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Customers most agreed on the following attributes:
from Boston on 5/8/2008
This is a great design, but it is more for portraits and other non-moving photography. It is by design not easy to move aroung quickly. Excellent tripod head
from Central Coast, CA on 5/8/2008
A necessary piece of equipment for professional photographers, especially wedding photographers.
from Atlanta, Ga on 5/8/2008
This was recommended by several friends and so far it hasn't disappointed me. I really enjoy the quick and easy movement of the grip to get any angle I need with ease. This grip is easily worth the extra little in cash. If you do a lot of work with tripods I don't know how you would not want this grip.
from Guadalajara, Mexico on 5/8/2008
I saved at least 3 minutes compared with my old ball head, just put your camera, press and move to your desired position and rdy!!!!
from Vancouver, Canada on 4/21/2008
Solid, easy to set up and use. My biggest concern in purchasing a ballhead was the cantilevering action with conventional ones. This ballhead grip addressed these. The grip dimensions are man sized but shouldn't intimidate users with fine or weak hands. The quick attach/release works as it should and secures the camera solidly.
from Lima, Ohio on 4/5/2008
Always shipped for right-hand grip control, but if REVERSED you can control movement with left hand and operate camera with right hand (makes so much more sense). Use extensively with a D200 and long lenses for quick wildlife imaging.
from Geneseo, IL on 3/18/2008
I love how easy it is to use and move in all directions :)
from W. Dover, VT on 3/6/2008
would buy again
from Minneapolis, MN on 2/21/2008
I used to have the 3265 that I used when I was doing people type photography. When I finally saw that the 323RC2 came out I sold the older one and bought this. Best head ever for the price. I shoot a lot of verticals and it really shines for that. The big improvement for the new head is that the axis is so much lower I no longer have to move my whole tripod when going from horizontal to vertical.
from Chicopee, Ma on 1/29/2008
this is a great product for photographing Dance Schools as it is easy to change from H to V with little effort.
from Chicago on 1/22/2008
This is the perfect head. It is larger than most, but it gives you extremely fast and acurate control over where you want to camera. I was surprised with just how stable it is! I highly recommend this head!
from Kent, OH on 1/21/2008
This ball head is excellent. It holds my DSLR firmly and can be in any positions I want. The only thing to be cautious is that a camera can fall onto the ground if it is not firmly held when detaching it from the head.
from Houston, TX on 1/21/2008
I love it...awesome product...well worth the money. IT ROCKS
from las vegas, nv on 1/21/2008
Finally decided to upgrade to a good tripod setup, and decided to try one with the ball head. This does everything I need and more, and I love how easy it is to set up that perfect angle.
YOU CAN ADJUST THE GRIP AT THE TIME IT GETS LOOSE WITH USE.
THE BEST USE WHEN LOW ILUMINATION AND FAST LENSES, AND LARGE ESPOSURE TIME, ESPECIALLY WITH PORTRAITURE.
I've used the original model of this unit for two years and it's been great. This one is the best there is. I do a TON of portrait work and I wouldn't use anything else.
from Severn, MD on 7/10/2007
I have used this Ball Head w/Grip on several travel-related shoots, and it's worked very well for me. I have a Nikon D200 with three different lenses, the largest of which is a Nikkor 70-300mm. Would definitely recommend it to others considering a ball head for their tripod. It even fits (okay, it's a little tight, but it does fit) in the tripod carrying bag, which was an added bonus.
[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]
Just received the head and I'm sending it back. When in a vertical position, the head allows only a small tilt forward and back. I take a lot of vertical shots in my portrait work and I see this as a major drawback. Also had trouble customizing the position of the camera plate. If you are considering this head, I highly suggest trying one out first.
be careful when ordering this unit. When I received mine it would not attach to my tripods. The mounting hole was too large. Called Customer Service and they informed me that i needed a bushing to reduce the size. Give me a break------------how many of us use a tripod that has a non-standard camera size hole.cost me an extra [$]. Ask the questions.
from Lisbon, Portugal on 5/18/2007
This tripod head seems perfect for all my camera/lens setting. Very customizable, it's practical and easy to use since the very first moment it attached to the tripod.
