Manuel Reta III

Hi Chris, For small + portable, I would also recommend an O’Connor DV head (if you can find a used one). It’s a compact, true fluid head that will last a lifetime with proper maintenance. Pair that with a Trost slider, flat base version (sadly discontinued in all forms) along w/ Gitzo sticks and you can get smooth, portable, rock-solid results on 50mm++. The setup is limited to about 20” travel …enough for a 3 sec dolly shot, but that’s the sacrifice for portability.

If you're a solo operator it's about balancing what you're able carry yourself vs. weight of the gear. Having more mass means you will have greater inertia / smoother pans and tilts. So you're essentially combating the weight of the camera rig with the mass of the tripod head, coupled w/ the stiffness of the sticks. I would recommend a 1030 head (6-7lbs) vs. a 1040 (10lbs). Overall I prefer 100mm setups to 75mm ones. Adapting 100mm to Mitchell mount is also an easier sturdier proposition when using even beefier setups/sliders.