GH4 Good bang for buck fluid head?

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filmguy123

Veteran
First, I am not a big tripod shooter. It's usually for static shots, but I will sometimes use on a monopod so need good fluid motion. But usually I am not on a tripod, I am on a shoulder mount rig or steadicam etc.

Second, my gear is not that heavy. I would like the head to support the GH4, but also a bit heavier of a rig like the AF100 / FS7 / FS700 and perhaps a mounted microphone and maybe a mounted Atomos Shogun and a bit heavier long lens. Most of the time I will use it on the lighter side, but I would like the head to handle this well.

Obviously good quality and durable is key, but I'm not looking for the best of the best - more a quality, best bang for the buck.

I am not setting a budget more because I am a "I have a budget when I have a bill" type of guy. I'd like to know what I need to spend to get something that fits the above need.

Thanks!!!
 
thanks for the input so far - sounds like 2 recommendations over the traditional manfrotto suggestion which I hear a lot? Why is that?
 
I have two benro heads and really like them for the price. They are essentially similar (copies?) of the manfrotto designs but at much more reasonable prices. Benro makes good stuff and because the heads takes the same Manfrotto style plates I have a bunch on my cameras already.
 
When I search this forum for "tripod" I get 6 pages of results.
When I search this forum for "fluid head" I get 4 pages of results.

You might start with those. Bottom line, ask 20 different people and you are likely to get just as many different answers.

Also, don't you think it is a wee bit of an open ended question by not including a budget?
 
benro s8. Be aware of the size and weight of it. It's big. It's definitely better than budget heads. Find the best price as there can be quite a difference. I got it really cheap new. It can also handle a pretty heavy rig as well as lighter ones.
 
Keep in mind that the counter-balance for the Benro S8 head is as follows: 0 lbs, 5.5 lbs, 11 lbs, 17.6 lbs

So if your GH4 camera rig does not weigh 5 lbs, you are going to have trouble counter balancing your camera with this head.
 
There is a new tripod from Cartoni that is getting good reviews...

Cartoni Smart Pro Tripod Kit : $739

This tripod has variable counter-balance with a range of 0-13 lbs, and the build quality is quite good for a moderately priced tripod.

Otherwise I would look at a Sachtler ACE M or a Sachtler FSB-4 if your budget can afford it.
 
filmguy123 said:
thanks for the input so far - sounds like 2 recommendations over the traditional manfrotto suggestion which I hear a lot? Why is that?
Click to expand...

I've owned 5 Manfrotto tripods with heads and hated every single one of them. I would only consider buying Manfrotto legs, as the counter-balance and panning of the low to medium priced Manfrotto heads is sub-par compared to the competition.
 
David W. Jones said:
When I search this forum for "tripod" I get 6 pages of results.
When I search this forum for "fluid head" I get 4 pages of results.

You might start with those. Bottom line, ask 20 different people and you are likely to get just as many different answers.

Also, don't you think it is a wee bit of an open ended question by not including a budget?
Click to expand...
spot on
 
I have the Benro S6. It's all-rightish as a fluid head. I'm not thrilled with it like many others, because I find it's just not as smooth as I'd like it to be, but it's serviceable - it passes a minimum standard. For monopods, hands down, the best is the Sirui linked to by another poster earlier in the thread:

http://cheesycam.com/best-video-monopod-sirui-vs-benro-vs-manfrotto/

I bought it, and it's a great monopod - it is NOT, NOT a tripod. It has those little feet, but at best, what you can do is set a camera on it and do stationary filming - if you pan or tilt or anything, it'll definitely sway; even just standing, it's still not a tripod - for example, in my apartment I have wood floors that flex slightly as I walk - so when the monopod stands, and I walk by, it sways; a tripod is rock solid. Bottom line - a monopod is NOT a tripod, and cannot substitute for it. One reason I got a monopod is because when you're on the move it's super light, and also many places restrict use of tripods... although that last reason is unfortunately not practical, because the world is full of idiots as I found out recently - I was using the monopod in a botanical garden where they don't allow tripods; a rent-a-cop security moron didn't allow me to use the monopod... I tried to explain the difference between a tripod (which is restricted) and a monopod, which is not, but you can't argue with idiots. So if you think a monopod is a way around tripod restrictions, that's likely not to work, because there are too many idiots out there.

Benro sells monopods with the S6 head, but to me that defeats the purpose a little - the S6 is just too big, IMHO. It belongs on a tripod.

If you need a tripod and a fluid head, you need to look at tripods not monopods, and as for fluid heads, it depends on what you'll be using it for. The Benro S6 is OK for sitting locked off, for sliders and the like, but for the other uses such as panning and tilting, it's barely acceptable in my experience... yes, you can get by, but it's just the bare minimum, and more work than if you just started out with a better head. I have no experience with the S8. YMMV.
 
Going to just post in this thread instead of starting a new one, but I have a Manfrotto 501HDV and 503HDV (although I feel like my 503HDV might not be working properly.. bought it used) and I'd like to step up to something higher than the 503HDV. It just isn't smooth enough when using it with my GH4 at 100mm. The 503HDV head seems to go for less than $200 used, so ideally a better head that is ~$300 used or so would be my goal! I have the Manfrotto 755 for my legs, so I'd be using the head with that.
 
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