Arca Swiss B1 ball head stiffness

[Leigh Perry]

I've used an Arca Swiss B1 ball head for a few years of weekend shooting, much of the time near the ocean. The B1 has a recurring lock-up problem. (NOTE: this is unrelated to the well-known B1 user-induced freeze-up -- my minimum tension is set completely off.)

The problem is that the ball movement has become increasingly stiff over time, to the point where the ball is now difficult to move. It frees up after being jerked around, but locks up again after the next tighten.

The problem first exhibited itself when the B1 was a couple of years old. Arca Swiss fixed it then under warranty. They didn't say what the problem was, but I assumed it was related to a production problem that affected a few B1's from the early 2000's. But my problem has returned.

Q1: Has anyone else had this recurring problem with the B1?

Q2: Assuming that the problem is corrosion-related, are other ball heads more resistant to ocean air? I'm particularly interested in the Really Right Stuff BH-55.

Thanks.

[Michael Gordon]

Sounds like you need an Acratech, Leigh :)

[Ted Harris]

Acratech is absolutely the answer to these sorts of problems. The large, exposed ball means there is no place for moisture, sand, grit, dirt, etc, to get trapped and cause problems. Added bonus, it is a bit smaller and lighter than comperable heads. I use it regularly with a Canham 5x7 Traditional andno problems at full extension. Have also used it without problems with a Phillips Compact II.

[Frank Petronio]

What's your eBay handle so we can avoid your auction? ;-)

Try Bob Watkins at Precision Camera Works (http://www.precisioncameraworks.com/) to set the head right, he is the AS service guy.

[tim atherton]

absolutely

If you are using a camera lighter than say a 10 or 11lb 8x10 then the Acratech.

Nowhere for the gunk to hid and you can easily wipe/rinse it down

[Leigh Perry]

I used the Acratech while the B1 was being serviced last time. I really didn't like its tightening mechanism, and was caught out by a couple of unexpected sideways flops.

Those RRS ball heads have yet to be proven over the long term, but they look promising, so I'd love to hear from anyone using one of those.

Frank, if I sell the B1, I'll get it serviced first, but 45su is the seller to avoid if not the trusting type :-)

[Bob Salomon]

The Novoflex Classic Ball 3 aand 5 have no lubricants so they easily avoid this problem, the construction also totally eliminates image shifts as tension or lock is applied and the tension control is click stopped for absolute repeatibility.

[Spencer Cliss]

Yes. I've experienced exactly the same problem.

There is the lower plastic ring that pushes the ball up for tensioning. The ring has a spherical shape at the top to match the ball. This ring got stuck within the aluminum body. I think the ring had simply expanded slightly. There was no dirt, grit or lack of lubricant involved. To release the stuck head, one could tap on the release plate form above with the fist.

I was in the middle of Bolivia when this happened. I was desperate enough to service the ball myself. To disassemble, you have to remove the "half moon shaped" grey metal cover on the tension knob first. Didn't know that then and screwed up the head's panoramic base which is no longer smooth. However, once you know where to begin, you can disassemble the head without a lot of risk.

I disassembled the whole head and tried to file off some of the outer diameter of the plastic ring. This did not work as the material is very tough. With a lathe, it would have been easy to remove just the right amount of material but I didn't have one. So I simply cut a slot into the ring radially with a saw, resulting in a nearly closed C shape. The result was a usable head that never got stuck for the rest of the trip, but it is no longer as smooth as before.

To make the long story short, my recommendation is to have the head serviced by Arca or their respective associates. They might do it for free because it's really a design flaw. If that does not work out, I'm pretty sure you'll get the head back to normal if you remove a tiny bit of material from the plastic ring with a lathe.

[David Roossien]

I had some issues this fall when using the B-1 in heavy rain that lasted for about 10 days. At a couple of points I had to grip the plate and use all my strength to move the ball. It seems like the ball swelled up. Scientifically I don't think that's possible, but it sure seemed like it. Certainly all the extra water around the ball made it impossible for there to be any loose surface area in there. Once it was loosened it was OK the rest of the day.

After I completely dried it out a few weeks later the movement went back to normal. I've used it in the rain again and had no problems, so I hope it doesn't happen again. Right now it's working as good as new.

[Harley Goldman]

I just sold my Acratech to buy a RRS BH-55. I shoot with an Arca F-Line.

The Acratech did a fine job of holding the camera when tightened down, but I found a great deal of flex in the ballhead. When I racked out my rails all the way with a 450mm lens, the whole setup easily twanged like a guitar string. It did not take much to get it to vibrate. The RRS is FAR more rigid. I just got back from an 11 day shooting vacation in Utah and I really enjoyed using the RRS. It is smooth and holds very well. Once I got used to the control placement, I completely forgot about it. It just worked. In my opinion, that is about the best thing you can say about a ballhead.

Also with the Acratech, due to its design, you often need to swing the pan around to get the camera where you want it. It is not a huge deal, unless you are in hectic mode due to rapidly changing light. Then it is a bit of a pain in the arse.

