Reasonable price and built quality.

Not quite straight forward to use. Read the manual and try it, once get used to (I do it in less than 15 minutes), I don't think its really a weakness. Nor you should complain this is not as good as Kirk/Foba... come on its only 1/5 the price.

I have been working with a cheap but good Manfrotto 115 super 3D head (called Bogen 3028), which cost only $25 and supports 6kg, with my Mamiya in shooting the nature. However, whever I need to do actions with my EOS gear it is too slow to use so I go and buy a ball head. First I was looking in a 486RC2 (3413QR and 3055S) but it lacks a spirit level (yes I keep losing it). I found that 488RC4 (no Bogen code, guess its not available in the US) is the same price of 486 + a spirit level, with the benefit i wouldn't lose the spirit level (unless I loss the head and/or the tripod). However searching into more than 10 shops and found the 488RC4 is constantly out of stock, so I buy this, 488RC0 which looks and have similar functions. The first impression is... this thing looks really strange, especially the "double action" release and the huge, hexagonal quick release. It 'looks' difficult to handle... Actually its not. Make sure you READ the manual first and try it at home figure out how the hexagonal plate should be mounted, and how the double action release worked, it is as easy to use as any other ball heads. Actually there is a mark showing how the plate should be mounted (a mark shows "lens-->") and instructions are quite clear in the manual, I guess that many people out their just feel they are smart enough that they don't need the manual. This thing is not as straight forward and cleverly designed as the Velbon PH 273 QL (which my friend have one), but not bad at all. About the built quality: I haven't have time to abuse it yet. But based on my friends' 486RC2 and my 115 which we have abused for years, I feel this one is not going to let me down.

Customer Service

Not (yet)

Similar Products Used:

Manfrotto 486RC2 (Bogen 3055), 115(3028), Velbon PH273 QL, Cullmann 3032 (?)

Good value for money Works well enough with my 70-200L and 28-70 2.8L

Bulky and hex plate looks and feels wrong when the camera is off tghe tripod

My sample worked well so was confused by comments about mechanism being jerky - oil and gease etc. Oiled the ball and guess what? it became jerky and difficult to use. Dissmantled and cleaned off oil with solvent and wow it works great again. The moral seems to be dont greece it - perhaps it's not intended to be lubricated.

Customer Service

not used

Similar Products Used:

none

Cheap (see if you can get it on sale, now that a new 'lineup' is being released). QR Hex plates Sturdy Separate pan action

Heavy!! (it weighs more than my 'travel tripod') Some weird smelly stuff on the ball when new - can be cleaned off quite easily.

Working with a rather limited budget, I did some research on ball heads and came up with this one... It's not an Arca, but it does everything in a functional manner. My Elan 7e and Kowa both sit very tightly on it, and the hex plate is actually very good at gripping them. No sag whatsoever, even with the camera at 90 degree tilt. And whatever the poor reviews, it's made of good solid materials that are to be expected from Manfrotto. The ball did have that infamous greasy 'something' on it when I have first bought it, but I've managed to wipe most of it off (leaving enough to let it still glide smoothly in the socket). Perhaps someday I will have to oil it down a bit (don't quite understand what the guy below is talking about when he says 'use graphite'). There's no jerkiness, nor is there any movement once I've locked the head. The pan base is helpful... Although I purchased it mainly for use on my 190PRO tripod legs, I have also used it from time to time on my super-light Velbon Maxi 347E legs. This came with a silly (i.e. useless) pan head that would not even hold my Elan 7E (w/28-135 IS lens) properly. The 3055 does the trick, but looks extremely top heavy on the Velbon. Ah well... whatever works. At least for the moment (on my limited student budget). Someday, I will graduate to carbon fibre, but in my humble opinion, this head is one of the best there is out there at the moment, at least within this price range. So, I'm giving it 5 stars for value. But only 4 for 'overall' - it's cheap, it does the job. But there's no 'wow' factor when you use this one...

Customer Service

Not needed

Similar Products Used:

el cheapo slik (not comparable!)

Price, simply to use, very strong supports a hefty load.

Yes, you do need to lubricate it and work the parts. USE POWDERED GRAPHITE!!

This review is for the 3055S model. The only difference being that the 's' model does not have the panning base. But all you have to do is keep your center post down and somewhat loose and you got the same thing. OKAY, it's not a Kirk, Arca or Studio ball but it's less than 6 times the price. In reading the other reviews, most of the bad comments relate to the ball being rough, the locks hard, etc. As far as the smoothness of the ball I use graphite and work it in real well. Graphite won't freeze in winter, and is unaffected by heat. This makes the ball joint slick as a baby's...well, you get the picture. I do the same with all moving parts and have been very pleased with this head. It can support up to 15lbs which is more than my tripod legs (Bogen 3221WN) which is only 13lbs. Would I put a 400mm, 500mm, or 600mm 2.8-5.6 lens on it? NO, but I have used mine with a 200-400mm 5.6 lens that weighs in at around 5lbs and have not had a problem at all, whether upside down, vertical, or horizontal. The ball head will hold it. To be fair, I let my wife use this head now because I did buy a Kirk BH-1 only because I now have one of the previous mentioned lenses and at over $5,000 I'm not taking any chances with it.

