Small Ballheads with pano base

[kipper]

Just wondered what ballheads are available out there that are small, don't have to hold a lot of KG (just D70/D2X with a wide angle lens, with the option of SB800). Primarily for landscape/pano shots but with the option of using it for indoor photography. Looking at low dollars, in the range < $250.

[marc]

I have the Kirk Bh3 Ballhead (on my Gitzo G2220) which is slightly
more than A$250 . Cost me US $239 + shipping

[img][img]http://img369.imageshack.us/img369/9492/copyof10040223fn.jpg[/img]

[kipper]

Cheers marc, that looks good

[birddog114]

RRS BH55 and Gitzo1027. BH-3 is lot bigger than the BH25. BH25 is US$125.00 + shipping

The BH 25 can support the D2x with Nikkor 80-400VR, we tried it at the meet.

[MHD]

My Acratech UBH prob can not hold (well) the 200-400 but is a great head and VERY light (its been mountain climbing)

Have a look at
Clicky

[fozzie]

Birddog,

RRS BH55 and Gitzo1027. BH-3 is lot bigger than the BH25. BH25 is US$125.00 + shipping

The BH 25 can support the D2x with Nikkor 80-400VR, we tried it at the meet.

Correction: the BH-25 Pro is US$145 + Shipping:

http://www.reallyrightstuff.com/ballheads/index.html

[kipper]

Yeah but I looked at the RRS BH-25PRO last night Birddog and from what I could see doesn't contain a panning head. So you'd have to add something like the RRS PCL-1 to it to gain panning functionality, which would cost more than a complete panning head.

I dunno correct me if I'm wrong here.

[kipper]

Btw, if you haven't noticed RRS have just released the RRS-40PRO. About $80US cheaper than the RRS-55PRO can only carry about a third of the weight but the weight of the head is about half of the RRS-55PRO. Which I never realised was 880g, that thing weighs a ton!

[fozzie]

Kipper,

Yeah but I looked at the RRS BH-25PRO last night Birddog and from what I could see doesn't contain a panning head. So you'd have to add something like the RRS PCL-1 to it to gain panning functionality, which would cost more than a complete panning head.

I dunno correct me if I'm wrong here.

The lever allows for tilting and panning of the BH.

Quote and unquote from 'RRS' website:

T-Lever controls two actions in one: locking & unlocking the ball and panning base.

[kipper]

That's kind of an issue though if it unlocks both the ball and the pan at the same time. When doing pano you only want rotation in one axis.

[marc]

Kipper
Spend just a few extra bucks and get the Kirk BH3, you' won't regret it and will last a lifetime

Cheers
Marc

[birddog114]

Kipper
Spend just a few extra bucks and get the Kirk BH3, you' won't regret it and will last a lifetime

Cheers
Marc

I had Kirk and ditched it for the RRS and Markins 20, I have RRS BH55Pro and Markins 20 + BH25 and AUB, they are still current in my inventory.
If I'm not wrong, one of our member on this board has the BH-1 and it got problems with the ball, he sent it back for warranty, returned and with the same fault, then he purchased a new BH55Pro.

If you need ballhead with panning base, you already have the Markins 20, why should you bother looking into another head? the Kirk BH-3 is not lighter then the Markins 20 and its quality is crappy in comparison with the Markins 20.

For the RRS BH40, it hasn't released from RRS yet, planning of shipping it by 1st October and I'll have one for eval. Don't know yet what it can do or can't do until I touch it.

People on this board only buy Kirk's product if they could not order from RRS or RRS does not have stock of what they want.

[marc]

Whatever......................

[kipper]

Because I wondered if there was a lighter, smaller, panning head out that was way cheaper than the Markins M-20.

Marc I agree


FYI, I'm selling my Markins M-20 to finance a Wimberley head. Hence why I was interested on finding out if there was something < 250 out there that could hold a D70/D2X + 12-24 or 18-70DX (or similar) with a sliding plate.


Birddog, there is about ~$65US difference in price between BH-40PRO and BH-55PRO. Pros is that it's lighter, Con is that only holds 1/3 of the weight and is only ~$65US cheaper.

[birddog114]

Because I wondered if there was a lighter, smaller, panning head out that was way cheaper than the Markins M-20.

Marc I agree


FYI, I'm selling my Markins M-20 to finance a Wimberley head. Hence why I was interested on finding out if there was something < 250 out there that could hold a D70/D2X + 12-24 or 18-70DX (or similar) with a sliding plate.


Birddog, there is about ~$65US difference in price between BH-40PRO and BH-55PRO. Pros is that it's lighter, Con is that only holds 1/3 of the weight and is only ~$65US cheaper.

