Pan head vs. Pistol grip

[Jordan guyer]

Whats the pros and cons of a pistol grip head and a pan head?

 

[O'Really]

For me, a pistol grip allows for faster and more consistent acquisition of my target. Sometimes seconds matter when getting your glass onto the intended target.

 

[Ray]

http://www.manfrotto.us/light-duty-grip-ball-head

Anyone used this style of ball head?

Struggled with the one that came with the Slik and am planning on something deferent.

 

[MattB]

I used something similar from Bogen I believe for years - nice but really heavy. IMO they are great for glassing within 1/4 mile from a truck but probably not what yo want to carry into the backcountry. Mine was almost 2# by itself.

 

[Jay03]

I found the pan head/fluid heads to scan better for me... I work accross the terrain with my glass side to side across different elavation lines(hope that makes sense) and the pistol grips I have tried are to shaky while moving them from one spot to another. With a fluid head I can make small movements in one plane and slowly move the glass from spot to spot because there is always some tension(depending on the brand). Some are adjustable in tension in each axis. Those features keep me using the fluid/pan head. For me one didnt seem any faster than the other. This is just my opinion and what works with me and my style of glassing.

 

[O'Really]

I've had a helluva time trying to come up with a good tripod over the years. I finally realized, many dollar bills later, that tripods is not an item that is served well by trying to be frugal. I used quite a few tripods, before I finally decided to drop multiple hundreds for a nice carbon fiber, pistol grip head tripod. If I would have just saved all the money I spent on cheapo's over the years.

I have used pan heads before, and than can be equally effective if not better. I think type of tripod head is largely a matter of personal preference.

 

[idig4au]

I use the outdoorsman pistol grip. Its quicker for me and I don't have to worry about drag and panning around with the lever. Just squeeze and release and my scope is locked at the area I'm looking at. I don't have to worry about drag and trying to lock down the pan head or having my scope change position because I forgot to adjust the drag and etc to keep it in its desired place. Its just personal preference as I don't pan/glass with the spotting scope. Its way easier on my eyes to glass with my binoculars and use the spotting scope to decifer what I'm looking at.

 

[Hardstalk]

I enjoy pistol grip with binos. But prefer pan head with fairly long arm for spotter. For me its much more detailed if that makes sense. With a long arm you can move the sight picture an inch @1000 yards. But for me with the pistol grip in the spotter its do or die. You squeeze the grip and your whole image changes. You have to adjust a pistol grip pretty firm to support an 85mm spotter. Therefore when you do squeeze the trigger it goes from locked-completely free. I used the outdoorsman pistol grip quite a bit and it didnt work for my style of glassing with the spotter. But works great with 15's on a tripod.

 

[bbrown]

http://www.manfrotto.us/light-duty-grip-ball-head

Anyone used this style of ball head?

Struggled with the one that came with the Slik and am planning on something deferent.

Robby did a review of this exact head:

http://www.rokslide.com/2012-01-09-05-09-42/optics/223-manfrotto-tripod-head-342rc2

 

[bigeasygator]

Has anyone tried the pistol grip with a panning attachment? I used a pan head because I like to glass the way Jay03 describes it -- scanning side to side across different elevations. I'm afraid a straight pistol grip won't let me do that, but I'm willing to give one with a panning attachment a try.

 

[Jordan guyer]

Has anyone used the SCHONFELD SMALL CARBON TRIPOD With the pistol grip