Fluid head ON TOP of ball head?

[4th_point]

Set the tripod up. Level with the ball head, then i can pan on the fluid head for the ultimate in smooth and stable glassing/ranging setup.

I can see the appeal of smooth panning that you want with the fluid head, while still being able to level.

- Have you looked at leveling bases, instead of ball head + pan head?

- Or tripods with built-in leveling - Leofoto has some - but the ROM is obviously not as wide as a ball head. You can put any head you want on it though.

Downsides would be locking everything down tight (two heads), for shooting clamped.

 

[schmidty3]

I can see the appeal of smooth panning that you want with the fluid head, while still being able to level.

- Have you looked at leveling bases, instead of ball head + pan head?

- Or tripods with built-in leveling - Leofoto has some - but the ROM is obviously not as wide as a ball head. You can put any head you want on it though.

Downsides would be locking everything down tight (two heads), for shooting clamped.

The ballhead locks nice and tight. The manfrotto can be tensioned pretty well. Ive shot off of it to great affect (but would need to be a bit more scientific with it and test it out). I think combined they would be fine. But it wouldn't be hard to rip off the manfrotto from the ball head.

 

[schmidty3]

I agree, try it and let us know! You might find your new binos off a bag will be a big improvement also.

thats the plan this weekend. my standard move is to stuff my kifaru reckoning full, along with the lid. Stood vertically it gives a very nice and easy to use glassing platform thats faster to deploy then a tripod.

my aziak arca mount "might" be here today. so maybe i'll get the ballhead experience this weekend.

I should have all this lined out by the freestone 1 day though.

 

[schmidty3]

With the combined power of Amazon and Chinesium ive completed my concoction.

Ball head to arca clamp. Arca plate to manfrotto. Manfrotto long plate to arca clamp. Arca clamp to binos/rifle. Lol

I think it will work.

Now to loctite everything together!

The one thing I didn't consider is the additional height added. It puts me into a very high kneeling position. I think that's OK for glassing/ranging. Maybe even preferential.

For shooting in a lower position I'll usually use the bipod with the tripod as a rear. Also I can rip the manfortto off as easy as I could rip off the binos. Probably be best to shoot off of the ballhead.

Low prone = pack

High prone = tall harris bipod with my chest/gun on top of the pack as a rear

Anything above that to low kneeling = fully extend bipod and use the tripod as a rear.

High kneeling to standing = tripod and maybe a single Trekking pole as a rear.

Ive definitely missed how smooth that manfrotto pans.