Acratech GV2 Ballhead Review Round-Up
The Acratech GV2 Ballhead’s quality build, light weight and attractive skeletal design convinced me to give it a try. Since most ballheads do not allow enough rotation for shooting in portrait/vertical camera orientation (without an L-plate or collared lens), a drop notch is generally provided. The ballhead is then oriented so the neck of the ball can be positioned into this slot – leaving the camera in position for the vertically-framed shot. Acratech took this design one step farther (at first glance at least). Large, collared lenses used on top of ballheads can become hard to control – their generally-heavy weight gives them a strong tendency to fall over. Gimbal-style heads (the Wimberley Tripod Head II is one) are designed so that the gravitation effect simply holds the lens balanced – a real plus when working with these lenses. The Acratech GV2 Ballhead functions as a gimbal head when the ballhead neck is lowered into the drop notch. A large lens can be easily positioned and used without locking the friction control knobs. Physically, the Acratech GV2 Ballhead has a lot going for it. Going into the field, the first thing I noticed was that my framing moves slightly to the right when I lock down the main friction control knob. I tried a wide range of minimum friction/tension settings with no change in this behavior. With a Sigma 120-400mm DG EX HSM Lens set to 400mm, my framing moves about 1″ (254mm) at 15′ (4.6m) when the GV2 is locked down. There is no elevation drop as is common with cheap heads, but the rightward movement is definitely the biggest negative attribute of this otherwise great ballhead. The GV2 has some slip-stick behavior when near tight, but I didn’t find this to be hindering in the field. The Acratech GV2 Ballhead is a quality-construction, well designed tool. READ FULL REVIEW AT DigitalPicture.com
If you own or have used this tripod, let us know what you think! Leave your comments and thoughts below.
Get information and user reviews for this tripod from Amazon: Acratech GV2 Ballhead with Gimbal Feature, with all Rubber Knobs, Quick Release & Detent Pin, Supports 25 lbs.
The Kirk BH-1 Ballhead is a very high quality ballhead for general-purpose use. Put a quick-release body plate or lens plate on your camera or tripod collar and tighten them into the Kirk BH-1 Ballhead’s universal Arca-Swiss style quick release clamp and nothing moves. Adjustments are smooth to make and immobile when tightened. The Kirk BH-1 Ballhead is functionally a very good ballhead. My biggest issue with the BH-1 is that I occassionally/accidentally (usually in the dark or while looking through the viewfinder) adjust the friction knob instead of the panoramic knob as they are similarly sized. It generally is not a big deal – just an inconvenience. As for capacity, it did not have a problem with my Canon EF 500mm f/4 L USM Super Telephoto Lens mounted on a Wimberley Sidekick. The bottom line? The Kirk BH-1 Ballhead is currently one of the best ballheads. 
The Manfrotto 322RC2 Heavy Duty Grip Ball Head is made from magnesium to ensure light weight and high performance. Its design keeps the weight of the camera plus lens as close as possible to the tripod’s centre of gravity. This head only adds 10.3 cm to the height of the tripod and 700 grams to overall weight. Targeted mainly at photographers with SLR cameras with relatively light lenses or advanced, long-zoom digicams, it can also accommodate lighter medium format camera/lens combinations. Maximum recommended load is five kilograms. Flexibility of movement is the key feature of this novel tripod head, which is designed to allow single-handed positioning in all directions, freeing the photographer’s other hand to access the camera’s controls. The head supports 90 degrees of lateral tilt in each direction and front tilt from -90 degrees to +3 degrees. Panoramic rotation of 360 degrees is provided. This head is the most flexible tripod head we have used and it’s very easy to get used to manipulating the direction and orientation of a camera through the adjustments provided by the grip. Freeing one hand to control the lens and camera adjustments while the other controls the framing position is a big advantage in many shooting situations. All movements are smooth and the head is easily locked into place when the correct camera position is achieved. 
