is the Vinten Vision 3 head good enough for nature work?
 

i'm going to be getting my self a new tripod and head soon and was looking at Vinten stuff.

on there website, they suggest that i got the Vision3 head with spring 2 for my XL-H1. is this head a good deal better than my manfrotto 503, or is it much the same?

if not, then would you suggest the Vision6 head?

thanks in advance.

For four times the money, it better be better. But, if you already have the 503, why not try it first before buying a new one. It works fine with my camera.

Mike

In a word, yes, it is a lot better. But Mike has a very good point - if the 503 can work for you, there's no reason to dish out the extra cash. Now, that said, the vinten gear is VERY well made. The movemement on the vision 3 is definitely a world of difference from the 503, but as was pointed out - it's 4 times the price. Between the 3 and 6, if you won't be drastically changing the weight you carry on the head, you won't need the wuick-balance system of the 6. To rebalance the 3, you must remove a spring and replace it....not horrible, but not quick. In my opinion, the speed of this change should not matter, as you SHOULD know what general weight range you'll be carrying BEFORE you get into the field.

Bogen/Manfrotto make a lot of really great gear, and some fantastic heads for still photography....just not so much for video. I think you can find better gear for the price with other manufacturers. On the low end, try Libec. Higher up, look for Vinten. (Only considering <15lb cameras) For about 650, you can get the libec ls-38 system which has no right to be as good as it is... and it can throw around the xl-h1 all day with no sweat.