Manfrotto 190XPROB and 496RC2 Head or 804RC2 Head?

[dibeedi]

Hi there everyone!

I'm new to this forum and have spent the last evening reading through lots of past threads about tripods and heads. Unfortunately I'm still a little unsure of which head to buy.

I have a Canon EOS 350 and with my largest lens a Sigma 70-300 the weight comes to less than 1.5kg. I want to use the tripod mostly for landscape, portrait and occassional macro photography. I'm happy with my choice of the 190XPROB tripod but very unsure about which head to use with it. I am very much an amateur and which ever head I buy will have to last me a long time. I have a maximum budget of £180 for my tripod and head.

I'd really appreciate some advice.

Thanks, Di

[ABNimages]

Re: Manfrotto 190XPROB and 496RC2 Head or 804RC2 Head?

I have a 804RC2 head on mine and really like it, I not tried / used a 492C2 so can't make any comment or comparision between the two. Use mine for Landscapes, panos HDR done a few macros also with a macro sliding plate on and was fine.

[colin C]

Re: Manfrotto 190XPROB and 496RC2 Head or 804RC2 Head?

Both heads are very good, so you can't make a wrong decision.

Best advice is to go to your camera store and try both to see what you prefer. If that is out of the question, then I would go for the 3way head 804RC2, or for slightly more money the 460MG RC2. Ball heads either work for you, or they don't, which is why the 3way head is the safer option.

Colin

[pelliott1954]

Re: Manfrotto 190XPROB and 496RC2 Head or 804RC2 Head?

Hello Di,

I am very much a Newbie on here as well, I was in exactly your position a few months back, wondering which Tripod and Head to get within a budget of course!!!

I ended up with the Manfrotto 055 XproB Tripod and the Manfrotto 322Rc2 Head, I am more than happy with them both, it is not the lightest combination in the world but is nice and sturdy, I got the 322 head from Ebay for about £70 and the Tripod for £120 from London Camera Exchange so very near your budget.

I love the style of the head with a trigger release, you can use it left or right handed, I changed mine to left hand operation to allow me normal right hand camera operation.

Have a look at the reviews on Warehouse Express, then look for them on Ebay, they are both items you could safely buy second hand in my view, another benefit of this set up is that you don't have to fiddle about getting the tripod dead level by adjusting all 3 legs, you just need to get it stable and then get it level with the ball head which is infinitely moveable and has its own bubble level, simple !!!

Regards Paul