Which ball head? Really right BH40 or BH30

[Peter Lauridsen]

Hello folks,

I'm trying to decide on the two mentioned heads. I use a chamonixN2 with lens between 90mm and 300mm.
The camera weights 3 and a half pounds plus lens and film holder, I have to be under 8 lbs.

So the Really right ball heads are my question. The 30 has a weight limit of 15 and the 40 of 18.
100 dollar difference in price.

I can't take a look at them as there is no store, so I'm relying on reviews etc.

I'm leaning toward the 30 as I like to travel as light as possible.

Thoughts?
Thanks

[Drew Wiley]

Best ball head for a view camera? NONE. Lots of past thread explaining why. In fact, if light weight is a priority, why use any kind of tripod head? I don't.

[Peter De Smidt]

I have a similar sized head to the 30. You should be fine.

[Leigh]

Ball heads are designed for video cameras, NOT for LF cameras.

It's difficult enough to get one axis set up at a time with LF on a regular tripod head.
Trying to do two axes simultaneously is an invitation to insanity or suicide.

- Leigh

[Bob Salomon]

Ball heads are designed for video cameras, NOT for LF cameras.

It's difficult enough to get one axis set up at a time with LF on a regular tripod head.
Trying to do two axes simultaneously is an invitation to insanity or suicide.

- Leigh

Not really, video heads, some spring loaded, some hydraulic and most only two way are for video and movie cameras, some special ones are also used to position radar and satellite receivers although these usually also have a leveling function.

It’s funny, some major view camera manufacturers, like Arca and Linhof also make lots of ball heads!

[pepeguitarra]

Unless you have an Arca Swiss ball head, in which you control the tension of the ball, you are open for many surprises when trying to tilt the camera to point up or down, or to move it to one side or the other. A three way head is more appropriate for LF format, even for light weight cameras like the Intrepid or Chamonix. Some lenses are a bit heavy and can tilt the camera very easy if you are busy doing something else and forget to tighten the ball.

[Bob Salomon]

Unless you have an Arca Swiss ball head, in which you control the tension of the ball, you are open for many surprises when trying to tilt the camera to point up or down, or to move it to one side or the other. A three way head is more appropriate for LF format, even for light weight cameras like the Intrepid or Chamonix. Some lenses are a bit heavy and can tilt the camera very easy if you are busy doing something else and forget to tighten the ball.

Lots of ball heads have tension control, including Linhof, Novoflex, Kirk, RRS, Giottos, Surai, Benro, in fact, virtually all ball head manufacturers offer one or more ball heads with tension control!

[Leigh]

Lots of ball heads have tension control, including Linhof, Novoflex, Kirk, RRS, Giottos, Surai, Benro, in fact, virtually all ball head manufacturers offer one or more ball heads with tension control!

Bob,

Tension control has nothing to do with ease of use when positioning an LF camera.

Vendors promote ball heads because they sell thousands of video cameras for every LF camera they sell. Therefore manufacturers make ball heads, and retailers have to sell what's available.

That does NOT make ball heads the appropriate solution for all imaging applications.

- Leigh

[Peter De Smidt]

Using a light 4x5 with a good ball head for landscape photography isn't that bad. Lot's of people do it successfully. If I'm traveling light, I use one.

[Bob Salomon]

Bob,

Tension control has nothing to do with ease of use when positioning an LF camera.

Vendors promote ball heads because they sell thousands of video cameras for every LF camera they sell. Therefore manufacturers make ball heads, and retailers have to sell what's available.

That does NOT make ball heads the appropriate solution for all imaging applications.

- Leigh

Leigh, neither Linhof or Arca make video cameras, they make view cameras.

You might check sales statistics and import statistics on yearly video camera sales for the consumer market.
Thanks to smart phones and digital still cameras their sales may not be what you think.