Acratech Ultimate Ballhead without QR Clamp with Left Sided Rubber Main and Pan Knobs, Supports 25lbs. Review

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(More customer reviews)After many years of consideration, I finally took the plunge a year ago and moved up from a standard Bogen tri-pan head to the Arca Swiss quick release system supported by the Acratech ball head. I haven't regretted the investment.
Though cost is a concern, there are other issues. I knew that my work with macro and large lenses would be improved, since Arca Swiss plates have a flange that prevents lenses from rotating. I also hoped that I would find them faster and easier to work with--which I found to be very true.
But I also had to decide which type to buy. The Arca Swiss B1 is a popular alternative, and others also recommended similar large ball heads by Linhoff, Foba, Kaiser, and Kirk. The Acratech ball head has several major advantages over these: it requires no lubrication, it can hold more weight, it weighs considerably less than its competitors (a big plus when hiking), and it can be maneuvered into almost any reasonable angle relative to the base.
I chose to buy mine without Acratech's own quick release clamp, opting instead to attach a lever clamp made by Really Right Stuff. A drop of Loctite 271 keeps a clamp attached to the base. Best use of the Arca Swiss style quick release also requires adding plates to lenses and camera bodies (mine are from Kirk and Really Right Stuff) as well as quick release clamps to any minipods you might use.
I notice the improvement the most when hurrying to set up for a shot that will disappear quickly, or when working with macro gear. I had become quite accustomed to adjusting horizons on a tri-pan head and had misgivings about whether I could easily level a landscape, but this was not particularly difficult to do with a ball head.
After a year in the field, I am very pleased with the Acratech ball head.

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Ultimate Ballhead w/o QR Clamp, Left Sided Rubber Main and Pan Knobs, Supports 25lbs.

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