Revisiting Geared Tripod Heads

[I am back from Vermont, where I spent 10 days shooting fall foliage. An odd year, but I have lots of processing to do before I post on that trip. More to come. Meantime, another "gear" centered post]

THERE IS a proliferation of tripod heads available these days. 25 years ago and beyond there were only really a couple choices. Many of us shot for years with the venerable 3-way, three lever heads. They were sure, simple, and relatively inexpensive. But they were cumbersome for anyone who was trying to make action photos from a tripod.

Traditional 3-way panning head

ENTER THE ball head, which quickly became the "standard" for most shooters. The design is really ingenious, allowing instant adjustment of the camera position. They were (generally) comparatively lightweight, and low-profile (making them easier to travel with and to carry). But they most certainly had their negatives (particularly for still and landscape shooters). Fine tuning adjustments on any axis is a challenge with any of them. They also often suffered from a phenomena referred to as "ball drop." Many of the designs just weren't "sure" enough when clamped down to be precise, and you get them lined up the way you like, carefully tighten them down, only to watch it "drop" on the vertical. Even a fraction would be significant in the viewfinder. I have owned several ball heads over the years and only one of them didn't have that problem. It is largely a function of ball size, and the one that worked best for me had a large ball (think about the size of a pool ball) that allowed for a very firm clamp. It was great. But it also could have seconded as an anchor for my canoe. Without a doubt the heaviest tripod head I ever owned. Some years back, I gave it to a good friend and fellow photographer. As far as I know, he still has it in service today.

Conventional Ball Head

THERE HAVE been a number of variations on these two popular heads. Lead by Acratech, there is an inverted ball head that I have read and heard is a very good head which can be made very light and still have the positive attributes of the larger ball heads. The three-way heads have two somewhat popular variations. The first is the "fluid head," which is a three-way, levered design with a very well damped head that is very smooth in its panning action. Developed mainly for video, I am reading that a lot of bird and wildlife shooters have gone to that fluid head design. The second is less common and (surprise, surprise) my own personal choice and favorite: the geared 3-way head.

THE GEARED head combines all the best of the standard 3-way head, with some major improvements. The first is that instead of levers that loosen and all adjustment on 3 discrete axis, they have a gear-drive that drives those movements. Instead of a lever there is a knob that runs the gear. On most of them, there is a release that frees the gear for "gross" movement. The gear, though, allows for very precise, micro adjustments to the image frame. For still photographers (and architectural shooters), it is wonderful. But like every choice, there were some challenges. The biggest one geared heads was that there were only two makers for many years; and they were very expensive (still are). The perhaps best known model was Manfrotto (there was the primary model and a smaller, less expensive on called the Manfrotto Junior). Comparatively more expensive that other head designs, the biggest problem with the Manfrotto head in my opinion was its proprietary QR design. Virtually every other manufacturer today designs to the Arca-Swiss style dovetail QR. Manfrotto doggedly sticks to its own. That made it a non-starter for me (and I suspect, the majority of serious shooters out there).

THE OTHER model was Arca-Swiss. They had a couple designs, but for all around shooters, the most popular was their D4 head. Manufactured to exacting standards, Arca Swiss gear is one of (if not the) highest quality gear you could get. Those days they could be had for "only" in the over $2,500 price range! Today, it sells on B&H for about $1,200.00. That also made it a non-starter for me. I slogged along with my various ball heads, wondering why none of the many competitor makers out there did not make and offer a geared head. Finally, Benro introduced one in 2018 for the affordable price of just over $200. I snapped it up and shot with it until just this year, when I had to switch up to another competitor model for reasons unrelated to this topic. In just the past probably 5 years, have significantly increased. The Benro now has at least 3 comparatively identical models (KentFaith, Neewer, and Leofoto). All are made in China. The design is relatively simple and they are - for their price - decently machined and manufactured and certainly work well for the purpose intended. All are in the $200 range, which makes them reachable for most of us. Aluminum and Magnesium has allowed them to be relatively light and quite strong. They are simpler (and significantly less elegant) designs than the Arca Swiss model, but also a fraction of the price tag.

