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Message: <blockquote data-quote="John Russell" data-source="post: 1714754" data-attributes="member: 22179">Rick,I'm not at all surprised that a good quality friction ballhead with 38mm ball diameter can offer excellent stability with a big scope, particularly if it's well balanced with an Arca Swiss-type rail. It also saves a lot of weight compared to a video head.Interesting too that it works for you with an angled scope. I've used balheads for some time but with a straight scope, where the inevitable lateral tilt is not a problem.My 4-section Gitzo basalt tripod also has 28mm top sections and 16mm bottom sections so it seems that Benro's 5-section can make use of thinner walls (3mm increments) with the stiffer carbon fibre.190cm height and a straight scope unfortunately makes it necessary to extend all leg sections and 16mm dia. only has 19% of the rigidity of 28mm :-( John</blockquote>