VERY light ballheads (1 Viewer)

Hermann · Nov 28, 2018

I'm looking a very light ballhead for my travelling/hiking setup.

What I'm looking for is a ballhead I can use both on a monopod (Gitzo Carbon) and a lightweight tripod (Sirui Carbon, weight ~900 gr.), both for photography (with a lightweight camera+lens, total weight ~1,2 kg) and with a scope (Nikon ED50, possibly sometimes also an EDIII at low magnifications). I'd much prefer a head without an Arca Swiss clamp. I want to use it either without any quick release system to keep the weight down as much as possible, or possibly with a Novoflex Mini Connect clamp.

The weight should be below 250 gr (if at all possible). Less would be better. A panning base would be nice, but I can do without one to save some more weight.

It seems that Really right Stuff BH-25 is one ballhead that might fit the bill although it's fairly expensive and I'd have to order it on the Internet from Holland. Any experiences with that head, especially in combination with a scope? And are there any other lightweight heads that might fit the bill?

Hermann

bioscope · Nov 28, 2018

RRS 25 can be ordered from Germany via augenblicke-eingefangen…

Good hike
Manfred

Vespobuteo · Nov 28, 2018

Hermann said:
I'm looking a very light ballhead for my travelling/hiking setup.

What I'm looking for is a ballhead I can use both on a monopod (Gitzo Carbon) and a lightweight tripod (Sirui Carbon, weight ~900 gr.), both for photography (with a lightweight camera+lens, total weight ~1,2 kg) and with a scope (Nikon ED50, possibly sometimes also an EDIII at low magnifications). I'd much prefer a head without an Arca Swiss clamp. I want to use it either without any quick release system to keep the weight down as much as possible, or possibly with a Novoflex Mini Connect clamp.

The weight should be below 250 gr (if at all possible). Less would be better. A panning base would be nice, but I can do without one to save some more weight.

It seems that Really right Stuff BH-25 is one ballhead that might fit the bill although it's fairly expensive and I'd have to order it on the Internet from Holland. Any experiences with that head, especially in combination with a scope? And are there any other lightweight heads that might fit the bill?

Hermann

BH-25 works good with the ED50 but not so much with the EDIII.
Helical focuser and extra weight/balance makes it a bit fiddly.
EDIII works better on an small video-head like the Benro S2.
But your miles might vary.

Tringa45 · Nov 28, 2018

Unfortunately image stabilization seems to have killed off the small high quality ball heads such as used to be made by Linhof or FLM.

On the cheaper ones the ball lock is either on or off and I question whether the single lever on the RRS BH-25 allows one to moderate the friction. I have an old Gitzo 1277 on which I have replaced the top plate with a Novoflex Q-mount. Despite lacking a separate friction control, the ball lock is finely adjustable and, if one drops the spindle into the vertical notch and rotates the scope 90° in its sleeve, it makes a satisfactory 2-way head.

Would not one of the small Sirui ball heads such as the C-10S or E-10 fulfil your requirements? If you forgo the QR system though, there's a greater risk of everything coming loose.

John

Vespobuteo · Nov 29, 2018

Tringa45 said:
On the cheaper ones the ball lock is either on or off and I question whether the single lever on the RRS BH-25 allows one to moderate the friction.
John

Yes, you can moderate friction to some extent but as pan and tilt is controlled by the same lever I don't find it precise enough for a heavier scope as the ATS65 or the EDIII. Depending on usage & demands it might be acceptable but I prefer a small video-head.

Hermann · Nov 29, 2018

Vespobuteo said:
Yes, you can moderate friction to some extent but as pan and tilt is controlled by the same lever I don't find it precise enough for a heavier scope as the ATS65 or the EDIII.

Thank you. That's good to know. So BH-25 would probably alright for the ED50 but not the EDIII. Makes sense. It should work on the monopod though, shouldn't it? On the monopod the head only really makes it easier to look at birds in tree tops and so on. No need for many adjustments.

Vespobuteo said:
Depending on usage & demands it might be acceptable but I prefer a small video-head.

Well, so do I ...

Video heads are almost always the way to go with scopes. However, the idea was to have a light head that works both for the scope and for the camera. Video heads don't really work for photography IME, especially not for macro.

Hermann

Hermann · Nov 29, 2018

bioscope said:
RRS 25 can be ordered from Germany via augenblicke-eingefangen…

Thank you. I totally forgot about Augenblicke eingefangen.

