A marvel of innovation. You have instant access to 85% of a sphere, making this far and away the quickest to position ballhead. There is no vertical notch necessary. The surface is coated with a scratch-resistant, smooth shell which reduces vibration transmission while allowing the user to move the gear with ease and expedience. There is no independent panning capacity, however this can be solved by using the Novoflex Universal Panorama Plate. Together these two pieces provide quicker use than all other ballheads. This will hold the biggest of medium format equipment as well as supertelephoto lenses.