Flat-based fluid heads

QuickHitRecord

QuickHitRecord

Veteran
These are rarely talked about but I'm looking for one for my slider setup. Like everyone else here, I've already got an old Manfrotto but I'm looking for something that offers smoother movement for a 10lb payload. I'd rather not spend more than $1000. B&H doesn't have much to offer in this range other than Manfrotto and Benro heads. I know there is a new line of Libec heads that don't show up in B&H's advanced search, but without a single review anywhere, it's really anyone's guess if they are good or not.

Anyway, what flat-base fluid heads do you like?
 
I think Libec is underrated...had a RH45D 5+ years back and thought it was really excellent.

New ones are probably better, including the ones they have for like $8K.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...head_with.html

I never liked screwing it into a fixed 3/8 though...always felt like it was going to come loose so mostly used it with a 75mm bowl.
 
Real flat bottoms are called mitchel which have a locating pin and wont spin.

But that is for $10k heads.

Some manfrotto style mounts have an angled screw or three to lock them in place.

--

I nterms of an actual head I would suggest ..

modern = low mass

older = nice and smooth

there are a load of older libed satchler whaver.

google will tell you if you can remove the bowl.

Of course a dana style slider will have space for a bowl and you can set on mild angles.
 
NorBro said:
I think Libec is underrated...had a RH45D 5+ years back and thought it was really excellent.

New ones are probably better, including the ones they have for like $8K.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...head_with.html

I never liked screwing it into a fixed 3/8 though...always felt like it was going to come loose so mostly used it with a 75mm bowl.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I used a Libec tripod back when I started out 14 years ago. I thought it was a pretty solid tripod back then. It's good to hear that the newer models are also delivering.

I'd be using this attached to a 100mm bowl. It will come off when the slider goes directly onto the bowl, and the head goes on the slider. I'm think about speeding this up with Kessler Kwik plates and recievers -- kind of a poor man's Sachtler Aktiv.
 
morgan_moore said:
Real flat bottoms are called mitchel which have a locating pin and wont spin.

But that is for $10k heads.

Some manfrotto style mounts have an angled screw or three to lock them in place.

--

I nterms of an actual head I would suggest ..

modern = low mass

older = nice and smooth

there are a load of older libed satchler whaver.

google will tell you if you can remove the bowl.

Of course a dana style slider will have space for a bowl and you can set on mild angles.
Click to expand...

A mitchell mount is above and beyond anything I would ever need. This is just for my 2ft slider. I prefer my ultradolly and ten feet of track, but I've been shooting in a lot of tight spaces lately.
 
QuickHitRecord said:
A mitchell mount is above and beyond anything I would ever need. This is just for my 2ft slider. I prefer my ultradolly and ten feet of track, but I've been shooting in a lot of tight spaces lately.
Click to expand...

Indeed. I was just adressing the 'spinning comment' from thee poster above me.

I went on to suggest Libec Sachlter etc.
 
I was give a used list .. proAV in the UK and it had this..

E-Image 717AH Flat Based Head - USED

maybe this is what you want without breaking the bank
 
I'm going to update this thread with some findings as I continue to make myself crazy over this gear-related conundrum. Thoughts and ideas are welcome.

The only totally flat base head I've found from a top-tier company that aren't intended for 30lb+ payloads is the new Miller ArtX line. These are basically an à la carte version of the CX heads and by default they are flat base. I could configure the lowest entry of that line, the ArtX3 with a 17.6lb capacity, with a 501PL plate receiver and a pan bar. They do sit a little high for my liking, but I think that this would work for my ~10lb payload (before anyone says that I need to futureproof with a higher capacity head, my cameras have been getting lighter rather than heavier and I also own a Vinten Vision 100).

The problem with this is that by the time I add this all up, it looks like this:

Miller ArtX3 Naked - $1040
Miller Versa Baseplate Assembly - $248
Miller Pan Handle - $136
2x Kessler Kwik Receivers - $320
2x Kessler Slider Plate (for heads) - $120
1x Kessler Utility Plate (for slider) - $70

TOTAL: $1934

Which brings it awfully close to a plug-and play Sachtler Aktiv set up that supports the same weight:

Sachtler Aktiv6 - $1436
Flowtech 75 (already own this, will need free update to work with Aktiv system; estimate of shipping costs) - $80
Sachtler Aktiv Slider to 75mm Tripod Adapter - $531
Sachtler Adapter for 75mm aktiv Head to Slider with 3/8"-16 Stud - $72

TOTAL: $2119

However, this setup would still put the slider onto a 75mm bowl and would also use the Aktiv head as the slider head, either of which would be a recipe for unwanted tipping. For an ideal setup, I'd have an Aktiv10 and an adapter to a lighter head to put on top of the slider.

