The new Benro ballheads (series B and J)

Benro released two new series of "new, improved" ballheads this spring, the Series B and the Series J.

I have a couple of questions.

I've seen people praising the old series (KS, KJ, KB?) and I've seen people trashing the same.

Does anyone have experience with the new improved designs, especially for "hard use"?

I don't intend to trash the thing, but I expect to drag it out in the wild once in a while and banging about is

inevitable.

I'm currently looking at the B-3 ballhead which I can get for around $170 including tax and freight (this is what

goes for dirt cheap here in Norway) og the J-2 ($200). An RRS BH-40 would at least set me back $550 including

freight and tax.

Also, I understand that these ballheads use "Arca swiss" type plates, is this correct?

I'm contemplating getting a L-plate, perhaps from RRS or Kirk, I assume these will fit?

My experience is from the Manfrotto/boge 486RS2, which plainly spoken isn't very good. I intend to keep the

Manfrotto legs.

Any advise is appreciated.

Thanks,

Håkon

It seems to have taken several "generations" of product for some of the knock-off or start up competition to get to the point that functional quality is up to real competition with the established tripod leg makers. I don't think they are there yet with the ballheads. Not a lot of people taking the chance on them or talking about it if they have.

I would expect they would be compatible with the Kirk or RRS L brackets, the main compatibility problems seem to come with the lever type clamps, not screw clamps. But the Arca Swiss "standard" isn't a standard and not all of the products are compatible. Again, it may take some users to actually buy and report on their results to build up the community knowledge base.

Thanks Craig.

I know I should probably go for the real thing, but they are just so incredibly expensive.

If end up buying the new Benro, I'll try to write up a report.

I've just ordered an Benro B-3 head. I should have it by the end of the week. I'll write up a mini review and let you know my

thoughts on it!

<p>Here's an initial first thoughts of the Benro B-3 head. </p>

<p>My Benro B-3 head has finally arrived. I was in the market for a replacement head (and eventually replacement legs) for my

Manfrotto 190XB/804RC tripod, which has been great for using with my lighter lenses. However, having recently purchased a weighty

Sigma 500mm lens, the entry to mid level combination was just not a strong enough for the heavy lens and camera and so I spent a

little time looking for firstly an alternative head and eventually, I'll replace the legs when funds allow.</p>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/alastairmoore/2802367480/" title="Benro B-3 head by AlastairMoore, on Flickr"><img

src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3228/2802367480_1a80581cb0.jpg" width="332" height="500" alt="Benro B-3 head" align="right"

/></a>

<p>Another requirement for my new head was that it was to be a ballhead. The Manfrotto 804RC uses separate thumbscrews for

adjusting the tilt and rotation - one for front/back tilting, another for left/right and the final for rotating. In the field, it's a lot of time and

work to accurately position the head to your requirement. You are also limited to how far forwards and backwards you can tilt the

Manfrotto 804RC - only 30 degrees either way.</p>

<p>I was initially interested in a Kirk BH-1 but also looked at products from Really Right Stuff and Arca Swiss. These were all priced in

the $350 and upwards bracket which was really out of my price range. I probably could have spent some time saving up for the Kirk or

Arca Swiss heads but patience and the need for a new head sooner as opposed to later got the better of me, and having discovered a

budget alternative in the way of the Benro head, I threw down $150 for their B-3 head.</p>

<p>Possibly taking on a risk, Benro has had mixed reviews and photographers have mixed opinions of the company. They're reputed to

take products from other manufacturers and simply rebuild knock off versions. The older Benro KJ and KS ballheads have had

favourable reviews. The Benro B-3 is the very latest head to come out of the Benro factory and is similar to the Kirk BH-1 and Arca

Swiss Z1 heads. It is compatible with the Arca Swiss system and so any quick release plates, L plates and other Arca Swiss

compatible accessories should work fine with the Benro ballhead.</p>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/alastairmoore/2802371352/" title="Benro B-3 head by AlastairMoore, on Flickr"><img

src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3219/2802371352_75eb4a336e.jpg" width="332" height="500" alt="Benro B-3 head" align="left" /></a>

<p>Taking the head of it's box, I was surprised how high a quality finish it seemed to have. It feels absolutely solid and is fairly weighty

without being unreasonably heavy. Loosening the thumbscrews, the ball makes a little noise in it's socket but it moves smoothly

everything feels well put together. Having picked up and played with the Kirk BH-1, the head moved a little smoother and quieter in it's

socket but not overly so.</p>

<p>The Benro has three thumbscrews, the main screw locking the ballhead in place with a smaller friction screw and then a final screw

at the base of the head to allow 360 degree panning, and has a marking along the base to show how far round you have rotated it, which

would be very useful for taking panoramic photographs.</p>

<p>I haven't worked out the best way to use the combination of the locking and friction screw - it's probably designed to use the friction

screw for more accurate adjustments. Once you've tighted up all the thumbscrews, the ball locks absolutely solidly in place and there's

no moving it.</p>

<p>When I ordered the ballhead, I mistakenly didn't order a quick release plate and so have not been able to use this head in anger but

plan to purchase one at the end of the week and so will update this review then with some sample images.</p>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/alastairmoore/2802376166/" title="Benro B-3 head by AlastairMoore, on Flickr"><img

src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3272/2802376166_3965fb2f35.jpg" width="332" height="500" alt="Benro B-3 head" align="right"

/></a>

<p>One feature that's disappointingly absent is a spirit level on the clamp. This would have been very useful and so I will probably have

to purchase an additional hotshoe spirit level, or alternatively stump up for an Arca Swiss/Kirk clamp.</p>

<p>Excepting the missing spirit level, so far, so good. It was significantly cheaper than the Kirk and Arca Swiss alternatively so it could

have been a case of buying cheap/buying twice. However, the construction of this head is 99% as good as the Kirk head with a saving

of $200.</p>