Slik Ball Heads

[augphoto]

Does anyone know about the Slik SBH-320 Ball Head? I am very interested in the

320 but, am somewhat confused. There seems to be a SLIK SBH-320 DQ which is

surprisingly somewhat cheaper. The best I can tell is that they are the same

ball head but, the DQ comes with a quick release. I must be missing something,

though. How can the model featuring the QR be cheaper? Does anyone know if they

are the same head or not? What are the differences?

 

If one chooses the model with the quick release, where can he locate the QR

plates, for other equipment?

[Matthew Currie]

Have you looked at the Slik website?

 

http://www.thkphoto.com/products/slik/index.html

 

The illustrations and specs look pretty clear there, and if there's a difference between the two other than the top, I don't see it. Even th markings on the body are the same. Unfortunately they don't list the price for the plain SBH-320, only the DQ model, so you can't tell whether the price anomaly is theirs or that of a vendor. It might just be that for some reason the vendor you're looking at has a sale on them, similar to the perpetual special B&H has on the 700DX tripod.

[alan_chan4]

You know what? Slik 320 has been marketed under 2 other brands too in Japan - Hansa & Kenko. Since they are rather unknown to the outside world, B&H has been unable to sell them and dump them in dirt cheap price now. You can get the identical spec Kenko FP-100 <a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=Search&A=details&Q=&sku=800399919&is=USE&addedTroughType=search">here</a>. The max load should be 7kg, not 5.44kg as B&H made a mistake. I have one myself and well worth the price. It puts Manfrotto heads in shame.

[augphoto]

According to the thk website the 320 has a max. load of 15.4 lbs. and the 320 DQ has a max load of 10 lbs. listed. This makes me wonder about differences, even though they both look the same in the pics.

[alan_chan4]

Could be the QR design is unable to withstand too much stress.

[augphoto]

Yup. I contacted the distributer and the heads are the same. The weakness is indeed in the Quick Release. So, I ordered the head without a QR. I am now in the market for a STURDY Quick Release. Any suggestions?

 

It would be supporting a Konica/Minolta Maxxum 7D with a Sigma 400mm f5.6 being the largest lens I currently use. Sometimes (though rarely) I use a 2X teleconverter with it. Of course, I'm always on the lookout for a longer/faster lens!