Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Tripods - ball or pan head?

Just received my new spotter from Doug @ Camerland and now I need a tripod for it. All of the tripods I've used in the past were pan head style and I've never used a ball head (i am leaning this way), is there any advantage to either one or is it more just personal preference? My spotter will be used more for spotting moose and bears from camp or areas where I sit and do a lot of glassing. I need one that's fairly robust and can take some abuse but doesn't weigh a ton, i'm currently considering Slik and Manfroto tripods and heads.

For use with a spotting scope especially from camp I would go with a pan head. I prefer them over a ball head as they are more stable and the handle is very useful with a spotter.
Look at the Sirui VA5 pan head and Slik CF634 tripod. I know Doug sells them and they are awesome for the price.

I like the looks and specs on that head, I may end up going that route, thanks for the info.

Are you scanning areas with a spotter or just getting a closer look at something specific that has caught your eye? Both pan heads and ball heads have their place but for glassing and scanning via a tripod I like a pan head. It is way easier to stay on a completely level (horizontal or vertical) plane. With a ball head you're basically free handing it and I find myself "migrating" up, down, left and right. If you're not scanning with that spotter, I would think a ball head would be fine but I still prefer a pan head.

That said, glassing from a tripod jacks my back up so I have largely gone back to bracing my elbows on my knees (with binos at least, not a spotter).

I'm using the spotter to zero in on critters once I've spotted them with my bino's, obviously I can cover a lot more ground with the binos and I can use the spotter to determine an animals size and legality so I don't waste my time going after something I can't take.

We sell hundreds of tripods a month. Basic rule of thumb when glassing. If a spotter is involved go for a fluid head with a pan handle, if it's only being used for binoculars ball head is the better option but it is a 50/50 split

The VA5 mentioned above is, by far, the best head for the money. Normally $164.90, we have it on sale thru 7/31/21 at $140.17 + shipping and then you get $10 back from Sirui

Pan head every time....

I sent you a pm Joel.

Have 3 and have to agree the VA5 is a great head.

Eta; it is borderline small with a Meopta spotter to me but great with binoculars.

My preference is definitely a pan head.

With a pan head, I'm able to more systematically dissect the country i'm glassing, or work a grid easier. I'm not sure where I'd actually like a ball head.

Could you explain the reasoning behind this being the basic rule of thumb?
It is a bit contradictory to my experience.

thanks

Well that could change things since I have a Nightforce that is essentially the same as the MeoPro 80.

I have always used a Manfrotto 700RC video fluid head with my 10-15x binos.

Been hunting with several bino's and spotters for years..........for bino's most of the time I prefer a ball head.
you can loosen it up and get full FOV with little to no shake, I use 10x and 15x. for a while I used the Bastard child pistol grip...what a debacle. just a matter of time until they Schit the bed.

For a spotting scope the only choice is a fluid pan head..............period

I tried to explain but with you throwing your arms around it might be a bit hard to comprehend !!!!!!!!!

I do tend to overreact

My bad

If really searching or trying to shoot video through a phone scope I really like the VA5.
However at the range or if not a lot of scanning is in order I really like the anvil 30.

I use my spotter mostly to evaluate an animal I have found with my binos. Very seldom use it to look for animals, and the movement to put it on a previously sighted animal is so much more natural with a ball head than with a fluid head.

With the ball head you just move the spotter in the direction you want to, while breaking that movement down in two, that is moving the spotter horizontally and then vertically makes it more difficult for me to get it on the animal, if I explain myself.

I guess it is a matter of practice but you know the fable about showing new tricks to an old dog.

The VA5 can handle the NF spotter with ease. Spotters on a fluid head with a handle are MUCH easier to handle. A loose ball head will go in any direction, perfect for Bino's but spotters are bigger and clumsier on them.