What tripod head should I use for smooth video panning and long-exposure night shooting with a Canon 7D?
Asked 5/19/2014
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I use a Canon EOS 7D with 24-70mm f/2.8 and 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses. I shoot two different kinds of work: long-exposure night images of the stars, and smooth panning video of landscapes. What type of tripod head and tripod setup is best suited to these uses?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
12y ago
2 Answers
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You need two different heads for these two things.
For the former, I don't have any direct experience, but you really need a tracking head that can counter the Earth's rotation. Such setups tend to be relatively pricey and rather unique to the field of astrophotography.
For the later, I'm a huge fan of my Bogen Manfrotto 3046 base with 501HD head, which is my general purpose tripod since I do a fair amount of video in addition to photography. You may want to go for a lighter set of legs for increased mobility, but you will certainly want a fluid head for anything that requires smooth motion.
Originally by user11392. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user11392
12y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
These are really two different use cases, and one head usually won’t be ideal for both.
For smooth video pans, a fluid video head is the right choice because it’s designed to give controlled, even motion. One community recommendation was a Manfrotto/Bogen 501HD head on 3046 legs, though lighter legs may be preferable if portability matters.
For long-exposure star photography, a standard tripod head can hold the camera steady, but if you want to track the stars during longer exposures, you need a tracking head or star tracker that compensates for Earth’s rotation. That’s a more specialized astrophotography setup.
So the practical answer is:
- use a fluid head for landscape video panning
- use a solid tripod for night photography
- add a tracking head/star tracker if your star exposures require tracking
If you want one tripod to support both, choose sturdy legs that can handle a 7D with a 70-200mm f/2.8, then pair them with the appropriate head for each task.
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