The Wimberley head is another toy to tackle with your future 500mm.
I'm sure you'll regret once you part the Markins 20 and looking for something in lighter and cheaper but with full quality, have you consider the Markins 10?

Though the BH40 announced but no stock yet so I can confirm what can it do can't do for you, once I have it, I'll play it with my Wimberley sidekick + 200-400VR or my 500mm, then I can tell you, how is it? and do I like it?

Don't you know me? I bought all the heads (BH55Pro/ Markins 20/ AUB/ BH25) which I use and I don't use, rarely use or never use it, but my intention is eval them and keeping them as resources for members to touch, hold, play, learn, loan and eval it prior to buy same as the tripod.

I don't care and trust about the reviews, I only want to use it by myself and telling/ support you guys with my experiences, you may disagree but that's my style.

Edit: With RRS/ Markins/ AUB, I paid all my ballheads or other gears which I lust for myself as the same prices you guy buy direct, no difference, no favour, no discount, no offer and 100% no hot manure here.

[kipper]

If the Markins M-10 was half the price and half the specs of the M-20 I'd buy it. But it's pretty much the same as the M-20, just holds 5kg less.

[birddog114]

If the Markins M-10 was half the price and half the specs of the M-20 I'd buy it. But it's pretty much the same as the M-20, just holds 5kg less.

Well then go to the AUB, last resort is the Kirk.
You do your sum there!

[robboh]

FYI, I'm selling my Markins M-20 to finance a Wimberley head. Hence why I was interested on finding out if there was something < 250 out there that could hold a D70/D2X + 12-24 or 18-70DX (or similar) with a sliding plate.

Kipper,

Found this recently and meant to post the link for you. Its another side-kick review
The Wimberley Sidekick Revisited

Cheers
Rob

[kipper]

Tah Robboh, not overly sure about having the QRP on the side with a 500MM attached. I would quite happily have a 300MM attached. It's interesting he says upto 500MM F4, but the 400MM F2.8 is heavier than the 500MM F4. Perhaps they should of stated the load capacity instead.

[birddog114]

Tah Robboh, not overly sure about having the QRP on the side with a 500MM attached. I would quite happily have a 300MM attached. It's interesting he says upto 500MM F4, but the 400MM F2.8 is heavier than the 500MM F4. Perhaps they should of stated the load capacity instead.

Though the WSK can be used with the 400/500/600 but I do not recommend it, very hard and heavy to control same as panning.

Use the full size Wimberley gimbal or other system with full gimbah head.

[kipper]

The Black Widow full gimbal head. Slightly cheaper than the Wimberley head, and apparently it has a proven track record amongst nature photographers.

http://www.jobu-design.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/29


Check out the Ground Pod, quite useful for low level photography where you need to get down in the mud. Or you can use it to shoot off of a car roof (has rubber pads).

http://www.jobu-design.com/catalog/prod ... ucts_id/38

[birddog114]

The Black Widow full gimbal head. Slightly cheaper than the Wimberley head, and apparently it has a proven track record amongst nature photographers.

http://www.jobu-design.com/

That what I currently have and we're their reseller in Australia.
What else are you after kipper?
Perhaps a Skorpion Ground Pod, nice little toy too.

[birddog114]

kipper,
Aren't we talking about the small ballhead with panning base anymore as the tittle of this thread?

Now switch it too the gimbal head then

[kipper]

We were but Robboh took it OT

Out of interest Birddog, how much do you sell the BW Gimbal Head and the BW Ground Pod for?

I've looked at the Skimmer Ground Pod but for the price it looks nasty. It looks like an upside down frisbee with a bolt (1/4?) coming out the middle.
Which is what some people do on a budget

[birddog114]

We were but Robboh took it OT

Out of interest Birddog, how much do you sell the BW Gimbal Head and the BW Ground Pod for?

I've looked at the Skimmer Ground Pod but for the price it looks nasty. It looks like an upside down frisbee with a bolt (1/4?) coming out the middle.
Which is what some people do on a budget

Black Widow Gimbal, Heavy Duty (incl. Horizontal Mount) US$490.00 + shipping + GST (If applicable)

[kipper]

And how much for the Black Widow or Jobu Ground Pod?


Btw, as you might already know, Wimberley is planning on releasing new models of the Wimberley Head.

[birddog114]

And how much for the Black Widow or Jobu Ground Pod?

Jobu ground Pod is US$130.00 + shipping + GST (if applicable)

Btw, as you might already know, Wimberley is planning on releasing new models of the Wimberley Head.

Their products and pricing are far away from Jobu so I didn't take the offer from them for reseller status.

[robboh]

We were but Robboh took it OT

Yup. My fault. Always my fault

[kipper]