The BH-55 Ball Head with Full-Size Lever-Release Clamp (Chrome) from Really Right Stuff is a 1.96 lb ball head that will support large camera/long lens combinations weighing up to 50 lb. Crafted from aluminum and stainless steel, the BH-55 has all of the features you'd expect from a professional-level head. An over-sized, ergonomic locking knob allows 45-degree tilting in all directions and dual 90-degree drop-notches facilitate quick and accurate switching from the horizontal landscape position to vertical portrait orientation. A separate tension knob is provided to apply the appropriate pressure that safely corresponds to the weight of your camera. A third knob loosens and locks the panning base which is laser-engraved with markers every 2.5 degrees from 0 to 360 degrees.
- 50 lb Load Capacity
- Max Height: 3.7"
- Dual 90° Notches for Portrait Mode
- Separate Tension Control Knob
Really Right Stuff BH-55 with Full-Size Lever... Overview
Really Right Stuff BH-55 with Full-Size Lever... Specs
Head Type | Ball Head |
Base Mount | 3/8"-16 Female |
Quick Release Plate Type | Arca-Type |
Number of Bubble Levels | 1 |
Friction Control | Yes |
Independent Pan Lock | Yes |
Ball Sphere Diameter | 2.2" / 55.88 mm |
Lateral Tilt | -45° to +45° |
Vertical Tilt | +90° to 0° |
Panning Range | 360° |
Load Capacity | 50 lb / 23 kg |
Weight | 2 lb / 0.91 kg |
Package Weight | 2.42 lb |
Box Dimensions (LxWxH) | 6 x 5.85 x 5.3" |
Really Right Stuff BH-55 with Full-Size Lever... Reviews
Really Right Stuff Round Two
My second time purchasing this ball head. It's the one I go to for heavy lens and cameras. Moving into Star trackers and this does the trick.
Holds My Long Lens
The large ball and tight locking mechanism is what I needed for shooting with my heavy 150-600mm lens. This is an outstanding Ball Head!
Excellent tripod head
The lever action puts an iron grip on your camera making sure it will not fall off. The large knob makes it easy to tighten down so even your heaviest lenses will not move once you let go. Having an L bracket is great for going from panoramic to portrait in just a couple of seconds. The only down size is the weight (it's pretty heavy) and of course, the price!!
FLAWLESS !
Ultimate awesome and I am speechless when I use it for my Nikon Nature Photography at Ohio State Parks. Far better than rest of ballheads I have use. No exception, period.
Can't go wrong
Extremely well-made. I took a workshop with Mark Zablotsky Photography, and he recommended this. He told the story of coming upon a lady trapped in her car after an accident. He broke the window with his tripod and this ball head to get her out. Although it looks a bit scarred, he still uses it!
Good, Not As Perfect As They Want You to Believe
Consistent with its reputation, quality of manufacturing seems to be first rate. But there are two things that irritate me. First, the panning lock knob and the friction adjustment knob are too close together. You can't adjust the friction without the panning knob getting in the way. Not sure why the design team didn't pick up on this. Second, you have to turn the lockdown knob a lot in order to achieve total lockdown. I've heard this described as slop. IMO, the Markins Q20i, which I also own, is a better product. It's lighter, just as strong, and has a more elegant design.
The Standard
I had a BH-55 for well over 10 years, and it was starting to show its age, as well as a few knocks, gouges and scratches. On a workshop last fall I had the chance to try several other ball heads and found myself seduced by the FLM heads. I grabbed one (the 48) and while it's a great head (I'd give it a 4-star rating), after 8 months I found myself missing the ease of the BH-55. So, I ordered a new one, and boy was that the right choice for me. This version has a different drag set than my old one, and that eliminates one of the three issues I had with my old BH-55. The second issue, that it was showing some minor slippage when locking it down, now looks like it was a wear related item, as the new one locks with basically no droop. The last issue, weight, is what it is. Since that's the only remaining issue I have, I'm happy to live with it.
Really Right Stuff BH-55 Ball Head with lever
The BH-55 ball head with lever locks up solid, is quick and fast to set up, and is easy to adjust. I found it invaluable on my tripod for quick setups to aid in acquiring and ranging targets, then mounting my rifle for shooting. It has tension adjust for the ball head and another for swivel. The main ball head lock for the ball locks up tight with minimal backlash, making accurate adjustment easy and quick.
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