Question about ballheads and quick releases

Evening all,


just a quick question. I have a Manbily tripod that's basically a knockoff of a Manfrotto andthat's served me pretty well for a while now. I bought it while travelling through Vietnam for US$40 so it's been great bang for buck. I don't have a huge need to upgrade the whole thing as I don't have overly heavy gear and I've moved away from landscapesfor a while.


One thing that does bother me a little is the ballhead/ quick release mechanism. I pretty much have to guess where I'm composing because once the ballhead is taking up the weight it drops slightly. There's also some play in the quick release plate that gets frustrating. The ballhead itself is very sturdy/ solid and doesn't creep once tightened.


My question is - is this commonplace when using ballheads (to have some play when composing) and will I see a lot of benefit out of upgrading to a RRS/ Gitzo/ Acratech ballhead.


Thanks in advance. Ben.

To answer your question, yes.


The RRS BH-55 and Acratech GP heads are by far the best available. They have a huge price tag for a reason, and IMO you would get huge benefit out of one. I don't have that much cash to spend on photography and IMO tripods and ballheads are the one area you should always "buy the best". I haven't tried the BH55 but the GP is my favorite tripod head, ever. I probably sound like I work for Acratech [*-)]


brendan

Agreed, somewhat.


It isn't entirely commonplace, only really with the low end of heads. All ballheads have a weight capacity, this number theoretically relates to the weight it can handle without drooping. Its not to say that the head will shatter if a heavier load is put on it, it may just not be fully functional. If the droop is an issue just look at how much you gear weighs, and check out some heads that have a capacity higher than that. Really Right Stuff, Acratech, Arca Swiss, and Manfrotto are just a few companies who make some quality heads.


Jordan

Hey there!


IMHO, every ballhead even an expensive one has potential to creep down when under weight, it is just a question of how much and under what weight. It gets really anoying especially if you shoot macro with a longer lens, or with a longer (and heavier) lens in general. I would like to recommend that you consider looking at geared tripod heads. There is more wiggling with those knobs, but once you lock it, it is locked.


Good luck.


Pete

Thanks for the heads up guys. New glass is on the top of the priority list at the moment but I'll keep it in mind for future purchases.


cheers, Ben.

Markins is another top quality head. I have a Kirk head, and its rock stable, no sagging. I have a couple of lower cost Benro heads that sag unless you lock them down hard.


You do need a stable tripod, thats part of the equation. I sold off my Manfroto Tripod legs, they were heavy duty, but still inadequate for 6 lbs of camera gear, even though rated a 14 or 15 lbs. I ended up with a 50 lb rated Benro, and it doesn't move.

OOPS, that was a C428 and its 26.5 lb rating.