Fluid Head Tripod Recommendations

[Incendies Productions]

Hey everyone!

I've been using a cheap Viltrox VX18M for the last three years as I started my career and it's time for me to invest in a proper fluid head and set of sticks for the long haul! While my current camera set-up isn't anything super impressive (I upgraded from a G85 to a Panasonic S1 earlier this year), I've had several close calls where my Viltrox nearly tipped over and crashed my camera set-up due to the locks not staying locked anymore and had the quality of one rather important shot in one of my recent projects compromised by the Viltrox being unable to reliably repeat the same panning shot smoothly with any take. While I've done plenty of decent work over the last three years with this tripod, clearly the $135 I spent on the VX18M has run its course. So I began saving my pennies for a proper upgrade and have been looking at a number of different options over the course of the summer.

While I'm not quite ready to make a purchase yet, I wanted to go ahead and run my options over here with you all for feedback to best determine what the right purchase would be for me. For context, I'm not in a position to go out and properly test or rent tripods before I make my purchase, as I live overseas.

If I buy a system new, my sights have singled in on getting a Cartoni Focus 10, likely with the aluminum SDS legs. While I've heard great things about both Miller and Sachtler, I want to invest in a 100mm fluid head (preferably with continuous counterbalance) that I can use with my current S1 set-up and well beyond to more professional rigs down the line after I return to the States.

On the Used Market side of the road, I've also seen a number of recommendations online for buying something like a used O'Connor 50D, 515, 1030 or some sort of Ronford Baker on eBay and have seen a number of potentially good options there too. While I have no doubt that most any of those heads would offer far superior performance to the Focus 10 in the long run, I'm not sure how flexible these options would be for my current set-up with the S1. I know that most of the O'Connors offer counterbalance to 0 pounds, but I've heard mixed results on that front and have no clue on how that'd carry over to anything particularly old from O'Connor, such as the 50D or Model 50.

[timist025]

I have a Cartoni Focus HD 100mm head with aluminum 2 stage legs that I bought used 6 years ago that has served me well. I've put gh5s, canon c100, fs7, and fx9 on it. Looking at the Focus 10, it seems like a comparable model. Maybe the focus hd could be a used option for your list as well if you like the focus 10 as a buy new option?

[paulears]

With really good solid and trusted kit available second hand, you can get better kit for your money if you look around. Vinten, Miller and Sachtler kit is available that is so much better than brand new something else that they have trouble being beaten. A ten year old high up in the product range when new knocks the new stuff for the same price out of the ring. The movie/broadcaster kit can be a bit battered but is built so well. Being a Brit - all my gear is Vinten, and balance and stability is really good - you can put even heavy cameras at any angle, and take your fingers off the pan handle and they stay put, yet finger tip pressure gets them moving so easily.

[Incendies Productions]

I have a Cartoni Focus HD 100mm head with aluminum 2 stage legs that I bought used 6 years ago that has served me well. I've put gh5s, canon c100, fs7, and fx9 on it. Looking at the Focus 10, it seems like a comparable model. Maybe the focus hd could be a used option for your list as well if you like the focus 10 as a buy new option?

Yeah, as far as I can tell, the Focus 10 is basically a rebranded Focus HD. It sounds like the Focus 10 might have some slight adjustments behind the scenes too, as it's listed as having a maximum weight capacity of 11kg instead of the HD's 12 kg, though I'm not sure how serious that difference actually is in practice. So far, I've only seen one or two used Focus HD heads. Most of the options I've found on the used market tend to be the original Cartoni Focus F100 head from the mid-2000's.

Also paulears , I've heard a number of great things about older Vintens, especially the Vision 100. Unfortunately, from what I gather, the options I'd likely consider wouldn't work well for me right now due to how high the minimum weight capacity tends to be, since I'm currently working with a rig centered around a Panasonic S1. But if you have any feedback on that in the case for Vinten, that's more than welcomed!

And since you mention it, I suppose I could look at used Millers or Sachtlers too. I'm not sure how well I'd like the non-continuous counterbalancing those systems use, though I know they can definitely save a ton of time on set.

[Peter C.]

There are three major factors you have to consider before getting into which brand:

1. Size & Weight of the camera/rig: No matter how good a tripod system is if the camera is too heavy or light it will not perform well.

2. Portability: You can buy a lot of older used gear cheap but it often is big and heavy which isn't a problem as long as you're able to transport it.

3. How it's being used: If you're shooting things that don't need smooth pan and tilts from far away like a static interview then you can save a lot of money. When shooting live events where you are far away it's worth every penny to get an excellent tripod.

* Also keep in mind what plate it uses. Most people stick to one system.

[paulears]

If you can lay your hands on a used Vinten 3LF - this should work, weight wise - I had to do the conversion but 2.2lbs upwards is the minimum load - and your camera with a lens and perhaps a gizmo or two should be over this by a bit and the head can handle way above that. The 3 isn't so easy to find as the 5LF the one I have) but they have the same mechanical design.

[laverdir]

Incendies Productions, what's the intended use?

[ozmorphasis]

The Focus series of heads perform really well in terms of counterbalance and precise/smooth movements, especially challenging ones like a slow diagonal move on a long lens. They don't have the most amazing history in terms of durability. Though, much of the issues are for easily replaceable plastic levers and such that break off, rather than the actual internal mechanisms.

