Whether you’re a professional photographer or a newbie, a tripod only is not enough to help you accomplish some of your photography needs. Most of us thought buying a nice tripod is all we needed and ready to go. When it comes to heads, there are different types and brands – each serving a specific purpose. Well, ball head vs. pan head, which one should you choose?
For us to answer this question more satisfyingly, we’ll give a roundup of each head type including their pros and cons. Also, we’ll let you know what each head is good at doing.
But before we jump into the details, there are a few other things worth mentioning. The first thing to note is that there are different heads apart from the ball and pan heads.
These heads include fluid heads, panoramic heads, video pan heads, gimbal head, and geared heads. Understand that tripod legs also matter, meaning you must get the head that matches with your tripod legs. Since we’re not discussing tripod legs, we’ll leave it at that and focus on the two heads.
What does a ball head do?
Before we answer this question – what’s a ball head in photography anyway? It would be inappropriate to explain the work of something that you don’t know what it is in the first place. It is a small tool or device that’s a ball in a socket. That might not make sense.
Let’s put it this way; it is a device with an adjustable ball hence its name. It sits on your tripod and provides a platform for the camera. While the tripod offers a stable platform for the ball head – it ensures that you get precise shots. In other words, the head makes it easier for you to tilt the camera or move it around in 360-degrees steadily and smoothly.
In most cases, while shooting, you’d interact with the tripod heads more often than you’d do with the tripod. The tripod head is a small device that photographers mount on top of the tripod and to the bottom of their camera.
So, what can a ball head do best? As we said earlier, there are different tripod heads each for a specific purpose. It might be relevant or irrelevant, depending on the kind of photography you do. When it comes to flexibility and popularity, ball heads carry the day.
They’re straightforward to understand and use. Besides, some of the latest versions allow panning. Have you ever seen a sharp photo with a blurry background? They’re mostly photos of vehicles or sports. Well, that’s now panning photography. It’s a technique that allows you to capture a sharp image of a moving object.
You can achieve this by combining a slow shutter speed with the camera motion. Note that this device swivels along the vertical and horizontal axis and there’s only one tension knob to control it.
Apart from them being easy to use, they’re lightweight and easily lock the camera into position. You’ll also find ball heads with a quick-release system – which is a small plate of metal that locks into place on your ball head and holds the camera at the touch of a lever. What the plate does is to maintain and release the camera very fast in a convenient way.
Pros of a ball head
Straightforward to use: If you’re still learning how to use a camera with a tripod or you’re new to photography, the head ball will never disappoint.
They boast a simple design featuring a tension adjustment to quickly move the head around or lock it down to one place. Also, there is a screw to tighten the head to hold your camera if there’s no quick-release mechanism. Its simplicity gives the user full control of the camera during action.
Smooth Operation: The movement of this device is sleek, making its operation smooth as well. You have nothing to worry about if there’s a lot of action to capture. It’s also easy to shot a static object like a landscape or a portrait but not precisely.
Cons
Not Stable: Stability is one drawback that you’ll likely face when using a ball head, especially when setting the camera in a portrait position. Leveling the camera tends to be a load of work if you’ll spend time doing that.
Accuracy Issues: Making adjustments here is demanding. When you loosen the screw to level your camera, you’ll be moving everything hence spending considerable time to ensure that you get it right. That can be disappointing especially if you want to take a quick shot.
What is a Pan and Tilt Head?
Unlike ball heads, pan tilt heads are quite complicated to use. Why is it called a pan and tilt head? When you mount a camera on it, you can rotate the camera in a horizontal plane, hence pan. Also, you can move the camera in a vertical plane, thus tilt.
A tilt head features three different control knobs or adjustments, as seen in the image above. These adjustment levers are designed to control each axis independently.
Pan tilt head is often referred to as a three-way-heads because of the ability to handle specific tasks. For example, you can fix one axis and at the same time, move the other freely. Also, you can pan horizontally or tilt up and down. You’ll realize a pan and tilt head can be a good bet for panoramas.
Pan tripod heads work pretty well for photographers who do not make a lot of adjustments. Just like its counterpart, a pan-tilt head sits on your tripod and provides a platform for the camera. It also has a screw to hold the camera. Regardless of a tilt head being demanding when using it, it delivers precise captures.
Pros
Accuracy: The design of pan heads gives you precise control due to having a handle that controls each plane independently. It allows you to adjust each of them without disturbing the others – so, you can adjust vertically, horizontally, or tilt one at a time while others remain intact.
Budget-friendly: When we say budget-friendly, we do not necessarily mean that you’ll spend way little money to buy one. What we’re saying is that if you compare the load capacity of a till head with a ball head that can handle the same – you’ll realize that a ball head will cost more.
Stable: This thing is stable, and you’ll rarely hear cases of it toppling over or some weird movements once you’ve locked it into position.
Cons
Not Straightforward: Due to three different levers, a pan and tilt head is not straightforward and will take you some time to master how to operate it. It is also slow to adjust – have in mind that three different handles need independent adjustment. Although the process is time-consuming, it still gives precise control.
Bulky: Let’s face it; this device is bulky when compared with a ball head. Yes, and the fact that the handles stick out, they become a hindrance when moving around.
Related
Using a ball head on a monopod
What type of tripod head is best?
Chances are you’re here because you want the answer to this question. If you’re still undecided even after reading through the information above, don’t worry. We’ll help you make the right decision so that the next time you go shopping, you can shop like a pro. What type of tripod head is the best? The answer to this question is pretty straightforward. Y
ou probably know the answer already – what makes a tripod head best is the work you indent to do with it. Let’s explain with examples. We will start with the ball heads. As we had mentioned above, a ball head is easy to use and adjust. Meaning, if you want to capture objects that are on the move, it comes in handy.