The 804RC2 Basic Pan/Tilt Head, which is constructed from tough, technical polymer, is suitable for use with camera/lens combinations weighing up to four kilograms. It adds 12 cm to the height of the basic tripod and 750 grams to overall weight. As supplied, the 804RC2 requires some assembly before it can be used. This involves screwing-in two handgrips, which control adjustments for lateral leveling and forward/backward tilt. Both these controls cover an angular range from -30 to +90 degrees. A smaller fitted handgrip controls 360-degree panning movement. Large, handles give a secure and positive grip, while spring-loading provides compensation for heavier, off-centre loads. The 804RC2 provides the traditional directional controls that photographers require with easy controllability. Although designed to be operated with both hands, the controls are comfortable to use and lock positively and securely into place. Overall balance is excellent. 
The Really Right Stuff BH-55 (on the right in the comparison pictures) is another excellent ballhead that is often compared to the Arca-Swiss ballheads. I’ve used both (BH-55 and B1) about equally for the last year and can say that I’d be very happy with either. The RRS BH-55 is shorter (3.65″/85.4mm vs 4″/101.6mm) but wider and about 7 oz (198g) heavier at 1.96 lb (889g). The BH-55 main friction knob is most notably larger but the entire head is beefier (see the top-view photo above for a comparison that shows this best). The BH-55’s load capacity is rated at a much lower but seemingly far more conservatively at 50 lbs (23kg). I still would not want to handle this much load on a ballhead. ? ?RRS does not cut corners in manufacturing and insures their products look great as well as work great, but the price is a differentiator that shows this. The RRS BH-55 design (appearance) including laser engraved index markings and classy-looking knobs is a notch above the Z1 (which is nice). Really Right Stuff’s Lever Lock quick release plate is nicer than the Arc Swiss equivalent but requires Wimberley or RRS brand plates (though these are the best anyway in my opinion). The Z1 uses an elliptical ball whereas the BH-55 uses a spherical ball. The BH-55’s knobs are a higher grade than the Z1’s. The Z1 knobs are all near the same location on the same side while the RRS head places them on opposite sides. The BH-55 sports a more-matte finish but also shows marks (fingernails, sticks …) more easily. The BH-55 has two drop notches giving you a choice of two positions for the knobs when using a notch. The location of the drop notches are different as well – I think the BH-55 has a small advantage – especially when shooting downward. ? ?In real use, I find the RRS BH-55 to slip/stick when making fine adjustments at a tight friction setting while the Arca-Swiss Monoball Z1 Ballhead remains smooth. The BH-55 is otherwise very consistent and repeatable. I also find the Z1 to lock tight with very little effort while the BH-55’s main knob gets consistently tighter as the ball locks. My personal preference on this point is for the Z1, but you could just as easily prefer the additional pressure feedback provided by the BH-55. As I said before, I could be very happy with either ballhead. 
When is the Canon EF 600mm f/4 L IS Lens a featherweight? When it is mounted on a Wimberley Tripod Head II! If you are using a very large/heavy lens (300mm f/2.8 or larger), I highly recommend the Wimberley Tripod Head II and a solid tripod. ? ?When properly mounted on the Wimberley Tripod Head II, a heavy lens and camera body become nearly weightless to the photographer. Only two fingers are needed to move a setup such as the Canon EF 400mm f/2.8 L IS Lens mounted on a large camera body into position. ? ?Gimbal tripod heads such as the Wimberley Tripod Head II place the weight of the lens/camera setup below their pivot point. Thus, gravity pulls the setup into a level position. On the other hand, gravity attempts to cause the same camera/lens to flop over when mounted on a non-gimbal tripod head. ? ?Yes, many of the best non-gimbal heads (such as the Arca-Swiss B1 are rated for far more weight than my example lenses above. And they really can support the weight. But, you must fight against gravity when making adjustments. And if you don’t get everything tight, the lens can flop over into the tripod – with the potential for costly damage. And hold on tight if you are going to leave the mount loose for panning. Most of what I’ve said so far can also be said about the Original Wimberley Head. So why spend the money to upgrade if you already own the original Wimberley Head? To be honest, I was skeptical that a new version of the Wimberley Head would be worth an upgrade for me. But I am impressed at the changes Wimberley has made. The Wimberley Tripod Head II is a far more elegant solution to the problem solved so well by the original Wimberley Head. I have upgraded my kit with no regrets. 
