Manfroto/Bogen 322RC2 Grip Action Ballhead?

[Wil_Bloodworth]

I guess I'll just avoid it for now. Thanks all for your input!

- Wil

[venchka]

A good sturdy 3-way head, with or without quick release, is hard to beat most of the time. For the rest of time, a good ball head is hard to beat. You may find that you need both.

[johnastovall]

The fastest way to transition from landscape to portrait is an L bracket.

[Wil_Bloodworth]

Originally Posted by johnastovall

The fastest way to transition from landscape to portrait is an L bracket.

Maybe. But what kind of photographer would I be if I only shot at perfect right angles?!

- Wil

[bgprest]

I've got one that I like, but don't use enough to have really justify keeping it around. I live right nearby in Plano if you're interested.

[johnastovall]

Originally Posted by ParkImaging

Maybe. But what kind of photographer would I be if I only shot at perfect right angles?!

- Wil

A Square shooter...

[Brian Luenser]

I have a 322. Have had it for about 2 months. I do not like it. I think it is pretty sturdy and stable, but what is intolerable to me is its vertical range. You have to decide, "Horizontal and down or horizontal and up" anything else and you have to take your camera (or mounted lens) back off to reverse. This is just not doable for me. Poor design in my opinion.

[Kalrog]

Originally Posted by ParkImaging

Honestly, I think this (222 Manfrotto (Distributed by Bogen) 3265 Grip Action Ball Head with Quick Release - Supports 5.6 lb (#3265)) is the one I saw them using.

- Wil

Will - that is the one I have and I like it pretty well. It was absolutely great when I was shooting my kid's daycare. Very rapid switching from portrait to landscape and for following moving infants around. But not great for other things - such as taking pictures of the moon because minor adjustments are tough.

One caveat is that I haven't tried it with a heavy lens, but my E3 + 12-60 isn't exactly light either. I haven't had any slippage issues at all, but I keep the tension up relatively high.

[f.flintstone]

i have a 322 grip ball head that i use for portrait and street photography. the biggest lens/camera body i've used on it is a 70-200/f2.8L IS with a 5D body. it's very quick to adjust. i leave the tension set fairly high on it and have not had an issue with slippage. i would recommend it highly for situations where you are needing quick adjustments.

the 322 grip ball head holds more weight than the 222 grip ball head and can be converted to a vertical orientation. there are pre-drilled threaded screw holes (with rubber plugs in them) on the end of the 322 handle where you can move the quick release plate holder if you want to shoot it in the vertical orientation rather than the horizontal orientation, but i find that having the camera/lens closer to the ball head a better setup for me.

[PeteQ]

+1 on what Thomas said.

For weddings and portraits the pistol grip can be a wonderful addition. All depends on how you shoot. If you shoot using a tripod the 322 is the way to go in that situation as it is fast to adjust. Some folks use a rotating bracket, as opposed to an L bracket, to allow for intermediate stops between horizontal and portrait orientation. Speaking of which, I guess I know what I am going to do with that B&H gift card, rotating bracket.

Anyway, I like mine and it's been good with the Mark III and 70-200/2.8IS but I will concede that it is not a BH-55 although my BH-55 was not as easy to use in a fast paced environment. Different tools for different situations.

[ldelacruz]

I used to use mine with a 300 F2.8 IS and 1.4 until John Godwin introduced me to a Wimberely. It is a quality head And for less than $150 new you should give it a try. I think you will like it with portrait lenses but any 200mm and up will not be precise. The weight and length of the lens will pull down on how you framed the shot. Hope this helps.

[Fireball]

I bought the 322 because of a recommendation on this forum, and I love it! The reviews said it might not work for small hands (I'm petite), but I've had no problems at all squeezing it. I love that I can change from horizontal to vertical so easily, and it has levels built in to get everything straight. And since I am so petite, if I get my tripod legs a bit too high I can squeeze the handle and point it down towards me to change settings.