Suggestions for ballhead - Bogen-Manfrotto 322RC2 Horizontal Grip Action

[tdigi]

Does anyone use this? It gets high reviews on amazon but I know very little about ballheads.

 

I just purchased a Bogen Manfrotto 190XPROB that I really like and I need a ball head that will work for macro and portraits and hopefully

be useful for travel. So something that would fit in a tripod bag would be nice.

 

 

This is the full name of the ballhead in question.

 

Bogen-Manfrotto 322RC2 Horizontal Grip Action Ball Head with RC2 Rapid Connect Plate (3157N)

 

Link

http://www.amazon.com/Bogen-Manfrotto-322RC2-Horizontal-Action-Connect/dp/B000184N22/ref=pd_bbs_3?

ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1213917731&sr=8-3

 

thanks

[SteveH]

I have no personal knowledge about the ballhead you mention, but it really doesn't look stable enough for good closeup

macro photography. I suggest you look at Really Right Stuff. They are pricey but have great toys. My BH55 ball head has

been a real trooper. I looks like I've been driving tent stakes with it but it's still steady and works great.

[craig_gillette]

It's better for portraits than it's vertical counterpart. I don't shoot a lot of macros but it seems to me the squeeze grip might be harder to use with very fine adjustments than a regular ballhead. Also, I have some concern that it might not fit well in a tripod bag due to the way it extends to the side. It may depend on the bag chosen as well as how close to the side of the tripod it can be set.

[Ed_Ingold]

Grip-type heads are ineffective on several counts and should be avoided. The ball is relatively small so the holding power is low and it tends to have a slip-stick action. You have to release the head fully in order to adjust the position. The holding power is further limited because it is maintained solely by spring tension. In order to hold the camera in a vertical orientation the camera is way off center and unstable. As you note, they are very bulky and don't fit well in a bag or suitcase. Finally, the quick-release system is weak, unsafe and allows the camera to turn under its own weight if tilted.

 

Grip-type heads are gadgets that we buy (me too) because they look like a clever idea, then abandon once we have something that really works like an heavy-duty ball head with an Arca-style QR system. Save your money and get an Arca Z1, RRS BH-55, Kirk BH-1 or Acratech Ultimate ball head. You'll never look back.

[mike_puraty]

The grip is rated at an 11 lb max but when converted to a vertical orientation the rated max drops in half to just 5.5lbs..it is also very big and depending on closed length of the tripod can require a longer bag..Have one but my others are 488RC2's..And like stated earlier not macro friendly..impossible to make minute adjustments required for great extreme close-ups..