The whole point of exploring this setup was to find something that didn't cost as much as Sachtler Aktiv. I just didn't realize how difficult it would to be find a quality flat-base head. There are some well-regarded bowl heads that can be flat-mounted using the flat space at the bottom of the bowl:

- Miller DS, Compass, CX, and Air heads
- Sachtler Ace L and XL
- Libec HS, TH, NX, RS, and any of the older heads that end with a 'D'.

As well as some options from emerging companies:

Benro
Sirui
Leofoto
iFootage
SmallRig
E-Image

And then of course, there are lots of flat-base Manfrotto heads. I've actually ordered an MVH500AH to use as the head that gets attached to the top of the slider, since it is so lightweight and can reportedly execute basic pans smoothly enough. But when I'm not in "slider mode, I'd like something with smoother motion to use as my "main" head.

At the moment, I've got my eye on the E-Image heads, similar to what morgan_moore suggested. I hadn't really looked at them before, but they seem to be highly regarded. The GH06F has five counterbalance settings and the 780FH has a fixed counterbalance, but a much flatter base/lower profile and costs 1/3 of the GH06F.
 
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I ended up ordering a Leofoto BV-30M, which has the distinction of being one of the few flat-base fluid heads with an continuously adjustable counterbalance. The caveat is that there aren't many reviews (I only found one) so I'm going to be a guinea pig on this one. It looks like they have a good return policy and a 10-year warranty, so I'll see if it works for me.
 
I admit I have't read every post on this thread, but it's not clear to me why you want a flat bottom. I have a Dana dolly and a Glidecam slider that both have 100mm bowls so that I can quickly level the camera even if the slider itself isn't completely level. Super fast and easy to setup that way. Why would you want a flat base? What is the advantage?
 
Doug Jensen said:
I admit I have't read every post on this thread, but it's not clear to me why you want a flat bottom. I have a Dana dolly and a Glidecam slider that both have 100mm bowls so that I can quickly level the camera even if the slider itself isn't completely level. Super fast and easy to setup that way. Why would you want a flat base? What is the advantage?
Click to expand...

My gaffer has a Matthews Dutti Dolly and I have a PVC-based Ultradolly. Both are great and used frequently.

But I have a one major client that manufacturers imaging equipment for contractors and I often end up working in very tight spaces. I think the last four shoots have been in electrical closets or utility rooms in which neither of these systems would fit, so I fell back to using my 2' slider. Through a lot of experimentation, I've found that I can get decent slider shots without any dipping when the carriage moves to either end as long as I am using a 100mm half bowl. However, the setup time and hassle factor has been a major irritation for me. I've been bringing two tripods on these shoots: one Flowtech 75 with Vinten head so that I have the ability to do smooth tilts/pans, and one 100mm Cartoni aluminum tripod for the slider to live on top of. We'll move around a lot on these shoots and I'm also shooting product photos. What inevitably ends up happening is that I don't have time to break down the slider or run back to the cart for my smoother tripod, so I'll end up shooting all of the footage with the slider tripod and the lightweight but very light-duty Manfrotto MVH500AH head.

What I realized is that a 100mm bowl tripod with a fast way to add and a remove a slider would go a long way towards ironing out this workflow. I looked at the Sachtler Aktiv line which would be a very elegant solution. However, their 100mm tripods are beyond what I can afford. Then I saw this video, and have been snapping up Kessler Kwik plates to build up to a similar system ever since. The final piece is the flat-base fluid head that has an acceptably smooth pan and tilt, that I can swap in when I'm not using the slider. I never realized how difficult it would be to find, but I have high hopes for the Leofoto head mentioned above.
 
the thing is in 'that video' he doesnt actually pull a slide.

Why not? I guess he has raised the cofg so much he cant operate in a smooth manner.

We do see him nearly drop the lot on the deck... and thats in the edit!

It is usual for sliders to have monopod support at the ends.
 
also every thing is attached with one screw. It ust be undo hell.

And that plate on his fx3 placed with no option to balance when a longer lens is used.

just back far enough to gouge you in the eye. Nice.
 
In my testing, I've been able to get a 2ft slide with an acceptable level of dipping (it's actually the slider flexing, but the bubble is staying inside of the circle) without the use of a monopod at one end. I can't use my beastly Sigma Art 85mm due to its weight, but the 24-105mm f4 ii and other Sigma Art primes have been fine. Also, with a lower profile fluid head than that guy's Benro on top of the slider (and without an additional Kessler quick release on top), I've kept the center of gravity at an acceptable level. And lastly, my version of this is with a caged C70 with nothing sticking out of the back. The only thing that I don't have is a good general-use fluid head, but I should have it by the end of the week. That's really the key to this whole thing... is there a flat-base head that would check these boxes for me? But so far, everything else is working well, which is a relief because I've spent some money on this. I'm planning to get some 1/4"-20 grub screws to help keep the various Kessler pieces from twisting.
 
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