RECENTLY, A newcomer (relatively) to the camera gear manufacturer (again, a Chinese company - but with a substantial presence in the U.S. with a large distribution center in Metarie, Louisiana), LeoFoto, is marketing a "lookalike" of the Arca-Swiss. Reviews I have read note that while it is not quite up to Arca Swiss standards, it is close. I bought one, so I will let you know in the near future what my thoughts are. It was in a box at home, waiting for me to return from my fall foliage trip. The key for me is that - directly from the manufacturer - it is less than 1/2 the price of the Arca - Swiss.

I THOUGHT as I unboxed this very nice piece, that this would be a good time to run through the currently available Geared Head offerings as well as some of their pros and cons. I will start with the most affordable first. I put pricing on each one, but it is not necessarily official, or the best you can do. When available, I used Amazon or B&H for my source. All are rounded up to the nearest whole dollar. I did not include any AliExpress (or similar) pricing. I wouldn't order from them.

Benro

As I did the research for this post, I learned that interestingly, Benro now has two offerings. 

Benro 3-way geared head

Benro's original 3-way geared head (around $225) is the simple 3-way geared head they introduced in 2018, opening the door for us who wanted want to have an affordable model. Essentially the same design as the Manfrotto 3-way that had been around for some years, it uses an integrated (albeit modified) Arca Swiss style dovetail clamp. Cast in lightweight magnesium, I found it strong and sure. I did have some problems with the gear mechanism and contact point stiffening up over time. There is basically a lithium (or similar) grease used and I did some disassembly and re-lubrication. It is - by design - a fairly stiff movement (to aid in precision adjustment). I used mine for about 5 years and was well-satisfied with it - especially at its price point. In spite of its affordable utility, the Benro head has a significant negative, which I didn't really appreciate until I made a recent change in QR brackets. The Benro incorporates a proprietary (supposedly Arca - Swiss compatible) setup, but has a cutout in the middle of the clamp (presumably for their "safety" feature - and their proprietary designed dovetail) that makes a narrow dovetail fail to work in the clamp. When I changed to an "i - bracket" it would not fit on the clamp, and I had to trade it in for the K&F head, which incorporates the conventional Arca - Swiss design. I used the K&F head for 10 days in Vermont recently. Aside from that clamp issue, it appears to be essentially identical to the Benro (see below).

(Edit) After posting this, I stumbled on yet another of the inexpensive geared heads by an unknown brand: Folosafenar. In the photos and description on Amazon, it looks for all the world like it is the exact same piece as the Benro 3-way model above, right down to the proprietary dovetail plate and finish. It has some of the Benro Blue on it and some missing. It is referred to as the Folosafenar Jr. head on Amazon and is priced almost identically to the Benro ($220). I would probably stick with the known brand, for another $5.

Benro GD36PT - combo geared and ball head

Benro has upped the ante significantly with their newest geared offering (model GD36PT - around $400). In what may be the only one of its kind (if there are others, I am not aware ot them at this point), combining the precision of the 3-way geard head with the versatility of a (inverted) ball head. their literature says the gears are brass. Benro has been a good middle to upper line manufacturer of products and has been very popular. I expect this to be a nice piece. One thing that gets it a demerit from me is that the panning portion of the 3-way is not geared. Not sure why, but I think that "micro" precision offered by the gears is a major plus on all 3 axes. Would be nice to see that as an upgrade. But I will keep an eye on this one.

