head" question

[burstintoflame81]

I was thinking of ordering one of the new Vanguard Alta tripods and a Ball Head to go with it. I had two question..

1) Should most brands typically work with any leg set? ( example: If I buy a manfrotto leg set and a vanguard ball head )

2) If I turn the camera vertical while on the Ball Head. Will the head still pan? Like if I wanted to stitch a bunch of vertical pics together, can I do that or do I need one of those goofy "L" brackets that keep the weight centered?


Thanks guys.

 

[Phranquey]

Bald head... Yeah, I'm getting there.

OH, you said ball head.

1) Yes

2) Yes

 

[NateWagner]

as an FYI, if you use a ball head for a panorama (or a tilt-pan) and you rotate the camera to take the extra images, the perspective between shots will be slightly off. Typically it's not a big deal unless you're a perfectionist.

 

[burstintoflame81]

as an FYI, if you use a ball head for a panorama (or a tilt-pan) and you rotate the camera to take the extra images, the perspective between shots will be slightly off. Typically it's not a big deal unless you're a perfectionist.

Thanks, I didn't think of that. I usually do horizontal shots when I stitch, but just figured I would ask the question so that I don't have any surprises. I have a sunpak tripod now and while it does its job, I hate the head on it and having to unscrew levers and knobs to slowly adjust and then lock into place. It also has a little bit of give to it once you lock it in position so it irritates me. I figure I can keep that tripod to use for like a slave flash or something down the road.

 

[NateWagner]

Well, I guess what I meant is that in order to keep the perspective the same throughout, you would need to rotate the camera on the axis of the nodal point in the lens, rather than on the camera body.

 

[burstintoflame81]

Well, I guess what I meant is that in order to keep the perspective the same throughout, you would need to rotate the camera on the axis of the nodal point in the lens, rather than on the camera body.

I think I get what you mean. Almost like you could do it you had a makeshift collar on the lense and were rotating at that point instead of the body being the center point.

 

[Derrel]

What he's trying to say is that the camera/lens ought to be panned around what is called the nodal point of the lens....

Nodal Ninja Review

 

[NateWagner]

yes, that's what I'm trying to say...

though burst into flames you are right, there are actually some plates that you can get to put on a tripod that will allow you to rotate the camera around the nodal point instead the camera body.