Hermann

Hermann · Nov 29, 2018

Tringa45 said:
Would not one of the small Sirui ball heads such as the C-10S or E-10 fulfil your requirements? If you forgo the QR system though, there's a greater risk of everything coming loose.

I don't like the Sirui ballheads very much. I had a look at one of the larger ballheads for a friend a while ago, and I wasn't totally convinced. I also don't want to get into the Arca Swiss QR system, and I'm not sure it can be taken off very easily.

What I really want is a small ballhead where I can decide whether I use it without any QR system or with one of the two QR systems I've already got.

Hermann

Tringa45 · Nov 29, 2018

Hermann said:
I don't like the Sirui ballheads very much. I had a look at one of the larger ballheads for a friend a while ago, and I wasn't totally convinced. I also don't want to get into the Arca Swiss QR system, and I'm not sure it can be taken off very easily.

What I really want is a small ballhead where I can decide whether I use it without any QR system or with one of the two QR systems I've already got.

Hermann

The top disc or QR on most ball heads can be exchanged. I once had a small FLM ball head and attached a Manfrotto QR to the 3/8"x16 thread and secured it with Loctite. On changing to Arca Swiss, the Manfrotto QR was replaced with a Novoflex Q-mount, which can be locked with a grub screw.

I think it's advisable to have EITHER a top disc or QR and not to mount one on top of the other. However, it looks as though the BH-25 will only accept RRS's own top disc or QR.

John

Alexis Powell · Nov 29, 2018

The BH-25 is by far my favorite mini ballhead of all those I've tried over the years. I've been using it for many years on my (equivalent to) Velbon Ultra 455 tripod and with my Nikon 50ED. I have the screw-knob clamp version, which I like a lot because I can swap in my camera. The BH-25 allows tension to be set for moderate loads.

With respect to fitting other plates etc to the BH-25, keep in mind that Desmond and other companies make all the little bits needed to convert from one receptacle/fitting to another.

--AP

Kevin Conville · Dec 1, 2018

I don't think you're going to find anything that will satisfy. Tiny ballheads just don't work very well IMO.
And, the shunning of an Arca system is something I don't agree with. There are very small Arca compatible clamps and shoes if you look around and they are far better at actually holding your stuff onto a head,

My lightweight head is a Markins Q3 with a little (square) Arca type clamp and foot. It is not a piece of... well anyway it'll hold what you want to put on it w/o creep or torquing the hell out of the locking knob.

I read your weight goal but good luck finding anything that works well at that size.

Vespobuteo · Dec 1, 2018

Hermann said:
Thank you. That's good to know. So BH-25 would probably alright for the ED50 but not the EDIII. Makes sense. It should work on the monopod though, shouldn't it? On the monopod the head only really makes it easier to look at birds in tree tops and so on. No need for many adjustments.

Well, so do I ... Video heads are almost always the way to go with scopes. However, the idea was to have a light head that works both for the scope and for the camera. Video heads don't really work for photography IME, especially not for macro.

Hermann

I've used the ED50+20x occasionally on a monopod with the BH25. It's workable but to get the most out of the scope (even more so at higher mag and longer distance objects) a tripod is a better choice IMO.

Hermann · Dec 1, 2018

Kevin Conville said:
I don't think you're going to find anything that will satisfy. Tiny ballheads just don't work very well IMO.

As they just work, I'm alright with that ...

They don't really have to work very well because I'll only use a small ballhead in some particular situations, like a long hike in the mountains. I normally only use a video head, however, even lightweight video heads are ~470 gr (Gitzo 2180).

Kevin Conville said:
And, the shunning of an Arca system is something I don't agree with. There are very small Arca compatible clamps and shoes if you look around and they are far better at actually holding your stuff onto a head,

You're right, of course. If I didn't have two QR systems already, I'd buy into the Arca system. However, I started using the Manfrotto QR system with the square adapters more than 20 years ago, and I find it works very well indeed. Never had any problem whatsoever. At the time Arca Swiss was only just beginning to take off, and there were lots of problems with incompatible adapters. My second system is the Novoflex Mini connect with the tiny, round adapters. Also no complaints at all. These adapters are so small I can leave them on every piece of equipment all the time.

Kevin Conville said:
I read your weight goal but good luck finding anything that works well at that size.

