The Most Economical and Versatile Arca-Compatible Monopod Tilt-Head
by Sean Setters
Not long ago I picked up a new monopod and wanted to purchase an Arca-compatible tilt-head for it. And while there were many options to choose from, one particular head and clamp combination proved to be the most economical and versatile choice.
The problem with most tilt-head/clamp combinations is that the clamp is oriented in a specific direction – the direction best suited for using a long telephoto lens with a tripod ring/foot. But what if I want to also use the tilt-head with a camera and lens combination without a tripod foot?
The normal solution to the problem is to use the supplied hex key to loosen a bolt, rotate the clamp, then tighten the bolt again. Then once you want to use a lens featuring a tripod foot again, you've got to rotate the clamp all over again.
I wanted an easier solution that was also easy on my wallet. With most Arca-compatible tilt heads priced north of $100.00, I was hoping to find a head/clamp combination that came in under that budget.
Here's what I came up with:
The Desmond Tilt-Head is designed with square, Arca-compatible dovetails on both the top and the bottom of the head. This design feature was key to my purchase decision. Why? Because with an Arca-type dovetail on top, I could use the second item – a bidirectional quick release clamp – to easily change the orientation of the clamp on the fly without the need for a hex key. This makes the monopod much more versatile because it can be conveniently used with any camera/lens combination that the monopod will support. All you need to do to change the direction of the clamp is loosen the lower quick release knob, rotate the clamp 90 degrees and retigten. How simple is that?
And as far as the budget is concerned, the two items combined are well under $100.00 (just slightly more than $70.00, actually) and they seem to work great so far. If you're like me and want to be able to quickly change the orientation of your monopod head's clamp, then the items listed above may be just what you're looking for.
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