My Perfect Tripod Head….Well, Almost
A Review of Sunwayfoto’s IB-65
Photographers seem to love or loathe tripods. I fall into the love category, but my wife, Bridgette, pretty much never uses a tripod, preferring a run and gun approach. I find that using a tripod not only improves image quality but makes me think more about the image I am taking.
Thanks to Sunwayfoto, I’m pretty much sorted with tripods. I’ve got the heavy duty T3640CM and a lighter and more compact T3240CM. Until recently I was relying on Sunwayfoto’s XB-52 ballhead which did a great job. Browsing through Sunwayfoto’s website, I came across their range of inverted ballheads, a design previously unknown to me.
The IB-65 looks cool and slick but how does it fare in the real world, high on a mountain or by the coast?
On paper (well, actually on a computer screen), the IB-65 seemed perfect for my needs. Strong, robust and, best of all, simple to use. In theory, it looked perfect but what would it be like in reality. Well, the simple answer is that it’s the answer to my dreams for my mountainscape photography. But…..
I’d give this head 99% for positive marks.
1. Strong and sturdy design which can support 30 Kg. It’s a rock steady bit of kit and when combined with one of Sunwayfoto’s Master Series tripods, it’s as good as you can get.
2. Easy to install. Simply pull the locking knob anti clockwise, pull out the safety lock to remove the existing platform which will allow the attachment of a “normal” tripod head. Then slide the IB-65 in. All done in seconds.
3. Low centre of gravity. Take a look at the design and you’ll see how it fits really low into the tripod legs to give a really low centre of gravity and thus better stability. The design means it sits much lower than any conventional ballhead and is right between the top of the tripod legs rather than perched above which is much less stable.
4. Duo Lever Clamp. This is fantastic and I really like lever locks rather than a screw knob. Levers seem much easier, simpler and it’s really easy to see if it’s locked or not, something that’s not always so obvious with a knob. The IB-65 also has the advantage of having a knob as well as the lever. This enables you to fine tune things and make sure your camera gear is held really securely.
5. Quick tightening with the lever lock. This is my favourite bit about this head and indeed of any head that I have ever used. The lever lock is quick and easy, the controls completely unambiguous. Some ball heads have multiple knobs and controls and if you are in a rush to capture a photo, it’s possible to grab the wrong control. With the IB-65 there is no chance of this. Simple and easy is best. It’s really intuitive to use and with only one control it’s easy to be looking through the camera viewfinder framing a shot then reach down for the lever and lock everything down tight in one easy movement. So much better and user friendly than a variety of control knobs. Absolutely love this aspect of the design.
6. 47.5 degrees of tilt from vertical which is more than enough and can always be supplemented by tilting the tripod legs. Unlike a traditional ballhead, there is no cut out to allow the head to angle downwards but the 47.5 degrees of tilt from vertical is more than enough for me even on a mountain top when I need to look down. I’ve not had to but you could always increase the angle by tilting the legs.
7. Compact size especially compared to my previous geared head. With the head sunk in by the tripod legs, the whole set up is compact and the packed size is noticeably smaller than with more conventional heads.
8. Minimalist looks and simple design. The green anodised lever especially looks pretty cool. I know that gear should be selected on merit but it’s hard not to like the sleek design and colours of the IB-65.
9. GC-01 option. The Geared Clamp 01 is a neat bit of kit which can easily be added to the IB-65 and is ideal for taking panoramic photos. Combined with the IB-65, it has almost all of the advantages of a geared head without the disadvantages. The main disadvantage of geared heads is the bulk and the awkward shape to pack when carrying into the mountains. This combination does away with this entirely. The GC-01 provides a precise means of moving your camera to take a series of shots for a panorama yet it is small and relatively compact and can be easily added to or removed from any head.
Negatives;
1. Weight. Although it’s a lot lighter than Sunwayfoto’s XB-52 ball head it is still 512g (as compared to 690g). As always, it would be nice to be able to overcome the laws of physics and have equipment that weighed virtually nothing but was mega strong and stable but in the real world that isn’t going to happen. Lighter would be nice but given the performance of the IB-65 I’m more than happy to take it up a mountain.
2. Compatability. This is limited to tripods with a 70mm diameter opening such as the Sunwayfoto T3640CM, some Gitzo and Really Right Stuff tripods. Fortunately, I have T3640CM. Originally, I assumed that it would fit the new lighter weight, T3240CM. Unfortunately, this is not so but, as Sunwayfoto suggested, I could use my existing XB-52 head.
My ideal tripod would be the T3240CM due to it’s lighter weight and more compact nature but with a head like the IB-65. Seems I am in luck since Sunwayfoto have introduced a version of this that would tick all the boxes for my mountainscape photography. The T3240CS combines all of the advantages of the T3240CM with an inverted ballhead. The ballhead is smaller diameter but should be fine for the gear I use. Hopefully, sometime in the future I will get a chance to try it out.
Link to Sunwayfoto for details of the IB-65;
https://www.sunwayfoto.com/e_goodsDetail.aspx?gId=4672
To my mind, this design of head is the best I’ve come across and I’ve tested a lot of different styles and makes. It makes for a mega sturdy set up and, in the future, I’d love to have a Fujifilm medium format set up for which this would be ideal. A smaller, lighter version for the T3240CM would really suit me and the two would cover every base for me.
It’s a fantastically designed bit of kit which just feels good to use and it’s fast become my go to tripod head. Being such a nice tactile experience means it’s a real pleasure to use.
If I was giving marks then it would have to get 9.9 out of 10 since it’s as close to perfect as possible. Combined with a smaller tripod and a smaller inverted ball head and it would get a perfect 10.
