Used Manfrotto Midi Ball Head 488RC2 with RC2 Rapid Connect - Supports 17.6 lbs

2011-09-03T21:00:00

I did not want to spend $300 on the head alone. I got a 190PROXB Manfrotto tripod and this ball head and am very happy with it. I am 5'9" so the tripod is OK for my height and the ball head stays wherever I put it. This is my first good tripod and head and it blows away the cheap aluminum ones I've used to date. I went back and forth over the 486 head vs this one and am glad that I have the horizontal control to take panos without question. I've already stitched a few and they were great. Yeah it's not made of magnesium, but it was not worth that price to me. I am very happy. My camera moves after locking it down too...I attribute it to my battery grip. People might want to think about what in their camera will flex with a 3/8" attachment to a tripod. I have a fairly heavy 17-55 f/2.8 IS and 70-200 f/4 IS lens and my XTi will droop just a little because of the battery grip mount.

Jason W.

2010-01-24T19:00:00

I use the Bogen Manfrotto Midi Ball Head for nature/landscape/wildlife photography. Very easy to control when making adjustments, and it secures the camera firmly. The quick release feature is a must have. I feel that it is Very High Quality.

Vinny

2010-01-10T19:00:00

I used this ball head for landscape. It's not too heavy for carrying it around. But the locking of ball head is not solid firmed when I attached D300 with 24-70 lens. I will try putting the 70-200 to it and see what happens. After locking the position and release my hand, the camera tilted down a little bit. But, when you get used to this behavior, you can find a way to adapt it. Not a bad product for the price.

Ricky L.

2010-01-09T19:00:00

great tripod head for the money!

OB

2010-01-09T19:00:00

con, in portrait mode you have have to loosen the small knob on the opposite side to adjust...kind of awkward. In landscape it is quick and easily adjustable.

OB

2010-01-09T19:00:00

Easy to use. I never had a ball head before but sure will never use a tripod without.

SUNSHINE P.

2009-11-09T19:00:00

This is a solid, very well constructed ball head and the price is great. I have three of these for my tripods and am very pleased with their performance.

DSCHULE

2009-09-22T21:00:00

Whenever I have the possibility, I use it. It is quick, although it took a little practice to get used to it.

vick

2009-09-21T21:00:00

No problems at all with this Ball Head

Jack M.

2009-09-03T21:00:00

I have it attached to a carbon fiber tripod by Manfrotto (I've forgotten the exact make), and it's great! The movement is wonderful, but without those levers sticking out. I can fold the head to one side, and the entire outfit (ball head with the attached tripod) fits into a reasonably compact carrying case that I can carry easily by hand or over my shoulder. Super product, plus super price [...]

Beard

2009-08-18T21:00:00

I bought this with my Manfrotto Tripod legs and am glad I did. I didn't think I'd need the quick release but it has proved very useful when moving from the tripod to handheld shooting. This product is heavy duty and very well designed. Be careful when you first use this so you don't pinch your finger using the release button!

Yumin

2009-08-18T21:00:00

I use this Midi Ball with a Manfrotto 190XPROB3 Tripod. I wanted to get a reasonably priced combination which would suit my rather non-demanding needs. I use this combination with my D90 and various lenses for portraits, telephoto and low light photography. It's a quality piece of gear. It's easy to use, is well engineered and very well made. I'm a fan of the quick attach/release system and have purchased extra attaching plates for use on frequently mounted gear. Of course, as a ball head, it requires a bit of care when adjusting to ensure that the mounted gear stays under control! It's a little heavy but as I don't use it for travel I don't mind a little more weight for far fewer dollars. It, and the tripod, are good quality basic gear which perform exactly as needed for a stay-at-home amature portraits, wildlife and low light pohtography.

RON C.

2009-08-11T21:00:00

This is my first ball head, and I couldn't be happier. When loosened, it moves freely, allowing me to quickly find the right position. When tightened down, it's completely steady, even at odd angles. After using it on a couple of shoots, I have no fear that the camera will move once I have it in position. I also appreciate the separate clamp for panning and the degrees marked on the head for aligning panorama shots. Overall, I'm thrilled with the product.

JOHN T.

2009-07-07T21:00:00

It has been put to good use so far. It is built well, the controls work well, but will need some time to get used to.

sm d.

