Slik Pro 800 Ballhead (Quick Release) - Supports 6.61 lb (3.00 kg)

Comments about Slik Pro 800 Ballhead (Quick Release) - Supports 6.61 lb (3.00 kg):

Large surface area for medium format cameras. Compact camera pad with full 360 degree adaptability.

Comments about Slik Pro 800 Ballhead (Quick Release) - Supports 6.61 lb (3.00 kg):

Love this Ball head. It does take a special plate only thru slik but I am very satisfied with this product.

Comments about Slik Pro 800 Ballhead (Quick Release) - Supports 6.61 lb (3.00 kg):

Diving into the world of photography for the first time often feels like trying to talk to a university professor when you are still in first grade.Well that is how I felt delving into this world initially. The more books I read on the subject, the more the message was clear: GET A TRIPOD! So off I went. How hard could it be right? Just visit [...]or B&H and buy one. Yeah right! It was not as easy as I thought.Which one do I buy? Which one is best? What should I pay? Some of my family had purchased a vanguard ball head tripod that was a complete unit and it looked ok. So after slogging through sites, discussion forums and checking out the tripods that everyone else around me had, I settled for something that had a separate mount. Boy was I glad I did. Here are some of the things I discovered:1. This ball head pans! I was looking at the same model on [...] and nearly bought it there, but B&H won me over with a better price. When it arrived, I discovered that this ball head pans (unlike the similar model sold on [...].) Score one for B&H!2. The round shoe IS all it's cracked up to be. Ok so every other photographer is not a fourth time mom with only one hand to spare, like me. However being able to slip my camera on and off the tripod with one hand scored big with me.This was feature was my main deciding factor for getting this ball head. What a unique design. I cannot believe that it has not become the standard by now. After using this mount I would NEVER go back to a rectangular mounting.3. Moves fast and moves accurately! I tested it out for the first time at an ice skating rink with my family. After a quick learning curve, I was twisting and turning this thing all over the place. It is fast, accurate and secure with my D300 and 18-200mm zoom.4. Adjustment dials just fall into your hand! After comparing my tripod with others (such as vanguard and even manfrotto) I noticed how solid and easy my adjustment dial worked for tightening the ball. It fits snug in your hand and you can find and use it without looking.5. It makes you look super cool :) Hey you gotta admit, that when you stand there with your tripod set up, your camera mounted and are snapping away, you look so much more professional than the rest of the hand-held shooters out there. So the bottom line? If you are searching for a tripod and are not sure what to make out of all the jargon out there - let me assure you that this is a good buy. Purchase the legs and the ball-head separately. Sure it costs a bit more - but it is WORTH IT. You will not be wasting your money.My tripod stands ready to go in my house 24/7. You never know when a creative moment will grab you or the perfect action shot will present itself. With this ball head, I am ready to go. Anywhere, any time, any angle and with absolute accuracy. It will make your dive into the world of photography child's play.

Comments about Slik Pro 800 Ballhead (Quick Release) - Supports 6.61 lb (3.00 kg):

I had previously purchased the Slik 700DX tripod, which comes with a pan/tilt head, and also some extra Slik quick release plates to leave permanently attached to my camera bodies and telephoto lenses.

I wanted to get an affordable ball head, and this was the best alternative, because it uses the same style of quick release plate.

(I also had previously bought a Giottos MT-9360 tripod (which is sold without a head) to use for macro photography. And so I was able to transfer the Slik pan/tilt head to the Giottos tripod.)

The Slik ball head is entirely adequate, and considerably cheaper than most of the ball heads currently being sold.

Comments about Slik Pro 800 Ballhead (Quick Release) - Supports 6.61 lb (3.00 kg):

I bought one of these used about 3 years ago and I still use it. Sturdy, functional, reliable.

I have only 2 gripes.

The knobs for the ball tension and the swivel (pan) lock are exactly the same, so when reaching for them with your eyes plastered to the viewfinder, it's easy to grab the wrong one. Easily fixed by gluing something to or filing something off one of the knobs.

The other complaint is that the round quick release plate is unique to Slik (and only this model of Slik) and therefore won't work with anything else. So far, that hasn't been a problem for me but I can see how it might annoy others.

Comments about Slik Pro 800 Ballhead (Quick Release) - Supports 6.61 lb (3.00 kg):

I'm a dedicated amateur shooting landscapes, macro shots, portraits/group photos, and student sports events. This tripod head has some nice features that unfortunately don't perform as well as they should. The quick release is easy to use and locks your camera securely onto the head, but the disk that attaches to the camera is very thick making it difficult to handhold the camera should you need to dismount the camera from the tripod. The tension control is a great feature that doesn't work very well. In combination with a ball that is either not perfectly smooth or not perfectly round (or both), the tension control leaves the ball either too loose or too tight and it is very difficult to reach a happy medium. Be sure to keep a firm hold on your camera when attempting to adjust tension on the ball. When locked in position, things are quite secure, but fine adjustments are difficult.

Comments about Slik Pro 800 Ballhead (Quick Release) - Supports 6.61 lb (3.00 kg):

Fits perfectly on my monopod. I was looking for something that could handle my Nikon D40x with long lenses and not be cumbersome. It has a sturdy construction and does everything an amatuer photographer wants it to do.

The thing I like the most about it is the quick release and locking mechanism that allows me to quickly mount and unmount my camera.

Comments about Slik Pro 800 Ballhead (Quick Release) - Supports 6.61 lb (3.00 kg):

Could have easily added compass marks to the bottom of the base at a small expense. A bit heavy.