3-way head or ball head?

[avilamillar]

Hi, im looking for a tripod, i have a SONY DSC-H50 and i found this one with 2 different heads:

Amazon.com: Manfrotto 7301YB M-Y Tripod with 3-Way Head - Replaces 728B: Camera & Photo

Amazon.com: Manfrotto 7302YB M-Y Tripod with Ball - Replaces 725B: Camera & Photo

Later i would like to buy a NIKON D80, can i still using this tripod?

Or wich other do you recommend me? i only have 150 dlls to spend

Thanks

 

[SlimPaul]

I use a tripod with a 3-way head. I think it's better since you can pan and make more precise adjustments.

 

[SpeedTrap]

I use a tripod with a ball head. I like the speed of adjustment, but as a note I have a ball head you can pan with as well.

What type of Photography are you doing?

And the above tripods will be just fine with a D80.

 

[PhotoXopher]

My choice was a ball head with pan ability as well.

Manfrotto 190XB w/488 head, works great with my D90 w/grip and Sigma 18-250 or Nikon 35-70 lenses.

 

[KmH]

A 3-way head can only be adjusted in just 1 axis at a time. That makes it kind of slow unless you're very familiar with the head.

A ball head can be adjusted in 3 axis at the same time making for fast adjustment, but if you're not careful and hold the camera and lens it can flop down on you and possibly damage something (camera, lens head, tripod). Plus, unless you get a fairly good (expensive) ball head it will creep every time you tighten it.

So it boils down to what kind of photography you are doing. I have both myself.

 

[Big Mike]

I also have both. I prefer the ball head most of the time.

 

[avilamillar]

Ok now i undestand the differences, so the majority prefer ball head with pan ability, sorry for the ignorance but whats pan ability?

I would use it for macro photography of my aquarium or landscapes.

Thanks you all

 

[PhotoXopher]

Panning would be something like moving (panning) with a moving object such as a horse or race car as it goes by - typically a left to right or right to left movement with no vertical adjustment so the tripod can be locked to moving only on one axis.

 

[avilamillar]

Oh ok, i undestand now, but the Amazon.com: Manfrotto 7302YB M-Y Tripod with Ball - Replaces 725B: Camera & Photo doesnt have pan ability, does it?

Thanks

 

[PhotoXopher]

Doesn't look like it.

 

[avilamillar]

So with no pan ability it would be better the 3 way head for me??

 

[KmH]

Or pay for a ball head that has that capability. There are some.

 

[avilamillar]

Yeah but i dont want to spend too much money on that. i think im getting the 3 way head because the ball head doesnt has the pan ability.

Thanks