The Wimberley Sidekick is used to convert a strong tripod ballhead such as an Arca-Swiss Z1 Ballhead (see note below) to a gimbal-type head. A gimbal mount is typically used for mounting a super telephoto lens to a tripod. The weight of the lens and camera is positioned below the head’s pivot point. This takes away the tendency for the camera and lens to flop over (a potential catastrophe) and makes positioning the camera and large lens easy. A full-sized gimbal head such as the Wimberley Tripod Head II is the ultimate solution for the largest super telephoto lenses made, but the Wimberley Sidekick has some advantages. The first advantage is the cost – The Wimberley Sidekick is about half the cost of a full sized gimbal head. It is also a fraction of the weight. Of course, the full size Wimberley Tripod Head does not require the additional cost, size and weight of a ballhead. But, you probably want a ballhead anyway – and likely will want it with you as the Wimberley Tripod Head does not make a good smaller lens support. The Wimberley Sidekick makes an especially good long lens travel support. Space and weight savings are especially important when traveling by air and again, you will likely want to take your ballhead along anyway. The SideKick is a much smaller/lighter addition to your luggage than a full Wimberley. Like all Wimberley equipment, Wimberley Sidekick is very well made. Lock the Sidekick in place and nothing moves. If the functionality and purpose of this support meet your needs, it is a good purchase. 
This is a big ball head. It’s massive, weighing in at around 4.5+lbs. I found it to be very solidly built and very sturdy. It’s big enough to hold just about any camera or lens you can lift onto it. The locking levers for the ball and the panoramic base are sturdy and efficient. It has adjustable ball tension, so you can set it for the weight of the lens in use. The downsides of this head are the weight and the smoothness of operation. If you have to carry it far in the field, the weight is as issue. If you are working indoors, it’s not a problem, but if you compare it to an Arca Swiss B1 – which is just as stable – you’re carrying around an extra 3lbs. The ball action isn’t particularly smooth. It gets better when you heavily load it, say with a 13 lb lens like a 600/4. You can live with it, it’s not aweful, but it’s not as smooth as other heads (most of which cost 2x or 3x the price of the 3038). Another potential negative point is that it uses the large Bogen hex QR plates. They work fine, but are significantly larger than, say the Arca Swiss QR plates. Still, if you need a BIG, stable ball head, you don’t have much money and you can live with the hex QR plates and a slightly sticky ball movement at times, the 3038 is a reasonable choice. 
The 3055 is Bogen’s original “medium” ball head. It has a panoramic base like the 3038, but it’s not calibrated in degrees (the 3038 is). The ball and base actions are slightly “sloppy”. This isn’t a super-precision made device, but for $40, what do you expect! Though the ball tension might in theory be adjustable (depending on how hard you lock the locking lever), in practice it’s more or less “locked” or “free”. It takes the standard hex QR plates. Kirk can adapt it to take Arca Swiss type plates (they can do this for the 3038 too), but I’ve no idea why anyone would do this. The Arca Swiss QR plates are $40-$50 each. Why anyone would want to use them on a $40 ball head I don’t know. There’s also a Bogen version which takes thesmaller Bogen rectangular plates. I’d say the 3055 is adequate if you have a limited budget. There’s really nothing any better in a QR ballhead for the price. It’s OK with lenses up to a 300/4 or 400/5.6. I’ll admit to putting a 300/2.8 on one. It worked OK but it’s not something I’d recommend. 
The 3262 comes in two versions, QR and non QR. The QR version doesn’t use the standard Bogen hex plates. It uses a smaller rectangular plate, which makes more sense on a medium-small ball head. I’ve used the non-QR version, so that’s what I’ll talk about. The 3262 is a simple head. No panoramic base, a single ball lock/unlock lever, no adjustable ball tension. Within these limits it works quite well. I’ve used it with lenses up to a 300/4 (with TC), but that’s the upper limit. I wouldn’t even think of putting a 300/2.8 on it. Overall, it’s a decent, solid ball head for an SLR with small (maybe medium) lenses. At the price, again you can’t really beat it.