I took the plunge and ordered a RRS BH-25. It seems to be the smallest ballhead that fits the bill. If it doesn't work well enough with the ED50 I'll use it only for macro photography. I'm quietly optimistic though, in particular after Alexis' post.

I'll let you know what I think.

Hermann

Hermann · Dec 1, 2018

Vespobuteo said:
I've used the ED50+20x occasionally on a monopod with the BH25. It's workable but to get the most out of the scope (even more so at higher mag and longer distance objects) a tripod is a better choice IMO.

A tripod is always better, no doubt. However, a monopod also works reasonably well - provided it's the right monopod ...

Monopods like the good old Monostat (http://monostat.de/) with their big rubber foot work a lot better than "normal" monopods IME. My mother who, at the age of 83, has been birding for over 60 years now can still hold her EDII steady at 30x on a Monostat. And yes, she does see all the details she's supposed to see at 30x ... :t:

The Monostats aren't made anymore and they are, at least for my purposes, a bit too short (or I'm too tall ...). However, Giottos have got a foot that works almost as well: http://www.giottos.com/pro_view.aspx?nId=8&TypeId=84 I got one of those as a spare and put it on my Gitzo monopod.

Hermann

Hermann · Dec 7, 2018

Just a quick update: I got an RRS BH-25 now (from Augenblicke eingefangen, thanks Manfred!), and I like it a lot. Works well with the ED50 both on my lightweight tripod and my monopod, although it's obviously no video head. Very light, incredibly well-made, virtually no vibration with the small scope. Seems like an ideal head for my lightweight setup. For heavier scopes the ball isn't really large enough and the head doesn't have a separate friction control, so I don't think I'd like to use it a lot with the ED IIIA. Would work though in a pinch.

The BH-25 also works nicely as a lightweight head for photography. Not unexpected, given the rave reviews the head gets in photography forums. I wouldn't want to use it with really heavy gear like a professional DSLR+500mm lens, but for general photography, landscape photography and macro work it works well, provided the weight of the camera+lens isn't too high. I'd say a weight of ~1.5 kg should be fine, perhaps a bit more. RRS gives the head a rating of 4 kg, I think that may be a bit high.

All in all, the BH-25 is by far the best small ballhead I ever handled. The only small ballheads that come close are the old Leica heads, but they've got an even smaller ball which makes them harder to use with a scope.

Thanks again for all the advice!

Hermann

BTW: The weight of my lightweight setup (Sirui carbon fibre tripod+RRS BH-25+Novoflex Miniconnect MR) is about 1150 gr. That's about 850 gr. less than my "normal" setup (Gitzo 2541+Gitzo video head).

bioscope · Dec 7, 2018

RRS BH-25 for macro?

That sounds very promising, because I'm searching for a low-profile ballhead for the next season makro-photography of Sphingonotus spec. and Tetrix spec. with the EM1+60mm and because stacking works better on a mini-tripod (e.g. the Novoflex). In summer I used the in-camera-stacking (8 step-auto), but better is using more steps with extended software (e.g. Helicon) - and then handheld isn't an option.
And maybe with a long awaiting longer Olympus makro-lens in 2019…

good choice
Manfred

OhWeh · Dec 7, 2018

Manfred for Macros with the E-M1MkII and the 2,8/60 (also stacking with Helicon) I'm using the FLM Traveller Tripod + the FLM Ballhead 24.

Works well.

etudiant · Dec 8, 2018

For the less financially endowed, a decent quality knock off by Kakafoto:

https://www.amazon.com/KAKAFOTO-Pan...&qid=1544227007&sr=8-1&keywords=kakafoto&th=1

I use it, albeit only for my Nikon ED III.
It seems plenty robust enough for a camera and big lens combo.

bioscope · Dec 8, 2018

Ballhead for macro

OhWeh said:
Manfred for Macros with the E-M1MkII and the 2,8/60 (also stacking with Helicon) I'm using the FLM Traveller Tripod + the FLM Ballhead 24.

Works well.

Yes, that will work - but not with the sphingonotus (Tetrigidae are not so 'nervous'). Placing a tripod like the Traveller+BH+Cam in front of the sphingos is not my way - it has to be much smaller (like the Novoflex minipod), because the distance to the crickets is small (ABM 1:1 -> 11cm from the lens).

And in 2019 I'll going for macro with the E-M1X and a new long Oly-pro-macro-lens… :bounce: Works even better.

MG

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