Very light camcorder & quality fluid head (Sachtler,Vinten,Libec,etc)

C

colabean

Member
I am having an awful time finding a true fluid head with good build quality that I would be confident would function with a tiny load like my 1.3lb Canon VIXIA HF G10.


Sachtler FSB 2 for little camcorders has been discontinued.
Sachtler's FSB 4 is rated for 0-9lbs, but in reality, does the counter balance actually work well for a tiny cam?
The Vinten Vision Blue is rated for 4+ pounds, and I've been warned that there is no chance get it well balanced unless you load up cam with extra accessories (I was thinking a brick maybe?!)
Libec RH25 seems like a nice offering as well.. but worried it may be the same deal as with the Vinten.


What do I do? Why am I not allowed to have great pans and tilts (diagonal too;) with my camera? Is making a mini lead-pellet bag for my camera a good idea, or totally stupid?


Is there a head I don't know about that offers professional functionality and also works with my tiny payload?


Here's some links to the sort of head/ballpark I'm after:


Sachtler FSB 4 http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/708389-REG/Sachtler_0307_FSB_4_Fluid_Head.html
Vinten Vision Blue: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/734617-REG/Vinten_V4092_0001_Vision_Blue_Pan_and.html
Libec RH25: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/688728-REG/Libec_RH25_RH25_Head_w_Pan_Handle.html
 
Might be easier to buy a bigger cam....said with tongue in cheek. Though not considered pro gear, the little Manfrotto 701 is pretty useful for smaller gear. I use one on my slider and on a monopod. The real pro heads just aren't made for the bitty-cams.

Grant

Edit: You might want to look at a Manfrotto 503, though it still isn't in the sachtler league.
 
seriously if youve got the money to spend by a quality pro tripod and head. i started out with a $400 Libec rig and it was nice for the money but once i bought a Vinten Vision 3 with Miller Solo VJ legs there was no going back. several months ago i bought 2 Vinten Vision Blue heads. one in a package with the Vinten legs ($1.159.00) & case plus another set of Solo VJ legs. i need 3 quality tripods and heads for multicam shoots plus i have kids that do the same kind of work i do. i actually bought a Sachtler FSB8 and didnt care for it in the least sent it back for the Vision Blue instead. if you buy right you wont need to replace it with small steps forward of improvement. the weight class your in is real tough though. id pass on the FSB4 since it is not very variable and go with the Blue and add a little weight. i thought the FSB 8 was limiting...wow the FSB 4 would seem brutally basic in its settings. another thing that i didnt realize when i bought the Sachtler was that you cant change settings on the fly unless you can live with..."CLUNK" and a jolt while your shooting. i took it for granted and didnt know this limitation because i started with the Vision 3 that has constant variability on drags and i change frequently when shooting especially sports. the Blue has variability plus counterbalance adjusting on the fly. i didnt realize how nice that feature was until i had the FSB8 in my possession and it lacked that. it felt primitive and outdated to me.

and not to rub anyone wrong here that likes their sachtlers but ill be out front with my opinion... to me they dont have near the feel of the Vintens. its so much easier to ease in and ease out of a Vinten vs the Sachtler. not even a contest. to each his own but you couldnt have given me that FSB 8 to use for free. interestingly my son which is also a very qualified cameraman and editor didnt care for it either. shame on me for sticking him with it on a multicamera shoot. i felt bad after. he wasnt happy. got rid of it after some testing and one real gig.

the Blue is every bit the quality of the Vision 3. it just handles a lighter weight class of camera where the Vision 3 will handle much heavier with changing the springs for counterbalance. the way they feel though is virtually identical and the Blue's are really cheap. for the price that they are they dont seem like they should feel that good.

buy right and you can close the book on tripod purchases and know you bought the really good stuff.

david
 
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Grant, yes, I knew that I would get that answer at least once -- as it's totally legitimate. And I will be. However, I wanted in the meantime to be able to work this cam, but invest in quality gear that will work for years to come (and bigger cams). I do a lot of shooting at events, etc. that require me to be super mobile and often "incognito". I cannot retire the handycam yet.

I am not joking about making a custom weight to mount on top of my camera. What do you folks think about that?


David, thank you! That was a very useful post to me at this time. I may well go forth with the Vision Blue purchase on Monday and just try to "make it work" by adding extra 3 pounds, whether accessories or a DAMN BRICK lol
 
colabean said:
I am having an awful time finding a true fluid head with good build quality that I would be confident would function with a tiny load like my 1.3lb Canon VIXIA HF G10.

Sachtler FSB 2 for little camcorders has been discontinued.
Click to expand...

Yes, the FSB 2 seems to have been replaced by the Cine DSLR. Should do just what you want. Seems to be just about the only option for the really lightweight cameras. Wish I could afford one.
 
colabean said:
I am not joking about making a custom weight to mount on top of my camera. What do you folks think about that?
Click to expand...

It can work, no question about it. The only thing is that you should put the weight under the camera so it increases, rather than decreases, the stability of the whole rig by moving the center of gravity downward. And, of course, make sure it doesn't affect the fore-and-aft balance of the setup. A little added weight will not only bring you into the proper range of the tripod, but the added mass and momentum will make your moves a little smoother as well.

- Greg
 
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