For example, sports and action photographers find a ball head very instrumental. Why? Because the device is suitable when your interest is to follow the action as you can adjust quickly.
A pan and tilt head on the other side is good for portraits and landscapes photographers. While a ball head is easy to use, it’s hard to get pin-point exactness with it. That’s where a pan head kicks in.
Although a pan/tilt head is slow to adjust, you’ll always get accurate results. You can also achieve great panning with a pan head whereby you lock all axis except one. Such happens in the case of video shooting. If you do actions – consider using a pistol grip head.
With a pistol grip head, you’ll have a smooth, fast, and single-handed operation of the camera. Note that if you decide to acquire a pan head, you should get a geared head because it offers more precise positioning. Well, you now understand that every head is useful when it comes to specific activities. Each of them has advantages and disadvantages.
- 【Quick Release Plate And Wide Compatible】: Camera Tripod quick release plate with 1/4 screw, compatible with all dslr slr camera,camcorder,mini projector,digital cameras. For example,Nikon d3400 d3300,d3400,d5300,d7000,canon 7d,canon rebel,Sony a7,Sony a6000,Sony a7iii And so on, so its a canon camera tripod, Nikon tripod and Sony tripod.
- 【Lightweight Compact And Three Angle Positions】:The weight of the lightweight tripod for camera is only 2.1 lbs(0.94kg). The height is adjustable from 405mm(15.9in) to 1240mm(49in), perfect for business travel, outdoor adventures, indoor activities or family trips with carry bag for easy portability and safe storage.Three angle positions of the leg enable shooting on cramped quarters or on uneven rough ground.
- 【Shooting Flexible】 : Tripods are available in a variety of shooting styles, specially designed ball-head can rotate 360° and the inverted shooting allows you to shot static landscapes from the low angle to achieve marvelous shooting experience.
- 【Convenient Set Up And Heavy Duty】: Our dslr tripod equipped with extra strong leg locks,its very easy and convenient to operate with one hand.the recomanded max loading capacity is 3-5kg, enough to handle almost all dslr cameras, camcorders, lightweight or mini projectors, transfer plate, webcam, digital cameras and so on.
- 【Spring Loaded Hook And Warranty】: Allows to hang additional weight from the tripod’s center for increased stability .we promise 12 months worry-free warranty and 30 days money back guarantee.if you have any problem when using,please feel free to contact us.we are always ready to hear your voice (reply within 12hrs) and your advice is vital for us to improve our products, we need it.
- Fluid Drag Tripod Head: Compatible with Manfrotto 501HDV release plates, the fluid head is made of ultra-high-strength metal, solid and stable with load up to 17.6pounds/8kilograms. Supports adjustable shooting angles, 360 degrees horizontally and -70 to 90 degree vertically, fitting various shooting environments and photographic needs
- 1/4 Inch Quick Release Plate: Comes with one detachable 1/4 inch quick release plate, it is suitable for connecting to most DSLR cameras, camcorders, telescopes, etc. Easy to set up and take down. There are non-slip rubber pads on the quick release plate to make the installed equipment more stable in its place. Included bubble level helps to keep the stable shooting when in use
- 3/8 Inch Bottom Screw Thread: The bottom of the ball head is designed with a 3/8 inch screw thread (included with 3/8 inches to 1/4 inch screw adapter), so you can attach it to the tripod, monopod, light stands, or camera sliders for adding more flexibility in angle changing to enhance your shooting effect. Note: This product does not include cameras, tripod, monopod, or slider
- 360 Degree Swivel: The angle can be adjusted by the sphere in the middle, and there are 4 knobs for fixing and locking (QR plate locking knob, ball head locking, pitching locking knob, and base locking knob). There is a fine-tuning scale (0-1.3inches/0-30mm) at the bottom of the ball head for more precise control when shooting from multiple angles, easy to take panoramic photos
- Removable Handle: It comes with a non-skid lightweight handlebar, convenient turn the ball head with the handle, easy to set up and takedown from left to right, ideal for outdoor and indoor professional shooting. Removable two-section grips allow you to adjust the length from 11.6inches/29.5centimeters to 16.9inches/43centimeters, bringing you a more comfortable use feeling. A hydraulic damper for rebounding automatically to effectively reduce the force when the camera is tilted
- – Supports 13.2 LB, a professional video tripod system designed for HDSLR and interchangeable lens cameras
- – Fluid Head features pre-set counterbalance, fixed fluid drags in both the pan and tilt axes, offers 360° panning and +90° / -70° tilt; Integrated Flat Base with 3/8″-16 thread makes the head versatile for most tripod, slider, jib or crane
- – Two provided quick release plates, each comes with a 1/4″-20 screw, and a 3/8″-16 screw stored in a thread under the plate, offers a sliding range of +20/-25mm – to enable travel capabilities
- – Featuring locking rubber buckles, this 2-stage fluid head tripod with a built-in 75mm bowl; mid-level spreader provides enhanced stability by holding the tripod legs in locked position
- – 13.2 lb Loading Capacity | 33″ to 72″ Height Range | Tilt Angle +90° / -70° | 360° Panning | 75mm Ball Diameter | Carrying Bag | Fluid Head | Tripod Leg | 2 pcs of Quick Release Plates
Conclusion
It’s also clear that the kind of photography you do will determine which head to purchase. We would advise having both heads and switch between them whenever possible. One crucial tool never to miss is the quick release mechanism. You don’t want to screw and unscrew the camera on the head all the time. It is time-wasting and very disappointing.
As we wrap up, every photographer may have a different opinion concerning either a ball head or a pan head. Always do your homework before settling for one.