The older O'Connor heads such as the 515 and the Ultimate DV(s) are absolutely fantastic. Not sure what you've heard in terms of "mixed results," but I can confirm that they do indeed go down to zero and offer incredibly smooth and controlled movement in any direction. The O'connor counterbalance adjustment is not a really fast one, it takes a bit of time to dial it in just right. That is why some folks say that if you have the time on a controlled shoot, the O'Connor is among the best, but if you are in a an ENG style environment and may need to add and subtract items to your rig, a stepped system like Sachtler's is faster to adjust. I have a 515 that has been really great.

Do you need to make height adjustments often and quickly? If so, then I would definitely only consider the Flowtech sticks regardless of what head you get.

Do you need/want 100mm or 75mm? Choices narrow a lot if you go 75mm. The O'Connor mentioned above are all 100mm, even the 515. In many cases, you can adapt a 100mm bowl to a 75mm head, but not in the other direction.

Personally, I would not consider an O'Connor 50. The 515/Ultimate DV are old enough and you should make sure it's in great shape with no leaking if buying used. The 50 is really long in the tooth and if I remember correctly, it does not use the standard 75mm or 100mm bowl. Might be 120mm, I don't recall.

This is something that has been discussed to death and their are a lot of existing threads. Not that the search functions here and elsewhere will always help you find those threads, but they are out there somewhere, over the rainbow.

Hope that helps.

[Incendies Productions]

The Focus series of heads perform really well in terms of counterbalance and precise/smooth movements, especially challenging ones like a slow diagonal move on a long lens. They don't have the most amazing history in terms of durability. Though, much of the issues are for easily replaceable plastic levers and such that break off, rather than the actual internal mechanisms.

The older O'Connor heads such as the 515 and the Ultimate DV(s) are absolutely fantastic. Not sure what you've heard in terms of "mixed results," but I can confirm that they do indeed go down to zero and offer incredibly smooth and controlled movement in any direction. The O'connor counterbalance adjustment is not a really fast one, it takes a bit of time to dial it in just right. That is why some folks say that if you have the time on a controlled shoot, the O'Connor is among the best, but if you are in a an ENG style environment and may need to add and subtract items to your rig, a stepped system like Sachtler's is faster to adjust. I have a 515 that has been really great.

Do you need to make height adjustments often and quickly? If so, then I would definitely only consider the Flowtech sticks regardless of what head you get.

Do you need/want 100mm or 75mm? Choices narrow a lot if you go 75mm. The O'Connor mentioned above are all 100mm, even the 515. In many cases, you can adapt a 100mm bowl to a 75mm head, but not in the other direction.

Personally, I would not consider an O'Connor 50. The 515/Ultimate DV are old enough and you should make sure it's in great shape with no leaking if buying used. The 50 is really long in the tooth and if I remember correctly, it does not use the standard 75mm or 100mm bowl. Might be 120mm, I don't recall.

This is something that has been discussed to death and their are a lot of existing threads. Not that the search functions here and elsewhere will always help you find those threads, but they are out there somewhere, over the rainbow.

Hope that helps.

If the issue of durability with the Cartoni Focus heads is generally relegated to things that are easily replaceable parts like levers, that's something I'd be willing to work with.

As for the "mixed results" I mentioned, I'd heard that the O'Connor heads could go down to zero, but that it was often difficult to get there.

Regarding height adjustments, I'd definitely love to have something like the Flowtech sticks. Like I mentioned earlier, if I buy a Cartoni Focus 10 new, I'll be getting it with their SDS legs, which offer similar performance to the Flowtechs.

I definitely want to invest in a 100mm bowl fluid head at this point. Like I said earlier, I've been doing a fair bit of research over the past few months and I definitely want the better stability of the 100mm and make a long term investment.

Okay, so it sounds like I should steer away from the O'Connor 50 then? If I buy a used O'Connor, it seems like the Ultimate DV might strike the best balance of working for where I am with my set-up now and where I want to go in the years to come? Or would it be worth it to save that extra bit to get the 1030?

Peter C. Whatever tripod system I end up getting, I plan on adding in Kessler Kwik Release systems over time, so that I have less of a hassle to deal with when moving my set-up around from tripod to other forms of support like a shoulder rig or steadicam/gimbal. Though if I invest in something like the O'Connor DV or 1030, I suppose I could opt for buying receivers for small Euro plates instead.


paulears Like I said earlier, I'm fairly sure at this point that I want to get a 100mm fluid head for now. But I'll be sure to keep an eye out for the Vinten 3LF on the used market just in case! Thank you for the suggestion!

laverdir I currently do various videography work, but in the long run, I intend to use my gear for narrative film work. For context, the close calls with my Viltrox tripod that happened a few months back were while I was working on set for a small narrative commercial.

[Incendies Productions]

Actually, thinking on it a bit more, would something like a Sachtler Caddy be a good option?

I'd prefer to invest in something with continuous counterbalance, but it seems like the payload range for the Caddy would be something feasible for me to reach with my current rig when fully decked out, since the minimum counterbalance weight is apparently only 7 lbs on the Caddy? And even if my rig is not quite 7 lbs yet, I'd imagine it will be very soon, as I'll only continue to expand on my set-up for my rig.

[Doug Jensen]

Actually, thinking on it a bit more, would something like a Sachtler Caddy be a good option?

I happen to have a Sachlter Caddy in excellent condition that I'd like to sell. I won't be home until November to take photos or ship, but I'm happy to entertain any offer if you are interested.