Manfrotto 496 Center Ball Head with Q6 Arca-Type Quick Release Plate and Top Lock

For all photographers looking for a portable yet powerful ball head, the 496 aluminium Centre Ball Head with Top Lock plate enables smooth and precise camera positioning.

This tripod head is made of highly resistant, lightweight aluminium, so it is both portable and strong enough to cope with an impressive payload capacity of up to 10kg/22.03lbs.

It's the perfect solution for all kinds of mirrorless cameras with zoom lenses and DSLRs; the camera sliders and motion controls ensure steadiness and safety.

This advanced ball head combines practicality with high performance and features three independent controls that give it the versatility to suit any environment. A main ergonomic knob manages the sphere lock, and an integrated friction control knob adjusts the ball tension so that equipment weight is always perfectly balanced and shots framed effortlessly.

An independent panoramic knob keeps the horizon flat and moves the camera horizontally, enabling astonishing landscape shots. Framing on the new 496 is easier too and opens up limitless options, so you can pursue any angle for new and innovative content creation.

Manufactured to high standards in Italy, the 496 Centre Ball Head mounts an Arca-Swiss-compatible MSQ6PL sliding plate and a Top Lock.

The head has three bubble spirit levels (one for each axis of rotation) to facilitate precise framing and help produce straight images in-camera, ensuring the camera's full frame is usable and reducing post-production time.

For a fast, effortless set-up, the camera is inserted from above rather than from the side. A safety mechanism is released when the plate engages with the head, which prevents your equipment from sliding out.