Once you try it, you'll never want anything else.
from Sparks, Nv. on 5/8/2007
This is the only head you will need. It moves freely and you can switch from shot to shot quickly.
from Ontario, Canada on 5/8/2007
I have this head mounted on a Benbo tripod (my choice of tripods - I like the heavy weight). I not only use my camera for hobby, but extensively for work in policing - collision investigation and crime scene/forensics. This head is very easy to adjust and most of the time, if it's work related, it means I'm shooting in adverse conditions. I can operate this tripod head with my mittens on in the extreme cold and if there's wind, I've got the added stability of the head's weight combined with a heavy tripod. The range of motion covers everything I need from long exposure shots, to getting up nice and close to photograph a fingerprint. The camera I use this with is a D200 with assorted lenses - the longest at the moment being a 200mm.[...]
[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]
it's not the best ballhead made - look to Really Right Stuff and other manufacturers for that - but as ballheads in this price range go, this is a great one. one person said it's heavy; it's not. it's magnesium and a perfect complement to a carbon-fiber tripod...weighs much less than some heads i've tried. i've been using this head for about two years now and have never had a complaint about its weight. another person said it can't handle heavy rigs, but - as long as the tension control is set tight enough - it keeps my D2x nice and stable with my 70-200 VR attached, which is a total weight of around six pounds. i'm sure it couldn't be used with a *really* massive lens - it is only rated for 11 pounds, after all - but it works well for a lot of common shooting situations.
i never thought i'd like any ball head, but i love this one. my Girlfriend likes it too, and She's ultra-picky. ;)
my only complaint is its limited range of movement: the same handle that makes this head such a joy to use prevents the camera from dropping more than a few degrees to the right, which can be a limitation sometimes. it drops the full 90 degrees to the left, and maybe a little more, but if you want to rotate your camera to the right for any reason, you're pretty much out of luck with this head unless you use the vertical-grip setup that i personally find awkward and that also reduces the head's weight limit to about five pounds. that complaint aside, though, i really like this head. i did a bit of headhunting (ark ark) before and was never really satisfied until i found this head, which hasn't come off my tripod since i put it on about two years ago, and won't until i can afford a Really Right Stuff BH-55.
[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]
from Bristol, CT on 2/14/2007
I've been using this product consistently for landscapes since my purchase. It's performed extremely well in good weather and bad. If there's one "con" to the grip it's that you sometimes have to work with it to achieve the needed range when using it in portrait mode.
from Seattle, WA on 2/5/2007
Difficult to use with any but light lenses (and how many lenses nowdays are light?) - better off with a good, stable ballhead and forget these gimmicks, this unit would be fine with a small P&S camera, but was nearly useless with heavy camera/lens combinations.
from decatur,il on 2/5/2007
very solid
from Chula Vista, CA on 2/5/2007
Quick and easy to use.
This is a nice ball head. Can be reconfigured for right or left hand, or for vertical grip. Strong clamp, spirit level for leveling
Been using the head for over a year. Between the head and my Manfroto tripod, you can not find a better combination. I have no problem even with a 300 IS L 2.8 attached. My images are crisp and clear[...].
This head is amazing! It holds a ton of weight in almost any imaginable position. For my money, its the best ballhead on the market. simply put, its amazing, although fine tuning the framing is a littl etough if you have weak hands, but once it gets easyer, the performance is remarkable!
[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]
Great range of motion but, takes a bit to fully realize the way it moves. I have added a second Quick Release Assembly (QRA) to increase the range of camera positions. By placing the second QRA at the end of the grip you can shoot straight down for macro work with out repositioning the center support on your tripod. I use it left handed so I have my right hand free for camera control.
Not for panning and requires a steady hand for exact position. The unit is heavy but, the weight is in your favor for stability.
Additionally, The grip can be used left or right handed or vertical. The QRA can be fine tuned at each of the three postions to better fit to your style.
[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]
This product is great! It is a very firm grip and with the pistol action you can make adjustments in a snap! I highly suggest this product.
[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]
I've got head mounted on 680 monopod. The grip action allows for very quick positioning, and is rock solid when the grip is released. A variable friction control ensures the head does not drift when a heavy telephoto is used.