My $0.20 worth.

[David Fisk]

I had the same problem with an additional twist. The pan control is completely frozen. Not a big deal except for $400 one would expect better.

My Gitzo 1377M has been absolutely bullet proof in all weather, including sea air as I live near the coast.

[Lars Åke Vinberg]

The B1 is extremely sensitive to dirt on the ball. try wiping it off carefully with a damp cloth.

[Doug Dolde]

I used an Arca B1 for years then sold it to acquire the RRS BH-55 due to all the rave reviews. In my opinion the Arca B1 is superior and simpler to use, and the RRS head is overrated.

To make a long story short, I just Ebayed the BH-55 and have another Arca B1 on order. Lost $30 in the swap.

[lawrence beck]

I'd have to wholeheartedly agree Doug. I've shot with my B1 extensively in the Namib Desert (the dust capital of the world), the north shore of Oahu during big Aleutian storms (air thick with salt and moisture) and other venues near the ocean for over 20 years. I have the first generation B1 and it's still smooth as silk... never a problem. I also found that with the addition of a RRS 9" lens plate and the Wimberly Sidekick, I'm able to convert the B1 into a super smooth gimbal setup when using my Leica 400 APO 2.8 with 1.4 Converter and Leica DMR. The entire setup is very well balanced and can be moved up, down and sideways with one finger. I've tried the competition and nothing comes close to the ARCA/Sidekick/RRS combo for long heavy lenses.

[BOSS565]

I had the same problem. It was a factory defect that Precision Camera Works fixed. They have a website. Drop them an email.

[Ben Chase]

Speaking of which...Precision is top-notch! My B1 came back and it was like I had purchased a brand-new B1.

[timparkin]

Those RRS ball heads have yet to be proven over the long term, but they look promising, so I'd love to hear from anyone using one of those.:-)

Hi Leigh,

I've worked with Joe Cornish a litle and I know he uses the BH55 on a regular basis and has been mountaineering with it in all sorts of conditions over the last year. He has nothing but good things to say about it. I've had mine a lot less time and it gets a little use but is a wondrous thing in many ways.. Joe is using a modified 45SU as do I. Just out of interest, he used to use Manfrottos 3 ways but gave up having them repaired when they lost rigidity or broke completely - This probably says more about the amount of use Joe gives his equipment than the weaknesses of the Manfrotto. He also uses a new acratech for his lightweight setup.

Tim

[brian_mk]

I just stumbled on this old thread after recently having problems with my Arca Swiss B1 Monoball...

I bought mine in Dec 2002. At £266, it was not cheap but I was prepared to pay a premium for something that was reportedly well engineered and should last a lifetime.
I was pleased with it and it worked fine for about 4 years.

In 2006, it began to develop a fault: After releasing the friction control knob, the ball remained stiff. It would only loosen by pushing down hard on the quick release plate.
After reading about manufacturing problems with some of these heads, I sent it to Arca Swiss in France for repair.

Upon return it worked fine again for another couple of years. Then about a year ago, the problem re-appeared. I have lived with the fault for some time but found it very frustrating and annoying. As I am planning a photographic trip to Iceland next month, I decided I had to get it fixed. I sent Arca Swiss an email a few days ago enquiring about a repair but received no response.

Today I took the plunge and decided to strip the head down completely myself to try and identify the problem. If I could not fix it, then I would buy a new ballhead from a different manufacturer, such as Markins.

Removing three countersunk screws removes the baseplate and reveals three further screws that secure the inner ring used for panning. Removing these screws does not release the inner ring: there is a further small hex grub screw hidden under the friction control knob. To remove the friction control knob, there is a hex screw underneath the moon shaped cover plate. Once the grub screw is removed, the panning ring can be pulled out. You are then confronted with a large circlip. This needs a good pair of heavy duty circlip pliers to remove. The friction control mechanism can then easily be removed. After undoing the screw that secures the quick release plate to the top of the ball, the ball itself and the lower black nylon cup can be pushed right out of the housing.

I discovered that the problem is caused by the diameter of the nylon cup. It is slightly too large, causing too much friction against housing to allow the ball to release properly. My guess is that after some time, the cup expands. Perhaps Arca-Swiss need to allow some extra manufacturing tolerance?
Anyway, to cure the problem, you need to reduce the diameter of the cup slightly. I did this by placing a flat file vertically on a piece of plywood and rubbing the edge of the cup against it, while turning the cup continuously. This keeps helps keep the file square against the edge. The nylon is very tough, so you need a sharp file.
Keep trying the cup in the housing until it is a nice sliding fit without excessive friction. I finally smoothed the edge of the cup using strips of wet & dry emery paper and water, finishing with grade 400.

Re-assembly is straight forward: the hardest part is re-fitting the circlip.
Refit the cover on the friction control knob using a glue that can easily be removed again if required. I used a hot-melt glue-gun.

My B1 head now works like new. :D