Smith-Victor BH8 Metal Alloy Ball Head

Comments about Smith-Victor BH8 Metal Alloy Ball Head:

I have a Markins M10 ballhead on my main tripod, and that ballhead is smaller, lighter, smoother, and rated for a higher load than the BH8; it also cost about 5 times what I paid for this unit... With a little loosening of the locking knob this BH8 WILL work with Kirk and RRS plates. You have to remove the safety catch mechanism and you will have to slide the plates in (not drop them in from the top). It is a very tight fit, but it works and is a good value for what it is. It can be very jerky to position (i.e. precise positioning can be difficult), even with a heavy load. I am happy with this unit as a backup, but would not be so happy if it were my main ballhead. For perspective, it is also about as large as a beer can. The pan lock (screw) is either 'on' or 'off' with no in between and the knob will unscrew completely. The pan lock catches on the spindle when rotating through 360 degrees, it is not the same smooth feeling all the way around. I got this because of all the positive reviews. I intend to leave it mounted on an older tripod in my trunk as a backup unit, something I don't have to worry about getting knocked around. For that purpose I am happy.

Comments about Smith-Victor BH8 Metal Alloy Ball Head:

This product is used along with my Induro Alloy 8M AT214 Tripod and it fits well even though the head is a little big. I use this for my Nikon d7000 and sigma 50-500m lens (~2.6 kg).

Comments about Smith-Victor BH8 Metal Alloy Ball Head:

This Ballhead is of very good quality for the money. It is strong enough to hold my D7000 in portrait position, even with the grip on it. A couple of things to note are as follows:Any Arca-suisse clamp must be able to slide on from the side. The clamp won't open wide enough to allow otherwise. Also the rubber knobs on all the adjustments can slip if trying to tighten them too much. Not a bog deal if you grab them properly. I myself popped them off and put a dab of glue on them and reinstalled them. Never to slip again.

Comments about Smith-Victor BH8 Metal Alloy Ball Head:

Nice product only complain is the little rubber band that spin freely on the shaft not a big deal tough

Comments about Smith-Victor BH8 Metal Alloy Ball Head:

This ballhead boasted signs of strong construction and good function at first glance and handling. After a few weeks of owning a pair, the issues began showing up. Shooting out in Horse shoe bend, the knob to tighten the plate came right off while loosening and fell into the canyon. This knob is not supposed to come off completely. Smith Victor sent me a new one without any issues. Wonderful customer support! My second ballhead is now showing issues with the tightening know for the plate as well. The rubber grip on the knob is slipping and I have to use a wrench and clamp down on the metal part of the knob so I can tighten it. The ballhead itself is showing malfunction, it clicks at certain angle of rotation and something inside seems to be getting caught.

Comments about Smith-Victor BH8 Metal Alloy Ball Head:

Purchased this SV head to use on a pro slider. It's not only the best ball head out there for the money, it may be the best ball head you'll ever buy! The pan is smooth as silk, and the drag controls are very precise. The quick-mount release is in the right place and made of aluminum, not plastic. Overall, it's build quality is solid billet aluminum with an extra thick layer of black anodizing. The mount is perfectly machined and engineered achieving accurate fitment. Drag and ball controls are very well made and are infinitely adjustable. It does lack bubble levels but any pro will tell you, they're worthless anyway. We use a small pro level on the camera, not the mount. Overall, you will not be disappointed.

Comments about Smith-Victor BH8 Metal Alloy Ball Head:

I have used this ball head for Portraits, scenic shots and some night shots and it does the job well. It is a bit on the heavier side but for the price, well worth the extra heft. It can support a lot of weight and is very stable,it stays locked in place and is pretty smooth with its panning. I would recomend this for anyone on a budget that is looking for a ball head that just plain works!!

Comments about Smith-Victor BH8 Metal Alloy Ball Head:

4 stars because of weak tension control

Comments about Smith-Victor BH8 Metal Alloy Ball Head:

I like this ball head quite a bit. It is extremely sturdy and the larger quick release plate grips the bottom of my camera/lens very well. This means no more slipping when I shoot portrait. I initially chose to go the arca-swiss route because I wanted to buy the vertical L mounting bracket. But now I'm realizing that I probably don't have to. This thing is that secure.

Of course, the down side is that it's super heavy. I may end up buying an alternate lightweight head for travel. But for car camping and such, this ball head is excellent.