Customer Service

Never needed them and I own four pieces of Bogen equipment.

Similar Products Used:

Slik Pro Ball

Very cheap price which makes it a good value. Solid, durable feeling. Two locks which open and close the same way. This means easy locking.

Heavy

After using a cheap aluminum tripod I have decided to go for manfrotto/bogen legs. Seeing a low priced ball head at an internet auction I went for the European Manfrotto MA 168 (or Boden 3055). Monting on the legs was done by the job clerk within secounds. In the beginning the movement of the ball was a little ''rocky'' which I have attributed to the fact that it was secound hand. But after putting some, pls do not laugh, drops of olive oil on the ball, I went smooth as silk since then. I like the two separate locks on the ball-head. With the upper one I fix the picture, with the other lock I can move that extra milimeters horizontally without arranging the picture again. I can imagine it would be nice for a moving subject. I like the sturdy design (it is a heavy duty ball-head) which let me take night pictures for several seconds as clear as glass. The quick release plate might be too big to leave it on the camera but it holds the camera very tight. I use the original case of my pentax Z-1p so I take the quick release plate off before I stow my camera away. Using a tripod lets me work slowlier but brings out better pictures in me.

Customer Service

Not needed

Similar Products Used:

None

- Inexpensive
- Positive-locking QR system

- Neither the ball nor the pan movements are smooth
- Lock-levers are stiff
- Head moves when locking-down
- QR plates are gigantic
- Lens/camera can slip on QR plate

This head works fairly well for light loads and casual use, but nothing more. It just isn't a very good ballhead: both the ball and pan actions are not smooth and the stiff locking-levers make both actions even harder to adjust.

No friction control is a definite downside, but at this price-point I don't expect to have friction control.

The QR plates lock into the head very securely. However the plates are so big I frequently take them off the camera or lens because it gets in the way. Obviously, a QR system isn't very quick-releasing if I don't have the plate on the camera.

I would recommend not getting this ballhead. There must be others in this price range that are better. The Slik AF2100 Pro is much smoother, but I didn't like the pistol-grip style. I bought this head a few years ago for about $60.

Customer Service

N/A

Similar Products Used:

Slik AF2100 Pro

It was relatively cheap.

Pan function sticky. Ball movement difficult with heavy camera or lens. I used 35mm equipment with this head and even with my lighter lenses I had problems. I found the head difficult to use and lock in the position I wanted. The locking mechanisms were sticky and hard to get tight enough.

Not too expensive but hard to use. A ball head can be a great investment and a real joy to use but save up for a better model, especially one with friction control. There is nothing more frustrating than trying to tweak your composition only to loose the whole setup because the head totally releases as soon as you loosen it. With friction control, you can loosen the head enough to move the camera in a controlled manner without the camera trying to flop over on you.

Customer Service

Never used.

Similar Products Used:

Arca Swiss Monoball B1, Ries j250, various pan/tilt heads.

Cheap, strong, QR locks securely.

Rough finish, stiff locks.

This is a big, simple, rough, low cost ball head that gets the job done. Contrary to some other reviewers, I find it works very well with heavy loads, I use my 6x7 cameras on it all the time. There is no drifting even at severe angles.

It is not smooth which sometimes makes precise positioning tough. The lever locks are very stiff. I'm not a fan of two-lock systems.

The QR plates are large and I remove them from the camera when a tripod is not being used. But these large hex plates grip the camera securely with no extraneous movement. There is also an extra lock that prevents the QR from being opened by accident.

The bottom line is that this Bogen gets the job done for very little money. Sure, I'll get some ultra-smooth super expensive replacement one of these days but, for now, this will do just fine.

Customer Service

N/A

Similar Products Used:

Lots!

Cheap, durable, sturdy.

Levers get in the way, very rough finish, quick release plate is way too big.

This is a well made but poorly designed ball head. I've had it for 7 years and given it some punishment and it's never broken or failed but it is not much fun to use(I don't have the sense or $$ to go out and buy a different one!). I would recommend others to always buy a ball head with dials, the levers always seem to get in the way when pannning, especially when shooting vertically. The movement is very rough and you'll be tugginh your camera back and forth until you get your framing just right for those critical shots. Also back to the levers, pushing them to tighten up will often shift your composition. Ugh!! But then again, it is pretty cheap but I think there are plenty better options at lower prices.

Also, the large Hexagonal QR plates feel awful on your vertical grips!

Customer Service

Haven't used

Similar Products Used:

Bogens, Velbons, Gitzos

Looks like it could support a rather large load (I had to say something nice)

Very clumsy to manuever
Very large quick release (QR)plate
Cumbersome QR mechanism

I hate this thing! Though I have never tried any other head, I am certain that it should be easy to find a far superior product at about the same cost.

The quick release is very cumbersome, I have almost dropped the camera (35mm) several times. It is especially difficult in the cold. The QR plate is very large. Looks like it was designed for a much larger camera.

It is also very difficult to lock the ball in place. Since there is no friction plate, and the locking lever is rather susbtantial, a slight jerk will always occur.

I rue the day that I purchased this piece of equipment from Industrial Photo in Silver Spring, MD based (suprisingly) on the salesman's recommendation.

Customer Service

n/a

Similar Products Used:

None