2009-06-03T21:00:00

This medium duty ballhead does precisely what it is designed to do and has tremendous flexibility to go along with it. Interfaces well with many M-F tripods and monopods. This note is for DaveInAz: The weight capacity is relevant when it is concentrated on the tripod's vertical axis. When you overhang or cantilever the load farther out, as you do with the 100-400, this induces a moment or torque on the ball making it more unstable - so the load on it is in effect greater. As an extreme example, imagine a 17 pound load at different positions away from the center. As the load goes further out, the torque on the ball will eventually break it loose. Ask an engineer friend of yours to illustrate how this works. So your choice may have been too light for your needs.

Cliffrose

2009-05-24T21:00:00

I bought this to support my Canon 40D, BG-E2N Battery Grip, and 100-400mm Canon lens. The combined weight of this combo is roughly 5 - 5.5 lbs. The head is rated at 17.6 lbs capacity. So, why can't I point the lens up at a tree, lock the knob, and have it stay where I put it? It slips/drops/slumps/lowers the objective end of the lens some seemingly random distance, every time, making it impossible to accurately frame a shot. It DOES hold firmly, once it decides where to hold, but that's not much use if I can't control where it's pointing. I'm guessing this is at least partly due to the balance point not being perfectly aligned, but there is no provision for adjusting it. Aside from that, it seems to be a fine product. So, if you are only interested in horizontal shots, or only use short lenses, it might work fine for you. But, I can't honestly recommend it.

DAVID M.

2009-05-08T21:00:00

Solid and works well with my 500mm lens. I would suggest buying a second quick release plate if you are going to use it with a long lens

Graydog

2009-05-03T21:00:00

Excellent ballhead that does what is advertised. You can pay a lot more for a ballhead but you don't have to. This one suits me fine.

Mel C.

2009-04-07T21:00:00

I was on the fence between this head and a more expensive head ($300+). I'm glad I got this one because it does everything I need it to do. Yes, it's a bit heavy, but so is my tripod. I don't plan on taking it to travel. I don't plan to go hiking with it. It's staying at my "studio," and maybe the occasional onsite photoshoot. This thing looks like it is built to last. I highly recommend it for those of you who are just getting started with heads and tripods.

CHRIS T.

2009-02-05T19:00:00

Use primarily with super telephoto for wildlife photography

DEAN G.

2009-02-05T19:00:00

This was an upgrade from a smaller head, and a great choice. Solid set, important for the heavier lenses/camera combos.

ERNEST F.

2008-12-02T19:00:00

This is my first ballhead and I gotta say, I'm loving it. Solid and well-made though, not surprisingly given it's build, a bit heavy. Still, not enough of a drawback for me to downgrade it at all since I knew what I was getting weight-wise when I bought it.

Snapshot

2008-07-10T21:00:00

This ball head really deserves 4.5 stars; my only con (and a very minor one) is with respect to the clamp on the head that holds in the rapid connect plate. At times, I'm not sure how firmly engaged is the clamp. Otherwise, very solid and a great product. I don't worry that my D300 is going anyplace.

Billy B.

2008-07-09T21:00:00

This is my first ball head and I'll never look back! Build quality is excellent, typical of Manfrotto. You can really fine-tune the ball tightness, and the horizontal panning action is smooth as silk. The RC2 quick release lever has a safety lever which is an excellent touch so you won't find your expensive camera/lens at your feet; not what you want to happen! I know it's not an Arca-Swiss which are arguably the best; but if you're on a "tripod budget", this head has what it takes; stability, quality, and the confidence that your expensive gear is in "good hands" with its phenolic ball and 17.6 lb. capacity.

Tom B.

2008-07-09T21:00:00

Like most Bogen products, these are very well made. Very good for everyday use at a good price. Every thing works as expected. If a ball head is what you are after this one will not let you down. The only reason for four stars is that I am spoiled on the Bogen pistol grip head that I use most of the time.

Robert

2008-06-01T21:00:00

We have an old Bogen tripod and massive ball head that weights a ton, I got a monopod and this mini to see if they would be a good lightweight substitution. They are great, now I plan on adding a lightweight carbon fiber tripod and another mini so that we can leave the dinosaur at home.

NORMAN A.

2008-02-20T19:00:00

The product works flawlessly, is stable and very easy to use. The quick release is great. It is a bit on the heavy side but don't let that deter you. Its an excellent product to have.

Nikon5283

2008-01-21T19:00:00

This is my first ball head and I love the ease of adjustments and flexibility.

raftrman

2008-01-20T19:00:00

Very affordable and useful addition to my growing hobby.

Scuba C.

2007-10-13T21:00:00

I upgraded from an $30 tripod and added this to a new Manfrotto 0550xPROB - I love both - easy to use and can quickly set in place

Swilks