Best Ball Head for $200?

[Michael Graves]

I've seen dirt cheap ones, which having bought one, I can assure you that they aren't worth the #$%# it would take to bury them. And then there is the Really Right Stuff, which I will buy when I get a million-copy best-seller. Right now, I want to keep under $200.00. What is everyone using? Ideally, it would be able to fit onto a Berlebach 3032 and support a Toyo 810M. If I can't do that for two bills, I'll limit the ball head to 5x7 and smaller and keep using my Gitzo R4 head for the 8x10.

[Frank Petronio]

An older used Arca-Swiss.... post a WTB ad? Buy the cheap plates on eBay -- you can even buy the longer ones and cut them down to make several smaller plates!

[kev curry]

I use the FEISOL Ball Head CB-70 for 8x10. Its the only ball head I've ever used so I have nothing to compare it to but it functions well, the build quality is spot on, easy to lock down, rock solid, no creep and very smooth in operation.
Just a pity that there biggest QR plate isn't 100x100 rather than 100x47. Not a problem for 5x4 but not the best for 8x10.

http://www.feisol.net/ball-heads-c-3.html

[Michael Graves]

I hadn't thought about the size of the QR plate, but I can see that would be an issue. Thanks for the tip.

I use the FEISOL Ball Head CB-70 for 8x10. Its the only ball head I've ever used so I have nothing to compare it to but it functions well, the build quality is spot on, easy to lock down, rock solid, no creep and very smooth in operation.
Just a pity that there biggest QR plate isn't 100x100 rather than 100x47. Not a problem for 5x4 but not the best for 8x10.

http://www.feisol.net/ball-heads-c-3.html

[Ron Marshall]

KEH has a couple of used Arcas under $200.

[Toyon]

Avoid the Arca-Swiss ballheads. Yes, the company and its users will swear that if you say the right incantations it will magically unstick when it seizes, but in my experience the advice didn't work. Its a faulty design. Manfrotto makes a cruder, but effective and reliable, and much cheaper, heavy-duty ballhead.

[Bill_1856]

Have you ever seriously used a ball head with an 8x10? If not, try it before you buy!

[rdenney]

Have you ever seriously used a ball head with an 8x10? If not, try it before you buy!

Good advice here. I have and use an Arca-Swiss Monoball (pre-B1) and it works beautifully. Never seized up on me. But I found it dang-nigh impossible to level up a view camera on that ball head. View cameras are so top-heavy, and it's so difficult to make fine adjustments with the ball head, that I only now use it for smaller cameras. In particular, leveling the head is a nightmare, and I always try to start with a level camera for most work. But it's great for medium format cameras, including big heavy ones like the Pentax 6x7.

I have been using a Manfrotto 410 Junior geared head, but I'm displeased with it. The gears have lash that allows the camera to rock and roll. It never moves unless I nudge it, and I've never ruined an image with it, but it just doesn't seem right. I haven't tried to see if the lash can be adjusted down.

I'm looking for a Sinar tilt-head in usable condition, but haven't found one yet in my price range or that I didn't get outbid on at the last minute. I'll get one eventually.

Rick "who, if buying a Berlebach, might get the more expensive model with the ball leveler and forget the head" Denney

[Michael Graves]

Thanks, Rick. My Berlebach does have the leveler platform, and I find it to be a PIA to mount the camera onto it. To the others....are larger cameras that much harder to deal with than 4x5? I liked using my 4x5 Toyo on a borrowed ball head. So far, I've been using the R4 for the 8x10 and 5x7.

[Ron Marshall]

My Sinar 4x5 is fine on the Acratech, but not the Sinar 5x7. There are ballheads out there that will handle an 8x10; check the capacity.