Now I'm REALLY confused!!! RSS, Markin,Kirk???

Sparkz

Last week I asked for opinions concerning the Manfrotto 488rc4 vs the 488rc2 and I got a lot of thoughtful replies. After reading through them I started thinking that maybe I should just bite the bullet and go for a top of the line ball head. So now my question is this...... Do I buy a RRS BH40 or 55, a Markin M10, an Arca-Swill Z1, or a Kirk BH1 After scouring the internet I'm leaning toward the RSSBH40 but they all seem to be really excellent products. At this price range does it more or less come down to personal preference?? I'm shooting with a 70-200 f4 IS (sometimes w/ a 1.4 tele-converter) and 24-105 f/4 IS lenses and don't think I'll ever be shooting with anything heavier. This ball head will be mounted on a 550XPROB tripod. Any opinions would be appreciated. Thanks.

Mike

pathfinder

The RRS BH-40 will be just fine with your kit!

KED

I think RRS' workmanship is stunning, and I have many of their products including a BH-55. But the best part is deaing with the folks at RRS -- essentially, the same guys that make the gear sell the gear, and they are all extremely knowledgeable and personable. RRS is a family-owned business, and especially in these tough times, I hope that they get the support that they deserve. Believe me, going with the BH-40 is no act of charity, though, you will LOVE the gear.

Sparkz

KED wrote:

I think RRS' workmanship is stunning, and I have many of their products including a BH-55. But the best part is deaing with the folks at RRS -- essentially, the same guys that make the gear sell the gear, and they are all extremely knowledgeable and personable. RRS is a family-owned business, and especially in these tough times, I hope that they get the support that they deserve. Believe me, going with the BH-40 is no act of charity, though, you will LOVE the gear.

Thanks for your opinions. There is no substitute for experience and since I have none with ball heads, I really appreicate the input.

Andy

BH 40 all the way.
RRS is an outstanding company. Just outstanding.

gryphonslair99

A good read on just that subject.

http://www.websiteoptimization.com/speed/tweak/ballhead/

Manfr3d

If you decide to buy Gitzo or ArcaSwiss take a look at Benro, they have an almost identical lineup at half the price but same quality: http://www.benro.com/

ian408

I'm another satisfied RRS customer though I prefer the BH55 for the ability to support a larger lens (500mm).

I've been very happy with RRS customer support as well. Good folks to deal with.

PH[O]TO

Manfr3d wrote:

If you decide to buy Gitzo or ArcaSwiss take a look at Benro, they have an almost identical lineup at half the price but same quality: http://www.benro.com/

Here is an article that dissects a Benro head:

http://www.tomwebsterphoto.com/Essays/Benro/benroks2.htm

I'm in the same boat, also looking for a ballhead for a 055 series tripod. After reading through many posts, it seems that the RSS BH-55 gets nothing but high praise. The BH-40 is a mixed bag. The Markins are smoother but panning lock is not as good as RSS. For a "series 2" legset like the 055XPROB, the BH-55 is too large. I'm not sure if I can commit to the BH-40 when it costs as much as the Markins M20 which is in the BH-55's class. I've been REALLY wanting to like the BH-40, but. So I started hearing about Photo Clam. Another Korean made ballhead that is less expensive than Markins or RSS and is reported to be equal or very close in quality to Markins, and may even have a better panning lock (it's similar in design to Markins). That is all from asking around. So without a clear winner bewteen Markins and RSS, I may go with a less expensive, hopefully equal in quality alternative. But I'm still trying to like the BH-40 because the QR lever system looks soooo much nicer. Adding the RRS clamp to a Markins pushes the price pretty high. How can I spend that much when it's not clear that's the "best" option. I may error on the less expenside side.

Here's a price breakdown of ballhead options I am considering. Price is total cost after shipping including corresponding camera plate (no tax being out of state, I'm in the U.S.):

BH-40 w/LRI Clamp $441.17

BH-55 w/LRII Clamp $521.97

M10 w/std clamp $402.76

M20 w/std clamp $452.76

PC-48NS (Photo Clam M20 equivalent) w/std clamp $320.90

M10 w/RSS LRII Clamp (shipping charges for each part) $536.06
(or $506.06 if get M10 with no clamp - only $30 difference)

M20 w/RSS LRII Clamp $586.06 (or $556.06)

ian408

From experience, I can tell you that RRS stands behind what it sells. They are a great company to deal with and if you need to ask a question, they're a phone call away. And to me, that is worth a lot.