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I put it on a Dolica tripod and it really lightens it, makes it easier to use, and looks better. Very nicely made, easy to adjust, smooth action.
I tried to put a Lumix L1 on it (2.4 lbs) in the portrait position and it just slipped. This is a nice little ball head, but I don't think it will hold the claimed 4.4 lbs.
But for compacts and lightweight DSLRs, this works great. So I really tightened it down.and it still slipped.
Maybe if I cranked down the lever as hard as I possibly could it might hold, but that is not something you want to be doing each time you adjust a ball head. I think it is realistically good up to about 1.5 lbs.
But for my L1, I will have to use the original, larger, ball head that came with the tripod.
Rather than using this as a ballhead for my camera, I bought this to use as a ballhead for my (screw-mount) 580EXII flash. I wouldn't leave my 40D w/ 70-200 on it, but for a lighter camera/lens (or a Flash, like I used it for) it gets the job done. On top of a lightstand, this is a wonderful little item that allows you to swivel the flash in any direction (and lock it in place). It doesn't seem like the strongest ballhead, but for this price, I don't expect that. Would be nice if it were a little cheaper, but it's a Manfrotto and I'm actually surprised it didn't cost any more than it does. Also works great on a monopod if you have other small devices (like a "Flip" camera or need a unique angle for a flash)
It appears this ball head may be for another type of camera (video) although I cannot find anything in the listing that indicates what it is used for. I ordered this head with a manfrotto table top tripod. The micro ball head bore (screw top) is too large for any camera I own. I've had to order another head to work with the Manfrotto tripod. It is too bad because this is a solid head otherwise.
Compared to the most expensive Online Store, this is the exact same product for 5 time cheaper. A huge savings for my company and my Customers. I'll be coming back here for future purchases. Fast Order processing.
But I value the ease and flexibility in wild life situations, such as rain forests, where shot opportunities are often fleeting and lighting is often low (even during the day). It was perfect for my uses with small to medium sized equipment (12x optical w/ IS), but would probably not be suitable for lager bodies and lenses.
It allowed me to take good pictures of frogs and other Costa Rican wildlife behind glass and during night hikes using just a (good quality) LED flashlight for lighting (better than flash). It allowed me to prop against walls, ground, etc.
Bogen-Manfrotto 482 Micro Ball Head(5 stars for my purposes, 4 stars over-all)I found this ball head to work great with my monopod (Manfrotto 790B, giving a high degree of flexibility and stability in low/lower light situation. The quality is much better that other small ball heads I looked at.
for good stability in many different angles and position, even without tightening down the ball. It is also compact enough to not get in the way when hanging the monopod on my arm or using the monopod for a walking stick at other times.
For those I would use a tripod and a larger ball head. It is very easy to spin off & on my camera ( w/ monopod & head in vertical position) with the extra bulk and expense of a quick release head.
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