Got my tripod. Now what about my ballhead selection?

[cerobbins]

So I got my Gitzo GT2542L tripod, but now I am searching for a ballhead. The main purpose of this ballhead will be to shoot macros on my Canon T2i with either a Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L or a Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L. I am leaning toward the Really Right Stuff BH-40 with LR.

Any opinions?

 

[BlueCorn]

I am leaning toward the Really Right Stuff BH-40 with LR.

That's a rock solid rig and is my bread and butter. Spend the extra and get the L-bracket vs the standard plate. You'll be happy you did.

 

[cerobbins]

Could you give me a quick run down of the pros and cons of using the l bracket vs the standard plate? I no experience using l brackets.

 

[BlueCorn]

The only "con" is price.

They allow you to switch between portrait or landscape without repositioning the tripod or head. Without it, you have to rock the camera all the way over to one side. It shortens the rig and makes it unbalanced because all of the weight is hanging to the side.

For what you're talking about spending, it'd be silly to cheap out on the plate. Spend the money, you won't regret it. I swear.

 

[cerobbins]

I will take that under consideration. i hardly ever shoot in portrait, but you definatly have a point doesn't really seem to be any point skimping on a plate.

 

[IPT]

I have an L bracket. I hate the bulk of it (it is bigger than than the standard bracket on the bottom). However, like Doug said, it is so nice to be able to just flip to vertical orientation with such ease! It was always such a hassel to rotate the ballhead, then try and find the two drop notches, etc. If you don't shoot portrait (by that he means in the vertical format, not literally portraits as in people pictures), you might do it more often if it were easy.

oh, cons are the added bulk and expense. The pros are it makes it really easy to switch orientation so you are a lot more likely to do it!