Really Right Stuff BH-40 Ball Head with Lever-Release Panning Clamp, 18 lb Capacity

2024-03-12T19:28:40

Sorry to do this. I know RRS makes a fine product but I'm not happy. I take care of my gear and I I've been using this for two years. Just used it the other night and everything was fine. Today, I drove to my location, hiked all the way there, pulled out my equipment, set up and, BOOM, it's broken. The knob that adjusts the panning was vice grip tight and the camera had no tension on the panning. So, it's broken and I'm upset because this was an expensive piece of equipment and I have ballheads that are 25% the cost of this and I've used them ten+ years and they still work. I know I'm not supposed to use the drag knob to lock the ball head, so If I did something wrong that stinks because everything is normal use for a ball head. The thing just stopped working and it happened within the last 48 hours. Thankfully I wasn't on an important trip but how am I supposed to trust this brand when the equipment just breaks suddenly with normal use?

Joseph L.

2023-01-28T03:00:50

First class build

Michael C.

2022-07-12T09:41:13

Excellent quality. I have the larger RRS head but needed a second head for another tripod. With todays mirrorless bodies being lighter I didn?t need the big brother. The size and weight savings is awesome.

DAVID T.

2022-05-07T09:06:23

much lighter than my current ball head. I like the quick release ans simplicity of the knobs.

Adrienne A.

2022-05-04T15:15:16

A few cosmetic defects but nothing that prevents it from functioning as when it was new. It will hold up to 50lbs. Very steady and dependable.

JANIE L.

2021-11-15T08:03:31

This is a rock solid ball head worth every penny. I have used it so far doing Macro (flowers) and landscapes this past weekend, and it is rock solid. Great service from Adorama!

RENE C.

2021-11-10T17:31:54

An extremely well built ball head, it?s everything it was described to be and more.

DWAIN H.

2021-10-28T10:24:52

Rock Solid ball head. Pricey but worth the extra money.

Richard Y.

2021-09-09T18:02:00

I had another ball head from a different brand which was driving me crazy every time I needed to make adjustments to the drag of the ball. I sold that one and got this one after reading great reviews. Solid construction. Good size knobs and it works as intended.

JAIME L.

2021-06-30T05:17:46

I after years of using Manfrotto, I wanted to swap over to an Arca style quick-clamp. I swapped out my trusty 486 RC2 for the RSS BH-40, and have been completely pleased since. I like to have the clamp lever at the rear of the camera, so the position of the bubble level on this model makes it fairly useless, (hence the 4 stars) but no big deal for me......

paul k.

2021-06-11T08:33:09

Wonderful!

THOMAS C.

2021-04-22T14:16:48

This ball head is truly a fine piece of machinery. Very well built and nice smooth controls. The locking lever securely holds camera in place.

ROBERT J.

2021-04-14T08:47:22

Not only a thing of beauty, but also well engineered, smooth, precise, and secure in its movements. Well worth the money and perfect for a Field camera in my opinion. Bob Wood

Robert W.

2020-12-10T08:42:31

RRS has some incredible products. Unfortunately, this one falls a little short. Mainly it’s the design of the knobs. Pull out, turn, twist, pull out again, and don’t let the slight frustration seep in when you’ve accidentally over tightened one of the screws. Get the pliers out. I like the ease of movement, the quick clamp design, and the weight.

Thomas O.

2020-02-14T10:00:07

This is my third tripod and the first time I've bought a separate ball head. With my previous tripod, I would frame up my shot and tighten everything down, let go and the camera would drop just a little. With this ball head, that doesn't happen! I'm delighted - it's a joy to use. I love that I can tighten it with just one lever. I also like the lever-release version to secure the camera - easier than tightening a knob. As other reviewers have mentioned, there are times that the lever gets in the way of the camera, and I find myself having to swivel the base of the ball head to keep the lever from restricting where I want to aim the camera. But all in all, it's a wonderful experience to use this ball head.

Julia O.