dillbuch Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 Hello all, Have been doing lots of reading and searching for information and opinions on ballhead. I'm going to get myself one for my birthday. I've wanted something nice for a while now, and always assumed that I would eventually get a Kirk, and get RRS plates. Now I see that RRS has their own ballhead now. Any advice/ opinions on merits/demerits of these two, (or others) would be appreciated. Thanks. Anne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheldonnalos Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 Yes, the RRS ballheads are very, very good. Probably the best available according to majority opinion. Markins, Arca Swiss, Kirk, and Acratech are all very similar options (listed in my order of preference). If you want a mid sized ballhead and are choosing RRS the BH-40 is the best option, for a larger ballhead the BH-55 is a great choice. Of course you realize that this means you have to get a $500 carbon fiber Gitzo tripod as well.... ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two23 Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 I've been using the AcraTech almost daily for the past two years now, in all the types of weather South Dakota/Minnesota can throw at it. It has never locked up or failed once. I got it mainly because it's open design is so easy to clean. No way it can lock up due to ice getting down into it. I use it with my Nikon system and also 4x5 field camera. I have only used it a couple of times with a 500mm f4, and it did OK. A gimbal mount would have been better for that. I'm not sure what it would take to destroy that particular head. I suspect it would survive a small tornado. It's very light too. Kent in SD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mendonphoto Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 Another vote for AcraTech. Super sturdy, very light, and it never binds. They even have a traditional style head now if you don't like the original "ultimate" sytle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimlarson Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 Another vote for RRS. They are very well made. I have the BH-40 and just love it. If I can ever afford bigger glass though, I would definitly get the BH-55. I was playing with one in, of all places, the Wimberly office when I went in to pick up a couple plamps. They are smooth, fluid, and precise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_Ingold Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 The RRS head has received many good endorsements from professional photographers, including Moose Peterson. RRS stuff is designed and made well - you couldn't go wrong. The Arca-Swiss B1 should be on your radar. It is the only one with an effective tension control. The out-of-round ball increases tension as the ball tilts, counteracting the increased torque. Ball heads are most useful when you can set partial tension and point the camera smoothly and easily, yet safely. The only time you lock a ball head down is if you need to take your hands away. This is especially easy to do with the Arca. The B1 is very well made, and sets the standard for build-quality. The Acratech has a peculiar quirk - in order to tilt the camera upward you must completely reverse the head and ball. This is due to the 45 degree angle of the ball socket. It has a following, primarily for its ultra-light weight and low price. At $280, it is over $100 cheaper than the other heads you are considering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mendonphoto Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 I don't own a traditional ball head, so I don't know how I would use it for sure, but I think I would keep the slot to one side so that I could have a normal range of motion forward and backward, but still go sideways for portrait format. That's what I do with the Acratech - keep the low side to the left. I have normal forward and back motion can can go all the way down to the left for portrait mode (that leaves very little right-tilt, but who cares?). Edward got it right about the weight - I think it's about half that of the competition. Price was not really a factor for me. I just wanted the lightest (but still sturdy) tripod setup I could find. Like I said, though, if you want the "traditional" ball head - there's a new one from Acratech (the V2) that is still super light. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik_loza Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 I have useed the Kirk BH-1 since 2001 and am still amazed that it works so well, depsite the amount of abuse it has endured. I also have had only positive experiences with Kirk customer service and would reccommend tham to anybody. There are no plans to part with the BH-1 anytime soon, but in the unfortunate event that it met its demise early, I would replace it with the 55mm RRS head. In any case, you do want the RRS lever-clamp plate: It's the best thing sliced bread. Good luck in your search. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joseph_smith3 Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 My comments are similar to Erik's. I have the Kirk BH-1 and the Kirk BH-3: both are excellent and have given me great service for years. If I were buying today, and money were not any issue, I would get the RRS ball head of the size that I needed. Joe Smith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dillbuch Posted April 14, 2007 Author Share Posted April 14, 2007 Thanks much for the replies. I appreciate it. And yes, I do know that now I'll have to get a CF tripod. (later) Those of you who said that you currently have the Kirk, and have been pleased with it, but if you were buying today you would get the RRS, can you share with me your reasons? Thanks again. Anne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik_loza Posted April 15, 2007 Share Posted April 15, 2007 It's not the fancy design of the RRS that I like, but the fact that it is a physically smaller package with the same strength. Don't let anybody tell you that one is better built than the other, as they both are excellent. It's all ergonomics. The Kirk BH-1 is not a small head and it's center of rotation is much higher up than the RRS head I tried. The compact design is the appeal to me. Not worth selling the Kirk but if I were shopping again, it would be the RRS. You really can't go wrong with any of these; it's all personal taste. I prefer Kirk's lens collars, RRS's body plates, and am ambivalent about lens plates between both. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joseph_wisniewski Posted April 15, 2007 Share Posted April 15, 2007 I'll put in a vote for Acratech. It is sturdy, easy to clean, reliable, and... The very best ballhead when using a sidearm (Bogen 3021) or fully articulated arm (Benbo, Uni-Loc, Gitzo Explorer or Giotos). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
howard_grill Posted April 15, 2007 Share Posted April 15, 2007 FWIW< I love my RRS ballhead. The things I find specifically nice in no particular order... Build Large knobs Built in level Two drop slots Most importantly, the ASB1 I previously had would always shift a bit after you tightened it. I get essentially NO drift once I tighten the ballhead. It costs more, but given that it will be used 'forever' I think it is worth it. If you get it I would get the lever clamp instead of the screw...makes life easier. I have never used the Kirk, but have heard good things about it as well. Howard www.howardgrill.blogspot.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hans_h._siegrist Posted April 15, 2007 Share Posted April 15, 2007 I have been using the above ball head for the last 15 years with no problems at all. The friction control is sensational. Cheers! Hans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dillbuch Posted April 16, 2007 Author Share Posted April 16, 2007 Thanks again for the replies. And thank you Eric for your second reply to my question. Right now I am leaning toward the RRS, now trying to decide between the 55 or 40. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik_loza Posted April 16, 2007 Share Posted April 16, 2007 Get the 55mm. The 40mm would only be suitable for wide-angle zooms. Better to pay a little more now than take the hit then have to buy again when the 80-200mm or 300mm comes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dillbuch Posted April 16, 2007 Author Share Posted April 16, 2007 Yeah, that's pretty much my thinking too. Get the 55mm, know that I shouldn't have to get another one, and start my new learning curve. I think I will start to use my tripod a lot more once I have the ballhead. Thanks again for the help. Anne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justinblack Posted April 16, 2007 Share Posted April 16, 2007 Another vote for the RRS BH-55. IMHO, it's the best designed ballhead on the market. I sold my Arca B-1 after using one. It's more ergonomic to use, it's lower profile than the Kirk and Arca which means less leverage on the axis of the tripod, and it is engineered and built beautifully. The BH-40 is exceptional too if you aren't using really heavy rigs on it. The BH-25, by the way, is a minor miracle. Though its tiny size dictates that it doesn't move with the buttery smoothness of the BH-55, it locks down tighter than you would imagine and has a thick shaft, so it is quite stable. It's actually quite usable with a six-pound 4x5 field camera rig on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
howard_grill Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 Another vote for the 55. I also sold my B-1 after using it. Howard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oivind_toien Posted April 18, 2007 Share Posted April 18, 2007 RRS BH-40 works very well with a 300 F/4 and 1.4x TC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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