Ball Heads?

[Peter_White]

I still use an old Tilt-All for my product work. I just put an RRS clamp on it. It'll last forever.

[DonNoble]

Although I have not used the heads you asked about, I do use a RRS BH-40 on a Manfrotto 190 for traveling, sort of a medium setup. The heaviest body I've used on it is a D200 and with the 80-400 4.5 probably the most taxing combination I've had on this set up.

I've been very happy with the head in this situation but I agree with the earlier comment about the protective bag being too tight. The other comment refered to the BH-55 head/bag and I assume my 40 comes with a smaller bag - proportionally smaller it would seem - with the same hassle getting it back on!

BTW, I also bought the RRS replacement collar for the 40-400 and although it's as well made and nice looking as all RRS stuff, I'm not sure the difference is worth the cost.

[NillToulme]

I have the Kirk BH-3 and the RRS BH-55 and like and recommend them both. I think the BH-3 is probably the best dollar value on the market at the moment in a lighter-duty quality ballhead. I would consider it marginal for a 300 f/2.8 though.

Nill
~~
www.toulme.net

[diglloyd]

Originally Posted by Mike_Guilbault

Any preferences for Ball Heads? I've been reading up on the Markins M10/M20 and the Kirk BH1/3. The new Manfrotto Hydro-Static look pretty good too. Anyone with any experience with any of these, or others?

I have the Arca Swiss B1 and the Really Right Stuff BH-55, so I can't comment on the Markins or Kirk. But relative to the B1 or the BH-55, the Burzynski head is the burliest working head out there with no annoying issues like the other two.

Position it precisely, lock it down--the frame stays put just where you planned (not true of the other two). Put 50 pounds on it--it doesn't care. I used that head for my article The Sharpest Image.

Bjorn Rorslett has a nice review of it:
http://www.naturfotograf.com/burzynski.html

The only downside is that it can only tilt down 45 degrees; you can't flip the camera over 90 degrees—but that's what an "L" bracket on the camera is for!

[KenJennings]

I have the Arca Swiss and really like it. Stable, strong, no movement once it is set.

However, it is big and too much for my Gitzo 1257.

So, I bought the RRS BH-40 for that tripod. It was expensive, but I have to say, well worth the money. Probably the best made head I have ever owned. I use it regularly with D200 and AFS 28-70 f2.8 and the AFS 300 f2.8 with no problems. I also bought the RRS L-bracket for the D200 so all is centered on the tripod when mounting the camera and lens. This is a nice, lightweight, transportable set up.

Ken

[DouglasUrner]

Lloyd, is the a US source of the Burzynski heads? Do you now if they will just clamp into any of the Gitzo tripods?

Thanks, Doug

[Mike_Guilbault]

Originally Posted by diglloyd

... relative to the B1 or the BH-55, the Burzynski head is the burliest working head out there with no annoying issues like the other two.

Lloyd, what are the 'annoying issues' of the BH-55. This is the one I had finally decided on getting but that comment concerns me now.