Comments about Smith-Victor BH8 Metal Alloy Ball Head:

This is my second ballhead. The first had a single knob for controlling all movements, and did not hold my Canon D7 with a telescopic 300mm f4 L lens (ca. six lbs.) as securely as I would like when tightened down. This BH8 ballhead, by contrast, securely attaches to the camera and easily holds my camera in set position when tightened down. Moreover, I find that having more than one knob to control the movement of the ballhead, while slower than a single knob, actually suits my needs better; the larger knob allows for quick major settings, while the smaller knob can be used to refine the amount of tension needed in any given situation. The BH8 is not light; but I would rather lug about an extra pound or so for the peace of mind I get from knowing that my camera is securely locked in position. The screw for attacking the quick release plate to the camera must be tightened using a coin or similar tool, but once tightened the camera remains firmly in position, thanks to the rubber mounting pads. The only caveat I would note is one needs to exercise care when slipping the quick release plate with an attached heavy camera+lens in or out of the quick release assembly. After loosening the release knob, normally a second button or safety release must be depressed to completely detach the camera from the ballhead. But in my experience, the weight of a heavy camera can force the quick release plate to slip past the safety detention pin, if the ball is not in horizontal position. Accordingly, I now always retain a firm grip on my camera while loosening or tightening the quick release knob. Once the knob is tightened, however, there is no concern. My final judgement: this is a very good ballhead and the money I saved can be used to buy additional equipment.

Comments about Smith-Victor BH8 Metal Alloy Ball Head:

This thing is very large! It's a lot bigger than what I expected, but can really handle the weight! It's got a lot of grip and the dials are very easy to figure out and use. The best part is the price! It's hard to beat for the price range!

Comments about Smith-Victor BH8 Metal Alloy Ball Head:

This is a good ball head, you would think it would cost hundreds of dollars. It is sturdy and works well. Initially the rubber grips on the knobs spun but a little sand paper and some rubber cement resolved the issue. When you lock it down it moves a little in one direction but is easy to compensate for.

Comments about Smith-Victor BH8 Metal Alloy Ball Head:

Purchased to use on camera stand in studio. Excellent value and a great product.

Comments about Smith-Victor BH8 Metal Alloy Ball Head:

With the "few" reviews that had neg feedbacks I was a little concerned about the holding power for my set up, Nikon D7000 @ Tokina 80-400mm lens, NO! worries! Rock solid!

The rubber rings on the knobs can slip a little, but no big deal, just "squeeze'em" a little.

There is some drag on the rotating base, but for video this would help prevent jerky movements.

This is a well built solid piece of equipment and for the price I think you would be hard pressed to find a better value!

Comments about Smith-Victor BH8 Metal Alloy Ball Head:

I got this to use on my monopod. The lock system is not the best one, as if you use a heavy lens it might move if you don't lock BOTH nobs. Since I don't use it too much, it's not a big deal. The price is unbeatable.

Comments about Smith-Victor BH8 Metal Alloy Ball Head:

Mount on a Benro tripod.
Can't believe its price 1/3 of brand names.
Minor trouble with dried antifriction grease, easily removed, that made the panning too tough.

Comments about Smith-Victor BH8 Metal Alloy Ball Head:

This deserves a ding to its high rating... While it might be a nice ballhead, mine failed within 10 minutes of demoing it after I received it. The knobs are covered with a rubber grip right over smooth metal. Without heroic turning, I attempted to tighten a knob to a very reasonable torque--then the rubber grip loosened from the metal knob and spun freely without torquing the knob anymore. There is no easy way to fix this, and in this state it was then impossible to tighten the knob. This was not an isolated problem, as two more knobs quickly did the same.[...]For what it's worth, the plate was a bit finicky to slide into the shoe, but I suppose that would have come with more practice.It seems I'm the only person who had this problem, so hopefully others are OK?

Comments about Smith-Victor BH8 Metal Alloy Ball Head:

I have a Sony a330 with 70-300mm lens and HVL-F42 flash and this tripod head holds it with no problems! This ballhead is a little heavy and huge compared to my cheap ballhead. I cant compare it to name brands that are three times expensive but this is great for beginners and enthusiasts.

Comments about Smith-Victor BH8 Metal Alloy Ball Head:

This is one of the best ballheads I've used in a long time. It's very well built, smooth action, tight when locked down, and just plain looks good.
I've read a lot of reviews that list this ballhead being heavy as a con, I really wouldn't list that as being a con, unless you're traveling with it.
This thing is rated to hold 40lbs! After testing it out, I believe it would hold every bit of it too.
It will hold my setup, in any orientation, without a problem (1D MkIIn, 70-200 2.8 IS MkII, Kenko Extension tube(s) and a 580EX II). Works great for Macro, home studio and night shots.
The plate has a great safety locking feature that won't let your camera slip out of the dovetail when you loosen the knob. I would recommend eventually getting a couple extra quick release plates if you have multiple camera bodies or multiple lenses with tripod rings.
I use this head on my Bogen 3021Pro tripod.

I would definitely recommend this ballhead to anyone and everyone, it works great!

Buy it, use it, enjoy it. Rest assured, this ballhead will hold your equipment safely.

Comments about Smith-Victor BH8 Metal Alloy Ball Head:

Does everything it is supposed to. I have a D200 with a 300 f4 lens and it remains sturdy in any position! Great for someone who wants a good head without spending hundreds! Dont always need to be drawn into the brand names!