K&F (Kentfaith)

K&F Concepts 3-way geared head

The K&F 3-way geared head, as noted above, is essentially identical to the ground-breaking Benro. It is milled from aluminum alloy instead of magnesium alloy. I compared them and their weight and feel is not different (if anything, the K&F is slightly lighter feeling), and for packing, they are the same size. There are a lot of pricing options on this one. Generally it will be around $190 (but you may find some discounts). I found one issue that could be considered a "knock" on this design. Prior to my Vermont trip, I purchased one of the now-ubiquitous and popular leveling base/heads that mounts on the tripod base beneath the tripod head. I found that it interfered with the action of the head knobs (specifically the spring loaded release knobs) to the extent that I ultimately removed the leveling base. Unfortunately, it appears that these release portions of the adjusting knobs would do that on all 4 of the similar models (the Benro, K&F, and Neewer and Leofoto). If that leveling base is an important component, you may want to look for alternatives.

Neewer

The Neewer (TH15 - $125) looks to me to be identical to the K&F and should perform and function identically.

Neewer 3-way geared head

GH-PRO IIS 

THIS HEAD ($200) appears to be a generic, China - manufactured model (it may be also offered under other brand names, like Sunway). It has a slightly different design, and is smaller and lighter that the others. It is advertised as a 3-way geared head, but in reality (as far as I can see) it is really only geared on 2 axes: the horizontal and vertical. The panning control looks to me to be just a freehand adjustment. The two geared axes, instead of having a spring-loaded release (like the Benro, K&F an Neewer models), has a small crank for quick (gross) adjustments, and a knob for precise movement. I looked at it as a possible replacement for my Benro, but I really wanted precision gear adjustment on all 3 axes. Pricing is odd on this one, and I would be careful to check where you are purchasing it from. It is listed mainly on Amazon and I am seeing it for anywhere between $200 - $1,200 (the latter, I suspect, is a scam price). I have neither seen nor used this one. But if the gearing is smooth and precise and micro style precision on the panning axis is not a game-breaker for you, this might be a nice, affordable alternative. One thing I really like about all these style heads (see Leofoto and Arca Swiss below, also), is their more compact design. The 3 heads above (Benro, K&F and Neewer) and the essentially same Leofoto GW, while less expensive, are more bulky, and their shape makes them reminiscent of trying to pack my old Bogen 3-way panning heads. This one might present an advantage in that regard.

GH Pro IIS geared head

Leofoto

Leofoto also has two offerings (similar to Benro):

Leofoto 3-way geared head

The Leofoto GW-01 (about $185), looks virtually identical (as if it could have been manufactured in the same machine shop - not saying it is) to the K&F model above. I looked at it and the K&F when replacing the Benro. I don't recall why I picked one over the other, but I am guessing it was a price-point issue. I obviously haven't used it, but would expect it to behave virtually identically to the Kentfaith and Benro models I have owned and used.

Leofoto G4 Pro

The Leofoto G4 ($460) and G4 Pro ($600) are essentially "knockoff" designs of the Arca - Swiss D4 (see below) I discussed earlier. I read reviews and watched a couple You-Tube videos which convinced me to take a flier and spend the substantial cash to buy this one. The G4 Pro is the closest I have found to the Arca D4. It has precision gears for all three axes. They also each have a lever release which completely releases the axis fron the gears, making it freely moving (will have to be cognizant of that so a lens doesn't flip down out of control). The design makes two separate panning functions, with the geared action on top and the free wheeling on the bottom of the head. The one knock on this design is that the geared part is where the QR clamp is seated and there is no quick way to rotate that part (must be done with the gear knob). That makes switching between a lens with its own integrated foot a bit of a pain. For what its worth (maybe about $600 more 😅) the Arca Swiss D-4 has a more elegant design, as the panning function is geared, and has a release knob - all on the top of the stack. As opposed to the "pro" model, the base G4 does not have the geared panning function and has is a lever QR clamp instead of a screw. Some people like the lever clamp because of its quick convenience. I don't. In fact I never feel that it is as secure as the more simple screw clamp, and it is fiddly to get the tension right. In my view, it is worth the additional approximately $150 to get the geared panning feature (at least once you have moved into the well - over $200 stratosphere. Compare the picture with the Arca Swiss (below). They look awfully similar. Having received the head and mounted it on my tripod, it seems to me to be very similar to the Arca Swiss. The precision adjustments are smooth and fine, and the gearing just feels good. it is visibly more compact than the Benro/K&F I have been using. It fits and operates well on top of the leveling head. I think it will be fun to use, and will be a close equivalent to the Arca Swiss head. I was not able to purchase this on either Amazon or B&H, but straight from the manufacturer was easy and smooth. They are offering a discount (Google for the code) and I was able to save about $70 from list price. Shipping was free and very quick (about 3 days). 

