Geared Head vs. Ball Head for Landscape Photography

In this video, I attempt to capture a sunrise image of a historic windmill at Cedar Hill State Park in Texas. While on location, I compare the differences and share my experiences between a geared head vs. a ball head for landscape photography. Throughout the video, I share many tips and lessons learned in the art of sunrise photography.

Photographer - Michael Scott
Music - A Magical Evening Begins by North Sphere
Music - Blissful by Rippled Stone
Camera - Nikon D850
Lens - Nikon 24-70 f/2.8
Tripod - Gitzo Systematic Series 3
Tripod Ball Head - Gitzo GH3382QD Series 3 Center Ball Head with Arca-Type Screw Knob QR Receiver.
Tripod Geared Head - Arca-Swiss D4 Geared Pan Classic Tripod Head
Tripod Feet - Really Right Stuff Pod Foot Rock Claw
Nikon - MC- 30 Remote Trigger Release
Bag - f-stop Mountain Series Tilopa Backpack
Editing Hardware - MacBook Pro
Photo Editing - Adobe LR and PS
Color Calibration - Colorchecker Display Plus
Location - Penn Farm at Cedar Hill State Park, Texas.
GPS Coordinates - 32.624481, -96.985900
Nearest Road - W Spine Rd
Image Title - Daybreak

[muddy]

Lovely photo of your windmill. Your friendly delivery was useful and also easy on the nerves. Thanks very much.

[PhotographyByRune]

I never hada gear head, but I used a manfrotto 3 way head for 20 years until I got tired of all the faffery involved in adjusting it with 3 diffenrt knobs to open and close to get it adjusted, not to mention the extra weitght. So now I use the simplest ball head I can get my hands on, and love it.

[agnethaladuff]

Good talk about the gear head and ball head, they sure do look useful.

[basilbcf]

I just bought a geared head (SunWayFoto GH PROII+ ) and so far love it, but haven't had too much experience with it yet. I still have my Sirui ball head and a Nest Carbon Fiber gimbal head when needed, but for landscapes and Milky Way, I'm loving this geared head.

[clarkbarrow]

That’s a great photo! In recent years I mostly use my geared head although I generally use the ball head on my travel tripod when I go hiking, mostly because it’s smaller and lighter. I like both and suppose each has some advantages over the other.

[SniperPhotography]

Great presentation Michael
As you know I use geared and pan and tilt heads.I just feel it’s better for intricate and
precise movements that you just can’t achieve with a ball head.
But it is a personal thing as you mentioned.
Cheers

[ArminHirmer]

I tend more to gear head, as I mix landscape and architecture and for that the precise control is I think more important. For landscape only a solid ball head will do. great videos btw

[FitnessSheriff]

Shooting real estate and having to do landscape and portrait photos of each shot - nothing beats the speed of a ball head to just turn and slap it 90degrees into the catch groove for portrait mode.

[masterstacker]

Good video on the advantages of the Gear Head.

[frontstandard]

The D4 is also a ball head really, but no droop in it when tightened. It's my choice too for the type of static work I do. I have an arca swiss p0 ball head for stuff like portraits or similar where I may move the composition much more and need speed. Horses for courses. The D4 is so well made with fine tolerance.

[johneast]

Hi, I have a Manfrotto ballhead but never use it. I had a Gitzo Fluid Three way Head and it was too much faffing about! So I bought an Acratech Levelling Head and an Acratech Long Lens Head/Panoramic Head (they're both the same) and they are brilliant. They are made by an Engineer so are accurately machined and assembled.

[yongkangzhou]

Great video! A perfect demonstration for gear head and ball head. But I'm wondering why do you want to use the leveling base for the gear head. If the gear head has quick adjustment and fine tuning in the same time, the leveling base looks like a dead weight to me.

[davidg]

Thank you. You’ve helped me err towards the D4. I do a reasonable amount of close ups and get fed up with the image shifting in the viewfinder. My main concern (apart from the price!) is how well the gearing copes with dust and sand?

[johnrobertsonphotography]

Have you tried the Acratech LLH? Best of both worlds and that's all I use for landscape since moving on from a ballhead (which I think is one of the worst pieces of photo gear ever).