Ball head or 3-way head & tripod or monopod?

[wiskiz]

Yah... this is a perplexing problem..

1. Tripod or monopod?
Most discussed so far, tripod is necessary for night work.. but monopod has the advantage of being light weight and good for daytime pictures.
Since i think.. i'll b taking MOSTLY day pic... and only SOME night.. i'll settle for a monopod that has retractable legs...

2. Ball head or 3 way head (or other heads?)
Hear of the convenience, the compactness of ball heads.. but my concern is that it allows TOO MUCH freedom of movement.. it can do good panning shots (i think.. coz of the 360 movement) etc... I was kinda like wanting a 3 way head (also transferable to a tripod?) will a 3 way head be more practical? I also heard that a 3 way head is heavier.. so HOW?! :sweat:

 

[zac08]

You using those heads on a monopod? Think about it, you are already trying to travel light, thus you're getting a monopod, so why hamper yourself further by getting heavy ballheads???

But then again, it's your choice. You're the one carrying it and using it...

 

[rebbot]

Yah... this is a perplexing problem..

1. Tripod or monopod?
Most discussed so far, tripod is necessary for night work.. but monopod has the advantage of being light weight and good for daytime pictures.
Since i think.. i'll b taking MOSTLY day pic... and only SOME night.. i'll settle for a monopod that has retractable legs...

2. Ball head or 3 way head (or other heads?)
Hear of the convenience, the compactness of ball heads.. but my concern is that it allows TOO MUCH freedom of movement.. it can do good panning shots (i think.. coz of the 360 movement) etc... I was kinda like wanting a 3 way head (also transferable to a tripod?) will a 3 way head be more practical? I also heard that a 3 way head is heavier.. so HOW?! :sweat:

I use tripods and monopods for different purposes. If I am going trekking and want to travel very light, I would carry a monopod and use it as a walking stick as well. However, nothing can beat a sturdy tripod especially for landscapes.

I would prefer to use a ballhead and some do have a panning base so you can do panning as well although some do swear by the 3 way heads that does the job better. You should bring your equipment down to the shops to test.

 

[rebbot]

You using those heads on a monopod? Think about it, you are already trying to travel light, thus you're getting a monopod, so why hamper yourself further by getting heavy ballheads???

But then again, it's your choice. You're the one carrying it and using it...

why not? A good tripod head is essential for a sturdy setup at least for me. You can save on the weight of the tripods and ballheads by getting the CF or titanium ones. Something that can carry up to 4kg of equipment should be no heavier than 1.6 - 1.8kg I think.

Cheers!

 

[wiskiz]

Now my main question is... In what way is a ball head better or worse than a 3 way head???? :think:



As for tripods vs monopods.. i guess the decision is simple...
Tripod and monopod wise:
Tripod is good for super stability... esp for landscape and night... this is esp important...
Monopod is good for its lightness and convenience.. for the extra stability when doing day shots...