3 Legged Thing Pano Clamp verdict
Summary
The 3 Legged Thing Pano Clamp could transform the usefulness of your tripod head if you shoot video, panoramas or panning shots. It fixes one of the principal problems with ball heads by adding a panning axis above the ball, where you actually need it, rather than below the ball where makers always put it. It’s not just for 3 Legged Thing ball heads either, since in theory it should fit any ball head with a detachable clamp as these are typically held on with a screw.
Pros
+ Very slim – adds only a few millimetres to the height of the head
+ Super-smooth panning action
+ Makes it simple to achieve a level base for panning
+ Beautifully made and finished
Cons
– Costs as much as some ball heads on their own
Regular ball heads are fine if you’re shooting from a static position and not using any camera movements. It doesn’t matter if the base for your head isn’t perfectly level because the ball mechanism means you can adjust the camera in any direction.
But photographers’ needs are changing. If you shoot video as well as stills, you will probably want to carry out panning shots too, and for this you need a level base for the panning axis – this also applies to panoramic ‘stitchers’ and panning shots in sports photography.
Now it’s not difficult to achieve a level base with careful adjustment of the tripod legs. It can be slow and fiddly, but it’s not difficult. However, ball heads add another problem. You might have a flat base for the panning axis – and most ball heads do have a separate panning movement – but the ball is above this and introduces its own ‘unlevelling’ effect. You can have the base flat, but any deviation from vertical in the ball movement will wipe out what you’ve gained.
The fact is, in regular tripod head design the panning axis and the ball are in the wrong place. If you had the panning axis above the ball rather than below it, you can use the ball for quick and easy levelling, and the panning axis above it will then rotate perfectly flat.
And that’s exactly what the 3 Legged Thing Pano Clamp achieves. If you’ve got a 3 Legged Thing ball head, you can unscrew the existing clamp and screw the Pano Clamp into the ball instead. It’s not just for 3 Legged Thing heads, either, since many ball heads have detachable clamps and, in principle, you could use the Pano Clamp on these too.
3 Legged Thing Pano Clamp: key features
The Pano Clamp kit is very simple. It comes in two variants, one with a 3 Legged Thing Octa Arca Swiss compatible plate, and a cheaper option with no plate for those who already have one. Apart from that, you get a fitting kit, which is basically a hex tool and a screw – though I simply re-used the screw holding my current lever clamp on to my AirHed Pro ball head.
The Pano Clamp is just a few millimetres thicker than the regular clamp. It’s such a small change in thickness it makes little practical difference. But this offers the space for the extra panning axis, and this is slackened and tightened by a good-sized knurled knob on the side.
3 Legged Thing Pano Clamp: in use
The Pano Clamp has one job, and it does it brilliantly. The knob for locking the panning axis is black to distinguish it from the orange plate locking knob. I love that they are the same size and design, which gives the Pano Clamp a neat and classy look, but that they can be easily distinguished.
3 Legged Thing has used a simple plate locking knob for the Pano Clamp rather than the locking lever offered as an option on its regular heads. I much prefer this simpler locking knob design because I find the tension in the lever clamp changes with different plates.
The key thing, though, is the smoothness of the panning axis, and this is quite superb. It doesn’t use any kind of fluid capsule, but can still give very smooth and controllable panning movements.
Best of all, levelling up the head for video or panning work is now so much easier. It doesn’t much matter if the legs are on uneven ground or at different angles because you can simply level up the camera with the ball head – and because the panning axis is on top, this stays perfectly flat as you pan.
There are ball heads that use this dual panning design already, notably Benro’s VX series, but these are the exception rather than the rule, so it’s great to see a simple add-on that can convert your 3 Legged Thing ball heads to this operation and potentially a whole lot more with detachable clamps.
3 Legged Thing Pano Clamp: verdict
3 Legged Thing has done it again, producing a camera support accessory that not only looks good but works beautifully too. And this one solves a problem faced by anyone trying to use camera movements with a ball head. It’s easy to fit, simple to understand and quick to use.
Admittedly, it’s not cheap, but then you are buying top-quality design, finish and engineering. It’s currently selling in the UK for £54.99 without a plate or £69.99 with a plate, so I really don’t think it’s that expensive, either. It is so useful, though, that it would be good to see it offered as an option on 3 Legged Thing’s AirHed ball heads in the future.