Acratech 1167 panorama head with lever clamp

Acratech 1167 panorama head with lever clamp, precise control for demanding panoramic photography

If you want to shoot panoramas cleanly, reproducibly and without a lot of fiddling, you will sooner or later end up with a specialized panorama head. The Acratech 1167 panorama head with lever clamp is designed exactly for this purpose: as a stable, astonishingly lightweight head for professional panoramic photography, landscape photography, telephoto photography and architectural photography, which can also be used excellently as a long lens head for heavy telephoto lenses.

The head is designed as a panorama head. Thanks to the generous degree scale on the tilt axis, you can set tilt angles very precisely, while the adjustable zero pointers on the panning axis help you to repeat multiple rows exactly. This allows you to create complex, multi-row panoramas much faster and more reliably, without constantly having to puzzle over where you actually were on the last pass.

Special design for precise panoramic photography

What we particularly like about this head is the combination of technical clarity and well-thought-out operating concept. The large, easy-to-read degree scale on the tilt axis supports you in precise alignment, for example when you want to repeat specific tilt angles for architectural photography or when you want to stack multiple rows cleanly on top of each other in panoramic photography. The adjustable zero pointers on the panning axis help you define starting points so that you can divide your rotation systematically into even steps.

The quick-release clamp can be rotated by 90 degrees, giving you additional flexibility when aligning the camera or nodal point adapters. This allows you to switch very easily between horizontal and vertical orientation without having to reconfigure everything each time. Especially with multi-row panoramas, this is a real time saver, because you can quickly bring the camera into the desired position and focus on composition and light.

Manufacture-built, high-quality workmanship and smooth mechanics

The Acratech 1167 does not feel like some random mass-produced product, but more like a precisely crafted workshop tool. The mechanics run smoothly, the controls engage positively, and the lever clamp closes in a defined way without giving you the feeling that you might overtighten something. You usually only notice such details out in the field, when it is cold, your fingers get a bit stiff and you still want to know by feel alone whether everything is securely locked.

The holding capacity is about 11.4 kg, which allows you to handle heavier telephoto lenses and solid DSLR or mirrorless systems safely. At the same time, the head itself weighs only about 0.45 kg. This ratio of load capacity to weight is a real advantage, especially on longer tours, because you do not add unnecessary ballast to your tripod setup, yet still retain sufficient reserves for telephoto work or elaborate panorama constructions.

Rugged design for tough everyday photography

The panorama head is clearly designed for durability and reliability. The construction is robust and suitable for regular use in the field, whether you are shooting architectural subjects in the city or waiting on a mountain summit before sunrise for the first streaks of light. The lever clamp is designed to provide secure clamping force even with frequent opening and closing, without wearing out.

One important technical note that you really should take seriously: the 3/8 inch mounting thread of the head is 8 mm long. If you screw in a screw longer than 8 mm into this thread, the ball inside will be damaged. This may sound like a minor detail, but it can render the head permanently unusable. So be sure to check the screw length on your tripod or adapter before mounting the head.

Made in USA, precise manufacturing and ARCA-compatible lever clamp

The Acratech 1167 panorama head with lever clamp is made in the USA and uses an Arca-style compatible quick-release coupling with a 38 mm dovetail profile. According to the manufacturer, the coupling securely accepts Arca-style compatible, Really Right Stuff dovetail and Kirk dovetail, so you can generally continue to use existing plates and nodal point rails without any problems.

The lever clamp allows fast, repeatable locking of your camera. Compared to classic screw clamps, the lever is intuitive to operate and gives you clear feedback as to whether the plate is really engaged. The integrated scale on the quick-release clamp is particularly practical when working with nodal point adapters and when you want to set recurring positions precisely. This allows you to use defined settings for different lenses without having to experiment from scratch every time.

Since the system is built to be ARCA compatible, you can base your choice of plates and rails on a widely used standard that has become established in panoramic, landscape and architectural photography. This makes it easier to build a flexible, modular system that grows with your requirements.

Flexible use: panorama, landscape, telephoto and architecture

The Acratech 1167 is not just a pure specialist for panoramic photography, but a versatile head that covers several disciplines. In landscape photography you benefit from the precise tilt and pan control to align horizons cleanly and refine your compositions with precision. For telephoto photography, the head can be used as a long lens head to keep long focal lengths stable and controlled, without the setup tipping away in one direction.

In architectural photography, the clear scaling helps you to plan repetitions and series shots systematically. Especially in complex projects where multiple perspectives are later combined in post-processing, this reproducible accuracy is very valuable. And of course, the head really plays to its strengths when you want to create multi-row panoramas where each individual row has to be positioned exactly so that the final image can be stitched together cleanly.