Sirui

Sirui KS-G3

As I was doing some after-the-fact "research,"  stumbled on The new Sirui KS-G3. I have owned several Sirui tripods and have been pretty well impressed with the quality of their workmanship and their build. Not the "tank-like" build of a the Gitzo (and competiors like RRS), they are still well-built and with a modicum of care can last a long time and perform well. I also have a couple Sirui Ball Heads. They seem likewise positive in terms of fit, finish, design and use. So I would expect this head to be of similar quality. Its design is slightly simpler (and at the same time, less elegant) than the Leofoto. Had I seen this first, I might have seriously considered it. at $300, it is $200 less than the Leofoto. From the look, I think the gearboxes and pivot points on the Leofoto appear better enclosed which might mean better weather (and other elements) sealing. It is not crystal clear from the description (B&H), but I do not believe the panning axis is geared. At the $300 pricepoint, though, this one seems like a serious contender.

Manfrotto

Manfrotto tripods and heads are (and always have been) high-quality gear. Previously, Manfrotto marketed their products in the U.S. under the Bogen name. Since about 1982, both venerable brands: Gitzo (French) and Manfrotto/Bogen Italian) have been owned by the same parent company, but continue to be run as separate brands. To the best of my knowledge, Gitzo does not offer a 3-way geared head at this time. Before I bought my first CF tripod (that was an Induro), I owned several Manfrotto/Bogen tripods and a handful of Bogen 3-way and one ballhead. I liked them, but I never felt confident about the security of their proprietary QR plates and clamps (a big part of the reason I moved away from Bogen). I never could understand why the stuck to them. The Arca - Swiss dovetail is so simple and so secure! For that reason, though they are nicely built, I cannot recomment the Manfrotto products.

The original Manfrotto geared 3-way head was the 405 Pro head ($600). I cannot find a photo of an older one, by I believe they offered it with the pentagon-shaped QR plate and clamp system that was more along their "pro" line. All my setups were the pentagon plate. Either way, this seems overpriced to me for its utility.

Manfrotto 410 "Junior" 3-way geared head

The Manfrotto 410 "Junior" ($250) was a smaller, less expensive option that (I believe) always had the smaller QR Plate setup. 

Manfrotto 409 3-way geared head

Today, they also offer a newer model, the Manfrotto XPro ($240), with a slightly different shape/design, that is kind of unique, but seems a bit bulky (especially for travel). It still sports the "achilles heel" of Manfrotto heads: their QR system. And, I don't find them as elegant, frankly. But that may just be me.

Manfrotto XPro 3-way geared head

Arca Swiss D4

The "Cadillac"  (or these days maybe Lexus) of geared heads, this one is the standard to which everyone looks. It currently sells for $1,200) and if you are looking for the best of the best, it is a wonderful piece of equipment. I have a buddy who I often shoot with and he has this head mounted on a large, Gitzo CF tripod. It is relatively lightweight and rock solid. The movements and adjustments are silky smooth.

Arca Swiss D4

THERE ARE, I am sure, others. These are the ones that I see as I search for alternatives. In my view, if you are shooting landscapes, cityscapes, or architectural subjects where precision in composition is a goal, you could benefit from any one of these models. I have used one of the more modestly priced heads above for a number of years now, happily and successfully. My only real reason for moving to the higher - end Arca Swiss type model is that I wanted to. 😁 Any of them will work just fine, with the limitations I mentioned. In my book, for a photographer who wants easy, precision composition, any of them are better than the popular ball head alternative.