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Which O'connor 1030?

C

Chris Weatherly

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So I'm in the market for a used tripod. I think I want an O'connor 1030, but which one? Price is a big factor. Are all the 1030 series good, or do I need to stay away from the HD versions? There are so many versions of that head. DS, D, HD, B. The list goes on and on.

Any wisdom would be greatly appreciated.
 
I have used my 1030HD with all my RED models, as well as dozens of other cameras, for 10+ years and rarely felt it was too weak. The key with a smaller head is to keep the center of gravity as low as possible - suggest you peruse the graphs on the O'Connor website to familiarize yourself. FWIW, since I don't have any lenses over 10 lbs in my personal kit, the times I need to support a big bomber rig are also times I'm hitting the rental house anyway - so I just add a 2575 or 2060 to the order. YMMV.

Cheers - #19
 
Like Blair, I've had a couple of 1030s and loved them both. I would suggest the 1030D versus the 1030Ds simply because of the 90º tilt ability of the D model versus the 60º tilt of the Ds. Yes, the Ds has a bit more weight bearing capacity, but I'd rather have the full range of the D. Phil Holland uses a 1030D and if you want to be like Phil, that's the model you want. ;-)
 
Mark Phelan said:
Like Blair, I've had a couple of 1030s and loved them both. I would suggest the 1030D versus the 1030Ds simply because of the 90º tilt ability of the D model versus the 60º tilt of the Ds. Yes, the Ds has a bit more weight bearing capacity, but I'd rather have the full range of the D. Phil Holland uses a 1030D and if you want to be like Phil, that's the model you want. ;-)
Click to expand...

I struggled with this same issue and ended up going with the DS. It was a tough choice, but the fact that I could mount my Epic Dragon and a 24-290 is what pushed me over the edge to get the DS.

(Link below to picture)
https://marcusfriedlander.wixsite.c...-34ebdc5f2a92/2/?i=2&p=s78mz&s=style-jcyc5obz
 
Marcus Friedlander said:
I struggled with this same issue and ended up going with the DS. It was a tough choice, but the fact that I could mount my Epic Dragon and a 24-290 is what pushed me over the edge to get the DS.

(Link below to picture)
https://marcusfriedlander.wixsite.c...-34ebdc5f2a92/2/?i=2&p=s78mz&s=style-jcyc5obz
Click to expand...

I did too. But in retrospect, I would rather have the full tilt. What proved it to me was trying to film the Blue Angels on my Ds. Didn't work so well when they were screaming overhead and I could only go 60º.
 
First, that's a freaking super awesome subject to shoot hahaha.

But, back on topic, this is exactly why O'Connor made multiple versions of this head hahaha. It's a tool, and like most tools there's always one that's most appropriate for the job.

Mark shoots awesome things flying super fast in the sky, so he needs 90 degree tilt.

I shoot mostly people on the ground, and occasionally with a very large zoom lens mounted to my camera. And I've found that I very rarely need to shoot straight up or down (and if I do have that shot on my shotlist, I'll most likely have a key grip with me to rig something properly.) So I opted for the heavier payload.

So, to answer you question, at the end of the day Chris, only you can answer that question for you! (Sorry!!!)
 
I have the older Occonor 1030 HDs. I agree that at times I would have loved the 90 degree angle of the HD. However opted for the heavier weigh bearing capability of HDs. It is a good head and last for ages, outlasting your cameras by miles.
 
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